
Ben Kozy
Studied at Columbia Business School
Hiring Manager at McKinsey & Company
Available Monday at 4:00 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
About Ben
👋🏼 Hi there! I'm Ben, a Californian (Los Angeles) born and raised in Texas (Houston) 📍 My path to-date has been military (Navy) ➡️ Capital One ➡️ Booz Allen Hamilton ➡️ MBA (Columbia) ➡️ Consulting (McKinsey) ➡️ Startup exec (COO) 💡 I feel fortunate to be at the point where I have an array of personal learnings (good and bad) that I can share with you in a way that arms you to be more prepared for a specific task or an important decision you'll soon be making 🤝 If there's one thing that sets me apart, in both working and coaching styles, I'd say it's candor: I believe being candid (and kind) is the best way to support someone who is looking to improve and/or make the most informed decision for themselves 📈 I look forward to connecting with many of you and to helping support your journeys!
Why do I coach?
🟢 While I didn't have a formal coach until a few years ago, I've been fortunate to have informal coaches/mentors over the years 🟢 As my career progressed, I was able to be an informal and sometimes formal coach to others 🟢 These interactions, where you're learning about others while improving their preparedness, outlook, or trajectory, are among the most energizing of any professional interactions I've had.
Work Experience
Founder & Fractional COO
OpsRay
March 2026 - Present
OpsRay is an operations practice for PE- and VC-backed companies. Embedded operating leadership for businesses that need senior ops horsepower without a full-time COO. 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀: • Fractional COO: embedded part-time, ongoing • Interim COO: between leaders or as you plan for your first full-time COO • Project-based: defined scope, specific outcomes (e.g., procurement diagnostic) Operator, not consultant.

Advisor
Airspace
January 2026 - Present

Chief Operating Officer
Airspace
September 2020 - December 2025
Hiring Manager
🤖 AI-native logistics startup, where I regularly discussed, prioritized, and implemented AI initiatives for our internal teams and our customers 🟢 Led global operations across three continents, driving improvements in efficiency, service quality, and cost-to-serve 🟢 Built scalable processes and operating models that enabled substantial growth across multiple geographies, customer segments, and service offerings 🟢 Led a high-performing operations organization anchored in analytics-driven decision-making, workflow automation, operational scorecards, continuous improvement, and talent development 🟢 Partnered cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, and Revenue to translate customer insights into automated workflows and more consistent operational execution

Senior Vice President of Operations
Airspace
February 2020 - September 2020

Engagement Manager
McKinsey & Company
June 2017 - February 2020
Hiring Manager
🎓 Part of the "Recruiting" and "Cultivation" groups for 3 years ➡️ I administered over 100 interviews across dozens of MBA and undergrad campuses during interview season 🟢 Led large-scale operational transformations for industrial, logistics, and services clients, combining operational and financial analysis to unlock margin, throughput, and service-level improvements 🟢 Redesigned complex networks and production systems to eliminate bottlenecks, strengthen asset utilization, and improve overall reliability across multi-site operations 🟢 Directed cross-functional teams of consultants and client leaders, partnering closely with C-suite stakeholders to translate strategy into executable operating models and capability-building programs 🟢 Built capacity, production-planning, and workforce models that improved operational stability and optimized resource allocation in manufacturing and logistics environments 🟢 Delivered end-to-end performance-improvement programs, driving process standardization, waste reduction, and enhanced operational effectiveness for global clients 🟢 Developed strategic sourcing and should-cost models for an industrial client, strengthening negotiation leverage and improving procurement and vendor-management discipline

Associate
McKinsey & Company
July 2015 - June 2017

Summer Associate
McKinsey & Company
June 2014 - August 2014

Senior Consultant
Booz Allen Hamilton
August 2011 - July 2013

Business Analyst
Capital One
July 2010 - August 2011

Naval Officer
US Navy
May 2008 - July 2010
Commissioned and service selected submarines. Was medically discharged after graduating from Nuclear Power School.
Ben was also given offers to work at

Boston Consulting Group
Education

Columbia Business School
MBA, Decision, Risk, and Operations
2013 - 2015

Nuclear Power School
Graduation Certificate, Nuclear Engineering
2008 - 2009

United States Naval Academy
BS, Systems Engineering
2004 - 2008