Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at MBSC appoints Saudi Amal Dokhan as Managing Director

The Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (BGCEL) at Prince Mohammad Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship (MBSC), located in King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), has appointed Amal Dokhan as Managing Director responsible for the strategic direction, tactical execution and operational oversight of the Center; with an aim to instill an entrepreneurial mindset in the Kingdom and beyond. 

Dokhan was selected by Babson Global after a worldwide search for the most qualified expert for the role, among candidates from Europe, the United States and Australia.  Dr. Shahid Ansari, CEO of Babson Global, commented on Dokhan’s selection, stating, “We are extremely pleased that we have found not only the best qualified candidate, but also one who will bring considerable local knowledge and experience to this role to achieve the nation’s goals, God willing.”

Over the past few years, Dokhan has played a leading role at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in establishing various startup accelerators, corporate innovation programs, and advanced level courses at the Entrepreneurship Center.

For her part, Dokhan noted, “I have spent the past few years managing programs for entrepreneurs in the region and coaching organizations to have an entrepreneurial mindset. After joining the Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership with its diversified portfolio of programs, I can’t wait to bring my previous experience to realize BGCEL’s ambition to become a global center of excellence in entrepreneurial leadership. I will dedicate all my experience and expertise to make that happen.”

Dokhan has participated as a speaker and trainer in Innovation and Design Thinking at many international and regional events, such as TEDex, the annual Islamic Development Bank conference, Startup Istanbul and the MIT Enterprise Forum. She also taught Services Marketing at Wollongong University in Australia and published several business articles focused on services marketing.

In addition, Dokhan has designed and taught a number of organizational and corporate innovation programs in different parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, South Africa, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Dokhan has a Master’s Degree in Strategic Marketing from the University of Wollongong, and is a certified trainer in Design Innovation and Change Management. She also works for the World Bank training program in Business incubation Management Training.  

“The appointment of Amal Dokhan in this strategic position points us in the right direction towards achieving our visions and goals,” said Dr. Nabeel Koshak, Dean of MBSC.  “Her great wealth of experience with global institutions will enable her to excel in fulfilling the objectives of the Center to become an international source of research and developer of entrepreneurship education that promotes a sustainable entrepreneurial leadership culture for business, government, and non-profit enterprises in our beloved Kingdom.”

BGCEL serves as a hub at MBSC for developing an entrepreneurial eco-system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries. The Center aims to develop research and pedagogy to assist educators, entrepreneurs, investors and regulators, and disseminate its findings through forums, discussions, white papers, and courses. BGCEL also publishes the Saudi Arabia Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).

In addition, the Center serves as a point of contact for entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Kingdom, providing them with short courses and training in entrepreneurship.

A key component of BGCEL is its specially tailored programs for women’s entrepreneurship.  These programs focus on mentoring, coaching and skill development essential for successful entrepreneurial leadership. The programs sharpen perspectives and equip women to lead change as entrepreneurs to create economic and social value in all spheres.

BGCEL is a part of Babson Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of Babson College, which collaborates with MBSC to create a new generation of influential leaders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in alignment with one of the most important development goals in Vision 2030.