Walking the tech talk with ESSEC Business School

The skills and knowledge which Mr Mo Dirani has gained from ESSEC Business School’s Global MBA programme has helped him to take his digital business career to new heights

By Michelle Bong

July 7, 2019

Armed with a Master in Financial Economics from the American University of Beirut in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2011, Mr Mo Dirani joined the banking sector and began a high-flying career in risk management that took him across Europe and the Middle East.

But the Lebanese national, 28, realised he wanted to explore exciting new areas beyond traditional finance. So last year, he took a leap of faith and moved to South-east Asia to pursue his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at ESSEC Business School.

After graduating from the year-long, fulltime MBA programme, he took up his current role as associate director who builds liquidity models at Standard Chartered Bank Singapore.

He shares three key takeaways about how the programme has helped boost his career.

1 Its digital business-based curriculum is an eye-opener.

“You learn to look at an industry — be it banking, pharmaceutical or any other — through a completely different lens. It sharpens your mind to link dots you never even knew existed, broadening your perspective and sparking ideation.

“Modelling and platforms are the heart of where finance meets technology, bringing ideas to fruition. My ability to understand both sides of the picture is hugely attributed to the programme. Not only did I learn technology-related topics, but also how to communicate ideas to a different audience. This is an immense advantage to have in any industry.”

2 It helped him with achievements at work.

"I was able to achieve a 60 per cent decrease in cost, attributed to liquidity reporting for the bank. This was down to the simple fact that I was able to link the right dots to the right people, and achieve a more efficient and sound operating model in line with the bank’s vision.”

3 It was a challenge worth taking.

“If you want to truly challenge yourself, it is the right one for you. Very few can offer the global experience it does. The school offers you all the tools and connections but it’s up to you to apply them effectively, post-graduation.”