Alumni Profile:
Njideka Ugwuegbu ‘97
"Microsoft is still a very young company. We don’t have the decades of experience of long-established corporations like my former employer, General Electric. But we do have a culture of extremely smart, aggressive people, who consistently stretch themselves," observes Isenberg School finance graduate, Njideka Ugwuegbu ‘97. Since 1999, the Isenberg School alumna has been a financial analyst with Microsoft’s Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis group. Ugwuegbu is part of a ten-person team that analyzes the mid-year and annual performance of the software giant’s 82 subsidiaries. "We employ a variety of metrics in evaluating channel revenue, product market share, customer segments, costs, and other variables. And we help the subsidiaries work through some of their tougher resource allocation and cost decisions," she notes. Ugwuegbu is one of two members on her team who maintain a generalist corporate perspective; the others specialize in specific evaluative tools. "I interact principally with the worldwide controller team; my customers are the subsidiaries’ controllers," she continues. And in the spirit of Microsoft, she conducts most of her business electronically. "About 90% of my communication is by e-mail," she emphasizes.
"My team mates and I frequently share best practices," Ugwuegbu continues. That is a hallmark of the SOM alumna’s previous employer, General Electric. For 2 ½ years, she got a thorough grounding in financial management at GE Capital, completing rotational assignments as an investment analyst, business development manager, account manager, and consultant/auditor. Although one of her postings brought her a rich international experience in Florence, Italy, her favorite assignment geographically speaking was in Seattle. "I fell in love with the place—its beauty, its diversity, and its opportunities. When I learned of a promising job opening at Microsoft in Redmond, I sent out a resume—by e-mail," recalls Ugwuegbu, who has just bought her first house in the Seattle area.
Did UMass and the Isenberg School prepare her sufficiently for her career? "I received both an excellent general and business education," notes the former honor student, whose thesis explored wealth inequality and economic policy development in African economies. "My favorite class was Business Policy and Strategy, taught by Professor Mzamo Mangaliso, because it taught me the fundamentals of businesses going global and how businesses thrive strategically and economically in international markets."
Ugwuegbu also spent seven months as an exchange student at the University of Haarlem Business School in the Netherlands, where she took courses in international business and Dutch language and culture.
Ugwuegbu, who grew up in Nigeria, spends a lot of time consulting to nonprofit organizations, particularly in Africa. She is on the board of Youth for Technology Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides underserved youth in Nigerian communities with access to technology and training. "The simple fact is that youth and community participants are emerging from anonymity and are discovering things they never even imagined on a level playing field," she observes. "This is what technology does. Gaining the tools and skills will certainly empower youth, improve their lives, and create jobs."
Microsoft, of course, has itself been a force for positive change around the globe. "At Microsoft, we take tremendous pride in our products. We take them extremely seriously," Ugwuegbu emphasizes. "Before a product ships, you can be sure that hundreds of Microsoft employees will have used and critiqued the beta version. If I discover a bug or have an idea for a product’s improvement, I just click on a button to reach the folks who can improve it. That brings me great satisfaction—knowing there are ways to improve people’s lives through products and technology. Without question, Microsoft delivers on those assets--not just in the developed world but worldwide."