Aleem Dhanani
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
“Adventurous, growth-oriented, and intellectually curious leader, passionate about continuous learning and solving challenging problems.”
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Family Members: Yasmin (Mom), Amin (Dad), Altaaz (Brother), Karen (Partner), Mello (Dog)
Fun fact about yourself: I have had the fortune of visiting 50+ countries across six continents to date. In addition to traveling, I enjoy live sports and live music.
Undergraduate School and Degree: Queen’s University – Bachelor of Commerce (First Class Honours)
Where are you currently working? Bank of Montreal (BMO) – Corporate Development / Mergers & Acquisitions
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles: My interests include traveling, playing sports (e.g., soccer, tennis, volleyball, cycling, skiing), hiking, practicing yoga, investing, and keeping up-to-date on the latest technological developments. I am also passionate about volunteering and was honoured to receive the Ontario Volunteer Service Award a few years ago. Some of my leadership roles and extracurricular activities include:
ACCESS Community Capital Fund – Loan Review Committee Member and Former Chair; Women’s Business Accelerator Coach
Bank of Montreal – Finance DE&I Council; United Way Team Representative; Toastmasters President
MaRS Social Venture Connection (SVX) – Venture Advisor
Junior Achievement – Mentor and Lead Business Advisor
Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am very proud of the way our class came together throughout the program to support each other and our communities. The cohort was willing to put in the necessary time, effort, and resources to ensure successful outcomes – whether it was fundraising for charitable organizations, promoting positive environmental and social change on campus, self-organizing talent shows, or celebrating the arrival of our classmates’ newborns. One notable achievement was when we took part in a charity run and raised $16K for Campfire Circle, an organization that supports children affected by cancer and other serious illnesses. Huge kudos to Lisa Amerongen for spearheading our participation in this event!
On a personal level, I am proud and grateful to have been selected by my peers as their valedictorian, which is an honour presented to the individual who best represents the spirit of the MBA class.
What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I had the unique opportunity to play a significant role in the execution of BMO’s US$16 billion acquisition of Bank of the West, which closed in 2023. It was the largest transaction completed by a Canadian bank in history. Among other responsibilities, I helped lead the due diligence process which involved over 200 individuals across all of the bank’s functional areas.
Who was your favorite MBA professor? It’s challenging to choose a favorite as the EMBA faculty members were excellent. Each professor was extremely well-versed in their subject matter and committed to creating a positive learning experience. Yongah Kim brought a wealth of industry expertise to the classroom and seamlessly linked cutting-edge theoretical concepts to practical applications, and provided detailed and thoughtful feedback on every assignment; Craig Doidge was extremely well-organized, responsive, and structured his delivery of financial concepts in an intuitive manner; Maja Djikic was empathetic, generous with her time, and provided a fresh perspective towards solving problems and achieving meaningful change both in our personal and professional lives.
I would also like to call out a few members of the administration: Natasha Mackley (Program Director) worked tirelessly to ensure our experience was positive and memorable while always exhibiting a fantastic attitude; Rocca Morra (Executive Coach) was a dedicated mentor and coach who helped us develop practical career skills and connect with other parts of the business school; and Tim Rowley (Academic Director) guided us in maximizing the program benefits by challenging us to reflect upon course concepts in a holistic manner and to develop tangible implementation plans for our learnings.
Why did you choose this school’s executive MBA program? I was specifically interested in Rotman for its reputation of excellence, distinguished brand, global recognition, broad alumni network, top-notch faculty, and connectivity with prominent business leaders. The program structure was also appealing as it could be completed in just over a year while affording the opportunity to meet frequently in-person (i.e., every two weeks). I was also living and working in Toronto and the notion of being on campus to attend events, meet professors, and take advantage of the facilities was appealing.
What is the biggest lesson you gained during your MBA and how did you apply it at work? One of the key lessons was how to improve our negotiation skills. Our professor, Glen Whyte, did a phenomenal job of communicating the relevant concepts and facilitating the practice of different scenarios. We learned how to identify our strengths and weaknesses as negotiators and the implications of various strategies. One particular takeaway that resonated was the idea of creating value and ‘expanding the pie’ by employing several integrative tactics, including identifying and capitalizing on differences in priorities. This was directly applicable to my Mergers and Acquisitions role, as discussions with counterparties invariably involve negotiating the terms and conditions of potential acquisitions, investments, or partnerships.
Give us a story during your time as an executive MBA on how you were able to juggle work, family and education? It was sometimes challenging to juggle all of our competing obligations and there were instances where conscious trade-offs had to be made regarding how much preparation could be done for each class. Rather than completely cutting out my extracurricular commitments to fit in the extra workload from the MBA, I instead reduced their frequency which helped me maintain a sense of normalcy and prevent burnout. I continued to play sports, visit family in different cities, and socialize with friends, albeit on fewer occasions.
One example of juggling priorities was when I traveled to Kenya during the second semester for a short vacation and to spend time with family. I used the commute and any downtime to catch up on my assigned readings, attend tutorials virtually, and watch class recordings. It’s important to speak to your colleagues about the time commitment and support you will need. My manager was accommodating and would try his best to create flexibility where possible so I could fully participate in the MBA program.
What advice would you give to a student looking to enter an executive MBA program? Begin by identifying what you hope to achieve from an executive MBA (skills, connections, credentials, personal growth, etc.). Be honest in your evaluation regarding whether the program can help you best achieve those goals. Reach out to alumni who have recently graduated to better understand their experiences, including the challenges faced and the rewards gained. However, don’t wait for the perfect time to pursue an executive MBA as your work, family, and other commitments will always be there. If you have support from your family and colleagues and can dedicate some time each week towards the program, it’s worth taking the leap! Once you make the decision, approach the journey with an open mind. There are many opportunities to learn and develop, both inside and outside the classroom.
What was your biggest regret in business school? Although there were plenty of opportunities for teamwork and I collaborated with several classmates on various assignments, I didn’t get a chance to work directly with everyone. Every student in our class was uniquely talented and had interesting perspectives to offer, and I would have loved to have tackled projects with each of them. I also could not carve out the time to pursue the optional Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) course, an elective which allowed students to work closely with early-stage technology ventures seeking capital. That said, I don’t have any major regrets and am very grateful for the skills acquired, lessons learned, and connections made along the way.
Which MBA classmate do you most admire? This is a difficult question as the cohort had several outstanding individuals that contributed to the success of the program. I really admire Mandy Siu, whose efforts throughout the year considerably improved the quality of our overall experience. She generously shared her immaculate notes after each course, was thoughtful when participating in class discussions, and led various initiatives to give back to the school and the broader community. It was not surprising that she received the most votes when we were asked to select new project teammates half-way through the year.
I would also like to call out Tony Truong and Lisa Amerongen. Tony went above-and-beyond to run tutorials prior to exams as well as organize several social events that were invaluable in helping us forge close bonds. Lisa provided a fresh perspective and challenged our class to think constructively about prevalent social and environmental issues. Lastly, I had the privilege of working closely with extremely talented and supportive individuals in my project teams (Ahmad, Kizito, Josh, and Stephen in 5G initially and Brian, Natasha, Buruzoth, Steven, and Mandy in 2TB thereafter), and am grateful for the time we spent together and the friendships we built.
What was the main reason you chose an executive MBA program over part-time or online alternatives? The executive MBA offered the opportunity to learn from senior professionals who had accumulated a wealth of experience over their careers – on average, the cohort had 16 years of work experience prior to enrolling. It also provided a setting to build strong connections through in-person classes, week-long residential modules, and a relatively small cohort that remained unchanged for the duration of the program. The programming (classes, deliverables, offsites, etc.) was catered to accommodate the lives full-time professionals who had to juggle hectic work schedules and other commitments.
What is your ultimate long-term professional goal? My goal is to combine my knowledge in finance and investing with my passion for social causes to create a positive impact in both my local and global communities. I aspire to leverage the insights gained from my education and professional experiences to be an inspirational and engaging leader that sustainably grows the organizations I am involved with.
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