Sharjah finance students inspired by ‘unforgettable experience’ with Warren Buffett

SHARJAH // A group of budding young finance executives met business figure Warren Buffett in the US last week.

Students from the American University of Sharjah were extended the invitation from Berkshire Hathaway, the only UAE or MENA institution to receive the honour.

Twenty finance students from the school of business administration met the business magnate, investor and philanthropist in Omaha.

Student Rishabh Bafna said meeting Buffett was an “unforgettable experience” which “will be etched in my memory for many more years”.

“I was amazed by Mr Buffett’s energy and humour at the age of 85, his humility and simplicity in thought, even though he is the one of the richest men in the world. His analogy of making good friendships to going long on a financial market instrument was a strong thought for me and has provided me with a different perspective of living a good life.”

Even the 30 hour trip was “worth it to witness and talk to the ‘Oracle of Omaha’”, said Rishabh.

The students attended a question and answer session, as well as lunch, with Mr Buffett as part of a trip which began on March 31 and will end on April 6. AUS students were the first to be selected from the MENA region to make the trip that included visits to Mr Buffett’s companies.

It aimed to give the undergraduates the chance to gain insight from one of the greatest investors of all time in addition to visiting top institutions in New York, the financial capital of the world, including Wall Street, New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve Bank.

The students, one of several groups invited each year from universities and business schools to meet world’s third richest man on the 2016 Forbes list, were also given guided tours of three of Berkshire Hathaway’s subsidiaries: Nebraska Furniture Mart, Borsheims and Oriental Trading Company.

Head of finance at AUS, Dr Narjess Boubakri, said the trip had been beneficial on both professional and personal levels for the students. “While preparing for the trip, we had heard how such a visit has been a life changing experience for those who already had a chance to meet with Mr Buffett. But it comes short of describing how impactful it has actually been for all of us there,” she said. “We learned so much on a professional and personal level including about being better people, remaining humble no matter how successful, love life and work, and being ambitious, and ethical.”

Student Shahrukh Siddiqi, agreed: “Meeting Mr Buffett was a surprisingly humbling experience. I ended up getting invaluable advice to add to my set of skills, and was amazed by Mr Buffett’s simplicity, wittiness, humour and intelligence.”