Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Qimam Fellowship program has welcomed 50 outstanding fellows into its second cohort, admitted from a pool of approximately 18,000 applicants — following a very rigoros evaluation process.

Industry leaders, private and public sector figureheads and university representatives attended the 2019 graduation ceremony of the Qimam Fellowship. Each took the time to praise the quality of Saudi talent displayed throughout the program.

The 50 fellows originate from a variety of backgrounds and fields of study from more than 25 universities in Saudi Arabia and abroad, with male and female fellows representing an exact 50-50 split this year. All students underwent an intensive and transformative program that comprised six key components:

• Mentorship from senior public and private sector leaders to help fellows with personalized career advice,

• Leadership training by professionals from renowned companies to help them succeed in their future careers,

• Visits to the Saudi Arabian offices of leading national and international companies to engage with leadership teams and learn about how they operate,

• Networking and team-building to help them build long-lasting relationships, and;

• Sharing the fellow profiles on the Qimam website and with HR professionals across the Kingdom for career opportunities.

• At the graduation ceremony, the 50 fellows were presented with the ‘Qimam Award for High-Potential Leaders,’ an honor bestowed by Qimam and its partners to recognize their achievement and distinction.

Qimam was founded by McKinsey & Company and Dr. Annas Abedin, a McKinsey Alumnus and entrepreneur. It is funded by McKinsey & Company, and generously supported by its travel partner Seera Group, which is covering all travel and accommodation related expenses of the fellowship.

Tom Isherwood, Partner at McKinsey & Company said: "Our support for Qimam is grounded in our belief that Saudi Arabia is rich with extraordinary talent and that developing such talent is one of the best investments for a brighter future. Unlocking this human potential is the most important lever to economically and socially advance the Kingdom and the region.

He added: “I’m very proud to be a part of an organization that has emphasized the importance of equipping these future leaders with the skills, self-confidence, connections and mentorship they need. They are the future, and we are glad to have them as part of our growing Qimam family."

Dr. Annas Abedin, co-founder of Qimam, explained: “What is most exciting about Qimam is the community of outstanding leaders and organizations coming together with the common purpose and vision of identifying and supporting top talent. We have been blessed and honored to work with this community of partners and look forward to continued collaboration in the years to come.”

Sahira Jilal Nahari, 2019 Qimam graduate and a student of medicinal and health sciences at Batterjee Medical College commented on the initiative: “Having the opportunity to meet experts from diverse fields around the Kingdom has been a truly valuable opportunity. This has allowed me to broaden my horizons beyond just the field I specialize in and in turn, look at how other fields can contribute in strengthening my career path. The program has also inspired a strong sense of community amongst me and my peers.”

“As we dig deeper into the course itself and meeting the experts, they really helped us think about how we can outline a path to achieve our goals. The mentorship and training is truly invaluable.’’

Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Dawood, CEO of Seera Group commented on the ongoing partnership with Qimam: "We are proud to support Qimam for the second consecutive year. By developing the skill set of the youth and providing them with mentorship and professional training, programs such as Qimam will allow for promising individuals to become the next generation of leaders. Empowering university students from Saudi Arabia to achieve their full potential goes hand in hand with Seera's vision of opening up opportunities for all."

The Qimam Fellowship is supported by more than 150 senior leaders who are heavily involved in the selection and training processes, to ensure that the program identifies the most distinguished talent in KSA.

It is also supported by 25 leading national and international companies across different sectors: Aberkyn, Al Arabiya News Channel, Al-Khaleejiah Advertising & Public Relations Company, ArabNet, Bab Rizq Jameel, Bupa, Careem, Cisco, General Electric, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC), Korn Ferry, Ma'aden, Majid Al Futtaim, McKinsey & Company, Microsoft, Oqal Group, Pearson Education, Rocket Internet, Rocket Internet, SAP, Seera Group, SMAAT, SPIMACO, Saudi Telecom Company, STV and Unilever

Qimam will open for applications again next year. Launch dates will be announced on social media: twitter.com/QimamFellowship.