Amira Hachem, INSEAD MBA Class of 2019 J
Age: 27
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Bachelor degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): 5.5 years in management consulting
Why business school? Why now? After five years in consulting advising leading institutions in the region and learning from smart colleagues and clients, I felt that it was time to take on another challenge and step up my career. My goal was to ensure that my career was feeding into some long-term goals and aspirations rather than guided by some opportunistic and ad-hoc decisions.
This is when I decided to take a step back and do an MBA in order to explore trends and opportunities in the business world, decide on my mid-long term career focus whether in consulting or beyond. Another reason for doing an MBA, was to take the time and leverage the network and tools provided by the school to experiment and test few business ideas that have been hunting me for a while.
Why INSEAD? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend? INSEAD was the only business school that I have applied to. There are several reasons that makes INSEAD MBA the right program for me. Two of these reasons are Excellence and Diversity.
First, INSEAD is not only one of the top three business schools globally but is also the only one that provide access to excellent education, strong, and vast global network and infinite opportunities in an intensive one year program. 
Second, INSEAD is truly the business school of the world. INSEADERS in my cohort come from more than 90 nationalities and from diverse cultural, academic, and professional backgrounds. The school also offers the opportunity to explore new geographies through its campuses in Asia, Middle East and Europe and its exchange program with schools in the United States. This opportunity to explore diverse cultures and geographies is for me a one of a kind opportunity that I did not want to miss.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020? Leveraging my pre-INSEAD experiences, there are three key things that I bring to the table:
- Share my strong knowledge in management consulting during lectures as well as part of the consulting club.
- Add to INSEAD cultural diversity and openness by bringing in my work and personal experiences in the Middle East.
- Use my passion for creating change and impact to grow the INSEAD family and support & inspire its members, both as a student and as an alumni.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application? I am not good at building first impressions. When I met my husband back at college, it was hate at first sight. I did not particularly like or admire him. Two years after graduation, I could not imagine life without him. He is my better half and my biggest supporter in everything I do, including pursuing an MBA at INSEAD.
Post-MBA career interests? I am still exploring opportunities. My initial interests are in specialized management consulting, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process? I would definitely think about the key objectives and outcomes that I want to get out of the MBA before considering any business schools and before going through the application process. Validating the thoughts I had on different schools from current students and alumni helped me select the right school and save time on unnecessary applications.
–One thing you would change or do differently? One thing I would do differently is to study and take the GMAT as early as possible. This helps in applying during earlier rounds and in getting access to a high number of potential scholarships.
What is your initial impression of INSEAD’s students/culture/community? INSEAD’s student community is so diverse yet so similar. Students, professors, and staff come from completely different cultures and backgrounds and have different skills and different way of thinking. Yet, all INSEADERS share the same core values of openness, respect, excellence, and drive for change.
One thing you have learned about INSEAD that has surprised you? One thing that surprised me is the emphasis that the school invests in students’ career and leadership development. Even before the program started, I was assigned a career coach and a leadership coach. I found this very useful as it helps students define their goals early on and leverage the program to work on these goals and achieve them.
Thing you are most anxious about in the year ahead? Two weeks into INSEAD, I am surprised by how intense the program is. In addition to the condensed coursework, there are multiple exciting and interesting social events, career events and extra-curriculars that are taking time at any point in the day and that one should choose from. The thing I am most anxious about now is missing out on what this year has to offer me. Being conscious about this, I am trying to select wisely where to put my time and efforts.
Thing you are most excited about in your time at INSEAD? I am really excited about everything! From engaging in courses and entrepreneurship events/competitions to meeting new people and travelling to new exciting locations, I am looking forward for everything that this year will offer me.
