Nadia Osman

IMD Business School

“Impact ninja, turning smart investments into social entrepreneurial good, one development at a time!”

Hometown: Khartoum, Sudan and Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Fun Fact About Yourself: I’m a certified art and museum enthusiast! I’ve hit up over 40 museums and galleries – if I’m in a new country, you bet the first thing I do is look up the location of the national museum. If there’s a famous painting, you’ll find me right there, pretending to be its long-lost relative.

Undergraduate School and Major: Sudan University of Science & Technology (SUST), Sudan, BSc (Hons) Architectural Engineering and Planning

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Founder & CEO, KCS Co. Ltd, a social tech company specializing in IVR solutions

What has been the best part of being in a small class with this group of classmates? Being in a small class brought us closer and closer each day. With 44 nationalities – and me being the first Sudanese participant – and with all the rich cultural backgrounds, I found myself learning something new every day. It’s like being part of a mini-UN, where diverse perspectives spark lively debates and create fun team dynamics. In just a few months, we transformed into a close family, always looking out for each other and building solidarity that truly feels like a home away from home.

Aside from classmates, what part of IMD’s MBA programming led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? The IMD MBA program is known for its Leadership Stream, which attracted me not only for its academic and career benefits but also for its impact on my personal growth. The Leadership Stream, Leadership Labs, group coaching sessions, and personal development electives have been crucial in my personal development and self-discovery. Additionally, the program’s practicality sets it apart as we always have the chance to apply our learning through various projects and high-quality simulations like MarkStrat and STIGMA. This unique blend of academics, personal development, and practical experience is what made me choose IMD, and I was lucky to be chosen by The BackPack-Excellence Scholarship for Women.

IMD is known for its academic rigor. What is one strategy you used that would help a future IMD MBA better adapt to the workload early on? Maintaining a structured work-life balance is essential for both mental health and productivity. At IMD, projects and assignments are designed with different group dynamics, allowing us to learn and improve with each module. One key strategy is to structure teamwork effectively and build a strong support system with your teammates. While individual efforts can achieve much, teamwork enabled me to exceed expectations and always deliver on time. This support system helped me manage the workload, engage in team-building activities, and still have personal time, ensuring a well-rounded and balanced experience.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Over the past six years, my career has been dedicated to advancing economic growth in Sudan through innovative investment and entrepreneurial projects. My focus has been on mobilizing public-private partnerships to achieve sustainable development goals.

A key highlight of my journey was leading various national and international programs across 14 cities in Sudan, including post-conflict zones, impacting over 5,000 individuals. This role allowed me to forge strategic partnerships with organizations such as GIZ, USAID, and GEN, while working closely with government entities like the Ministry of Economics & Finance and the Ministry of Social Welfare. These experiences fueled my passion to found KCS, a social tech enterprise aimed at providing technical solutions in sectors like telecommunications, agriculture, and finance while creating job opportunities for underserved populations, including people with disabilities and women. My accomplishments reflect a strong commitment to leveraging entrepreneurship and investment to drive sustainable development and economic growth in challenging environments.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at IMD so far: Coming from the development sector and working closely with social entrepreneurs, I’ve seen how moving capital to the right places can create significant positive change. This experience ignited my profound interest in impact investments, and I was fortunate to lead the Finance Club – Impact Investing at IMD. In this role, I organized a series of events featuring speakers from various organizations specializing in impact investments and sustainable finance. These events provided valuable insights and created meaningful discussions on how we can drive sustainable development through smart investments. Seeing my classmates engage enthusiastically with these talks has been incredibly rewarding and has motivated me to push for even more impactful initiatives. It’s been a fulfilling journey to connect my background in the development sector with the dynamic environment at IMD, and I’m excited to continue exploring the intersection of finance and social impact.

Where is your favorite hang-out in Lausanne? Why do you (and your classmates) gravitate there? As someone who was born in the Arabian Gulf and lived by the Nile, it’s no surprise that my favorite spot in Lausanne is Lake Geneva! This stunning lake has been our ultimate escape when school gets intense. It’s where we’ve laughed, cried, celebrated, and made unforgettable memories together as a class. For me, it’s also a peaceful retreat where I love to lay back, watch the birds, and enjoy the silence. It’s the perfect recharging station for me and my classmates!

What has been your best memory at IMD thus far? I’ve never been much of an athlete, but I took a leap and joined the women’s football team in preparation to compete in MBAT at HEC Paris this May. The practices and the MBAT event itself were incredible! Seeing my classmates excel in different sports and win 19 medals was so inspiring. It was also another fantastic chance for us to bond and support each other, and I’ll always remember those days fondly!

What do you hope to do after graduation? After graduation, I aspire to secure a position with an organization dedicated to investments in the development sector, with a particular focus on impact investment and sustainable finance. I am passionate about working with institutions that allocate capital for social good, driving positive change through strategic investments. My background in the development sector and my experiences at IMD have equipped me with the skills and insights needed to contribute effectively to this field and I am committed to fostering social and environmental progress through smart, responsible investments.

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