With a degree in Chemical Engineering and over 15 years of experience in the Oil, Gas & Chemical industry across Europe, Australia, and the Middle East, Zaher Charaf joined the Executive MBA programme in January 2025.

In this episode, we dive into how he found his way into this field, what led him to pursue an MBA, and how the programme is shaping his perspective on his career path.

🎧 Listen to the full interview here!

#ExecutiveMBA #RSM #CareerJourney #LeadershipDevelopment #LifelongLearning #QualityEducation


The EMBA advantage: familiar fields, deeper insights - with Zaher Charaf

When Tugay joined the GEMBA programme at RSM, he expected to sharpen his business skills, and he has. But what he didn’t anticipate was the depth of personal growth the experience would demand.

When discussing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Tugay speaks candidly about his personal connection to SDG #1 – No Poverty:
“I was born and raised in the Netherlands, and that makes me privileged. But my ancestors weren’t. One grandfather was from Italy, the other from Turkey, and both grew up in poverty. I carry their legacy with me. I have a deep desire to break the cycle and help build a world where everyone has a fair chance at a better life.”

This was just one of many powerful reflections Tugay shares - including his belief in leading by creating a safe environment.

🎧 Listen to the full episode to hear more from Tugay and the leadership insights he’s gained along the way.


Breaking cycles and building leaders - A GEMBA journey - with Tugay Aksu

During the Global Executive MBA at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM), participants can choose a unique track: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). It’s designed for future CEOs who want to lead an existing company, rather than start one from scratch.

In this episode, we speak with Leonardo Palú, a recent graduate from the Global Executive MBA Class of 2025. Leonardo took a bold step by launching a search fund in Brazil – a courageous career pivot that marks the beginning of his journey to acquire and lead a business. He’s just completed the fundraising phase and is now actively searching for the right company. We explore:

- What the ETA track offers 
- What his experience has been like so far
- And how he envisions himself stepping into the CEO role.

As Leonardo puts it:
“They’re not just investors, they’re invested in you.”

🎧 Listen to the full episode to find out more about this alternative path to entrepreneurship.


The ETA track - investing in you, with Leonardo Palú (Global Executive MBA Class of 2025)

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ginelle van Tartwijk, Philanthropy Advisor at ABN AMRO MeesPierson and proud alumna of RSM’s Full-time MBA Class of 2024.

Originally from the US, Ginelle moved to the Netherlands with an efficiency mindset – determined to fully dedicate herself to the MBA journey. During our conversation, she reflected on the role of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in her studies at RSM:

“The SDGs are a very big component of what we talk about in class, what we try to focus on, and what we take with us as we graduate.”

The SDG that resonates most with her? SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

“I always come back to that one as being most important, because ultimately we have to work together to achieve the other goals. It’s difficult to do it alone - and I see that both in my work and in the big philanthropists I follow.”

For more insights and to hear her full MBA story, listen to the full interview!

Philanthropy and the power of partnerships - with alumna Ginelle van Tartwijk (FTMBA Class of '24)

In this episode Shilpika Basu, one of our Executive MBA students who joined the programme earlier this year, reflects on her EMBA journey so far:
“Finance was always such a dry subject for me - but during the MBA, I had the most fun and camaraderie in accounting classes with Dennis Jullens. The lively discussions and banter made learning so much more engaging, and he was such an amazing person to learn finance from."

Listen to the full episode to hear more about Shilpika’s EMBA experience, highlights of the programme so far and her advice!

Inside the EMBA: Learning, Camaraderie, and Sustainability with Shilpika Basu (EMBA '26)

For Dircki Taljaard (EMBA '26), one of the most challenging - and rewarding - parts of the Executive MBA has been the Life Journey course. It’s given him space to reflect, grow, and approach his work with a new perspective. "And of course, I’m also building the hard skills - like accounting and business - which are priceless. You learn the language by doing the course.”

Listen to the full interview to hear more about Dircki’s journey, insights, and advice!


New tracks tagged #RSM MBA