When War Broke Out, This Alum Flew Straight to Ukraine feat. Radu Filip ‘08

Owl Have You Know

Many of us watch developments in the war in Ukraine on TV, and we get updates on Twitter. But for Radu Filip, who grew up behind the iron curtain in Romania, the conflict resonates deeper. So much so that he boarded a plane in late December 2022 to head into the war zone and help with relief efforts near Kharkiv with the nonprofit Elevate Ukraine.

Radu immigrated to the U.S. in 2005, and soon after attended Rice Business for his MBA, graduating in 2008. During his time at Rice, he was awarded the Jones Citizen Award for excellence and co-founded the Houston chapter of the Women’s Masters Network.

Radu sits down with host Maya Pomroy to talk about what draws him to his boots-on-the-ground efforts in Ukraine, the culture shock and challenges of being an international student, pivoting his career from IT to corporate finance and his goals for the year ahead.

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Episode Quotes:

On choosing to help even if there’s risk

12:34: Yes, there is a risk. There is a possibility that fate may be not good for us today, but we're not afraid. And that kind of bravery and defiance. And the result, again, motivated me to say, "Look, if they're not afraid, you should not be afraid, either. Be among them." I'm experiencing what they're experiencing. And communication back home every day was a key. My family, my friends, knew that I wanted to help, knew about my desire, and they all supported me. I could not have done this all without the support of my family and close friends.

How MBA allowed pivot in Radu’s career

29:51: Everybody's career is different. In my case, the MBA was the hinge; it was the people that allowed me to move from a pure IT field to the world of corporate finance.

On his personal goals

36:17: My primary goal is to continue to grow and acquire experience at SLB. With the work I'm doing, taking up more responsibilities, and working on significant projects and programs that advance the company's performance, that advance the company on this road towards energy innovation. So career-wise, obviously, the second objective I have is to continue to help and find more ways to help the people of Ukraine through Elevated Ukraine, a nonprofit I serve. And third, is also manage to have time for my family, be around my family, my kids, and help them grow.

Show Links:

Guest Profile:

• Elevate Ukraine
• Radu Filip on LinkedIn

Other Links

• Women’s Masters Network

Check out this episode featuring Professor Anastasia Zavyalova here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-3-episode-10