Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am an MBA candidate enrolled in the Accelerator MBA programme at The Shard in London. Born in Amman, raised in Vienna and based in London for over ten years, I have learnt to see places through diverse cultural and spatial perspectives. I initially pursued a career in architecture to test the power of spatial imagination, storytelling and critical thinking. Through my architectural education and professional training, I developed strong skills in systems thinking, visual communication and collaborative problem-solving, which built the foundation for how I approach complex challenges. 

Grateful for my foundation in design but driven by constant curiosity, I chose the MBA, a route less common for architects, to push design thinking into new challenges and industries. While I loved the creative impact of design work, I found myself increasingly drawn to the bigger strategic questions, including how decisions are made, how investment for development and infrastructure is unlocked and how long-term value is created. The MBA felt like the right bridge between design thinking, business strategy and leadership development for the next stage of my career.

What motivated you to apply for the Change Maker – Impact in your Society scholarship?

The scholarship’s mission reflects my own, using business as a force for good. In my career I have seen how design decisions shape inclusion, resilience and opportunity. Whether authoring design codes that became planning policy, leading public realm and estate regeneration projects or embedding social value into regeneration bids and proposals, my focus has often been on people and places.

The scholarship was a chance to connect creative practice with strategic skills and amplify my contribution through an MBA. It also represented a community of Change Makers committed to reshaping industries for better outcomes. At the same time, I wanted to test what it means for an architect and urban designer to pursue an MBA and demonstrate how design-led leadership can drive measurable and lasting impact.

What does the scholarship mean to you?

Receiving this scholarship has been very motivating. It reinforces that balancing creativity with a broader understanding of business and leadership matters. It also allows me to immerse myself fully in my MBA journey, encouraging me to take risks and contribute to meaningful change across the design, regeneration and cultural sectors. It has given me the confidence to embrace experimentation in my career path rather than feeling confined to a single professional pathway.

How have you been championing society, both in industry and within your MBA?

I am championing society in industry by helping deliver projects that unlock investment, strengthen partnerships and create long-term benefits for local places. My current role involves working across public, private and community stakeholders to progress regeneration initiatives, align delivery with local priorities and ensure economic growth is inclusive and place-led.

The Accelerator MBA’s part-time structure allows me to bring live challenges into discussions with classmates and explore how insights from different sectors can support more innovative outcomes. Studying while working full-time is demanding but it also means I can immediately apply what I learn to projects and see the impact more directly.

How have you been embodying Warwick Business School’s Change Maker values and having an impact on society during your MBA?

Curiosity drives me to link design, market contexts and digital innovation. Openness encourages me to learn from my multinational upbringing and my cohort’s diverse perspectives. Restlessness pushes me to challenge the status quo in regeneration while Excellence keeps me focused on generating value through creative problem-solving. The range of modules has trained me to look at challenges through multiple lenses, including financial, organisational, macroeconomic and strategic perspectives, and to question assumptions more rigorously before moving to action or recommendation.

What impact has the scholarship had on your academic and personal goals?

The scholarship has encouraged me to reimagine my role beyond design, as someone who can shape business strategy, investment approaches and innovation in how cities and places are planned, funded and delivered. It has also supported a recent career shift into an area regeneration and economic growth role focused on unlocking investment, mobilising public-private partnerships and driving sustainable development. It has therefore strengthened my confidence to step into unfamiliar roles and to stay open to change while exploring opportunities across different sectors.

Do you have any advice to others considering applying for a scholarship?

Be authentic, share the “why” behind your journey, the values that guide you and the impact you have already made. Scholarships celebrate potential as much as success, so show how your vision for the future aligns with Warwick’s Change Maker ethos.

More broadly, if you are considering an MBA, do it if you are genuinely curious and ready to grow and be challenged. Be honest with yourself about what you want to explore, avoid coming in with rigid expectations and let your questions guide your learning. The more you step outside what feels familiar, the more value you will gain from the experience overall. You will also build some great friendships along the way!