Written By, Wasim M. Khan, EMBADJ2025
You have a demanding career that you’ve worked hard to build, and now you’re ready to reach the top. Our EMBA programme allows you to maintain your career momentum by integrating intensive part-time study with your professional responsibilities. Over 20 months, this programme will reshape your perspective on the world, your team, and yourself. You’ll gain business insights from leading experts, develop leadership skills from renowned business figures, and build a strong, lifelong network.
Amber Haque, Senior Recruitment and Admissions Manager, EMBA Dubai programme recently discussed the motivations, highlights and overall experience of studying London Business School’s EMBA Dubai programme with current student, Wasim M. Khan, MENA Consulting Leader at EY.
Read the full interview below.
Amber Haque: Can you tell us about your background and career journey that led you to pursue an Executive MBA?
Wasim M. Khan: I have been part of the management consulting profession for the past 29 years and have been a partner in a Big Four firm for the last 16 years. In 2018 I became the managing partner for the Consulting service line across the MENA region. I chose to pursue the Executive MBA because I felt that it was an important juncture in my career to reconnect with academia and re-instill content and leading trends that are shaping the business world today – especially given the swift changes that have occurred over the past decade.
Amber Haque: What motivated you to choose this specific EMBA programme in Dubai?
Wasim M. Khan: I had made up my mind that if I was to embark upon my EMBA initiative then it had to be with a world leading business school. However, I needed to have the option of doing a number of courses in the GCC region so that I can reduce the logistical challenges of managing the EMBA with my work priorities. The LBS EMBA in Dubai was a perfect match for my personal and professional requirements.
Amber Haque: What has surprised you most about the programme?
Wasim M. Khan: The superb engagement with diversified leaders from different backgrounds and industries has been a very positive surprise. I have also enjoyed the ease of social connectivity as well as making new friends so quickly.
Amber Haque: Which class or faculty have you enjoyed the most and why?
Wasim M. Khan: Whilst all classes to date have been engaging and full of learning, the one that stands out for me is the Decision and Risk Analysis course. At first, the pre-program learning appeared to be quite intense. However, the course utilized an interactive approach that balanced hard core theory, formulas, data analytics, and heavy excel use smoothly and in a way that correlated to real life business decision-making processes in a methodical manner. The class participation and teaching techniques were immensely helpful and relevant to various risk-based decision making that we all as executives are required to carry out on day-to-day basis.
Amber Haque: What personal insights or growth have you experienced through your EMBA journey?
Wasim M. Khan: The past eight months have been quite intense and balancing the EMBA programme, work, and personal commitments has not been easy. I found that the block weeks have further taught me how to balance my time and deliver tasks and deadlines under pressure far more efficiently than I used to before. Also, the application of numerous case studies across the series of courses have surely enriched my knowledge and appreciation of multiple facets, re: individual and corporate successes and failures.
Amber Haque: What advice would you give to other senior leaders considering an EMBA programme?
Wasim M. Khan: My advice is that senior leader should definitely consider embarking upon an EMBA programme as it reinforces the fundamentals that we may become complacent on due to our sheer experience. Though they will need to appreciate that the programme will require a major level of commitment and dedication over a span of 18-24 months due to deadlines, group assignments, individual exams, and research activities.
Amber Haque: How can an EMBA programme like this one benefit someone in the consulting industry specifically?
Wasim M. Khan: The EMBA programme surely brings to the forefront a number of elements that are relevant to the consulting industry given the wide coverage of topics across multiple industries, methodologies, frameworks, and competencies. The programme also covers hot topics such as the key elements of talent and workforce transformation that we are all currently facing in the consulting profession.
Amber Haque: How have you managed the demands of the programme alongside your professional and personal responsibilities?
Wasim M. Khan: This has not been easy as I underestimated the multi-fold demand when I first commenced the programme. I had to make a few personal sacrifices to achieve the wider goal. I made an extra effort to be extremely organised by proactively ensuring all work commitments, personal priorities, and EMBA activities were fully integrated into one calendar, which has been very helpful in easing the weekly and monthly pressures.
Amber Haque: And finally, how has interacting with peers from diverse industries enriched your learning experience?
Wasim M. Khan: Connecting with peers across industries has clearly been a differential experience. This is evident during active class participation, group exercises, break-out sessions, and even during lunch and coffee breaks – frankly there is never a dull moment. I have thoroughly enjoyed the conversations with such a diversified yet mutually respectful group in my EMBA batch. There is always something new or enlightening that comes up in our teaming, which has also sharpened my own perspective on different topics according to the insights attained.
To find out more about the Executive MBA Dubai programme, please visit our website.