Yiyi Zhao

About Yiyi

Hi there! Whether you're applying to business school, pursuing a promotion, breaking into consulting, transitioning into tech, or simply trying to figure out your next career move, I'm here to help! I'm passionate about helping people navigate career transitions and tell their stories in a way that feels authentic, strategic, and compelling. Throughout my own career, I've made several pivots—from Carnegie Mellon to management consulting, from consulting to Columbia Business School, and most recently from consulting into tech at Uber Eats. Along the way, I've learned that the most successful transitions aren't just about having the right experience - they're about knowing how to articulate your value and connect your past experiences to your future goals. Today, I work at Uber Eats as a Senior Strategic Operations Manager, where I focus on marketplace growth, merchant strategy, and analytics. My work sits at the intersection of technology, operations, and consumer behavior, helping drive growth across one of the largest delivery platforms in the world. Prior to Uber, I spent more than seven years at Kearney, a global management consulting firm, advising Fortune 500 companies on growth strategy, operating model design, large-scale transformations, and data-driven decision making. Through my consulting career, I worked across retail, consumer goods, technology, healthcare, and private equity, helping organizations solve complex business challenges. I also earned my MBA from Columbia Business School, where I focused on consumer strategy, retail, and marketing. During business school, I completed internships with Neutrogena (Kenvue), Hugo Boss, and Authentic Brands Group, while serving in leadership roles across the Retail & Luxury Goods Club, Columbia Women in Business, and Alleycon. In addition to my professional experience, I've spent years mentoring students and professionals on applications, resumes, interviews, and career strategy. I've helped candidates gain admission to top MBA programs including Columbia, Wharton, Kellogg, Booth, Tuck, Yale SOM, Fuqua, and Johnson, while also coaching professionals pursuing opportunities in consulting, strategy, operations, consumer, retail, and technology.