Omar Kazem

University of Manchester’s Alliance Manchester Business School

Hometown: Alexandria, Egypt

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am Batman. Shhh!

Undergraduate School and Major: BSc. Electrical Engineering (Telecommunications and Electronics), Alexandria University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Project Leader at Continental

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Alliance Manchester’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school? Why was it so important to you? The unique design of the MBA programme at Alliance Manchester Business School was the ultimate factor that attracted me to join. AMBS’s programme design, with its international presence across the six continents and its way of teaching through the three consultancy projects, makes it one of the most practical programmes in the world today. During my MBA search, I sought to have practical experience in the real world, not just an academic theoretical one. AMBS provides this experience through its Manchester Method that focuses on learning by doing. During the programme, I got the chance to work on two different consultancy projects so far with real customers in various industries. During my first project, I worked in the education sector, followed up with another project in the public transportation sector. The programme also offers the opportunity to do internships or electives in different regions such as the Middle East, Asia, or South America, which was also appealing to me.

What club or extracurricular activity excites you most at this school? AMBS’s activities and clubs are numerous, but the one that excites me the most is the Venture Further Business Startup Competition. Although I didn’t participate this year in the competition, I enjoyed attending the elevator pitches for promising startup ideas from brilliant students from all over Manchester University. These pitches have given me clues about the industry trends in different markets and the problems which need to be addressed. I cannot wait for next year’s competition to participate.

What makes Manchester such a great place to earn an MBA? How have you taken advantage of Manchester to further your business education? Manchester is student heaven. The city is small, yet big enough to offer everything you need. You can easily fit in and make new friends as there is a high intake of students from various parts of the world. Numerous events are held across the year, which you can attend and expand your network through them. Moreover, many businesses and multinational companies are based here, which is helpful during your internship search. Furthermore, it is only a two-hour train ride to London, which is one of the largest business centers in the world.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far? Taking the responsibility to set up and bring up a new team in a different country was one of my greatest accomplishments in my career. Having this responsibility, when I was 27 years old, was a real challenge. The company’s motive was to build a quality center in India by having this team as its foundational stone. The success of this team has driven the group to take a strategic decision to expand heavily in India. Seeing how the team members evolved and proceeded in their careers is something that makes me proud. I will always be thankful for this opportunity which has developed me in both personal and professional aspects.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career?  Since my graduation from engineering school, I have been working in multinational automotive suppliers’ corporates that provide the latest cutting-edge technologies in the self-driving area to the biggest names in the automotive market. Last year, I paused and asked myself what would be my next challenge? How to be more competitive post COVID-19?

I was worried about getting confined to a narrow industrial field too early in my career. I wanted to discover different industries and to strengthen my business understanding. Business knowledge is essential in today’s world. Having both business and technology knowledge is a necessity for the next stage of my career. For me, an MBA is not only about the high-quality curriculum, but it is also about the people you meet and the stories you hear. Having the opportunity to meet and build up relationships with professors and students from different industries across the world is invaluable.

What was your defining moment and how did it prepare you for business school? I believe the pandemic was my defining moment. I have always thought about doing an MBA, but I was hesitant to take such a risk. The comfort zone was captivating, and I was doubtful about leaving the job market for one year. However, when the pandemic hit, I saw an entirely different perspective. Throughout the previous year, I saw how the world changed dramatically, how many industries suffered to sustain, and how many jobs got redundant. Being static in today’s world is the real risk. At this moment, I decided to take a leap of faith, invest in myself and enjoy the ride.

DON’T MISS: MEET ALLIANCE MANCHESTER’S MBA CLASS OF 2022