Meet INSEAD’s MBA Class Of 2018

Mohamed Bassiouny

INSEAD

Describe yourself in 15 words or less: Ambitious, persistent with a passion for impactful endeavors. Sport fanatic with a solar energy background.

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt

Fun Fact About Yourself: I was featured on Climate Heroes as a representative of Egyptians pursuing activities that positively affect our environment.

Undergraduate School and Major: American University in Cairo, Bachelor of Science in Petroleum and Energy Engineering with a concentration in Energy

Employers and Job Titles Since Graduation: Descending order

• Head of Engineering and partner at SolarizEgypt
• Product Development Manager at KarmSolar
• Project Manager at KarmSolar
• Technology and Innovation Engineer at KarmSolar

 Additionally

• Partner and board member at Tech startup Ifix Egypt
• Part time Technical Business Development Manager at AluArab LLC (Family Business)

 Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest accomplishment of my career so far has been joining SolarizEgypt (at the time a scaling solar energy company) in an upper management role as Head of Engineering and immediately transitioning it successfully into the Megawatt scale projects landmarked by our 1 MW project as part of the Feed in Tariff program. Our Technical capability to execute such large scale projects pivoted our positioning within the market and helped increase the valuation of the company by 4X according to the latest valuation in less than one year of me joining the company.

 Looking back on your experience, what one piece of advice would you give to future business school applicants? The most important piece of advice I can give to future MBA applicants is to choose a program that really fits their personality and ambitions. This will give you the best chance of getting admitted as your fit will be transmitted through your application. Your application is like a puzzle, so don’t focus too much on one item (GMAT) and forego the rest of your application. When gathering recommendations forget about seniority of position and focus on who will be able to transmit with great clarity what makes you a special candidate.

The essays are an integral component of your application; they have to complement and enhance the story you are trying to tell the admissions staff. Take the time to think about the content of the essays as they provide an important opportunity for reflection. Write several drafts and enlist the help of close people around you to fine tune the content of the essays and make sure they reflect the image you want to transmit about yourself.

What was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Running the risk of sounding cliché (because this is what INSEAD is best known for), I am going to say it anyway: the main factor I chose INSEAD is its diversity. The reason I chose to do an MBA is to compliment my technical skillset and accelerate my learning curve on the strategic, management and finance aspects of the business world. Learning is done through exposure and interaction with standout people from different backgrounds and nationalities. Having no nationality forming more than 15% of the student body, over 80 nationalities, 3 campuses on two continents and the ability to experience both is the ultimate form of exposure. All of that condenses years of know-how into 10 months.

 What would success look like to you after your first year of business school? Success would be translated into being an integral part of an environment that fosters real innovation and practices impactful entrepreneurship where the results of the work transcend profitability and venture into the tangible development of knowledge, culture, people and economies.