You are still working in the same organization and position as you were when enrolling in the SSE MBA Executive Format program. Yes, I am still working as EVP Strategy and Business Development in Østfold Energi in Norway. This is the same role I had when entering the program, although I have expanded the role's content substantially through starting and scaling up new ventures since I enrolled in the Executive MBA at SSE. As a consequence we have grown from a traditional hydro producer to a broader energy group of companies that have engaged in several new markets and technologies. What was the reason for studying an Executive MBA and were the expectations met? The reason I wanted to take the Executive MBA program at SSE was to learn more within finance, sustainability and innovation, expand my professional network in Sweden and develop myself further. I would go so far to say that the Executive MBA at SSE exceeded all my expectations! What has been your personal experience and gain from the program? My personal experience has been great. Although we started out in Covid lock down - the learning weeks worked really well. Personally, the program expanded my toolbox and enriched my existing mental models on how business works. Looking back it has broadened my sphere of influence and understanding, as I now can more easily understand, negotiate and discuss technical matters in depth across finance, legal and economics. This has been extremely useful taking on the chairman of the board role in several new start-ups, and becoming more engaged across domains in our executive management team. What has your employer gained from your studies? Beside a more motivated, effective and engaged employee, my employer has gained a lot of new insights and ideas - as I used cases and opportunities from our business as cases in almost all the classes. For instance Østfold Energy got a study on the possibility of doing a market entry into Sweden for one of our norwegian startups, the pitch material and commercialization plan for starting a JV in Sweden another start-up, a objective diagnose on the cultural challenges related to our digitization efforts, and a review on the sustainability impact of our existing hydro business. The quality was actually so good that the deliverables were considered as "free" consultancy. How have you used and applied theories and models teached in the SSE MBA? The most obvious use is that I updated our internal business development processes based on the models from the MBA, including both the rapid learning cycles and the lean start up. My department liked them and we still see its power in our daily work. In addition I have used the WACC and valuation models in several investments and financing discussions, and actually several of the strategy and management of change models in our strategy work. In what ways, have your peers in the class affected your growth, learnings, and other aspects?Are you still in contact with your classmates? I would say that the discussions with my peers in class were a vital part of the learning experience. Getting tangible experiences from peers in different industries and countries on key challenges within the different classes really broadened my understanding. Being part of a group of high performers as our class was extremely fun. We all were engaged and eager to get acquainted. We came together quickly as friends and had a hard core social element in all our learning weeks. The saying was - hero at night - hero at day! Since our graduation in September 2022 we have kept in touch. We still have our signal groups and have had joint trips to Las Vegas, Cape Town, Stockholm and Barcelona so far. We are now discussing where we should go next year. What would be your advice to an organization considering financing this kind of studies to one of their employees? What factors should they consider to make the best possible use of the program? My advice would be to make sure your employer is truly motivated and sees how this new bulk of knowledge can help her or him in their career within your company. Secondly, I would advise you to try to get as many cases and issues as possible from your organization into the different assignments. I would also advise to make sure you create an arena where she or he can present results and learnings back to the organization and that you make sure that she or he gets enough time for studies and exams on top of the daily operations.

Tell us a little bit about your background and why you wanted to study for an Executive MBA. Born and brought up in India, I completed my education as an IT engineer and have been actively engaged in the tech sector since 2010. Relocating to Sweden in 2015, I continued to build upon my professional journey. With a wealth of experience garnered through diverse roles in the tech industry, I wanted to strengthen my engineering foundation by pursuing an Executive MBA. Why did you choose to study at SSE? Over the course of my career, I've explored various roles within the IT industry. A key objective for me has been to enhance my technical proficiency while cultivating a deep understanding of business principles, particularly in areas such as finance, strategy, marketing, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and leadership. Pursuing a business education has been essential in equipping me to make informed decisions and contribute meaningfully to organizations and clients alike. The Executive MBA program at the Stockholm School of Economics stood out to me for its top-tier reputation in global rankings and its reputation as one of Europe's premier business schools, known for its inclusive and supportive learning environment. After a rigorous selection process, I was accepted into the SSE MBA Executive Format in 2020. So, what would you say that you gained from the Executive MBA at SSE? The Executive MBA program significantly affected me, both personally and professionally. I expanded my business understanding and developed into a skilled leader. The program strengthened my ability to make well-founded decisions with a focus on people, business, and technology. It also increased my self-confidence and inspired me to take new career steps and take on new challenging roles. Currently, I work as an external partner to Knowit and as an angel investor investing in innovative tech companies. I feel more confident and am more well-founded in my decision-making. Do you have any advice for Women in the Tech industry that you want to share? I really want to encourage women working in the tech industry who are, or aspire to be, leaders, to invest in their career development through an MBA program that can truly be transformative. Personally, I gained invaluable insights through exchanging experiences with fellow participants, engaging in international collaborations and study trips, and tackling real-world cases. The Executive MBA program at the Stockholm School of Economics offers a robust education that has the potential to unlock numerous opportunities.

When Abdulaleem was looking for Executive MBA programs, he was recommended the SSE MBA Executive Format. He took a chance and applied - and the choice transformed his career and perspective on life entirely. As an anesthesiologist, Abdulaleem Alatassi is accustomed to taking calculated risks. "In my profession we are very prepared for different scenarios. We take risks, but it's very calculated - otherwise our patients wouldn't do well," he muses. "We don't deal very well with the unknown." But the process of applying to the Stockholm School of Economics Executive MBA program was nerve-wracking nonetheless. "This was exactly the opposite," Abdulaleem laughs. "I had no idea what I was facing. It was a challenging process, and I felt lucky to get in." Abdulaleem had been a top student throughout his school career, completing his undergraduate studies at home in Saudi Arabia and his postgraduate at the University of Toronto in Canada. He enjoyed working closely with patients and working at a fast pace, which led him to focus on cardiovascular care and pediatric anesthesia at the King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital in Saudi Arabia. But there was something missing, an itch which he couldn’t quite scratch. "There was a period when I was working and I have to say I felt...almost fulfilled," he says. "But I wanted to develop myself. And I knew at the back of my mind that I wanted to learn more about administrative work." A friend and colleague of his, an anesthesiologist working at a nearby hospital, recommended applying to the SSE MBA Executive Format program. And when he looked it up online, he found the school had a great ranking. He had never been to Europe, and had no idea if he would get into the programme or what it would be like. But he took a chance - and the choice transformed his career and perspective on life entirely. "This year, after finishing the MBA, I was promoted to a new position," Abdulaleem says. "I now work with operative services on the corporate level, looking into both quality and patient-safety perspectives." In his new role, Abdulaleem spends a lot of time travelling among the different regions of Saudi Arabia to check in with various hospitals. And he's thriving. "I have to say, before the MBA I sort of knew what I wanted to do, but it wasn't very well defined," Abdulaleem admits. "The MBA helped me to define what I wanted to work with. I was able to say, 'I am a public servant, and I want to work in the administration sector in order to serve more people.'" In addition to helping him determine what exactly he wanted in his career, the Executive MBA at SSE also gave him the skills necessary to get there. "The Change Management course, in particular, still helps me to this day. It helps me organize my thoughts and work on certain frames with the hospitals, enabling me to identify every zone in terms of strengths and weaknesses and determine how to work with them. I just delivered an executive report to the high administration, and it was based on the four-frames analysis that I learned in the MBA.” Another area that Abdulaleem hadn't been exposed to previously was corporate social responsibility - something which he says has had a profound impact on him as a person as well as professionally. "I literally didn't know the meaning of sustainability until then. We never thought about these things that way in the Middle East," he admits. "I didn't get it at first, but with time I loved it...and I started to think about how we can work with these areas in the Middle East. There is huge room for improvement. I feel enlightened." Suffice it to say, looking back at his time at the MBA, Abdulaleem doesn’t hesitate to say it was worth it - both the time and every penny. "I funded it myself, and if you would ask me if I would do it again, absolutely," he exclaims. "I would say that the return on investment materialized, for me, even before finishing the program." But it certainly wasn't easy. "It was exhausting. I was working 60 to 70 hours a week and studying and travelling every six weeks on top of that. And you really have to get outside your comfort zone." Luckily he wasn’t alone. One of the biggest boons of the SSE MBA, Abdulaleem says, is the network it gave him - or rather, the family. "I would describe it as a big family. It was amazing," he remarks. His class consisted of 48 people from 19 countries, an experience which was as enriching as the course work itself. "I'm still in touch with them." And to anyone considering the Executive MBA at SSE, Abdulaleem has one piece of advice: "Go for it. We have this saying in medicine, especially in acute care: If you're thinking about something, just do it. Chances are it's better to do it than not to," he says. "Sure, you will go beyond your comfort zone. You will learn. You will be frustrated. But it will for sure be rewarding."