Dr. Michael Kaufman

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Michael S. Kaufman is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, specializing in Business Administration. He co-developed and teaches an MBA course titled 'Challenges and Opportunities in the Restaurant Industry.' As a founder and partner of Positive Strategy LLC, a management and strategy consulting firm, he assists boards and CEOs in developing and implementing strategies that adapt to the ever-changing business landscape. Previously, he served as a partner at a boutique New York M&A advisory firm and led the Metromedia Restaurant Group, a $1.4 billion multi-chain restaurant company. Kaufman has successfully created and exited a restaurant startup and has innovated restaurant brands for luxury retailers. Additionally, he worked as an investment banker at Kluge & Company and as an M&A lawyer at Paul Weiss in New York. He has held leadership roles, including Chair of the Board of the National Restaurant Association and is currently a director of the same association. He is also a trustee emeritus of the Educational Foundation of the Culinary Institute of America, and has been involved in various boards such as Benihana, Inc. Kaufman graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

Research Interests

Experience

Senior Lecturer

— Present

Harvard Business School • Boston, MA

Teaches MBA course on restaurant industry challenges and opportunities.

Founder & Partner

— Present

Positive Strategy LLC • New York, NY

Advises boards and CEOs on business strategy.

Partner

— Present

Kluge & Company • New York, NY

Worked as an investment banker.

M&A Lawyer

— Present

Paul Weiss • New York, NY

Handled mergers and acquisitions for clients.

Requirements for Harvard Business School

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GMAT
GRE General
TOEFL
Total
Required:100
IELTS
Overall
Required:7.5
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or equivalent Strong quantitative and analytical background
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Resume/CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Writing Sample (Optional/Recommended)
Specialization Notes

The PhD in Business Administration is the primary doctoral degree encompassing various areas of study including Business Economics, Accounting, and Strategy.