An EMBA Graduate’s Story of Career Transformation and Connections

The impact of the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA is often spoken of and always felt but rarely seen at the very start of the program. Lama Yammine, a former banker with international banking group Standard Chartered, saw the effect almost immediately. “Just a few months into the EMBA program, I met my co-founder Sebastian,” she explains. “We had a strong bond from day one, finding we had similar life experiences and values. I shared an idea with him, for which I already had some initial funding, and asked if he might be interested in starting a company with me. After a few weeks, he quit his job to join me. Being a co-founder is legally binding and requires a lot of trust: it’s the closest thing to a marriage without being a marriage!”

Starting a company has been a demanding experience for Lama and Sebastian. However, managing a fledgling business while juggling family life and traveling to join the EMBA at its campus in Vallendar, Germany, was an even more significant challenge. “Being a founder can be an ungrateful job because you never disconnect,” Lama adds. “You’re always thinking about the business. There’s lots of highs and lows, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

The best of both worlds.

Of course, finding a co-founder was a bonus but not the original reason Lama joined the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA program. Having relocated from the Middle East for her career, she needed a network in Europe, especially Germany. Lama also wanted to expand her network on a more global scale. “I come from an unsettled geographical background; I was born in the Middle East and studied in Europe,” she adds. “Later, I moved to China, South Korea, and finally Dubai. By then, I had accumulated a network, but it was scattered.”

“Kellogg-WHU was a no-brainer for me. You have the best of both worlds, with a strong US and European network. I was also looking for the frameworks I was missing as a leader. Many executives in leadership positions do so without formal education, so we often lead intuitively. The EMBA gave me the tools to improve as a leader and to lead more effectively”. 

Surprising returns.

When discussing the ROI of the EMBA with Lama, it’s clear a large part of it is the connections made during the program. The unexpected bond with her future co-founder and the close relationships she formed with her cohort: “You’re a group of 50 people, so you get to know each other very well. Finding Sebastian made the EMBA worthwhile simply for that. Still, the relationships you build worldwide and across industries are priceless. You cannot quantify the value of this network’s knowledge and support. In Europe, you meet executives from finance and automotive backgrounds. In the US, they can be from the healthcare sector or military personnel. There are also lifelong friendships, which I saw when around 20 people connected to the EMBA flew to my wedding in Lebanon. Some of them spent more time in the air than on the ground! That was an ROI of the program I could never have imagined.”

Empowering others.

Aside from working full-time as co-founder and CEO, Lama also “pays it forward,” using her knowledge and experience to empower other female founders in the Middle East. She is a mentor and investor of the EWA Accelerator, an initiative focused on female entrepreneurs, sponsored by the European Commission and the Dubai Government. “It’s public knowledge that female founders are often overlooked, with less than 2% of funding globally going to female founders. I received a call regarding the accelerator and was told they wanted to help regional start-ups grow. They needed someone to mentor them in the early phase while looking for funding. As there are not many Arab female founders worldwide, I was happy to support them. It’s not a secret that the region from the UAE to Saudi Arabia is not known for supporting women, so I wanted to be part of a movement that helps to empower them.” As a result, two of the start-ups she was assigned made it to the top 15 on a global accelerator scale with solid investment prospects. “I was so proud to see them on stage and pitching their ideas confidently,” she smiles. “I sit on the board of a few start-ups in the Middle East for this reason; to support growing innovation hubs and initiatives like these.” 

The mark of a true Kellogg-WHU EMBA graduate, Lama embodies the ethos of “high impact, low ego.” Talking about her achievements, her international background, the network she has fostered, and her thriving start-up, she is pragmatic when reflecting on the commitment needed for an EMBA. “When considering an EMBA, your family needs to fully support your decision to pursue the program because there will be times when you are away from home for a while. For yourself, however, I would advise everyone to build their network as much as possible. Wherever you go, go out of your way to make those connections and put time into nurturing them. Invest in those relationships, as they can unlock many doors for you. Doing so was life-changing for me.”

Inspired by Lama’s EMBA story? Get in touch with our team to start your own transformative journey