Meet Our Alumni: Alumni Community: MBA: Stanford GSB

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Fahd Al_Rasheed Fahd Al-Rasheed, MBA 2005

"I'd never have gotten where I am without the preparation I received at Stanford.

One of the greatest tools my MBA education gave me is the ability to manage challenges.

The emphasis at the school on interpersonal skills and teamwork in classes like High Performance Leadership impressed upon me the importance of recognizing other people's motivations, and taught me how to have difficult conversations, which is an important part of being a general manager and a good leader.

I also remember Professor Grousbeck telling us we'd forget a lot of the details, but that the wisdom and intuition we developed from our discussions would stay with us. That's been quite true.

The people I met at the school made as much of an impact on me as the coursework has.

And when I've needed a sounding board or problem-solving help, I've been able to turn to classmates and faculty like Professor Van Horne, who's taught me a lot about valuations and financial analysis.

They've inspired in me an attitude that nothing is impossible, and each one has left me with an idea or skill to apply in both my personal and professional life.

Being at Stanford has made me incredibly confident in my ability to shape the future.

Undergraduate: Washington University, St. Louis
Pre-MBA: Financial Analyst, Saudi Aramco
Post-MBA: Deputy Governor, Special Economic Zones, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority
Current: CEO, King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC)

Meet Our Alumni

Anshuman Bapna, MBA 2005 USA Partner Manager, Google "Through global speakers and conferences, much of the world comes to Stanford. But some of the highlights for me were the study trips to Peru and Russia. Imagine meeting the president of a country and then its opposition leader, or oil pipeline executives and environmentalists against them. Exposure to this breadth of business and political opinions was the fastest crash course I could have imagined in learning about the vast countries."
Sandra Horbach, MBA 1987 USA Managing Director, Global Partner and Head of Consumer/Retail, The Carlyle Group "It's easy to think of a business school education as just two years of your life, but the Stanford experience has been much more. Since graduating from the MBA Program, my education has proved more useful as time has passed and my connection to the GSB community has remained strong. I've mentored students, hired graduates, and invested in and advised companies led by alumni. The program has opened countless doors, and there's always an immediate connection with my fellow alumni."
Chien Lee, MBA 1979 Hong Kong Private Investor "My GSB experience gave me two invaluable lifetime properties: an intellectual foundation and lifelong friendships. I gained an excellent intellectual grounding that has formed the basis for my business toolkit, which I have adapted for such diverse environments as Wall Street and the nascent private economy of China. The lifelong friendships developed at Stanford were made possible primarily by the small size of the School."
Yunaima Hernandez, MBA 2004 USA Brand Manager, Kraft "One of the main reasons I chose Stanford was because I wanted to be and feel that I was part of a community. During Admit Weekend I knew I had made the right choice. I was not only impressed but also inspired by the level of enthusiasm, effort, and commitment students have toward building a community here. Student-driven clubs, study trips, leadership banquets and conferences, charity auctions, and mentoring programs are just a few of the initiatives that helped create a strong sense of family, community, and commitment here at the GSB."
Masahiro Koike, MBA 2004 Japan Deputy Manager, Aerospace Department, Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. "My fellow students brought so many different perspectives to the classroom. Since my experience was with a traditional Japanese enterprise, I appreciated hearing the perspectives of my classmates who have worked for a European multinational, a South American coffee farm, and a US startup. The quality of the discussion and debate in class was enhanced by the unique experiences each classmate has had."
Kristin Lundquist, MBA 2003 USA Merchant, Color, Sephora "One incredibly rewarding aspect of my GSB experience involved serving as a Board Fellow for the Community Breast Health Project (CBHP), a Palo Alto-based women's health organization. As a Board Fellow, I had the opportunity to sit in on board meetings and to work closely with CBHP's executive director and staff on a project that will have a real impact on their programs and performance. Because I hope to serve on the board of a non-profit arts organization someday, this early opportunity to observe the inner workings of a nonprofit board was invaluable."
Jason McMillan, MBA 2004 USA Director, Corporate Development, CACI International "Through my experience in the Air Force and here at Stanford, I've observed tremendous consistency in the qualities necessary for success in military service and in business. The GSB has provided me with an excellent opportunity to refine those talents and at the same time focus on and improve my analytical abilities. I now have a solid foundation of quantitative skills, including micro-economics and statistics, with which I can confidently and rigorously approach any management challenge."
Cecilia O'Reilly, MBA 2003 USA Senior Manager, Alcatel-Lucent "The supportive environment here is difficult to describe in words. No matter what your interests or what you want to try, the community here will support your endeavors. The broad community participation I witnessed when I was president of Out4Biz, the GSB's gay, lesbian, and bisexual organization, reinforced the sense of collaboration that permeates the atmosphere."
Brooks Preston, MBA 2003 United Kingdom Global Business Development Manager, BP Plc/BP Solar "Professionally speaking, Stanford opens doors. I also enjoy personally connecting with other GSB friends and colleagues through the United Kingdom Alumni Chapter, which offers a range of activities including CEO presentations, theater events, pub nights, and even a polo match. And being an Alumni Interviewer for the admissions process allows me to keep in touch with the energy and vision of future generations of the GSB community."
Wes Swank, MBA 2005 USA Associate, Citigroup Corporate & Investment Bank "After much deliberation, I chose to attend the Stanford GSB immediately following my college graduation. I saw the Business School as a place where I could develop and hone my leadership and management skills, as well as get a head start on my career. The tools I have acquired here, both in and out of the classroom, will be valuable and applicable to all aspects of my life—especially in my career with Citigroup Global Markets, Inc."
Merel Venneman, MBA 2004 Netherlands Project Leader, The Boston Consulting Group "My primary reason for pursuing a graduate business degree at Stanford was the personal growth I would gain from being part of the business school's extremely diverse student body. The Stanford GSB is a truly international place with more than 60 countries represented. My classmates have an immense wealth of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. The opportunity to study, live, and develop friendships with them was one of the aspects I loved most about my MBA experience. I was actively involved in the Europe Club and the International Committee, two of the many organizations that represent the diversity of the School. One of the great things about the GSB is the wide variety of opportunities to pursue your passions and develop your leadership style within this amazing community."

Anshuman Bapna, MBA 2005
USA
Partner Manager, Google

"Through global speakers and conferences, much of the world comes to Stanford. But some of the highlights for me were the study trips to Peru and Russia. Imagine meeting the president of a country and then its opposition leader, or oil pipeline executives and environmentalists against them. Exposure to this breadth of business and political opinions was the fastest crash course I could have imagined in learning about the vast countries."

Sandra Horbach, MBA 1987
USA
Managing Director, Global Partner and Head of Consumer/Retail, The Carlyle Group

"It's easy to think of a business school education as just two years of your life, but the Stanford experience has been much more. Since graduating from the MBA Program, my education has proved more useful as time has passed and my connection to the GSB community has remained strong. I've mentored students, hired graduates, and invested in and advised companies led by alumni. The program has opened countless doors, and there's always an immediate connection with my fellow alumni."

Chien Lee, MBA 1979
Hong Kong
Private Investor

"My GSB experience gave me two invaluable lifetime properties: an intellectual foundation and lifelong friendships. I gained an excellent intellectual grounding that has formed the basis for my business toolkit, which I have adapted for such diverse environments as Wall Street and the nascent private economy of China. The lifelong friendships developed at Stanford were made possible primarily by the small size of the School."

Yunaima Hernandez, MBA 2004
USA
Brand Manager, Kraft

"One of the main reasons I chose Stanford was because I wanted to be and feel that I was part of a community. During Admit Weekend I knew I had made the right choice. I was not only impressed but also inspired by the level of enthusiasm, effort, and commitment students have toward building a community here. Student-driven clubs, study trips, leadership banquets and conferences, charity auctions, and mentoring programs are just a few of the initiatives that helped create a strong sense of family, community, and commitment here at the GSB."

Masahiro Koike, MBA 2004
Japan
Deputy Manager, Aerospace Department, Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co.

"My fellow students brought so many different perspectives to the classroom. Since my experience was with a traditional Japanese enterprise, I appreciated hearing the perspectives of my classmates who have worked for a European multinational, a South American coffee farm, and a US startup. The quality of the discussion and debate in class was enhanced by the unique experiences each classmate has had."

Kristin Lundquist, MBA 2003
USA
Merchant, Color, Sephora

"One incredibly rewarding aspect of my GSB experience involved serving as a Board Fellow for the Community Breast Health Project (CBHP), a Palo Alto-based women's health organization. As a Board Fellow, I had the opportunity to sit in on board meetings and to work closely with CBHP's executive director and staff on a project that will have a real impact on their programs and performance. Because I hope to serve on the board of a non-profit arts organization someday, this early opportunity to observe the inner workings of a nonprofit board was invaluable."

Jason McMillan, MBA 2004
USA
Director, Corporate Development, CACI International

"Through my experience in the Air Force and here at Stanford, I've observed tremendous consistency in the qualities necessary for success in military service and in business. The GSB has provided me with an excellent opportunity to refine those talents and at the same time focus on and improve my analytical abilities. I now have a solid foundation of quantitative skills, including micro-economics and statistics, with which I can confidently and rigorously approach any management challenge."

Cecilia O'Reilly, MBA 2003
USA
Senior Manager, Alcatel-Lucent

"The supportive environment here is difficult to describe in words. No matter what your interests or what you want to try, the community here will support your endeavors. The broad community participation I witnessed when I was president of Out4Biz, the GSB's gay, lesbian, and bisexual organization, reinforced the sense of collaboration that permeates the atmosphere."

Brooks Preston, MBA 2003
United Kingdom
Global Business Development Manager, BP Plc/BP Solar

"Professionally speaking, Stanford opens doors. I also enjoy personally connecting with other GSB friends and colleagues through the United Kingdom Alumni Chapter, which offers a range of activities including CEO presentations, theater events, pub nights, and even a polo match. And being an Alumni Interviewer for the admissions process allows me to keep in touch with the energy and vision of future generations of the GSB community."

Wes Swank, MBA 2005
USA
Associate, Citigroup Corporate & Investment Bank

"After much deliberation, I chose to attend the Stanford GSB immediately following my college graduation. I saw the Business School as a place where I could develop and hone my leadership and management skills, as well as get a head start on my career. The tools I have acquired here, both in and out of the classroom, will be valuable and applicable to all aspects of my life—especially in my career with Citigroup Global Markets, Inc."

Merel Venneman, MBA 2004
Netherlands
Project Leader, The Boston Consulting Group

"My primary reason for pursuing a graduate business degree at Stanford was the personal growth I would gain from being part of the business school's extremely diverse student body. The Stanford GSB is a truly international place with more than 60 countries represented. My classmates have an immense wealth of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. The opportunity to study, live, and develop friendships with them was one of the aspects I loved most about my MBA experience. I was actively involved in the Europe Club and the International Committee, two of the many organizations that represent the diversity of the School. One of the great things about the GSB is the wide variety of opportunities to pursue your passions and develop your leadership style within this amazing community."

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Meet Our Alumni