As part of the School’s ‘Year of the Book’ campaign to encourage reading, the Economics Society was delighted to welcome Dr Saqib Qureshi (OH 1992) as its visiting speaker on Wednesday 14 October. Dr Qureshi was delighted to be back on familiar, if somewhat changed, territory and saw a number of his former teachers during his visit.
His talk included a whistle-stop tour of a remarkably diverse career encompassing corporate finance, management consultancy at McKinsey and roles at the executive end of government in 10 Downing Street, the White House and Dubai. His latest incarnation is as the author of the critically acclaimed “Reconstructing Strategy”.
A fascinating aspect of his talk was the key role that reading had played in his personal progression: Dr Qureshi read a book a day during his PhD and still aims to finish one every fortnight. The breadth of knowledge gained had proved invaluable in making contacts, not least with Condoleezza Rice.
Perhaps his most important message, however, came from reflecting on his time at Habs. He urged his attentive audience to seize that opportunity and dream big.
Dr Qureshi said: “Looking back, I fully appreciate the breadth, depth and range of opportunity I was presented with at Habs. The support mechanisms in place set you up for a bright future, no matter what career path you wish to take.”
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