Atharva Mhatre

Boston University, Questrom School of Business

“Living like Spider-Man: achieving my goals through reflection, persistence, agility, and a web of determination”

Fun fact about yourself: Have a picture with Toto Wolff and briefly featured in one of Mercedes F1 Team’s reels

Hometown: Mumbai, India

High School: Singapore International School, Mumbai

Major: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with Concentration in Finance & Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Favorite Business Course: SI422 – Strategy, Innovation, and Global Competition

Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:

• Harold C Case Scholar
• BU Finance & Investment Club – President, VP of Investment Research
• BU Cricket Club – Treasurer
• Terrier Motorsport – Project Management Associate
• Venture Capital Investment Competition – Global Finalist
• National Investment Banking Competition
• Questrom Core Challenge Finalist
• Questrom Honors Program (Former Member)
• Beta Gamma Sigma Invitee
• Dean’s List (All Semesters)
• Teaching Assistant

Where have you interned during your college career?

Summer 2023: Investment Banking Summer Analyst – Moelis & Company, Boston

Summer 2022: Investment Banking Summer Analyst – Endeavor Advisory Group, Boston

Summer 2021: Funding Research Intern – Ideabrews Studios, Mumbai

Winter 2020: Strategy & Operations Associate – Zepto, Mumbai

Fall 2020: Market Research Intern – RSB Insights & Analytics, Mumbai

Where will you be working after graduation? Moelis & Company as an Investment Banking Analyst

Who is your favorite business professor? Professor Louis Salemy is my favorite professor at BU. Taking his class right before my summer set me up for success in my Investment Banking internship at Moelis. The cases studied in class not only helped me learn financial statement analysis and modeling, but also taught me how to evaluate companies through a strategic lens.

Additionally, Professor Salemy serves as the faculty advisor for the BU Finance & Investment Club. Throughout my tenure on the executive board, he has consistently supported and helped us improve our club programs and secure guest speakers. His contributions have been crucial to take the club to the very next level. Professor Salemy has also generously mentored me throughout these years. I’m deeply appreciative of his unwavering support and guidance, both academically and personally.

What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I have learned is the indispensable value of soft skills in business. While technical expertise is undeniably essential, I realized that developing leadership skills, nurturing relationships, and mastering effective communication are equally important. Questrom has helped me hone these skills through several classes that initially seemed unnecessary until I had to work with a team over an entire semester on a comprehensive business plan. Effectively motivating teammates, delegating tasks, resolving conflicts, and collaborating efficiently play a huge role in success.

What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? As a student drawn to the versatile and practical nature of business, I would advise others to reflect on their strengths and motivations to craft their path in this field. Being intrinsically motivated by something truly drives you to put in the hard work effortlessly. Navigating through career plans in such a broad subject can still be challenging. I’d encourage students to leverage their close network of family, friends, and alumni as early as possible. Hearing different stories and then aligning them with personal interests and goals was extremely helpful for me.

What has surprised you most about majoring in business? Something that surprised me the most about majoring in business was the access to mentorship and the overall willingness of people to help. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a culture of collaboration and support within the Questrom community. Professors and senior members of the Finance & Investment Club offered guidance on academic and career matters and alumni took the time to share their insightful advice and experiences. Through this, I found abundant mentorship opportunities. These were critical to my growth and something that I didn’t expect coming in.

Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? I believe that I have made the most of my college experience academically, professionally, and personally. If given the opportunity to relive it, I would start networking a little earlier and probably enroll in more Strategy classes. Nevertheless, I’m immensely grateful for this experience, the invaluable learning, and the relationships I have built.

Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? Leading the BU Finance & Investment Club as the President and VP of Investment Research has been my proudest accomplishment. Over the past two years, we achieved significant milestones. We became the largest club on campus, grew our assets under management (AUM) to over $1.1 million, hosted multiple speaker events attended by 300+ students and professors consistently, and enhanced recruitment outcomes through increased alumni engagement and a revamped mentorship program. As the VP of Investment Research, I taught a completely restructured curriculum and strived to improve the quality of investment pitches made by junior members. Not only was this change appreciated by Questrom professors and alumni, but our leading student analysts were placed as finalists at prestigious finance competitions like the Venture Capital Investment Competition and Cornell Stock Pitch Challenge in our very first year competing. Along with this, I am proud of creating a friendly professional culture in the club, where all students feel comfortable approaching leadership and improving continuously. Turning my vision for the club into a reality has been incredibly rewarding – something that I will always be proud of.

Which classmate do you most admire? The classmate I admire the most is Kelly Shao. Kelly has been one of my best friends ever since we met each other as sophomores. She is one of my smartest and most well-rounded friends. I have always looked up to her and been inspired by her drive, work ethic, and leadership skills. What truly sets her apart is her personality – she is humble, ethical, loyal, and treats everyone respectfully. I really appreciate her perspectives and seek advice when I am put in a challenging position with leadership or personal life. Her support and friendship have been invaluable to me, and I cherish the bond we share.

Who would you most want to thank for your success? I would like to thank my parents for always going above and beyond to support me. Right from being the absolute perfect role model to always helping me improve, they have played the biggest role in my success. My parents have always stretched themselves to provide me with the best learning opportunities and values. They have also always shown a lot of faith in me, even when things were not the best. Besides making a huge investment in my education and sending me abroad, they also moved from Mumbai to Connecticut last year to ensure that we stayed together as a family and spent more time together. All their efforts have provided me with an environment that allows me to keep doing my best.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Establishing my own investment fund or business after gaining some experience in the field. I have always aspired to do something entrepreneurial since I got interested in business.

2. Returning to academia as a professor to share industry insights and guide students. Teaching and mentoring at the BU Finance & Investment Club has been a memorable experience that I would love to continue doing actively after retiring.

What made Atharva such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024?

“I have been a professor in the Finance Department at the Boston University Questrom School of Business for nine years. Two years ago, I was asked to be the faculty advisor of the BU Finance and Investment Club. At the time that I took it over, there were 300 students in the club, and it was struggling. Aside from a lack of prior faculty involvement, the club lacked strong student leadership. Attendance at weekly meetings was low. At the end of each semester, students participate in a stock pitch contest. As a former judge in these contests, I can state that the quality of the investment pitches was low. Then things changed.

Atharva Mhatre assumed a leadership position in the BUFC as a junior at the same time that I was appointed faculty advisor to the club. This current year, he was named the president.  Under Atharva’s leadership, the BUFC has undergone a radical transformation. Club membership has increased by 50% and engagement has improved dramatically. The weekly meetings have 100+ students attending and the quality of the investment pitches at the end of the end of the semester now rival that of two-year investment professionals. With his help, the BUFC now has its own speaker series, and attendance at these events is the highest BU has ever experienced.

Atharva leads by example and sets a high bar and is demanding of all the club officers. Through his perseverance and hard work, he was able to secure a highly coveted and sought after investment banking job. Even though he knew going into his senior year he had a job upon graduation, he was determined to help other students with their career search. He cares passionately about all the students who are in the club and has a strong desire for them to do well in their professional careers. His driving force as president of the club is to provide all the club members opportunities to excel once they leave BU.

In summary, Atharva has the rare combination of being a gifted student who cares about his fellow students and through his leadership, has helped many students advance their career interests.”

Professor Louis Salemy
Dean’s Teaching Fellow and Lecturer, Finance

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