Meet Columbia’s MBA Class of 2018

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Hashim Ibrahim

 

Columbia Business School

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: African, globally-oriented and believer that one day we will eradicate poverty.

Hometown: Khartoum, Sudan

Fun Fact About Yourself: I closed my first business deal when I was 13 years old.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Khartoum, Mechanical Engineering

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Caterpillar dealers in Sudan and South Sudan (Sales), Agribusiness Startup Founder and CEO

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Increasing access to finance and technology for smallholder farmers helping them be more productive.

Looking back on your experience, what advice would you give to future business school applicants? My country is under the U.S. Sanctions. This impacted my application tremendously, starting with the GMAT/ I had to fly to Dubai to take the test because we don’t have a testing center in Sudan. Also I was forbidden from taking the test at the first appointment just because I’m a Sudanese Citizen and my country is on the sanctions list. In order for me to take the test I had to convince the testing center manager that I’m just a student like all the other students from around the world who are aiming for the best education and fortunately he took the risk of letting me in. After the test I thanked him and he promised to allow all the students regardless of their nationalities to set for the exam.

Out of this, what I can say to all the future applicants, business school lessons start from the day you took the decision to apply. For me it wasn’t an easy process, but you have to look at it as a startup. There will be a lot of challenges and you have to be very persistent and hard working person to make it through.

What led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA? I’m African and it takes me 18 hours flight to get to the US. When it comes to doing my MBA I wanted to be at the very center of business at a place where I can find the edge of management education and practice, access to the business world and a lifelong network that can help me achieve whatever I set my mind to. My first experience to figure out my options was attending the African business-related forums and conferences at the top US business schools. After attending the African Economic Forum at Columbia, the choice was very simple for me.

Tell us about your dream job or dream employer at this point in your life? Life is so precious and for me it’s about leaving this world in a better situation than the day I was born to it. I come from a place filled with a lot of challenges. As an educated young African, I take it as an obligation to change this reality. We have to create more wealth for our societies to fight poverty and to live in peace.

As a dream job or employer I have two options either to be in a place where I can drive change and make a true impact in the lives of people around me or to create one.

What would you like your business school peers to say about you after you graduate from this program? “One hand can’t clap alone.” That is a quote that I really like. I believe that our collective efforts are the only way that can help us overcome our individual limitations/ I’ve been through different personal and professional experiences that made me realize that I wouldn’t be here without the help, guidance and support of different people along my path and I want to be like them. I want my peers to remember me as a true friend that they can rely on.

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