Cambridge MBA student named as a Best & Brightest

Seki (Ziyao) Guan, a Cambridge MBA student at Cambridge Judge Business School (MBA 2024), has been named as one of the 100 ‘Best & Brightest’ MBA students by business school publication Poets & Quants. The annual list, now in its 11th  year, is based on “academic prowess, extracurricular achievements, innate intangibles and potential, or unusual personal stories”.

A native of Wuhan, China, Seki was AI Project Manager at Moonshot AI in Beijing and Shanghai before beginning her MBA studies, and she plans to resume at Moonshot AI after her MBA. She holds a Bachelor of Economics from Boston University and a Master of Applied Quantitative Research from New York University.

From developing an AI personal assistant to chairing the AI Special Interest Group

Among her workplace achievements, Seki led development of KIMI APP, an AI (artificial intelligence) personal assistant that includes AI emotion detection and interactive learning tools that help young people with their studies, emotion and other aspects of their lives.

She is Co-Chair of the AI Special Interest Group (SIG) at Cambridge Judge, which has held panel discussions and other events that explored ethical AI use in learning environments.

Transitioning into AI leadership roles

Asked by Poets & Quants why she chose Cambridge Judge, Seki said:

“The one-year Cambridge MBA focuses on actionable learning, with 400+ hours of practical projects like the Cambridge Venture Project and Global Consulting Project. These mirror real-world product management challenges – validating ideas, leading cross-functional teams, and scaling solutions – critical for transitioning into AI leadership roles.”

She named as her favourite MBA professor Gishan Dissanaike, Adam Smith Professor of Corporate Governance, who is Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School. She cited his “ability to connect corporate finance theory with real-world applications, making complex concepts both accessible and practical”, and said his mentorship “significantly shaped my approach to financial decision-making in AI product development”.

Curious and collaborative engagement with knowledge

Gishan says in the Poets & Quants article:

Seki Guan is the kind of student every professor hopes to have in their classroom – curious, collaborative and fiercely driven. She doesn’t just absorb knowledge; she actively engages with it, pushing the boundaries of corporate finance with insightful questions and real-world applications, particularly in the AI and entrepreneurial space.

Professor Gishan Dissanaike, Dean of Cambridge Judge Business School

The publication said its Best & Brightest article “is designed to expose readers to the top student leaders. In the process, they can see where the Best & Brightest devoted their time and energy – and how they elevated their classmates and contributed to an unforgettable and transformative educational experience. At a time of great uncertainty, this group represents a vanguard of hope for the future.”