Some of my colleagues and friends background before they entered the TOP 10 US MBA from China:
Manager of a leading US financial institution Manager of a leading European bank Founder and owner of an enterprise in Shenzhen (earned an MS degree from a top US university before entering the Top 5 MBA program) Marketing executive of a Fortune 500 manufacturing company
it also depends on how you package yourself. Your friend may not have stelar title, but if he/she can show his/her situational leadership, potential leadership, etc., it would be fine as well.