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London Business School Notable Alumni | 6 Famous MBAs

From former prime ministers to Saudi billionaires, London Business School has produced some of the world’s most notable figures in business and politics

Fri Sep 27 2024

BusinessBecause
What do the former prime minister of Mongolia, Britain’s largest oil tycoon, and Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend have in common? 

Well, aside from being incredibly wealthy, they’ve all graduated from the MBA at London Business School!

First opening its doors in 1966 with the aim of improving British management standards, LBS has grown both in size and diversity. As of 2024, its MBA degree is ranked among the world’s top 10 programs by the Financial Times and boasts a class profile composed of 63 different nationalities.  

With its rich history, it’s no surprise that LBS has produced some of the world’s most influential people. So who are some of the most notable alumni from London Business School? 


London Business School Notable Alumni


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Source: This image is credited to ©Science History Institute and used under this license. 


1. Jim Ratcliffe

Founder of Ineos 

One of Britain’s richest businessmen, Jim Ratcliffe (pictured above) graduated from the LBS MBA in 1980. He mortgaged his home in 1998 to lead the buyout of BP Oil, ultimately becoming part of his multi-billion-dollar energy conglomerate, Ineos.  

His notable business ventures don’t end there either. In 2024, he acquired a 28% stake in British soccer club Manchester United for (wait for it) one-and-a-half billion


2. Sükhbaataryn Batbold

Former prime minister of Mongolia  

Sukhbaataryn Batbold began his multi-decade foray into Mongolian politics in the late 80s. In 1991, he graduated from the LBS MBA. In 2008, he was appointed as the Minister for Foreign Affairs, after which he served as the country’s prime minister from 2009 to 2012. 

His illustrious career has not been controversy free, however. In 2024, the US government called for the forfeiture of his two New York apartments—worth a total of $14 million—after it was alleged that they were purchased with money embezzled from illegal mining contracts awarded during his leadership.


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Source: This image is credited to ©SunMe from Flickr and used under this license. 


3. Hassan Jameel

Saudi billionaire and philanthropist 

After spending several years working with Toyota Motors in Japan, Saudi-born Hassan Jameel (pictured above) went on to become vice president of his family-run business Abdul Latif Jameel—one of the largest independent distributors of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the world.

However, his notoriety extends past the world of business: he’s also known for his past relationship with Bajan pop star and Fenty business founder Rihanna. The picture-perfect pair first got together in 2017 before splitting in 2020. 


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Source: This image is credited to ©Aashutoshgavane and used under this license. 


4. Kumar Birla

Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group

Kumar Birla (pictured above) was just 28 when he took over from his deceased father as chairman of the Aditya Birla Group—one of the largest business conglomerates in India. 

In 2019, Kumar launched a £15 million scholarship program at London Business School in memory of his grandfather; the largest ever-endowed scholarship gift to a European Business School.


5. Thomas Kwok

Former co chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties 

Born to the founder of Sun Hung Kai properties, one of Hong Kong’s largest and most lucrative property developers, Thomas Kwok became co-chairman of the company in 2009. Under his leadership, the company developed iconic landmarks such as the Ritz-Carlton and the Shanghai World Financial Center.

In 2014, he was sentenced to five years in jail for bribing a former chief secretary of Hong Kong, Rafael Hui. Reportedly, he spent his time behind bars working on a theology paper. 


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Source: This image is credited to ©FranchTV and used under this license. 


6. Dmytro Dubilet

Co-founder of Monobank

After graduating from the LBS MBA in 2011, Dmytro (pictured above)—along with two fellow Ukrainians—co-founded the neobank development company, Fintech Farm; the first mobile bank in Ukraine. 

In 2019, he sold his stake in the company for over $30 million.