MSA Alumni Spotlight
Gautam Krishna (’15)
Director of AI Products, Cox Communications
Atlanta, Georgia
About Gautam
I am a graduate of Georgia Tech's Master of Science in Analytics (MSA) program, having been part of the inaugural cohort in 2015. Since then, I have been based in Atlanta for the past ten years.
I joined the program after completing my undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering in India. Reflecting on that decision, I am truly grateful to have enrolled at a time when analytics was still an emerging field.
Looking back, it is incredibly rewarding to see how rapidly both the field and the program have evolved. I am proud of how far we've come and excited about the direction the program is headed.
What's one favorite memory you have from the MSA program-academic, social, or professional?
There were many memorable moments—from the intensity of finals week to career fairs and late nights with classmates—but if I had to pick one, it would be the monthly speaker series.
Back in 2014–2015, analytics was still an emerging field. Companies were just beginning to build dedicated analytics and data science teams. While we were learning statistical modeling and coding in class, the speaker series gave us real-world insights from industry leaders who were actively applying these techniques in their work.
Coming from a background in supply chain consulting, this exposure was eye-opening. It helped me understand how data science was being used across different industries and ultimately guided me in identifying the areas I was most passionate about and the types of roles I wanted to pursue after graduation.
What MSA skill, class, or project helped you get your job or grow in your career?
It's really a combination of skills and experiences from several courses at Georgia Tech that have had a lasting impact on my career.
One course that stands out was in Business Analytics, taught by Dr. Hu from the Scheller College of Business. It focused on applying statistical and machine learning techniques in real-world business settings. That class was instrumental in helping us bridge the gap between theory and practical application.
Another pivotal experience was the programming coursework, especially in Python. At the time, Python was new to many of us. Learning how to use it effectively for building models and applications laid a strong foundation that has propelled many of us forward over the past decade.
What advice would you give to a MSA student looking to break into your industry?
Over the past ten years, I’ve learned several important lessons, and I’d like to share four key pieces of advice:
- Build your network. Networking plays a significant role in advancing within companies and across industries. Developing a strong, authentic network can truly accelerate your career.
- Find mentors. And not just one. I highly recommend assembling a panel of mentors with diverse backgrounds—across industries, roles, and levels of experience. This variety will provide you with a broad range of insights and perspectives that can guide your growth.
- Understand the business context. Don’t focus solely on the modeling or statistical techniques. Always start by asking: What is the business problem I’m trying to solve? A strong grasp of the business context will not only improve your solutions but also make you a more effective and strategic problem solver.
- Learn a cloud platform. Whether it’s AWS, Google Cloud (GCP), or Azure, pick one and get hands-on experience. Knowing how to build and deploy data science, machine learning, or AI applications in the cloud is a valuable and transferable skill that will serve you well in any role.