Meet Katja Knuutinen and Osamah Al-Ogaili, Hanken Executive MBA alumni, who graduated from the programme in fall 2023. Hear their thoughts on the programme and its impact.
For Osamah, the decision to choose Hanken was a straightforward one rooted in a belief in heritage and the accumulation of experience over time. "When it comes to business, I think Hanken is the best business school in Finland and arguably one of the best business schools in the Nordics and Europe," expressed Osamah.
When asked about the value they derived from the programme, Katja highlighted the importance of learning from diverse perspectives. "I’m a strong believer in lifelong learning. Too often in Finland, we aim to look only from our own box and from our own industry perspective. So definitely the value comes from learning from others," she emphasized. Osamah, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised by the outstanding cohort he found himself a part of, stating, "You expect the top-notch quality of the know-how of the learning, but I didn’t expect that excellent and amazing cohort which I was with and I could call them friends now after those couple of years."
Katja recommends organisations send not just one but two or three individuals to the programme. She believes this multi-pronged approach increases the likelihood of organisations embracing the change journey collectively.
"I would definitely encourage companies to always send two or three people to this programme. It’s much more likely that the organisations will actually take the change journey when they have more people bringing the message and taking the change and starting the journey together."
Osamah's endorsement of Hanken EMBA resonates with his belief in the enduring impact of the programme. Reflecting on his experience, he emphasises, "It gave me the feeling that now after time has passed, to be able to make a change in this world." This sentiment is echoed by Katja, who speaks of the profound learning that comes from diverse perspectives.
In summary, Hanken Executive MBA shapes leaders, forges connections, and empowers change. Curious to explore the transformative journey yourself? Read more about the Hanken Executive MBA.