Introducing Aysha Haider, SOM’s New Associate Director for Admissions
Aysha Haider, an incoming member of the MBA admissions team, reflects on the values and career journey that led her to SOM.
I am thrilled to be at SOM, a program whose mission to educate leaders for business and society resonates deeply with my own journey.
Having attended Williams College in the idyllic Berkshires, I embarked on a global corporate career that spanned two decades, beginning in corporate finance and investment banking; after completing an MBA at INSEAD, I pivoted to marketing and moved between a range of roles in product development and brand management to integrated marketing communications. I lived in New York City, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, traveling continuously for work across Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.
Doing business in a wide range of geographies, cultures, and communities has been an enriching life experience—insightful, exhilarating, and humbling all at once. And with every transition, I realized that the success of my organizations did not just lie in the bottom line, but also in how we improved lives, strengthened societies, and influenced responsible decision-making for people and the planet. Over time, I developed a strong commitment to working with mission-driven institutions, while also planning a long-contemplated pivot to the education sector.
I joined the leadership team at a progressive, international K-12 forest school network—a student-led outdoor education program which fosters skills through experiential, learner-led experiences. I helped the school scale globally during the first four years of its expansion efforts, leading international marketing, admissions, and communications efforts. The school’s mission to create a global community of learners committed to sustainability, and its advocacy for an integrated curriculum, became close to my heart.
This ethos eventually motivated me to join the admissions team at SOM, a leading voice in business education committed to these same learning principles. In my role as an admissions officer, I am excited to attract MBA candidates who will think seriously about how businesses can engage productively with their societies, take responsibility for ethical and sustainable business practices while advancing organizational objectives, and join us in shaping communities around the globe where everyone can thrive.
