My name is Mohamed Elbarghouti, and my friends call me Jimmy. I come from Palestinian roots, was born 27 years ago in Egypt, and was raised in Saudi Arabia. I went back to Egypt for college where I acquired a degree in mechanical engineering from the American University in Cairo. I then started my career in the construction field as I loved the learning opportunities the field provided.
Ever since I started making my own money, I haven’t missed an opportunity to travel and explore the world, meet new people, and make more friends. It was these short stress detoxing life breaks that always kept me going and made me ready for the big moments. Because despite what they teach us in schools, life is not a marathon. If it was a race at all, then it’s most likely to be your best-lap-time kind of race.
Helsinki, Prague and MDL Beast Festival
A few years back I started planning to do an MBA. For me, the MBA offered an opportunity to be with an intellectual and diverse group people; the best takeaway from my college experience. But it wasn’t until the end of 2019 that I decided to take serious actions about my plans. I could foresee my career progression slowing down in the near future and I knew that my best way up was out. I also wanted to explore a career in management consulting; a shift that wouldn’t be very feasible without an MBA given my current experience.
When looking for an MBA degree I was in pursuit of the best possible experience rather than the most prestigious degree or career prospects. IMD provided both to me. The school ranking, class size, and focus on leadership and psychoanalysis offered an attractive package that matched what I was seeking.
My mind was further locked on IMD after receiving a call from the Dean himself, Professor Seán Meehan. Shortly after, I was granted the IMD Alumni Club of Lausanne Merit Scholarship. During the application process, I had been full of doubt about my chances of acceptance, thus the personal attention from Professor Meehan, coupled with the generous offer from the admission committee, made me jump at this opportunity.
Even before my IMD journey began, the fun had already started and I connected with many of my upcoming classmates. We started making plans and organized a virtual meeting every 2 weeks to get to know each other. A great start for the new year!
Mohamed
