Sheikh Nahayan closes first INSEAD career forum and gala dinner to mark the completion of the first Abu Dhabi module of INSEAD's signature MBA programme

Abu Dhabi, 26 March 2013: Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, closed the INSEAD Abu Dhabi campus's first career forum on Sunday evening, aiming to open job opportunities for INSEAD's MBA and Executive MBA talent from Europe and Asia in the Middle East. 

The one-day event held at the Sofitel Hotel, attracted 75 MBA students, alumni and Executive MBA participants representing more than 25 nationalities. A total of 28 companies, both global and local, including Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), AT Kearney, Aramex, Booz & Co, Chalhoub Group, Citi Group, GE, Masdar, Tanfeeth and Waha Capital exhibited at the event, opening lines of communication with the graduating MBA students. Known around the world for its high calibre graduates, companies were keen to tap into the growing body of talent graduating from the INSEAD MBA and Executive MBA programmes. 

Speaking at the event's gala dinner, attended by participants of the Abu Dhabi module of the MBA programme as well as several VIPs, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan said: "The fair has created a positive climate for interaction and partnership between INSEAD and the business community in Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.  I appreciate the potential of this Career Fair for providing our economy with highly skilled, well-trained, and productive graduates. Employers strengthen their understanding of the quality of INSEAD's education and training, a quality that makes INSEAD graduates immensely attractive to employers throughout the world. Recognizing the themes of the business community in Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates, students are able to appreciate the ways in which their own education and training complements the concerns of international businesses."

Peter Zemsky, Interim Dean, the Eli Lilly Chaired Professor of Strategy and Innovation opened the event noting: "Our graduates travelled from all over the world for this career forum as many are keen to explore the opportunities offered in the UAE and the region. We hope in the future, this will be one of the key events on our students' and alumni's calendar. It is an excellent way for our alumni to network with others from around the world, as well as connecting them with key employers which INSEAD is partnering with for this event."

Zemsky added, "This Career Forum is the first of its kind for INSEAD and Abu Dhabi and will therefore have a different flavour from other career services events held here. The companies involved have been keen to access INSEAD's pool of talent and explore the different roles that our graduates can play in their organizations."

H.E. Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council, added, "The Abu Dhabi government aspires to transform the Emirate into an innovative knowledge based economy, which is why we are offering our students some of the best education systems in the world. Abu Dhabi will soon be considered an education hub."

H.E. added: "ADEC supports initiatives taken to transform education into one that helps stimulate intellectual growth, promotes talent and helps fit our students into globally competitive market positions that are and will be in demand. It is events like these that help offer our students equal market opportunities and we are pleased to hear that INSEAD is involved in helping us accomplish that vision."

During the forum, students accepted for the first ever Abu Dhabi module, part of INSEAD's signature 10-month MBA programme, presented their projects on 17 different topics including: 'Challenges and opportunities in leveraging female talent in the region'; 'Abu Dhabi as a major player and future energy mix portfolio'; 'Importance and implications of Islamic banking in the GCC'; 'UAE as a transportation hub'; 'Sovereign Wealth funds (Activities & Politics)'; 'UAE as a home for high tech industries'; and 'Implications for Arab Spring for Economic Development'.

By bringing MBA students to the UAE, INSEAD aims to enhance their knowledge of business practices in the region in addition to helping them network with local and international organisations based in the UAE and the region. Since January, they have been meeting with major local and regional business leaders as well as gaining first hand insight into the local and regional economy using a series of region-specific case studies.  

Miguel Lobo, Associate Professor of Decision Sciences, Director of the Abu Dhabi Campus said: "INSEAD's Abu Dhabi campus is still young and we hope this week's careers event raises awareness of the value our students and alumni can add to businesses in the region as well as linking them with those key members of the local and regional business community. For our MBA students, this event has allowed them to do this in an environment which really showcases their talent. It also helps us to better understand the sectors and organisations they should be targeting for career opportunities."

About INSEAD, The Business School for the World
As one of the world's leading and largest graduate business schools, INSEAD brings together people, cultures and ideas to change lives and to transform organisations. A global perspective and cultural diversity are reflected in all aspects of our research and teaching.

With campuses in Europe (France), Asia (Singapore) and Abu Dhabi, INSEAD's business education and research spans three continents. Our 145 renowned Faculty members from 35 countries inspire more than 1,000 degree participants annually in our MBA, Executive MBA, specialised master's degrees (Master in Finance, Executive Master in Consulting and Coaching for Change) and PhD programmes. In addition, more than 9,000 executives participate in INSEAD's executive education programmes each year.

In addition to INSEAD's programmes on our three campuses,  INSEAD participates in academic partnerships with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia & San Francisco); the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University near Chicago, and  Johns Hopkins University/SAIS in Washington DC. In Asia, INSEAD partners with Tsinghua University in Beijing.  INSEAD is a founding member in the multidisciplinary Sorbonne University created in 2012, and also partners with Fundação Dom Cabral in Brazil.

INSEAD became a pioneer of international business education with the graduation of the first MBA class on the Fontainebleau campus in Europe in 1960.  In 2000, INSEAD opened its Asia campus in Singapore. And in 2007 the school began an association in the Middle East, officially opening the Abu Dhabi campus in 2010.

Around the world and over the decades, INSEAD continues to conduct cutting edge research and to innovate across all our programmes to provide business leaders with the knowledge and sensitivity to operate anywhere. These core values have enabled INSEAD to become truly "The Business School for the World."

More information about INSEAD can be found at www.insead.edu

INSEAD Press Contact:
Joe Chedid, INSEAD Abu Dhabi Campus
Tel +971 2 651 5329
Email : joe.chedid@insead.edu 

© Press Release 2013