Doha, Qatar – 29 May 2021: HEC Paris, ranked #1 by the Financial Times European Business Schools Rankings 2020, honored the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021 for its International Executive MBA (EMBA) and the Specialized Master’s in Strategic Business Unit Management (SBUM) degree programs, during a virtual convocation ceremony organized by Qatar Foundation on Thursday, 27 May 2021, under the theme ‘We are one’.

In total 168 HEC Paris in Qatar graduates were honored - 94 graduating from the International Executive MBA program (EMBA) and 71 from the Specialized Master’s in Strategic Business Unit Management (SBUM). Qataris made up the majority of the graduating contingent of which 115 were women. This takes to 797 the total number of students to graduate from HEC Paris in Qatar since it joined Qatar Foundation in 2010. 

“Our graduates have studied during a rare moment of disruption, an event that happens once in a century, leaving a mark on the world forever”, commented HEC Paris in Qatar Dean, Dr. Pablo Martin de Holan.  “Their journey has been an exceptional one. They overcame the challenges and demonstrated a spirit hallmarked by dedication, resilience, courage, and determination – the traits that characterize HEC Paris alumni in their never ending quest for lifelong learning.”

The graduates themselves hailed their HEC Paris in Qatar experiences as illuminating from national, economic, business, and societal perspectives.

“My studies at HEC Paris in Qatar shone a light on the commitment that is needed in working in the competitive private sector, which is being prioritized by our government as part of the widescale economic diversification process. I have learnt that financing is not a silver bullet for the success of a private project, no matter how passionate an entrepreneur is, but that start-ups must back their instincts with solid research and market studies to fully evaluate the likelihood of success before embarking on any risk or seeking investment support,” commented Marzooq T Al-Shamlan, EMBA 2020 Class, Group CEO at Marzooq S Al-Shamlan Holding.

Rustum Khawaja, a 2020 EMBA graduate and business analyst at the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority, welcomed his return to the classroom after 10 years’ since completing his Bachelor’s degree. “It was a pleasure to learn with, and from, a class full of ambitious, intelligent, and hardworking peers. It reminds one that even while juggling work and family life, if time is managed correctly, you can make space for further education.  My HEC Paris experience exceeded my expectations and my classmates went from peers to friends," he said.

With a legacy of over 140 years of academic leadership and empowered by Qatar Foundation’s vision for building a world class higher education ecosystem, HEC Paris has been delivering impact and excellence in Qatar for over a decade.