T’24s Abhi Sikri and Nicole Kutteth reflect on their Tuck Global Insight Expedition (GIX) experiences. Abhi joined the course Japan’s Today and the World’s Tomorrow: Navigating Innovation in the “Silver Economy,” while Nicole explored Sustainability in the French Agriculture Sector.
Abhi Sikri T’24
What interested you about the GIX location and topic?
The appeal of Japan as a GIX location lies in its iconic status as a crucible of operational excellence. The blend of rich cultural discipline with pioneering business methodologies, like the Toyota Production System, exemplifies a commitment to perfection and continuous improvement deeply ingrained in the national psyche. This expedition promised an immersion into a society where each element, from customer service etiquette to advanced manufacturing, is honed to near flawlessness, offering invaluable insights into the near-perfect execution of business principles.
The Japan GIX included a visit to Nippon Steel’s Tokyo headquarters.
What site visits, tours, meetings, and/or people were most impactful for you during the GIX?
The visits and meetings during the GIX embodied the Japanese pursuit of perfection. Visits to manufacturing giants like Denso and Toyota were not mere corporate excursions, but a window into a world where every action and process is optimized for peak performance. Witnessing the integration of digital technology with the world-renowned Toyota Production System at Denso highlighted how operational excellence evolves with the times, embracing modern tools while adhering to timeless principles of efficiency. Engaging with individuals at the helm of Japan’s political and educational sectors added more color to our understanding. These interactions were pivotal in casting light on how the principles of operational excellence permeate every facet of Japanese society, shaping policies and influencing the nation’s trajectory.
How did Tuck faculty and/or staff contribute to your overall GIX experience?
Joe Hall, Stephanie Turner, and Kakeru Tsubota were the intellectual architects of our GIX experience, ensuring that each observation and interaction was not just informative, but transformative. They contextualized the Japanese approach to business within a broader academic framework, enabling us to connect the dots between operational theories and their real-world applications. Their facilitation of reflective discussions and their insights into the nuances of Japanese business culture added a critical dimension to our learning.
Do you think this experience will be valuable for your post-Tuck career? How and why?
The insights and lessons gleaned from the GIX in Japan are invaluable assets for my post-Tuck career. The expedition has not only broadened my perspective on operational excellence but has also instilled a deeper appreciation for the cultural nuances that influence business practices. As global business becomes increasingly interconnected, the ability to navigate and integrate diverse operational and cultural approaches will be extremely valuable. The principles of continuous improvement, adaptability, and respect for tradition will enable me to contribute more effectively to any organization.
After getting a degree in computer engineering, Abhineet Sikri served as an officer in the Indian Army. There, he gained experience in a wide array of domains, such as information technology, supply chain management, and people management. However, he always found himself reading The Economist and listening to Bloomberg podcasts after work. His desire to get involved in different kinds of businesses led him here to Tuck. Abhi interned at McKinsey Boston last summer and will be returning to the firm post-graduation.
Nicole Kutteh T’24
What interested you about the GIX location and topic?
I was primarily interested in the France GIX due to the opportunity it provided to explore the intersection between agriculture and sustainability. France is known to be the European Union’s greatest agricultural contributor, making up a fifth of all agricultural output in the 27-country economic and political union. The pressures facing the agriculture sector across the globe are glaring as farmers are forced to produce more with fewer resources (e.g., water, energy). This mandate is critical to meet the needs of the growing population while limiting climate change impacts for future generations. The challenge of balancing legacy industry tradition with sustainability practices seems to be further exasperated in France, with an aging population in which half of the farmers are over 50 and set to retire in the coming decade. The breadth of the curated activities, from walking around the market and experiencing the end consumer perspective to visiting various farms and understanding the upstream processes, allowed me to hear from various stakeholders and to more deeply understand the intricacies of the French agricultural sector.
Students had the opportunity to tour a large-scale sugar beet production facility. Sugar beet production in France is expected to reach 31.5 million metric tons this year.
Share one ah-ha moment during your GIX.
Being fully immersed in French culture for 10 days opened my eyes to the immense complexity of driving increased sustainability at the country and industry levels. Time and time again, we heard contradictions between what each stakeholder felt would move the needle, as well as the direct conflict they were facing between sustaining short-term profitability and prioritizing the sustainability of the natural resources they relied on. Given the globalized world in which most companies operate, these systemic contradictions are not something that can be solved by one country, one lawmaker, or one institution. A globalized shift towards the prioritization of true sustainability (versus greenwashing activities) will require enormous investment and wide-scale collaboration.
Do you think this experience will be valuable for your post-Tuck career? How and why?
I’m sure I’ll draw on the lessons I learned from this experience in my post-Tuck career. By consciously dedicating time to learn about the inner workings of one industry, I internalized the importance of ecosystem awareness and strategy. As a future leader, understanding the ecosystem in which I operate will be critical to driving impact and achieving success. France’s story and the insights I obtained will inform my future decision-making and serve as a reminder to place an enhanced focus on being data-driven, strategically aligned, relationship-aware, innovation-focused, and ethically balanced. Hearing from a range of agricultural players made me realize that taking the time to dissect a sector’s, industry’s, or company’s ecosystem is akin to creating a map. Once you have the map, it can be used by leaders to navigate complexities, make informed choices, and steer organizations or communities toward sustainable success without overlooking the wider impact and interconnectedness of their actions.
What should prospective students know about the GIX and/or TuckGO requirement?
GIX is an incredible opportunity to travel to a new destination and expand the relationships that you have with your classmates. No matter where you go (even if you have been there before!), the experience will be incredibly unique and include things that you would not have had the opportunity to do without the connections, planning, and support of Tuck and TuckGo. While many people on the France trip had been to France before, they had never had the chance to take a personal tour of a large-scale sugar beet production facility or talk with local farmers about their succession planning.
Nicole Kutteh T’24 was born in Southern California but spent most of her young adulthood in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She attended Boston University as an undergrad and has been living in Boston for the last 10 years with her wife and two cats. After college, she started her career at EY in Risk Advisory, primarily in the aerospace/defense and healthcare industries. Most recently, she worked at Bose Corporation as a Manufacturing and Global Supply Chain Program Manager. Post Tuck, Nicole will be working at Thermo Fisher Scientific in their General Management Leadership Development Program.
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