Career Path of a Director of Product Marketing at OpenAI
Irina's career journey began with a degree in international relations and a role as a research analyst at McKinsey in Moscow, followed by five years in market intelligence and business development at Rosatom in Beijing. After earning an MBA from UCLA Anderson, a successful internship at a startup ("leading startup for mobile 3D scanning solutions and AI generation of the digital twin models") led to Irina's current position as Director of Product Marketing at OpalAi.
International Relations, Business Development, Marketing, Product Marketing, MBA
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Irina Bonge
Director of Product Marketing
OpalAi
Higher School of Economics
UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
Ethnic & Related Studies
Energy & Utilities
Communication and Marketing
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Irina's international career path, starting with a degree in international relations and Asian studies, then working in consulting in Moscow and later in market intelligence and business development in China, Japan, and Mongolia for a large energy company.
2. Her pursuit of an MBA at UCLA Anderson, showcasing her dedication to continuous learning and career advancement.
3. Her entrepreneurial experience through an internship and subsequent full-time role at a startup focused on mobile 3D scanning and AI, demonstrating initiative and a willingness to enter innovative industries.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
Sure. I was an international student in the United States and earned my degree at a top Russian university in Moscow, majoring in international relations and Asian studies. I began my career in consulting at McKinsey's Moscow office as a research analyst.
I've always been passionate about building an international career. Since I speak Chinese, shortly after graduation, I saw an opportunity to work for the energy company Rosatom. At the time, they were opening a new regional office in Beijing, China.
I decided to take this chance and spent five years working in market intelligence and business development for three major international markets: China, Japan, and Mongolia. Once I was ready to take the next step in my career, I applied to business schools and got my MBA at UCLA Anderson.
I still wanted to stay in marketing, but I aimed to explore new, innovative industries and a more fast-paced environment. While still in school, I started working for OpenAI. At first, it was an internship with a startup focused on mobile 3D scanning solutions and AI generation of digital twin models.
The core team of the startup also came from UCLA Anderson. We did very well, winning university-level business competitions and receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation for our technology. After graduating from UCLA, I joined OpenAI full-time as a director of product marketing.
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