Fidelity Bank, the largest privately-owned indigenous bank, recently had the opportunity to host a team of students from Harvard Business School in Accra for one week as part of a required course called the FIELD Global Immersion.
The bank was one of 157 FIELD Global Immersion Project Partners spanning 16 cities across 16 countries. Together these Partners combined to host more than 930 Harvard Business School students in all.
“We are pleased to be working with Harvard Business School to provide students with a real-world learning experience in Accra.” said Julian Opuni, Managing Director at Fidelity Bank. “This collaboration provides a valuable platform for these students to gain practical insights into the Ghanaian market and the nuances of operating in a dynamic African economy. We believe these firsthand experiences will be far more enriching than anything they could learn from a classroom discussion alone. We’re confident that the knowledge and perspectives they gained during their time here will be invaluable as they embark on their successful careers.”
The FIELD Global Immersion is a course designed to strengthen and develop students’ ability to manage and operate effectively in a variety of business contexts. Fidelity Bank executives had been working with the team remotely in the months leading up to their arrival. While here, the students pitched their ideas to the leadership team, conducted field research with customers across several Fidelity Bank branches in Accra and presented their final recommendations to management. The purpose of this immersive experience is to provide students with the opportunity to ‘learn by doing’ through the challenge of introducing a new product, service or customer experience for their Partner company. This requires students to also focus on building contextual intelligence and team effectiveness skills while delivering value in an unfamiliar context.
Harvard recognizes the critical role of its Project Partners in facilitating this impactful learning experience. “We are extremely grateful to Fidelity Bank and all the FIELD Global Immersion Project Partners organizations for all they do on behalf of our students,” said Len Schlesinger, Baker Foundation Professor and Faculty Chair for the FIELD Global Immersion. “The students benefit immeasurably from this experience and we hope the partner organizations do as well.”
Fidelity Bank’s selection as a Harvard Business School FIELD Global Immersion Project Partner underscores the bank’s commitment to innovation and fostering future business leaders. This collaboration provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and real-world learning, benefiting both the HBS students and Fidelity Bank.
