The School, regarded as one of the world’s leading business schools, hosted its orientation week with new students in London this month, welcoming the next generation of business leaders from across the globe.

Student David Hanson, who is from the UK and is Director of Movies and On Demand at Orbit Showtime Network in Dubai, said:

“I think most of us are still buzzing from the orientation week. It was amazing to meet up with such a wide range of professionals and tap into their knowledge and enthusiasm. There was a genuine sense of camaraderie as we quickly realized that we as a group, are as responsible for each other’s development.”

The new Executive MBA class, which has increased in size to be the biggest since 2009, represents 13 industries, with 17 per cent coming from within the media, leisure, sports and entertainment sectors.

Students on the programme include executives who work for some of the region’s highest profile sporting events, including the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Andrew Scott, Deputy Dean of Programmes and Professor of Economics at London Business School, said: “Each year we witness a new trend emerging and this year is no different with some interesting statistics showing just how fast our world is changing. We are delighted to welcome an increase in students from such exciting industries, which reflects the diversity of our Executive MBA has become.”

There are 23 nationalities represented in the class, with the programme welcoming students from South Korea and Senegal for the very first time. Forty per cent of the class will be commuting from outside of the UAE, with students coming from Aberdeen, Almaty, Amman, Athens, Beirut, Cairo, Delhi, Doha, Karachi, Kuwait Moscow and Riyadh, among other cities around the world.

“Our Executive MBA programme is designed for those who want to broaden and strengthen their global approach. The students have taken on an exciting challenge and they can now look forward to enhancing their knowledge and learning the necessary skills and tools to be effective global leaders,” added Professor Scott.

The diversity within the Executive MBA was further enriched last year by the integration of the two London and Dubai based classes during three residential sessions held in London, forging even greater connections and networks throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

“At orientation I was particularly impressed with the school’s involvement and presence in the international business community, the diversity and experiences of my fellow students and the smooth integration of the Dubai and London streams,” said student Bishoy Azmy from Egypt who is CEO of Al Shafar General Contracting in Dubai.

The average length of professional experience for the class is more senior in this intake, with 11 years of experience on average. The School has also welcomed a higher percentage of students working in Abu Dhabi, up from eight per cent in the last intake to 17 per cent.

London Business School’s full-time MBA programme is ranked number one in the world in the Financial Times´ annual survey, and first in the Financial Times´ ranking of European Business Schools´ MBA, EMBA and Executive Education programmes. It launched its Executive MBA programme in Dubai in September 2007. Located over campuses in two of the world’s most dynamic cities – London and Dubai – this programme is taught over 20 months. Ten of the 11 core courses are taught in the Centre of Excellence at the Dubai International Financial Centre, while the majority of elective courses are offered at London Business School’s central London campus.

The programme, taught exclusively by London Business School’s own faculty, gives students a thorough grounding in all key areas of business and management and, through the diverse elective portfolio, also allows them to specialise in their chosen subject areas.