MENA region business leaders gather to discuss how to keep ethics at the heart of innovation
In an age of rapid change and conflicting viewpoints, it’s difficult to keep humanity at the forefront of business. Politics, prejudice, and greed too often drive professional decisions. So what does it take to be a good leader in today’s world?
Participants of the Reimagining Business Excellence (RBE) program were asked this question, and while each had their own take, there was a common thread: Being a good leader means caring for those around you. Sometimes it means pushing them to be their best self, as one participant shared. Other times, it looks like offering unwavering support—“You do not give up on your people,” one participant summed it up. Similarly, the innovators and leaders who gathered at RBE weren’t pursuing greatness for their own names or fortune. It was all for others—their families, their communities, the next generation.
There’s a reason these participants were united over these shared values. The RBE program is specifically designed for individuals who care for their organizations, the societies in which they operate, and the future of the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Business leaders and rising stars from the MENA region were invited to apply, in addition to a select group of Notre Dame graduate students, providing them an excellent opportunity to learn from and connect with top innovators.
RBE is the result of Notre Dame Jerusalem’s collaboration with the McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business and the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership (NDDCE), and this year marked its third annual convening. The week-long program boasted a packed schedule of lectures, panels, and a case study that participants worked on throughout the week.
“RBE allows participants the opportunity to learn from one another and explore how shared goals of well-being and prosperity are furthered by ethical leaders who engage collaboratively with one another,” says Jessica McManus Warnell, the Rex and Alice A. Martin Faculty Director of the NDDCE, who led one of the talks given at RBE.
Topics like sustainable entrepreneurship, budgeting ethics, and the affordability and accessibility of energy made up the guided-learning curriculum. Participants engaged in these sessions by offering up their own insights and echoing each other’s questions and concerns, demonstrating the common sentiments and struggles amidst the diverse group. One participant spoke to the impact of this, sharing that “the diversity of participants across cultures, countries, regions, and sectors gave me practical perspectives I would not have reached on my own.”
Like last year’s program, the case study centered around a venture building company from the MENA region. Participants were asked to consider how Nucleus Ventures could strategically leverage its dual model to advance the entrepreneurial ecosystem and amplify its regional impact. They considered this question through the lens of ethical, effective, and sustainable prosperity. The week concluded with case study presentations, given directly to executives from Nucleus Ventures. Participants combined what they learned throughout the week with their personal experiences and expertise to offer thoughtful solutions to the case study.
“Each year, our faculty team learns more than we teach in the program. I was inspired by the dedication and perseverance of these business leaders from the MENA region,” McManus Warnell shares, noting that she plans to share their insights with her students in the school year ahead.
While the practical lessons and in-depth discussions were a highly valued part of the week, the highlight for many was the participant panels—a new addition to this year’s program. These sessions gave participants an opportunity to share the stories behind how they came to be business owners, entrepreneurs, and experts in their fields of work. Remarkably, each participant’s testimony was infused with humility and gratitude and left the distinct impression that they are actively making the world a better place with their work. As a round of applause filled the room after each person shared, one couldn’t help but feel they were surrounded by difference-makers. Whether they were working in NGOs, tech companies, or government agencies, the RBE participants were united in their passion to be forces for good.
Overall, the 2025 RBE program was an enriching week of learning and a needed opportunity for encounter in an increasingly divisive world. One participant left the week with these thoughts:
“Participating in the Reimagining Business Excellence program was an inspiring and transformative experience…The program not only strengthened my skills in purpose-driven leadership and strategic decision-making but also expanded my professional network and perspective, leaving me motivated to apply these insights in my work and make a positive impact.”
Originally published by at jerusalem.nd.edu on September 12, 2025.