
Chai Balla
A passion for innovation and problem solving led me to a fulfilling career in Product Strategy and Engineering in the automotive industry. I started as a Design Engineer at Nissan and consequently at Ford, where I got a chance to lead and train global teams throughout the product development process. Driven by curiosity to learn about the more upstream business processes, I transitioned to a Product Strategy role at Ford, where I worked with Marketing, Finance and Engineering teams to layout the vision and implementation plan for various white space vehicles. I decided to pursue my MBA in order to enhance my business acumen and skill set as a critical next step to my career. Michigan Ross was a clear winner for me due to its diverse student body and world class faculty. My journey towards leadership has been extremely rewarding as I got a chance to learn and apply business concepts, while investing time in my personal growth. Since starting at Ross, I have been amazed by the quality, humility, and helpfulness of my classmates. I am happy to speak with prospective students about balancing work, family and school, career search, and the collaborative Ross culture.