OSB's Executive Education recently delivered the Effective
Communications program for Al Jazeera/Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ 37 procurement and purchasing executives from May 1-4.
The program focused on
building the capacity of the participants to prepare for and manage
crises in the pharmaceuticals setting while developing the needed
interpersonal and organizational communication skills and
channels. Dr. Nadine Yehya, assistant professor of marketing specialized
in crisis communication and management, noted that the program was
specifically designed for Hikma to identify sources of risk and the
needed communication planning and execution to mitigate
possible crises and address business adversities. “Effective
communications skills are necessary to prevent a crisis and to handle
critical escalating situations in an ethical professional manner. The
participants appreciated the emphasis of the program on
fortifying their interpersonal communication skills and in equipping
them with strategies to adequately communicate during normal business as
well as in crises.”
This program demonstrates a
clear and tangible commitment from OSB to customize and deliver programs
that align with OSB's vision and mission to increase international
visibility and become globally recognized as the
region's business education leader.
This is one of many examples
of OSB bringing business education to the corporate world. Laith Dajani,
executive director of Executive Education at OSB, commented, “We
created this customized program to address the
communication challenges pharmaceutical executives face with both their
internal and external stakeholders in their institutions. Working
closely with Al Jazeera/Hikma Pharmaceuticals, we designed and
customized the program to address concepts and models needed
in order to improve communications for pharmaceutical professionals working in the private and public sectors in the region."
Ahmad Abdullah, country
manager for UAE and Bahrain at Hikma, praised the interactive sessions
presented during the program pointing out the course content as a
success factor. “The course was practical, valuable,
and helpful. Delegates came back to UAE happy with the new knowledge and
skills they learned during the course.”
“For Hikma, the American
University of Beirut is the North Star when it comes to quality of
education,” said Bashar M. Al-Sheikh Ali, S&M business analyst,
Hikma. “This year again, our program on effective communication
in healthcare with AUB has been instrumental to our ongoing commitment
to development. Hikma’s founder, the late Samih Darwazah, said ‘At
Hikma, education isn’t a philosophy, it’s a policy’.”
Hikma Pharmaceuticals, based
in London, manufactures branded and non-branded generic and in-licensed
pharmaceutical products. They are a leading licensing partner in the
MENA region and the company has built a long
and successful track record with global licensing partners. Hikma
Pharmaceuticals established their branded generic medicine business in
the Middle East and North Africa in 1978 and has since grown into a $2bn
global generic pharmaceuticals company.