Ayubkhon Akhmadkhujaev

“Professional banker with strong analytical skills, proactive team player, passionate about creating meaningful impact”

Hometown: Kokand, Uzbekistan

Fun Fact About Yourself: In my free time, I enjoy being creative. I ran a YouTube channel that gained 1,000 subscribers and 200,000 views in just three months. I also have a passion for drawing, which earned me 2nd place in the Uzbekistan Youth Agency Competition.

Undergraduate School and Major: Tashkent State University of Economics, Bachelor’s in Economics

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Asakabank JSC Headquarters (Uzbekistan) – Head Specialist in Foreign Trade Operations

What makes Manchester such a great place to earn an MBA degree?

Manchester offers an outstanding environment for MBA studies for several reasons:

FinTech Hub: Manchester is an emerging global FinTech hub, ideal for exploring cutting-edge technologies and launching innovative startups.

Global Economic Hub: It boasts a dynamic business ecosystem with leading companies in finance, technology, healthcare, and manufacturing, providing excellent networking and career opportunities.

Inclusiveness: The city’s multicultural and inclusive atmosphere attracts professionals and students from around the world, fostering a diverse and enriching community.

Affordability and Quality of Life: With lower living costs compared to other major cities, Manchester combines affordability with urban sophistication, offering an array of cultural, recreational, and academic amenities.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of Alliance Manchester’s MBA curriculum and programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?

The most compelling aspect of AMBS is its focus on real-world consultancy projects. The curriculum includes three consultancy projects with non-profit, commercial, and international organizations, along with a Mergers and Acquisitions project.

This hands-on approach allows me to bridge academic theory with practical experience. My goal is to return to Uzbekistan and contribute to its economic development. By engaging in real consultancy work, I am gaining invaluable skills and experience that will enable me to drive meaningful change, far beyond what academic knowledge alone could offer.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most at Alliance Manchester? 

I have greatly enjoyed participating in the MBA Finance and Technology clubs. Despite being new, these clubs have already organized impactful events:

1. FinTech North Conference: I gained insights into emerging payment technologies, including blockchain and CBDCs, and expanded my network by connecting with managers from MasterCard, Barclays, and Starling Bank.

2. Citi Bank Alumni Meeting: At Citi Bank’s Canary Wharf office, senior leaders shared how the MBA program paved their way to leadership roles in one of the world’s top financial institutions.

3. Disney Tech Bytes: I explored Disney’s latest technological advancements and broadened my network with professionals across industries.

Alliance Manchester is known for its hands-on consultancy projects. Tell us a little bit about a project you worked on? What did you learn that will make you a better professional?

Completing the Social Impact Project at Hallé Venues has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

Our client, Hallé Venues, faced challenges in underutilization during specific times of the week. Our team worked to increase venue utilization and revenue while preserving their cultural and community-focused mission. Through market research, data analysis, and client interviews, we developed actionable recommendations and presented them to the organization’s Chief Executives.

This experience strengthened my ability to:

• Analyze complex business challenges.
• Navigate stakeholder expectations.
• Collaborate with culturally diverse teams.

The project’s practical application of academic concepts honed my problem-solving skills, preparing me for roles in multinational companies or entrepreneurial ventures.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:

The most industrious young employee of the year in Asakabank JSC, 2021.

One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is automating reports to the central bank. Previously, each branch generated individual reports, which were then sent to headquarters for consolidation and verification. This process was highly time-consuming, relied heavily on manual data entry, and significantly hindered efficiency. I led a project to automate this collaborating with SAP supporters, by designing and creating draft tables, identifying data sources and optimizing calculation methods. The system now generates and submits reports automatically, freeing up around 60 staff members who now focus on client interactions and relationship building.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in Alliance Manchester’s MBA program so far:

While I’ve achieved distinctions and participated in the VCIC competition, completing the Social Impact Project stands out as my most significant accomplishment.

The project began with setbacks, but through effective teamwork, proactive communication with our supervisor and client, and perseverance, we turned the project around to deliver exceptional results. This journey taught me resilience, problem-solving, and adaptability—skills that I will carry forward into future projects and roles.