Shams Alyahya

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

“Curious about people and the world, I find joy in creating meaningful connections.”

Hometown: Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Fun Fact About Yourself: Despite working in finance, it was an exercise from an Ikigai book that reignited my decision to pursue an MBA. It brought me back to a childhood belief that education can expand what feels possible.

Undergraduate School and Major: Finance, The Pennsylvania State University

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Senior Associate, Project Economics & Finance, ARAMCO

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the Wharton School’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you?  The McNulty Leadership Program’s P3 (Purpose, Passion, and Principles) Program was a major factor in my decision as I have spent my career developing the analytical side of leadership: evaluating investments, building financial cases, and helping teams make decisions amid uncertainty. At Wharton, I want to expand on the personal aspect, for example on how I show up in leading others, influence people with different perspectives, and build the trust required to lead through ambiguity. The program’s combination of reflection, coaching, and experiential learning would help me grow from a strong finance professional into a leader capable of shaping new industries.

What course, club, or activity excites you the most at the Wharton School? Wharton’s Venture Capital Club excites me most. At Wa’ed Ventures, I sourced and evaluated local and international investments, built investment cases, and identified opportunities with strong growth potential. At Wharton, I want to continue doing the same, expand on how ventures scale across different markets, and contribute actively to the club’s community.

When you think of the Wharton School, what is the first word that comes to mind? Why?
Finance. Wharton represents finance at its most powerful. It is not only the technical rigor, but also the possibility to be a tool to build businesses, direct capital toward impactful ideas, and improve the world.

What makes Philadelphia a great place to earn an MBA? Philadelphia offers the diversity and energy of a major city, proximity to leading financial and business centers, and enough space to walk, reflect, and create. It is a city with both great food hub and plenty of food for thought.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest career accomplishment has been helping pioneer the blue ammonia market. I was developing the pricing approach for one of the world’s first projects in the cleaner energy space and evaluating multibillion-dollar investments, bringing together government support, port infrastructure, production capabilities, and finance. And I was doing this with no established market or playbook.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)?  I hope to return to Saudi Arabia and continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the energy transition. I want to help build new markets, evaluate emerging technologies, and create commercially viable pathways for energy solutions.

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Wharton School’s MBA program?  Be genuine, even when your story does not fit the profile you think a business school expects. I received this advice during my own application process, the goal is more to get into a program that aligns with its community.

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