SBS Hosts Executive MBA Students from IESE Business School for the Doing Business in Africa Programme

Between 24th and 28th August 2026, we hosted over 50 Executive MBA Students from IESE Business School for the Doing Business in Africa Programme.

The programme is part of the International Module for Executive MBA students and aims to give students an understanding of how to do business in Africa. The week-long Programme included class sessions, local visits and company visits, giving students an understanding of the multi-varied African context.

The Doing Business in Africa Programme is designed by SBS in partnership with IESE Business School. The Programme aims to expose the IESE Executive MBA students to business operations in Africa and, by extension, doing business the African way. The Programme includes class sessions with Faculty members from both Schools and gives MBA students a chance to interact with and understand the different aspects of business across the continent through case studies and experiential learning.

The in-class sessions kicked off on Monday with Dr. Caesar Mwangi, the SBS Executive Dean, taking students through a session on “Doing Business in Africa: Context and Opportunities,” exploring the continent’s changing business landscape and the importance of appreciating local context alongside skills-building, entrepreneurship and innovation.

Throughout the week, sessions covered topics such as private equity and venture capital, marketing, entrepreneurship, corruption, indigenous business models and regional integration. The sessions also featured an insightful panel discussion on “Global Influence, Local Realities: China’s Influence, Land and Tribal Relations in Kenya” examined the increasing influence of global entities in Africa, and the importance of appreciating the continent’s diversity,  its 54 countries, languages, societies and institutions as well as the need to engage local communities and earn a social license to operate, particularly when investing on communal land.

In addition to the class sessions, the students had the opportunity to interact with MBA for Executives students from SBS during negotiation exercises and group work, aimed at fostering an exchange of expertise between students from both Schools across various industries.

During their local visits, the students experienced Kenya’s economic environment firsthand, including a visit to Food for Education, where they saw how the social enterprise uses innovation to provide nutritious meals to school-going children.  They also experienced social enterprise in action through direct interaction with the community during a visit to Wings of Hope School in the Kibera Informal Settlements in Nairobi.

The week culminated in a colorful closing dinner at Cultiva Farm.

About the MBA for Executives Programme

Our MBA for Executives Programme is best suited for individuals with at least 2 years of managerial experience seeking to broaden their knowledge and expertise. This Programme helps them develop their talent and harness the competencies needed for the next level by unlocking their inner potential and helping them discover new horizons. We offer two modes of learning for the MBA for Executives Programme: Evening and Modular. Learn about the MBA for Executives Programme ici.

Article by Miriam Wafula