Ahmed Tuma

IESE Business School at the University of Navarra

“A loving and proud cat father; aspiring to create a better world while embracing my heritage.”

Hometown: Baghdad, Iraq

Fun Fact About Yourself: Since high school, I’ve always imagined myself continuing my postgraduate studies. I never thought it would be in Business Administration though!

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Technology, Iraq; Electrical Engineering – University of Bath, UK; Electrical Power Systems

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: TotalEnergies, Senior Project Advisor

What makes the case method so attractive as a means to learn and become a better manager? One cannot learn how to swim without getting into the water and business management is no different! IESE’s case method provides a unique opportunity to simulate real-world scenarios across a wide variety of contexts in a safe, collaborative, and mature environment.

What has been your favorite part of Barcelona so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? IESE is located in one of the world´s most beautiful cities, where spending a Sunday on the beach can feel like a mini vacation – a bonus for balancing MBA life. Additionally, throughout the MBA you can explore Barcelona´s rich history through its many historic sights.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the one key part of the IESE Business School MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? What made me chose IESE was the perfect alignment of my aspirations with the school´s values: a mission to develop leaders who strive for positive impact; a vision of providing lifelong learning to bring profound meaning to business; and values of integrity, excellence and service. Furthermore, IESE’s rigorous yet flexible curriculum, entirely based on the case-method, perfectly matches the level of “training” and learning necessary for my career goals.

The IESE MBA is known for heavy reading and rigorous academics. Has the program lived up to its reputation? What advice would you give to first-years to help them thrive in the early months of the program? Here at IESE, everyone keeps saying: “Trust the process.” That´s because every aspect of the MBA program has been carefully considered. While the program is academically rigorous, it has been crafted in the best way possible to suit students. That said, the primary advice for incoming students would be prioritization! There are countless valuable activities, both curricular and extracurricular, that the school offers. However, with only 24 hours in a day, it is not possible to be involved in everything! Prioritization may be a challenging task, but it´s crucial to thrive.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at IESE? The Leadership course in the first term has been one of the most engaging and insightful courses for me so far. Leadership cases foster a prudent mindset when analyzing situations and making decisions as a leader.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One of my proudest accomplishments, which I hold very dear to my heart, is contributing to the development of Iraq’s first utility-scale solar power plant, in my role as a Senior Project Advisor with TotalEnergies. Contributing to the prosperity of my country and its citizens is one of the central missions of my life. IESE´s mission of developing responsible leaders aligns perfectly with my own values and aspirations.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Perhaps my biggest accomplishment as an MBA student has been balancing the various aspects of the MBA journey—academics, internship applications, supporting colleagues, and extracurricular/social activities.

What has been your best memory as an MBA so far? The best memory so far has been attending two on-campus sessions by Arthur C. Brooks on Happiness. These inspiring and eye-opening sessions encouraged deep reflection on life. Without a doubt, this is another demonstration of IESE’s commitment to the well-being and mental development of its students.

DON’T MISS: MEET IESE BUSINESS SCHOOL’S MBA CLASS OF 2026

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