
I have procrastinated a lot before writing the Editor’s Note for this issue because it also happens to be my last one. I tried, albeit without much success, to find the perfect set of words to describe what an exceptionally rewarding experience it has been to be your Editor-in-Chief at the Harbus this past year. When you are in business school, the most precious and scarce resource for you is time. Hence, before every issue of the Harbus went to the press, I was struck by the hours put in by our contributors and topic editors to present stories that inform and inspire the HBS community. And after an issue was published, I was equally mesmerized by the time taken by our more than 1,500 readers to not just read our articles but sometimes reflect and act on the ideas presented in those pages.
Not surprisingly, the unifying theme in many of the stories of this month’s issue is about finding the best use of the limited time we have at HBS—even in the face of Covid-19. As Neal Zuckerman, who was the Commentary Editor for the Harbus twenty years ago, writes in his comeback article, “Covid-19 is pernicious not only because it steals health but also because it steals time.” It is true that many of us did not expect to spend our time at HBS the way we have been doing for the last nine months, but it is also heartening to read the reports from Felipe Cerón and Samara Sone on how the HBS community has come to lean back on each other to navigate through this pandemic. This coming holiday season will be unlike any we have had in our lifetime, but I hope we continue to be careful and do our part to keep cases down.
Lastly, to our readers, thank you for embracing the Harbus as a source of news and ideas. I hope, in the months ahead, some of you will consider having your by-lines grace our pages. To our team at the Harbus, thank you for your thought leadership and your commitment to bringing stories that connect the community in this pandemic. And to the faculty and administration at HBS, thank you for continuing to elevate our stories and promote diverse viewpoints.
Upoma Dutta (MBA ’21) came to HBS after spending roughly four years in the media and entertainment industry in New York, where she helped two media companies (HBO and Disney) transition into the streaming era and build on new strategic growth opportunities. Originally from Bangladesh, she also worked for the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) early on in her career to promote financial inclusion and financial sector stability in South Asia.