Discover how the Harvard Business School Club of the GCC connects local and global alumni in Dubai at “The House”. Learn more about the innovative initiatives in this vibrant hub for Harvard alumni, where they encourage networking, lifelong learning, professional development, and partnerships.
Graduating from your MBA program is an important step, but it shouldn’t be the final one. Staying connected to the alumni network provides a platform for continued learning, professional development, and valuable networking opportunities. For many, the alumni network becomes a lifelong resource.
Top schools like Harvard Business School (HBS) have alumni networks of hundreds of thousands spread across the globe. At that scale, it becomes more useful for alumni to organize themselves into smaller clubs. These clubs strengthen local communities and offer a multitude of opportunities to keep alumni engaged.
The Harvard Business School Club of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a shining example of how these clubs operate on a regional level. They recently opened their clubhouse in the iconic Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.
Isabelle Caron, Community and Events Manager, highlights the clubhouse’s strategic location. She emphasizes its proximity to the airport and its iconic status in Dubai.
The 3,000-square-meter space serves as a venue for various events and initiatives. It has become a central hub for the Harvard alumni community in the GCC region.
“The real purpose of this clubhouse is to actually build a vibrant hub where we can connect not only the 1,500 alumni here in the region but also globally extend the network,” says Isabelle. (00:18)
By situating the clubhouse in such a prime location, it becomes a convenient and attractive meeting point. Alumni come to visit from all over the world. This global connectivity is crucial for fostering international collaborations and partnerships.
The Harvard Business School Club of the GCC prides itself on creating a dynamic and engaging environment through a variety of initiatives and events. Their events include networking opportunities, seminars, workshops, guest keynote speakers, and more.
These activities are designed to connect alumni, foster innovation, and address pressing issues in the region.
The club’s annual flagship event, Crossroads, is a two-day conference for HBS alumni and local thought leaders. The conference rotates annually among different GCC countries. It was hosted in Dubai at the Museum of the Future in 2022 and at Princess Noura University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this year. It is scheduled for Qatar next year.
Crossroads focuses on the region’s priority topics, such as the development of national talent, food security, healthcare, and sustainability. Crossroads has proved to be an invaluable platform for networking and knowledge exchange that transcends industries. It has also inspired club members to explore the topics further.
“From Crossroads, we have put together an initiative called Athar,” Isabelle adds. (01:33) Athar, which means “impact” in Arabic, is a workshop series bringing together the brightest minds to develop actionable solutions that can be implemented in the GCC region.
The club also hosts regular Majlis and Think Tank gatherings for more regular knowledge sharing between alumni and local business leaders.
Beyond intellectual discussions, the club also prioritizes social events to promote a healthy lifestyle and strengthen bonds among members.
“We have social events, which we’re very fond of as well, where we try to get a little bit more into the activity space,” says Isabelle. (02:17)
The club boasts a cycling group known as the Crimson Camels, who bike around Dubai’s renowned tracks. For those who want to move at a slower pace, the Happy Hikers explore the region’s natural beauty.
From intellectual forums and professional panels to social gatherings and physical activities, the club offers something for everyone.
Looking ahead, the vision for the Harvard Business School Club of the GCC is clear.
“The house is really a hub for Harvard alumni to come together to foster connections to have continuous learning,” Isabelle states. (03:05)
The club’s future plans include expanding its initiatives and increasing its reach globally. By doing so, it hopes to create even more opportunities for alumni to connect and collaborate.
The goal is to create a vibrant, dynamic community that continues to thrive and positively impact the region. It offers an unparalleled opportunity to reconnect with fellow graduates and engage in impactful initiatives.
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