RIYADH – Boeing Company recently sponsored 15 MBA students from Saudi Arabia's Alfaisal University for a leadership development program that provided perspectives on effectively operating in a shifting global economy. The one-week Saudi Emerging Leaders Program was the first program of its kind to be held at the Boeing Leadership Center (BLC) in St. Louis, Missouri. Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing Defense, Space & Security president and CEO, and Shep Hill, Boeing International president and Business Development and Strategy senior vice president, welcomed the students to the BLC. "Truly successful leaders recognize the importance of investing in people and partnerships," said Muilenburg. "It is the diversification of skills, education and innovative ideas that make a team and a company great. Putting people first and focusing on partnerships will pay back dividends and create a long-term competitive advantage in the marketplace." Muilenburg pointed out that the next generation of leaders is entering the global workforce at a rapid pace. Through initiatives such as the Saudi Emerging Leaders Program, Boeing hopes to assist future leaders by sharing insights gained from decades as a global company. Boeing has a growing list of customers in 150 countries and 18 offices worldwide. "We as leaders must embrace change as the world changes," Hill told the students. "Globalization has made the world better because countries have had to learn to rely on one another. They have created a global working dynamic that fosters collaboration." "This leadership program is in line with our continuing efforts to support Saudi business skills and industry growth," said Ahmed Jazzar, president of Boeing Saudi Arabia. "Our long-standing presence in the Kingdom gives us the ability to understand and react to Saudi economic-development priorities. We helped establish most of the offset companies in Saudi Arabia and continue to engage in partnerships with vocational and research institutions to support knowledge transfer and develop local human resources." "This Boeing leadership conference has been a tremendous success," said William Lathen, acting dean of Alfaisal University's College of Business. "Boeing officials challenged our students with a rigorous training program. It was of the highest quality possible and our students reported that they had a great learning experience. Our MBA students believe that they will effectively use the knowledge they acquired in their prospective businesses." Alfaisal University, co-founded by Boeing and other stakeholders, is a student-centered university that creates and disseminates knowledge through world-class undergraduate and graduate education programs, research and services that benefit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world, and stimulates the development of knowledge-based economies. The Boeing Leadership Center opened in February 1999. Thousands of Boeing leaders and aspiring leaders, as well as business partners, customers and others, have attended BLC classes to hone their leadership skills. A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 61,000 employees worldwide. – SG
