Marwan Kheireddine has a long career in the financial sector. Born in Lebanon, he is the CEO and chairman of the board at AM Bank. While it might seem unrelated, he is also an accomplished professor.
How a Banker Became a Professor
When Marwan Kheireddine reached out to the American University of Beirut, it was initially to gain access to the library. As a lifelong learner, he hoped to tap into the university’s business resources.
After talking with the current dean of the business school, however, he learned that access to the library is only for students. It was during that conversation, though, that the idea of becoming a professor first started to germinate. Marwan Kheireddine was invited to send his curriculum vitae (CV) and he would be informed if there were applicable openings.
Professor for More Than 20 Years
A couple of months later, he was contacted regarding an emergency situation where the American University of Beirut was left without a finance teacher. This kicked off a teaching adventure that spanned more than 20 years.
During that time, Marwan Kheireddine taught finance course ranging from introduction to financial analysis and commercial banking to risk management. He also designed his own courses with some of them still being taught today based on the way he designed them during his stint at the university.
Benefits of Teaching
Marwan Kheireddine taught more than 1,200 students during his time at the American University of Beirut. He was able to identify those that had the potential to do well in the banking industry and offer them a job.
In fact, some of his former students have been working for him for 10 or 15 years. Many are currently in middle management. Kheireddine noted being able to be part of their journey from students to employees has been very satisfying.
Developing the Next Generation’s Skills
He gained the most gratification, however, when former students approach him and introduce themselves. Marwan Kheireddine sees them at other companies, the airport and other places when he’s on the go.
Kheireddine also honed his public speaking skills. After spending over 20 years standing and speaking in front of classrooms of students, he speaks effortlessly about any financial issue. He has been tapped to go on Lebanese television to speak about complex economic situations because of his experience.
He stopped teaching once he started giving his assistant exams to write and correct. Kheireddine realized his heart was no longer in it. He wasn’t being fair to his students, so he stepped down.
However, Kheireddine looks forward to being back in the classroom in the future. He misses the interactions with the students and the fact he was able to positively influence them.
Marwan Kheireddine’s Thoughts on Financial Counsel
Because his culture plays a level of responsibility on the giver once they offer formal advice, Kheireddine tends to decline doing so. Instead, he tends to take a holistic approach to the question. By exploring options and alerting them to aspects they aren’t aware of, he has set them up to make their own decisions.