Burgan Bank celebrates its Harvard Alumni executives

Kuwait: Burgan Bank announced the graduation of three executives from Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development (PLD). The success of Burgan’s new Harvard Alumni is an achievement that reflects the effectiveness of the bank’s unique culture and strategic commitment to attracting and retaining talented individuals as well as investing in their professional development.

Mrs. Halah El Sherbini, the Group Chief Human Resources & Development Officer, said “Burgan has been steadily working on growing its pool of Kuwaiti executives, supported by an innovative visionary approach to talent acquisition and management. The bank has an ambitious employee development strategy that provides programs tailored to support talented employees to become the future leaders of the banking sector. These learning and development programs are designed to empower the employees and enhance their innovation and leadership capabilities so they can fully engage in supporting the bank’s development and competitive edge, as well as in creating impactful corporate practices that would steer forward the digital transformation journey.”

The three alumni, Mr. Mohammad Najeeb Al-Zanki, Head of Corporate Banking Group, Mrs. Shayma Hisham Al Sultan, Unit Head at Corporate Banking, and Ms. Dalal Yousef AL Sane, Head of Debt Capital Markets, who were interviewed about their participation in the program, highlighted the main learning outcomes of the program centered on leadership, innovation and change. They also praised the bank’s various integrated learning and development programs that support employees’ professional growth and enhance their capabilities to navigate market changes and challenges.

Mr. Mohammad Najeeb Al-Zanki -Head of Corporate Banking- AGM -Corporate Banking Group

Can you tell us more about the Leadership Development Program?

I have completed the program both on campus and through the advanced online learning interactive tools of Harvard Business School digital platform. The program consists of five highly integrated modules that focus on handling cross-functional challenges of corporate leadership, leading organizational change and high performing teams, developing personal leadership philosophy and capitalizing on opportunities in the digital transformation era.

How did you benefit from the program and how was your personal learning experience?

Since 2014, I have completed 3 HBS programs, one of which was the Program for Leadership Development. The PLD offers the opportunity to experience the Harvard method of acquiring skills through live business cases. I have gained an extended knowledge and a deeper understanding of the concepts introduced in the program. The on-campus cross cultural networking experiences were also particularly beneficial for me. Therefore, I encourage all aspiring banking leaders to attend this program and similar learning events. It is also important to highlight Burgan’s pioneering position in extensively investing in the development of employees, the organization’s most valuable asset that plays a significant role in the successful implementation of the bank’s strategy.

Mrs. Shayma Hisham Al Sultan - Unit Head- Services & Energy Unit - Corporate Banking Group

How does the PLD program support Burgan’s employees learning and development plans?

This high-level learning program is part of Burgan’s Ro2ya Talent strategic initiative that focuses on developing the skills and capabilities of Kuwaiti talented bankers to enhance their preparedness to assume future leading roles in the bank. Along with the other alumni, I am part of the Eagles team that is following a training and learning path designed by the HR Learning & Talent Development team under Ro2ya program.

The Harvard Business School program has been a particularly motivating learning experience that provides immediate and direct immersion in a practical learning environment that empowers the learners and pushes them out of their comfort zone. The program has provided me with helpful effective tools to develop my leadership skills and achieve personal and professional growth. It was also a great opportunity to learn from professionals from all over the world.

What will the program add to your career development?

Upon completing the program, I was able to implement immediately the learnings that I had acquired. This has been a key direct beneficial outcome of the program, especially in light of the great challenges that we have been facing with the Covid-19 pandemic, where leading through a changing environment has become a must-have skill. Experiencing the superior quality learning in Harvard Business School and becoming a Harvard alumna is not only a great personal achievement, but also a collective success that I would like to thank Burgan Bank for giving me the opportunity to be part of.

Ms. Dalal Yousef Al-Sane - Head of Debt Capital Markets - Group Investment Banking & Treasury

What were the most valuable learning outcomes of the program and how do they inspire you to lead?

Above all, Harvard Business School’s Program for Leadership Development gracefully initiates and facilitates the processes of deep introspection from various vantage points. It leverages one’s vulnerability, curiosity and willingness to learn as means to develop a vivid sense of self-awareness.  These are crucial skills for leading from a place of empathy, and consequently, instilling a culture of trust that believes in people’s intrinsic equality and deploys their distinct aptitudes towards serving meaningful purposes. In other words, the program taught me the value and power of leading authentically for positive transformation. To continue fueling virtuous cycles of development, I am determined to champion people’s processes of self-discovery, self-understanding and self-mastery. I’d like to thank the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences and Burgan Bank for making this indispensable experience possible.  

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About Burgan Bank

Established in 1977, Burgan Bank is currently the third largest bank by assets in Kuwait. From its earliest days, the Bank has significantly focused on the corporate and financial institution sectors, in addition to diversifying its offering to cater to its growing retail and private banking customer base.

Burgan Bank has majority-owned subsidiaries, collectively known as the “Burgan Bank Group”,  in the MENAT region. This Group is supported by one of the largest branch networks across the region and includes: Gulf Bank Algeria – AGB (Algeria), Bank of Baghdad – BOB (Iraq & Lebanon), Tunis International Bank – TIB (Tunisia), and the fully owned Burgan Bank Turkey. Furthermore, Burgan Bank has a presence in the UAE through its corporate office, Burgan Financial Services Limited.

The Bank has continuously improved its performance over the years, through an expanded revenue structure, diversified funding sources, and a strong capital base. The adoption of state-of-the-art services and technology has positioned it as a trendsetter in the domestic market and within the MENA region. Moreover, Burgan Bank’s brand has been built on a foundation of real values – trust, commitment, excellence and progression – which serve as a reminder of the high standards to which the Bank always aspires. In fact, the Bank’s core philosophy of ‘Driven by You’ is the foundation on which its products and services are continuously developed.

The Bank obtained the ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 Information Security Management Systems certificate (ISMS) and was re-certified with the prestigious ISO 9001:2015, making it the one of the few banks in the GCC and  Kuwait to receive such a certification for five consecutive times. The Bank also has the distinction of being the only Bank in Kuwait to have  won the JP Morgan Chase Quality Recognition Award for twenty consecutives years.

Burgan Bank is a majority owned subsidiary of KIPCO (Kuwait Projects Company), one of the largest holding companies in the MENA region.

© Press Release 2021