Reuben Aniekwu ’25 MBA

Merging passion and progress in the global climate space 

Reuben Aniekwu is a climate expert, navigating the intersection of science, finance, and international development. As senior climate service specialist at ICF, a global consulting firm, Reuben works with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to coordinate climate research across government agencies. 

He’s also a current Evening & Weekend MBA student.

Though his work with the White House is fulfilling, Reuben wanted to take his impact to the next level. But having just begun at a national office on climate policy, it did not seem like the ideal time to step away to pursue a full-time business degree.

“I got to a point in my career where it didn't make sense for me to leave completely to become a full-time student at the time,” Reuben reflects. “I knew I needed a business degree.” 

The flexibility of the Kellogg Evening & Weekend Program was a big selling point for Reuben, but more important was the program’s climate expertise. “Kellogg is a top global business school,” he says. “But at the same time, I wanted a business school that had a strong focus on sustainability, social impact and climate. And Kellogg had all that.” 

Now, as a Kellogg student, Reuben is a member of the team that plans the Kellogg Climate Conference. He also co-chairs the African Business Club Quarterly Series and serves on the Kellogg Honor Code Committee, a role that focuses on upholding academic integrity and fostering a strong sense of community among students. 

Reuben’s passion for environmental sciences began at an early age. “Living in Nigeria with a lot of environmental remediation issues, the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta region and the complexities involved, and the exposure to extreme weather events, it just informed that interest,” he shares. 

This early fascination in earth sciences led him to pursue a degree in geology and a master’s in environmental policy with a focus on greenhouse gas accounting. As his career progressed, Reuben found himself increasingly drawn to a place where climate, finance, and geopolitics meet — particularly in relation to Africa’s role in the global energy transition.

“These kinds of investments to mitigate extreme weather events across continental Africa and even other regions of the world are needed,” he explains. “But most of these countries that are exposed to extreme weather events are in debt or don't have the money to invest in those kinds of activities.”

Thankfully, Reuben doesn’t have to wait until graduation to use the knowledge he's acquiring at Kellogg to address these issues. “I've gained certain skills to be able to be part of conversations. It's actually even led to some of the work I do now for the Office of Science and Technology at the White House,” Reuben says. “Beyond that, I think it sets me up for a successful career immediately after Kellogg.”

As Reuben approaches the end of his MBA journey, his career goals are clear. In the short term, he sees himself continuing his work in climate tech and energy transition, perhaps within a large energy company or a financial services firm focused on sustainable investments. Long-term, he plans to return his focus to Africa.

“It would be nice to be an adjunct professor in some business school, like the Lagos Business School,” he says. “Just to give back. I also like the idea of playing a leadership role in the lives of young African men, especially men that have moved to the US who contend with imposter syndrome.”

Reuben is also excited to lean back into the Kellogg community following graduation to take advantage of the Evening & Weekend Degree Enhancement Program, which allows recent graduates to take additional Kellogg courses free of charge. “It will get to the point where I will start really focusing on Africa and can take a course like Challenges in Emerging Markets. I would definitely want to leverage that degree enhanced program later on.”