Raghad Gomaa

IESE Business School

“Passionate, resilient, and excited to challenge the norm.”

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt

Fun fact about yourself: Before the two years of the MBA, I spent 2 years preparing for a full IronMan (3.9K swim, 180KM bike and 42.2K run) in Hamburg. I did not know how to swim or ride a bike before I started training in 2022 and completed it 3 months before starting the MBA.

Undergraduate School and Degree: American University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates), BSBA Business Management

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Boston Consulting Group, Recruiter (Dubai, UAE)

Where did you intern during the summer of 2023? Boston Consulting Group, Summer Consultant (Dubai, UAE)

Where will you be working after graduation? Boston Consulting Group, Consultant (Dubai, UAE)

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School:

• Consulting Club Co-president (biggest professional club at IESE)
• First Year Director of the Middle East and North Africa Club
• Dubai Trek Lead; November 2023
• VP Communications of Middle East and North Africa Club
• Member of the Women in Business club
• Forte Fellow / Forte Scholarship Recipient

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? After receiving a couple of internship offers from my dream consulting firms, I was filled with excitement, but mostly gratitude towards the support system that got me to that stage. A big part of this support system was the IESE Consulting Club. I felt that I had the duty to give back to the next class of the MBA, so I partnered with Alejandro Exss (a great classmate who became a friend for life) and ran for the consulting club presidency. It was such a great experience to campaign, convince the club with the biggest membership at IESE that we would be the right leaders, and winning the elections was the greatest accomplishment of my MBA experience. I am very honored to have gained the trust of my peers and very proud of the club’s achievements during our term – and I will cherish what I learned from this opportunity for the rest of my life!

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I loved being a recruiter; I enjoyed the offer calls to my candidates after they had been through a rigorous recruitment process (I hadn’t realized how hard it could be until I went through it myself). My biggest achievement in my professional career had been nurturing talent in Saudi Arabia in my last role. This included providing a fully-rounded experience for students and recent graduates aspiring to a career in consulting. It felt very rewarding to work with young students from the day they begin their application to when they start learning through workshops, mentoring, sessions, and more. This would allow them to grow and either receive an offer at BCG or achieve their dreams elsewhere. I felt like I created genuine impact for young students, and this was what motivated me most. I might not be able to quantitatively measure the CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) in their careers from then until now, but I can be sure that the qualitative CAGR is very high.

Why did you choose this business school? I follow my heart when it comes to most decisions and with IESE, it somehow felt right. Although it sounds a bit nebulous, I was able to resonate with the school from my first meeting with the admissions director and after attending an Open Day where we studied a case and discussed it in a classroom setting. At that point, I realized that the case method was right for me.

I already had a business background from my undergraduate studies, but that was a while ago and was quite specific to a career in HR. Meanwhile, I also had not yet implemented what I had learned about general business during my work experience in HR and Recruiting. That was why I thought the case method was the perfect way to help me thrive as a future business leader. I would be able to capitalize on the background I have and link it to real life examples with a truly diverse class. This was the main reason why I chose IESE!

Who was your favorite MBA professor? This is a TOUGH one to answer, I have too many favorites. If I were to choose one, it would be the professor who left me with more questions than answers – and that was Martin Schlag, a visiting professor who along with Pedro Videla, taught the class: ‘From Adam Smith to Pope Francis: What Is Business For?’ I really enjoyed the fact that the class was more about introspection and linking business to a core of values and beliefs. Although it was a one-week condensed class, Martin provided us with a great opportunity to think about the purpose of business and leadership beyond the financial models and 2×2 frameworks.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favorite course as an MBA was Strategy & Geopolitics taught by Mike Rosenberg. Growing up in Egypt, I only learned about the geography and history of Egypt and neighboring countries. When I moved to the UAE and was surrounded by people from all over the world, I realized the gap I had in my overall knowledge and how significant that would be if I were to continue working in a diverse environment. As the course progressed and we learned about different geopolitical issues, it was very interesting to hear from people within the classroom who have personal views or experiences related to these topics. This helped to turn the class into a mix between a history lesson and a geopolitical debate. The classroom environment was of greater value than any of the pre-reads we had to do before class. My biggest takeaway, however, was to realize that history is not uniform, and that it’s key to be able to understand, respect the other side and be open to re-examining my preconceptions. This class opened my mind the most about what it is like to become a true global leader.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? If I were to select one, it would be the CoW: Comment of the Week. Although it was not an event, it was a tradition that every week we would choose the funniest or most unusual comment mentioned within the class (during class). Each section had their CoW (actually a toy cow). I really enjoyed this tradition because it was a nice way to forget about the intensity of the first year, with all its classes and stresses and turn our attention to something lighter.

Otherwise, so many traditions and events to mention: MultiCulti, Diwali, Asado….and the list goes on and on and on…

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? I would trust myself more in the first year! Going into an MBA is scary. Most of us had quit the successful careers we had had for at least the past five years to resume our studies in a quest for an even brighter future. I remember getting strong Impostor Syndrome and believing that I could not compete with or match up to my peers. The numbers used to scare me, and some of the terms used during the class discussion made zero sense. However, I soon realized that I also had a unique perspective and insight that I could bring to the classroom, and that the numbers would always make sense at the end. And while all the business jargon sounds fancy, it’s very simple when broken down.

What is the biggest myth about your school? “The first year is REALLY hard” is a phrase I heard many times during the admissions process. When we first started, and I always thought, “How hard could it be?”. And I can confirm that yes, it is REALLY hard. The content that is suddenly thrown at us, the social events, the new friends, the “homesickness”, the new life we must adapt to, and the process of re-learning how to be a student all happen at once. At the same time, we have to try to find an internship and start thinking about what the right post MBA career would be. For 12 full months, we had classes, exams, assignments, events to attend, and networking to complete. That’s on top of our lives back home – and all that followed by an internship. All this takes a toll; but you come out much stronger on the other side!

Being an ex-endurance athlete, I understood that grit and resilience would be crucial to pass that year. To get to the finishing line, I treated it in the same way as I had my IronMan training. Happily, the second year is a much-deserved reward!

What surprised you the most about business school? I always heard that business schools accept the smartest and most diverse profiles, but my biggest surprise was that everyone in the MBA is extremely cool. I admired the parents, who somehow balanced the crazy workload with looking after their kids, and the ones who managed to train for marathons during the first year – the ex-pilots, the MDs, and the ones who have travelled to 60+ countries before, the ones who speak 10+ languages, the brave career switchers… and the list goes on and on.

I don’t even know where to start to begin. I have not met someone who didn’t have a super interesting story, either personally or professionally. I believe that no matter where in the world I end up, I will never be able to be surrounded by cooler 349 people than my MBA classmates.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Benjamin Le Tréquesser, or “Benji”, as we call him, is one of the smartest people I met in the program. I happened to get lucky and got my assigned seating in the second and third term next to Benji and this was one of the best things to happen to me during the program. Benji had such a positive outlook towards life and towards the classes, he would always challenge the professors during the classroom discussions, and he really encouraged and motivated me to keep participating and not be afraid to voice my thoughts during the class. Benji also gave an excellent speech during our first week about Impostor Syndrome. I constantly think of that speech that was delivered with Benji’s passionate French accent whenever I need a confidence boost!

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

1. Go back to Egypt. This one has been on my list for a very long time; I would love to go back home and create an impact in whatever way I possibly could. I could be dreaming, but maybe become the Minister of Economy one day. Who knows?

2. I really would like to run a charity organization or an NGO at a certain point down the line; focused on empowering underprivileged individuals with the right tools and resources to upskill and lead their own careers. The inequalities around the world terrify me, and I believe it is my duty to give back to those who need, specifically empowering them with the right tools and resources.

What made Raghad such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2024

“I had the opportunity to meet Raghad one year-and-a-half ago as her professor of a module called “Analysis of Business Problems” of the 1st term of the MBA program and as the mentor of her MBA team. As her professor, I can say that Raghad was one of the most engaged students in the class, always eager to learn and grow. Her sharp analyses and reflections helped in many occasions to move ahead with our intense case study discussions. She also stood out in her class assignments, which enabled her to become one of the top students in the class. As her mentor, I witnessed the very positive role she played within her group. Raghad has a character that naturally attracts people, that she relied on to help her team develop an effective work environment and a very positive mood.

Regarding her evolution in the MBA program, I have to say that she progressed very much since the start of the program and has rounded a very strong overall performance. Such a performance was the result of a combination of a strong work ethics and her flair for management practice. Raghad is particularly capable of developing a holistic view of management situations, what makes her very suitable for leadership roles.”

Prof. Adrian Caldart
Associate Professor, Strategic Management

“Raghad was my student in the first-year MBA course on Competitive Strategy that I teach at IESE Business School. She was clearly one of the best and brightest students in that class. During the course, she demonstrated strong analytical skills and a very good understanding of the complex business situations we discussed. Raghad was very active in almost every class discussion and always provided interesting insights that enriched the discussions. Her performance on the midterm exam was exceptional, resulting in the highest score awarded in the course. Furthermore, her ability to work collaboratively with peers not only elevated her own learning but also significantly contributed to the class’s learning environment. Raghad’s proactive approach and leadership qualities signal a promising future in any organizational setting. Let me finish by noting that Raghad is not only a very hard-working and talented student, but also someone who is very pleasant to work with and takes great care of her people.”

Prof. David Wehrheim
Associate Professor, Strategic Management

“Raghad has been an unwavering source of support and positivity throughout her MBA journey, from the start of her MBA in the career bootcamp to her leadership in the consulting club. My interactions with Raghad have consistently highlighted her cheerfulness, confidence, humility, and intelligence, alongside an unfailing eagerness to assist others. Working alongside Raghad, especially during her leadership in the Consulting Club, was an honour. Managing a group of 200 enthusiastic first-year students aspiring for careers in consulting, was no easy task. Yet she motivated her consulting club team through careful planning and execution. She played a pivotal role in encouraging second-year students to offer their support during the intense months of consulting recruitment, ensuring smooth event operations and essential support for the first years.

Raghad’s commitment extended beyond her official duties. She personally mentored several students, offering her time during the December-January break to coach first years in interview preparation and inspired those who were demotivated in their recruitment process. Beyond her skills and intellect, Raghad’s values, personality, and motivation truly stand out. She doesn’t just aim for personal success but also, she inspires and uplifts those along the way, making a significant impact through her actions and leadership.”

Noel Quiaoit
Associate Director, Career Development Center & Consulting Club Mentor

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2024