“The Online Format Gave Me Flexibility — and That Became a Motivator”. An interview with Ali Ghali, graduate of the “Master of Finance” program

Ali Ghali came to the HSE Online “Master of Finance” program not as a fresh graduate looking to launch a career, but as a seasoned investment professional from Bahrain seeking to sharpen the analytical tools he had been using for over a decade. He brought with him years of experience in asset management and financial advisory and an executive management leadership program from Harvard. In this interview, Ali reflects on what drew him to HSE, the unexpected value of machine learning in his day-to-day work, the challenge of studying while raising a family, and what he took away from finally meeting his academic supervisor in Moscow.

• Could you briefly introduce yourself — where are you from, what do you do, and what were you doing professionally before enrolling in the program?

 

My name is Ali Ghali and I am from Bahrain. Currently, as well as before enrolling in the program, I work in the investment and finance field — mainly in asset management and financial advisory.

• What was the turning point that made you decide to pursue a master's degree in finance?

I had completed my bachelor's degree in 2008 and felt it was time for an academic refresh. With my professional career firmly rooted in investment and finance, it made sense to me to pursue a master’s degree in finance. 

• Why HSE, and why the online format specifically? What tipped the scale?

Firstly, HSE is a well renowned and respected education institution and I was seeking to have exposure to the Russian education system. Furthermore, the online program was very interesting for me as it allowed flexibility to pursue my further education as well as continue with my professional career. There are very few programs that allow this and for me this is what tipped the scale.

• You studied at Harvard. What did you find similar — and fundamentally different — when comparing that experience to HSE's Online Master's in Finance?

The similarity lies in the diversity of students and background of the teaching faculty. What differed is the academic style: HSE provides more theoretical and analytical learning, while Harvard (in my case, an Executive Management Leadership Program) placed a strong emphasis on case studies and group discussions.

• What was the biggest adjustment during the first month? How did you build a weekly routine around classes, assignments, and deadlines?

The biggest challenge was finding the right balance between professional responsibilities and academic deadlines. The clarity and guidance provided by HSE's faculty were genuinely helpful and allowed me to quickly adjust my timetable to be able to manage both. Even still, there were many late nights and study sessions over weekends and holidays — there was no way around it.

• How did you build relationships with groupmates in an online international cohort? Have any of those connections continued after graduation?

As part of the assignments and tasks set during the program, there were several times where we were required to work in groups and either randomly be put into the groups or the students would decide upon themselves. This gave a good mix of interactions across the cohort and we would mainly use online video meeting platforms to communicate. After graduation, I have stayed in touch with both my fellow students as well as faculty members. 

• Which course or topic changed the way you think about finance, and why?

The machine learning and coding topics were very interesting as I was not previously exposed to such material and techniques. The material covered opened my knowledge on how such tools can be used in finance and investment as an in-depth analytical tool.

• Can you share one concrete example of a concept or tool from the program that you now apply at work?

I now use machine learning tools regularly, particularly when analysing large datasets and modelling multiple scenarios. In the past, this kind of work was done in Excel spreadsheets, which are useful, but limited. Machine learning is simply more powerful and more precise for that type of analysis.

• Since graduation, what has changed in your career — in terms of role, responsibilities, projects, or direction?

There were no immediate career changes as I was already in a stable professional position. That said, I have been eager to research more into the topic of corporate governance and its impact on a company’s financial performance. This was the subject of my Thesis Paper and is a topic of much interest and relevance to me.

• You recently visited Moscow and met Vasily Solodkov, the academic supervisor of the program. How was that meeting, and what did you take away from it?

The meeting with professor Vasiliy Solodkov was great and I had longed to meet him since starting the program. We had discussed a number of topics including the current financial markets, global economic landscape and in general feedback about the Master of Finance program at HSE. I was also joined in the meeting by my fellow graduate, Victor Tsukanov, and it was a good example of the network built from the program which Professor Vasiliy also highlighted as being a key take away from the program.

 

Ali Ghali, Vasily Solodkov and Victor Tsukanov during their meeting in Moscow

• What is your most practical advice to applicants — how to prepare, how many hours per week to plan, and how to stay motivated in an online format?

 

I would strongly advise applicants, particularly those that are in a professional career, to be ready to multi-task and plan their schedules well. The program is intense and requires continuous attention and effort. The program being online has its advantages as it allows you more flexibility for attendance and that itself is a good motivator! In my specific case, I was motivated and supported by my wife who took care of our children and arranged my meals in order to allow me the time to focus on my studies.

Admission Now Open!

Early applications for the “Master of Finance” program are currently open. If Ali's story resonates with you — whether you are a working professional looking to deepen your expertise or a finance specialist ready for an academic challenge — now is a good time to take the first step. To learn more about the tracks available and how to apply, visit the program page.