Mohamad Alchalabi

University of Oxford, Saïd Business School

“Nature lover, curious to learn more about cultures and traditions, tech-enthusiast, and passionate about sustainability.”

Hometown: Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Fun Fact About Yourself: Always looking for “even tastier dessert”

Undergraduate School and Major: A Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Saudi Aramco, renewable energy development and investment specialist

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Oxford Saïd’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? It was the program’s focus on current global challenges and giving the students the opportunity to work towards resolving them. For instance, this term, in a team of 6 students, we are working with the United Nations (UN) to enable blended financing to multiple projects in agriculture, clean water, and healthcare in several developing countries.

This aspect of the program is important to me because I believe we all have to strive to make the world a better place for current and future generations.

What course, club, or activity has been your favorite part of the Oxford Saïd MBA experience? The Business Finance course has been my favorite thus far as it clarifies the fundamentals of many concepts I used at my previous work.

What is the most “Oxford” thing you have done so far as a full-time MBA student?  Attending Oxford debates! The variety of topics and strong arguments made on both sides make the sessions really exciting and enlightening.

Oxford is known as a place where world collides, be it in the classroom or the dining hall. What has been the most interesting interaction you’ve had so far as an Oxford MBA student? It is probably multiple interactions over the same topic: the role of fossil fuels in future energy demand. While I have spent most of my career supporting the energy transition into clean and renewable sources, I have had multiple debates with classmates and fellows at Saïd and Oxford over the role fossil fuels will continue to play for decades to come. I have to say that I enjoyed all these discussions as everyone was respectful and receptive of my views even at times of disagreement.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? I would say it is the new lifelong friendships I have made with many of my classmates from all over the world.

What has been the biggest epiphany you’ve gained about yourself or the world since you started your MBA program? The MBA program at Oxford Saïd allowed me to interact with far more diverse cohort than I imagined. Discussing and working with my classmates from almost all backgrounds made me realize how we are not really that different even when we think we are. We all agree on and want the same for ourselves and for others, but we often don’t get the chance to discuss issues with one another and hear each other’s views. We have a great deal of common ground, but most people just do not realize that. Much more peace and cooperation can be achieved if we have more open dialogues.

DON’T MISS: MEET OXFORD SAÏD’S MBA CLASS OF 2023