“I’d been in banking for 11 years...it was time to gain a new perspective.”

A wealth of different perspectives

“The EMBA has given me a broader business perspective and greater understanding of which direction Saudi’s banking industry is heading in."

“One of the great things about the programme was the opportunity to spend time with international peers and colleagues, which was an education in itself. The programme allows you to spend time with people from around the world and share different perspectives on business and life in general. You also see yourself through their eyes and discover who you really are – it’s a lifetime experience."

“Among the people I met on the programme, there were two in particular that I really related to: Heather McGregor and Olga Bulatova. Heather is an entrepreneur (Managing Director of global recruitment firm Taylor Bennett), London Business School alumna, writer and columnist for national media, mother and aviation enthusiast who flies planes in her spare time. Her career is proof that someone can handle several responsibilities and be more productive, by setting clear goals and managing their time efficiently." 

“I met Olga when I was on an assignment in Moscow. Olga is an EY partner and head of the firm’s Academy of Business (which provides education and training services to business professionals in the CIS and Europe). She talked to us about helping establish the initiative during the recent financial crisis, and how the Academy developed 3,000 EY staff in the region over that period. Coming from a learning and talent background, it was interesting for me to see how other academies and training centre leaders ran their business and achieved success in tough times."

“I decided to study for an EMBA to expand my strategic, financial and leadership skills.”

“The trend in Saudi Arabia is to advance employment for women and focus national policies on including them in the workforce. In 2006, 57% of Saudi Arabia’s university graduates were women; while the rising level of education is a major factor in encouraging them to take up employment, the number of working women in Saudi is only 12%."

“One of the key issues that concerned me was that women in the region reach middle management and then get stuck there. It was clear you need to take control of your career and decide what you want to achieve. That’s what I did; I decided to study for an EMBA to expand my strategic, financial and leadership skills and achieve my goals. SABB is one of the leading banks for employing Saudi women, whose goal is to provide equal opportunities and encourage females to assume senior roles by offering them learning and development programmes.  There are three women in senior positions at SABB, which is fantastic.”