London Business School (LBS), a global leader in business education, has concluded an intensive Global Experiences course in Riyadh, where 63 students representing 31 nationalities spent a week engaging directly with the institutions shaping Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation and leadership development.

The course was led by Florin Vasvari, Professor of Accounting; Executive Dean, Executive Education (Middle East); Academic Director, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital and Emre Ozdenoren, Professor of Economics. The course which was held earlier offered students a first-hand understanding of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation and exposure to how the Kingdom is developing future-ready talent, driving innovation, and reshaping its economy for a diversified and sustainable future.

During the week, students received valuable insights from senior leaders as well as faculty, alumni and the wider LBS global community across government and private sectors through company visits, expert panels, workshops and guest speaking sessions. Notable interactions included visits to and sessions with Ministry of Finance, Dar Al Aila, Diriyah Company, El Seif Engineering, HUMAIN, Lucid Motors, Milaf Global Food Company – A PIF Company, Mozn, and Redco International. 

Experiential Learning is central to London Business School’s mission to develop leaders who think and act globally. Through hands-on initiatives such as the Global Experience course in Riyadh, students step out of the classroom and into real-world decision-making environments. These international immersions build culturally aware, future-ready leaders who understand markets like Saudi Arabia through direct engagement with the people and institutions driving their transformation.

Sara Almazro, a Saudi student who was on the Riyadh Global Experience, said: “Seeing Saudi Arabia’s transformation up close was both inspiring and deeply personal. It was especially meaningful to see my country’s transformation through the eyes of classmates from around the world, showcasing how far we’ve come and the ambition driving our future. This experience will stay with us as future global leaders learning from one of the world’s most ambitious transformations.”

Dr. Mohammed Alhussein, Founder & CEO of Mozn, commented on the students visiting:

"As an enterprise AI company, we were honoured to welcome the bright minds of London Business School to Mozn’s headquarters. This was an excellent opportunity to have meaningful discussions on how we are shaping the future of AI, advancing financial crime prevention and driving enterprise knowledge intelligence."  

Graham Hastie, Associate Dean of Degree Education, London Business School, commented on the significance of hosting the course in Riyadh:
“Saudi Arabia is undergoing one of the most ambitious economic transformations in the world, and there is no substitute for seeing that change up close. Courses like this give our students direct insight into how leadership, innovation and long-term strategy come together in a rapidly evolving market. We are proud to deepen our engagement with the Kingdom and contribute to its growing leadership ecosystem.”

As international interest in Saudi Arabia’s diversification and innovation agenda grows, the Global Experience reflects London Business School’s commitment to bringing the world’s brightest minds to witness and learn from the Kingdom’s progress first-hand. The success of the course follows the opening of London Business School’s Executive Education Office in Riyadh, which serves as a strategic hub for expanding the School’s presence in the Kingdom. The office strengthens LBS’s long-term commitment to the people realising the Kingdom’s transformation and next phase of sustainable and knowledge-driven growth. 

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