Yemi Ahouanmenou, WG’25, calls himself a citizen of the world. Born in Paris, France, his father’s job as a translator-interpreter took him and his family to Belgium, New Caledonia, and the United States, as well as vacations in his parents’ home country of Benin, all before he was 17.
After college in Canada, Yemi began his banking career in Europe, first in hedge funds sales in France and then in fixed income business development in the UK. While he was in the UK, he thought about pursuing a full-time MBA, but decided to move to Benin with his then-girlfriend to pursue new opportunities.
“I had never lived in Benin or considered moving there prior to 2016. My experience had been limited to family holidays, but it was familiar enough that I got comfortable with pursuing what turned out to be an exciting and transformative opportunity” he recalls. “We had just elected a new president; when Ministerial cabinet teams were being put together, I put myself out there and landed an advisory position at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.”
Over his eight years in that role, Yemi led financing for major infrastructure projects related to airports, tourism, and industrial manufacturing. Having been on the other side of international financing in his roles in Europe, this advisory position gave him a first-hand view of the impact of those investments.
With both private and public sector experience under his belt, he began looking into MBA programs – but this time around he had a wife and young son and wanted to continue working full-time in Benin. “It was time for a refresh, and I wanted a global MBA to put myself in the best position to move back to the private sector.”
Photo Credit: Yemi Ahouanmenou
Looking into Wharton’s EMBA program, the Global Cohort was a great fit. “I could travel once per term for in-person classes and tune in biweekly to access a world-class education remotely with classmates from around the world,” he says. “That breadth of exposure to a global curriculum and to professionals from places I’ve never been in the world has been incredibly fruitful from both a personal and professional perspective.”
He points to an in-person class week in Panama as an example. “Prof. Philip Nichols arranged for us to meet with government officials and local business leaders who shared insights on Panama’s economy. I learned about a whole new country’s ecosystem in a week’s worth of meetings in ways that could not have been possible through reading books and news articles.”
In addition to Panama, he has also taken in-person courses in Korea, London, Lisbon, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
Yemi points to the Negotiations class in San Francisco as a highlight of the program. “I previously thought solely of price as the main driver of negotiations, but I learned through Prof. Nazlı Bhatia’s class that there are several dimensions that need to be considered jointly to create the most value. Wharton teaches research-backed best practices and gives us new tools that we get to experiment with in our own jobs. I’ve sat across the negotiation table with governments and private sector companies so it was valuable to reflect on those experiences and what I could have done differently – and will do differently in the future.”
Photo Credit: Yemi Ahouanmenou
Of course, taking remote classes with students across the globe can be a bit of a challenge when it comes to time zones, as Yemi’s learning team members live across multiple continents. “It can be tricky figuring out when to meet, but it’s worth it because it also provides an instant global network,” he says.
Wharton’s impact on Yemi’s career has been tangible. He was recently recruited back to the private sector as Deputy CEO at the GDIZ Textile Park. “The brand recognition of Wharton and the insights from class were a real boost to my bid for a senior management position,” he shares.
As graduation nears, Yemi is passionate about opening the door for others to pursue a Wharton MBA. “Exposure to the latest global research and frameworks, while building a global network of talented like-minded business minds has been the highlight of my WEMBA experience and a gift that I am certain will continue to pay dividends in both my professional and personal lives.”
By Meghan Laska
Posted: January 2, 2025
