Tamara Abusara was on a mission to grow her global mindset. With her multicultural background and a childhood spent in two different countries, she wanted a university experience where she’d feel represented and be surrounded by people with similar goals. So, like many of her peers, she came to IE Business School seeking the tools to open doors to an international career.
Years later, Tamara is excelling in her dream job, working for a multinational organization based in Dubai. Her journey is one filled with ambition, connection and purpose, reflecting how the Bachelor in Business Administration translates real-world learning into real professional growth.
Finding her way back to Madrid
Tamara was born and raised in Spain, but her profile was international even before she got to IE Business School. She grew up in Madrid before moving to Amman, Jordan, to wrap up her final five years of high school. With a Spanish-Palestinian-Syrian heritage, the move also allowed her to connect with her Arabic side, and she says she felt “a lot more well-rounded” after her time there.
But soon, it was time to embark on her undergraduate studies, and Tamara knew she wanted to return to Spain. Despite initial plans to join the medical field, she decided to pivot instead when she realized her passions lay in business, marketing and selling. A business degree became the clear choice: “I felt that it wouldn’t limit me,” she notes.
IE Business School’s Bachelor in Business Administration offered the flexible, future-proof program she was looking for. She’d have a chance to reconnect with her Spanish roots while being surrounded by a diverse, international network that would provide the global exposure she was after.
Learning real business skills from day one
As soon as Tamara entered the program, she experienced firsthand the hands-on, practical focus that the Bachelor in Business Administration thrives on.
“It wasn’t the kind of education where you learn the book, dump it in an exam and leave.” Just a few weeks in, she and her classmates were working together on group projects, solving real problems and learning how to work with people with different backgrounds, ideas and perspectives. All of this, she says, prepared her for the dynamics of a multinational office.
Tamara also credits the “amazing” support from IE Talent & Careers as being critical to her success. In fact, a careers fair she attended put her in contact with Mondelēz, a global snacks company, which led to a one-year internship after she graduated. And in her third year, she took on an internship with top tech company Amadeus in Nice, France.
The fact that she could gain some real international experience while still studying was an unmissable opportunity for Tamara.
Building a truly global career
These internships turned out to be the catalysts for Tamara’s global professional journey. Following her time with Mondelēz in Madrid, she received an offer to stay on as a full-time employee. After a short stint in consulting, she took up the job offer and moved to London, where she stayed for two years before returning to Madrid.
Overall, she spent more than six years with Mondelēz. What began as a connection at a careers fair became a critical chapter that gave her deep experience, rapid growth and long-term career development.
When the time came for her to move on, Tamara set her eyes specifically on the Middle East. A role came up at Pernod Ricard in Dubai that perfectly matched her background. Within just a few months, she’d packed up her life, ready for what was next. For many, this would have been a daunting step, but thanks to her global mindset and international background, Tamara pulled it off with complete confidence.
A network that supports you wherever you are
Another thing that helps Tamara feel at home, wherever she is, is the extensive IE Alumni network. For instance, as soon as she landed in Dubai, she was added to a WhatsApp group with other alumni in the city. Later, she started attending every IE Alumni event she heard about. Even her current boss is an alum. “It’s almost impossible to be at a big event and not bump into someone who’s either been to IE University or knows someone who has,” she says.
Tamara also emphasizes the lifelong friendships that she made throughout her studies. Years after graduation, she’s still close with her core group of friends and meets up with them whenever she can.
“There are people I would have never met if it weren’t for IE Business School, and I can’t imagine my life without them.”
From early success to long-term impact
Tamara’s story is proof that the Bachelor in Business Administration equips students with the skills, mindset and opportunities to launch a global career. Her advice to anyone thinking about taking the same path is to go for it and take advantage of every resource. That’s what she did, and now, she’s exactly where she wanted to be.
“When I was in IE Business School, I used to dream of being a marketing manager in Dubai. Literally. Now, I am.”
As for what’s next, Tamara isn’t sure. She’s very happy where she is, enjoying her life and career in Dubai. An MBA may be on the horizon, but that’s something she’s still thinking through.
Whatever decision she makes, it’s sure to be one guided by the same bold, global mindset that’s gotten her to where she is today.
