Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
'Working for an international giant like Saudi Aramco, said to be the largest oil corporation in the world, requires a good understanding of the dynamics of the changing world. It is imperative to be prepared with the necessary strategic thinking, leadership skills and motivation to deal with global challenges' says Hamad Balhareth, Senior Project Manager of Saudi Aramco. 'In joining the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme I wanted to develop these skills and to engage in intellectual discussions with participants from various cultures and backgrounds. I tasted a quintessential part of Oxford culture - the ability to engage in dialogue in a peaceful and non-threatening environment, to listen and learn from others openly and with respect, to say "We hear you: everyone is entitled to have an opinion, to put it forward and argue on its behalf"'.
Since its inception in 1983, the Oxford Advanced Management Programme has attracted more than 1100 senior executives from over 80 countries worldwide, with around 18 from the Gulf. Board members, executives from private and public enterprises, government agencies, social organisations and business owners have been among those to have undertaken the prestigious programme. The Programme has now been entirely redesigned and renamed The Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme.
Dr Lalit Johri, Director of the Programme, said: 'This is one of our flagship programmes and has established a reputation for excellence, impact and relevance since it was established. The Programme attracts a very international and diverse range of participants, and senior executives from the Gulf have always played an important part in it.'
Hamad Balhareth found the Programme exceeded his expectations. 'The lectures, the faculty - and, yes, the other participants - opened up international perspectives I'd never dreamed of. I discovered how narrow was my awareness of certain global issues - of the impact of new technologies, the accelerating trend of globalisation and the effects of demographic developments, aging and migration on societies.
'As soon as I stepped into the October/November 2008 class I noticed a group of participants from Africa who intrigued me. It was fascinating. I learned a lot - about their struggles and enormous challenges, the differences between us and the things we had in common, and the perceptions and gaps in knowledge we had of one another. I ended up inviting them to visit me if they ever come to our part of the world.'
The Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme is an intensive three week programme which progressively examines the context, the organisation and the individual. These topics are explored through discussions, debates, role-plays, simulations, live case-studies, classroom sessions, guest speaker talks, company visits, individual tutored sessions and a range of other distinctive approaches to learning, such as 'Concept Café' sessions which encourage participants to examine their 'leadership journey so far' - their role models, inspirations, and how they see their role in society. Participants work with a personal tutor in one-to-one sessions throughout the programme to assist the learning process and to support personal and career development.
'Executives are bringing an ever wider and more urgent range of issues to the Programme and are looking for powerful answers' says Dr Lalit Johri. 'More than ever, the Programme will focus on leadership issues and be customised to focus on context- and issue- specific concerns of immediate relevance to the individual participants within their organisation. We will explore their global challenges, their organisational challenges, their personal leadership journeys.'
'I said the Oxford Programme greatly exceeded my expectations. Our discussions and the insights I gained, could not have been more timely in the face of the economic crisis and the US elections. Debate was important but so was the pause for reflection. You find yourself wondering as you wander in the quiet green of the gardens here: "What does this really mean and how will it affect me." I would encourage all leaders to take the time to reflect on their own leadership abilities and the issues facing their organisations. The Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme is a powerful mechanism to do that,' says Mr Balhareth.
The next Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme runs 14 June-4 July 2009.
- Ends -
Notes to editors
For further details about The Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme see http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/execed/leadership/amp/
About Executive Education at Saïd Business School
Executive Education at the Saïd Business School draws on the resources of the Business School and of Oxford University to offer executive development programmes that inspire individuals and create significant business impact. Individuals and organisations alike work with its leading experts to gain insights into the complex realities of global management and to anticipate and prepare for the future. Noted for its outstanding programme design, Executive Education at Oxford provides custom programmes for clients that include the government of Abu Dhabi, the UK Cabinet Office, Vodafone, Sainsbury's, MAN AG, State Farm Insurance, the Bank of China and Standard Chartered Bank. And with a fast-growing, forward-looking open portfolio of leadership and practitioner programmes that includes the Oxford High Performance Leadership Programme, the Diploma in Financial Strategy, the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme and the Oxford Private Equity Programme, it works to support and extend the business leaders of today and tomorrow.
For more information, see www.sbs.oxford.edu/execed
About Saïd Business School
Established in 1996 the Saïd Business School is one of Europe's youngest and most entrepreneurial business schools with a reputation for innovative business education. An Integral part of Oxford University, the School embodies the academic rigour and forward thinking that has made Oxford a world leader in education. The School has an established reputation for research in a wide range of areas, including finance and accounting, organisational analysis, international management, strategy and operations management.
The School is dedicated to developing a new generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs and conducting research not only into the nature of business, but the connections between business and the wider world. It is ranked in the top 20 European Business Schools (Dec 08) and in the top 20 MBA programmes in the world (Jan 09) by the Financial Times. It is ranked in BusinessWeek's top 10 business schools outside the USA (Nov 08). In the Wall Street Journal it is ranked in the top 25 business schools in the world (Nov 07). In the UK university league tables it has ranked first of all UK universities for undergraduate business for the past five years in The Guardian and in six of the last seven years in The Times. For more information, see www.sbs.ox.ac.uk
For further information please contact:
Clare Fisher
Head of Public Relations
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 422713
Mobile +44 (0) 7912 771090
clare.fisher@sbs.ox.ac.uk
Josie Powell
Public Relations Coordinator
Tel: +44 (0) 1865 422573
Email: josie.powell@sbs.ox.ac.uk
pressoffice@sbs.ox.ac.uk
© Press Release 2009
