Hamza Hashmi
I’m Indian but was born and brought up in Saudi Arabia. I’m ambitious, confident and performance-driven, but my strongest characteristic is passion. I’m passionate about my work for the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, and I’m passionate about my other interests like sport, especially cricket and badminton. I think sport teaches you hard work, discipline, sportsmanship and team spirit. It also keeps me active and enthusiastic.
“This course has helped me understand the concept of global trade on a much broader level.”
With such clear drive, ambition and a results-oriented focus, Hamza Hashmi has already made significant progress in both his academic and professional careers. Indeed his qualities have seen him named class spokesman for the first cohort of the Executive Master in International Trade, a role he says has improved his people management and communication skills, expanding his learning beyond the classroom.
Hamza cites former IMF Chief Economist Raghuram Rajan as an inspiration, adding that the insights gained from him, when combined with his own ability to be efficient and effective, is behind his own achievements. He has certainly traveled extensively to further his own education, having been schooled in Saudi Arabia, taken his bachelor’s in India and then completing an MBA in the UK before choosing IE University.
He was named Treasury Manager at the ITFC just ten years after joining as a young intern, which speaks to Hamza’ incredible ambition—but he still believes he has much left to learn. He’s also a Chartered Financial Analyst and has added various professional qualifications to his academic education. As a strong believer in continuous learning, his personal values align perfectly with IE University’s own philosophy.
“The experience of learning with other international students has been very interesting. I have got a great opportunity to work with and learn from a diverse group of people belonging to different cultures and professions.”
In his current program, he’s looking to broaden his understanding of international trade, and the entire trade ecosystem as a whole. The tools and knowledge he will gain from his studies will be applied in the real world of liquidity management, investments, credit ecologies and risk assessment.
Although he would have liked to interact with his peers face to face, he credits the virtual learning environment with being both enlightening and well-established. The opportunity to gain the insights of a faculty which includes members of leading international organizations like the WTO and ITO is another feature of the program he’s thankful for, and he highlights the diversity of the IE community as a particular draw.
Hamza’s ambitions beyond his career match the determination he displays in facing every challenge. He has already launched a rural development project in India and has set his sights high. His aims, he says, are to eradicate poverty, aid developing countries and improve lives through financial support, building a brighter future for India. He says the Executive Master in International Trade will help him to achieve those goals, and he’s thankful for being chosen for what he describes as a “highly prestigious” program.
