Habiba is a Senior Economist at the Central Bank of Egypt.
Habiba ElKharbotly, MPA.
After finishing my undergraduate degree, I knew that I wanted to be involved in national policy-making. I was drawn to LSE and the MPA due its wide-ranging fields and intellectual rigor. In LSE, I realized that I was most passionate about economic public policy and its real-life applications. I also had the pleasure of befriending some of the most erudite, dedicated and civic-minded individuals during my MPA journey. In addition to the thought-provoking modules and professors, the MPA cohort was one of my main sources of education; learning from people from disparate backgrounds and cultures is an unofficial MPA module that stays with you throughout your life.
After graduation, I went back to Egypt and immediately thrust myself in government: working in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, where I was exposed to the complexities of budgets and state-wide resource allocation. Following this, I joined Egypt’s largest private bank where I worked on financial inclusion from the lens of the private sector.
This led me to my current role in the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). As a senior economist at the CBE, I am exposed to the inner workings of the economy and monetary policy. From developing the financial market in Egypt, to analyzing domestic and global trends and sentiments, to conducting research on various topics related to the international and domestic markets - my role is as interesting as it is diverse. The CBE is one of the main policy-setting institutions in Egypt, relied upon to deliver insightful and far-reaching policies designed by talented and capable policy makers. It is an environment where the knowledge and skills I gained in the MPA are being utilized on a daily basis.
The MPA was truly the inflection point in my career that illuminated both what I wanted to do and what I did not want to do. It opened my eyes to knowledge, experiences and people that made the MPA and the years that followed more fulfilling. It helped me shape my career and attune my mind towards always being critical, comprehensive and analytical; for that, this program and LSE as a whole will always hold a most precious place in my heart.
Habiba is happy to connect on LinkedIn.