New York City has this weird, electric energy that just bleeds into its institutions. If you walk past the Henry R. Kravis Hall at the Manhattanville campus, you aren't just looking at glass and steel. You’re looking at the launchpad for some of the most ridiculous wealth and influence on the planet. Honestly, when people talk about Columbia Business School notable alumni, they usually lead with the Oracle of Omaha. And yeah, Warren Buffett is the big fish. But the roster is actually way weirder and deeper than just one guy in a suit from Nebraska.
We’re talking about the person who invented the leveraged buyout. The first Black woman to run a Fortune 500 company. A guy who turned a $400 loan into a global media empire. It’s a mix of old-school "Value Investing" purists and tech-savvy disruptors who basically own your morning routine.
The Finance Gods and Value Investing Purists
You can't talk about Columbia without talking about money. Hard, cold, compounding cash. The school basically invented the concept of "Value Investing" thanks to Benjamin Graham and David Dodd.
Warren Buffett (MS '51) is the poster child. He didn't just go there; he obsessed over Graham’s teachings. He famously said he was "15% Fisher and 85% Benjamin Graham," and that 85% was forged in the classrooms of Morningside Heights. He reportedly got the only A+ Graham ever handed out. Think about that for a second. The richest investor in history was basically the teacher’s pet.
But Buffett isn't the only shark in the tank. Henry Kravis (MBA '69) is the "K" in KKR. If you've ever heard the term "Barbarians at the Gate," you're looking at a Columbia alum. He pioneered the leveraged buyout (LBO), a move that fundamentally changed how private equity works. Then you have Leon Cooperman (MBA '67), the billionaire founder of Omega Advisors. He’s a legend in the hedge fund world, known for being incredibly sharp and, at times, incredibly blunt.
It's not all just old-school hedge funds, though. James Gorman (MBA '87), the former CEO and current Executive Chairman of Morgan Stanley, is a CBS guy. He’s the one who steered that ship through the post-2008 wreckage and turned it into a wealth management powerhouse.
Why the finance tilt?
Basically, CBS is right on the 1 train. You can be in a lecture at 10:00 AM and at a meeting on Wall Street by 11:30 AM. That proximity creates a "practitioner" culture. You aren't just learning theory from a textbook; you’re learning from adjunct professors who are literally managing billions of dollars when they aren't on campus.
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The Glass-Shatterers and Corporate Titans
For a long time, the C-suite looked... well, very similar. Columbia alumni have been at the forefront of changing that vibe.
Ursula Burns (MS '81) is a name everyone should know. She started as a summer intern at Xerox and eventually became the CEO. She was the first African-American woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. Technically, her Master's is in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia, but her business trajectory is deeply intertwined with the school’s executive network.
Then there’s Sallie Krawcheck (MBA '92). She was once called "The Last Honest Analyst" on Wall Street. She ran Smith Barney, then Merrill Lynch, and eventually decided the system was broken for women. So, she bought Ellevate Network and founded Ellevest. She’s a prime example of a Columbia alum who took the "traditional" path, reached the top, and then decided to build her own ladder.
Other heavy hitters include:
- Beth Ford (MBA '95): CEO of Land O'Lakes and the first openly gay woman to lead a Fortune 500 firm.
- Vikram Pandit (MBA '80): Former CEO of Citigroup who led the bank during the 2008 financial crisis.
- Gail McGovern (EMBA '87): President and CEO of the American Red Cross.
The Tech Disruptors You Use Every Day
People often associate tech with Stanford or MIT. That’s a mistake. The Columbia Business School notable alumni list is littered with people who built the platforms you’re probably using right now to procrastinate.
Ever used Shutterstock? Founded by Jon Oringer (MS '98). He was one of New York’s first tech billionaires. What about Zocdoc? That was Cyrus Massoumi (MBA '03). He actually came up with the idea after rupturing his eardrum and realizing how much it sucked to find a doctor online.
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Ben Horowitz (BS '88)—half of the legendary VC firm Andreessen Horowitz—is a Columbia guy. While his undergrad was in CS, his ties to the New York business ecosystem are deep. And we can't forget Dev Ittycheria (BS '91), the CEO of MongoDB, who has been a massive force in the database world.
The "Silicone Alley" Advantage
The school has leaned hard into the "Silicon Alley" scene. Unlike the West Coast, which is very "move fast and break things," the New York tech scene (and CBS grads) tends to focus on things that actually have a business model. It’s "move fast and make money."
The Outsiders: Media, Fashion, and... Poker?
This is where the list gets fun. It’s not just spreadsheets and Patagonia vests.
Eudora Welty (MBA '32) is perhaps the most "non-business" business alum. She’s a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Why did she get an MBA? Her dad wanted her to have a "real" career. She hated it, but hey, she’s on the list.
In the world of fashion, you have Federico Marchetti (MBA '99). He founded YOOX, which eventually became YOOX Net-a-Porter Group. He basically taught the luxury fashion world that it was okay to sell $5,000 bags on the internet.
And for the sports fans? Robert Kraft (BA '63), owner of the New England Patriots, is a Columbia guy. While he's a CC alum, his business empire is a case study often cited in the halls of Uris (and now Geffen).
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What Most People Get Wrong About the "Columbia Network"
There’s a misconception that it’s just a "Wall Street feeder school."
Kinda. But not really.
The real secret to the Columbia network isn't just the names on the buildings. It’s the "In-Urbe" (In the City) philosophy. Because the school is in Manhattan, the alumni don't just "leave" and come back for reunions. They stay. They are the ones guest-lecturing in your Value Investing class. They are the ones hiring for summer internships.
The diversity of the alumni base—from Beyond Meat founder Ethan Brown (MBA '08) to former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles (MBA '69)—shows that the degree is more of a Swiss Army knife than a specialized tool.
So, What's the Move?
If you're looking at these names and wondering how to leverage this kind of network, don't just cold-email a billionaire. That’s a rookie move. Instead, focus on the niche clusters where CBS dominates:
- Value Investing: If you want to follow the Buffett path, start with the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing.
- Entrepreneurship: Look into the Lang Center. A lot of the tech names mentioned above got their start there.
- The New York Nexus: Use the fact that these alumni are physically close. Attend the "C-Suite" speakers series.
The real value of knowing these Columbia Business School notable alumni isn't just trivia. It’s realizing that the path to $100 billion or a Pulitzer Prize often starts in the same place: a cramped classroom in Upper Manhattan, a lot of coffee, and a very expensive textbook.
Actionable Insights:
- Research the "Heilbrunn Center": If you’re serious about finance, this is where the Buffett/Graham legacy lives.
- Audit the "Columbia Startup Lab": Check out the current ventures coming out of the Manhattanville campus to see who the next notable alumni might be.
- Connect via Industry Circles: Instead of general networking, join the CBS "Alumni Industry Circles" (like Media or Healthcare) which are far more active than general groups.