Two graduates of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, Derrick Afriyie and Laura Emerson, have been named to Poets & Quants’ 2024 Global Best & Brightest MBAs list, a prestigious international recognition that honours outstanding individuals graduating from leading business schools around the world.
Poets & Quants, a respected authority on business education, annually selects 100 top MBA graduates based on academic distinction, leadership, and the ability to make meaningful impact within their institutions and industries. This year’s list features students from 63 business schools across six continents, including 18 institutions outside the United States.
Derrick Afriyie, a Ghanaian national, and Laura Emerson, from the United States, were recognised not only for their academic achievements but also for the remarkable paths they followed to earn their MBAs and the leadership they demonstrated during their time at Terry.
Afriyie began his journey in Accra, Ghana, where he obtained a Liberal Arts degree from the University of Ghana. He went on to serve as a Regional Human Resources Associate with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), working across multiple African countries. His experience at the FAO, along with previous service at the British Council in Accra, where he met King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward, reflected a strong ability to navigate international institutions with professionalism and poise.
At Terry, Afriyie quickly became a community builder. Known for his approachable nature and global perspective, he was widely regarded as a connector across classrooms and cultures. During his MBA, he interned at Citi Bank in New York, focusing on organisational strategy and human capital development. Following a successful summer, he secured a full-time role as Assistant Vice President in Citi’s Human Resources Management Associate Programme.
Speaking about his approach to leadership, Afriyie describes himself as a “charismatic connector”, a term that captures his strength in relationship-building and inclusive leadership. His journey, which began in West Africa, has now positioned him at the heart of global business conversations in New York.
Laura Emerson’s story, though different, is equally compelling. Raised in Malvern, Pennsylvania, she earned a degree in Secondary History Education from the University of Delaware before embarking on a career in retail. She spent several years as a Women’s Softgoods Buyer at Backcountry.com, where she developed a keen sense of strategy and decision-making.
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At Terry, Emerson quickly stood out as a leader. She served as President of the MBA Consulting Club, worked as an MBA Ambassador for prospective students, and mentored first-year students as a Career Mentor. Her leadership was not only visible but also influential in shaping student engagement.
Emerson’s internship at AlixPartners in Los Angeles, a global consultancy renowned for solving complex business problems, led to a full-time offer. She now serves as Vice President in the firm’s Performance Improvement practice.
Both graduates exemplify the values that Poets & Quants seeks to celebrate, resilience, vision, and service. According to the publication, the Best & Brightest MBAs are often the individuals who set the tone within their programmes, serving as confidantes, team leads, and cultural anchors.
Now in its tenth year, the Best & Brightest list is compiled through nominations from graduate business programmes worldwide. For the 2024 edition, 74 schools submitted 226 nominations. Candidates were evaluated based on academic performance, extracurricular leadership, and the strength of their personal stories and recommendations.
Due to the depth of talent in this year’s pool, Poets & Quants is also publishing a follow-up feature, MBAs To Watch, to recognise 126 additional students whose impact was noteworthy.