Money & Me: National Bank of Abu Dhabi exec glad of MBA gift

Sedef Gunsur believes her executive MBA could prove to be the best investment she has made.

Sedef Gunsur, an executive director at National Bank of Abu Dhabi, says that her aversion to risk has sometimes led her to miss out on financial opportunities. Christopher Pike / The National
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Sedef Gunsur works in debt capital markets at National Bank of Abu Dhabi. She grew up in Istanbul, Turkey, but studied for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the United States. She has worked in various countries including the US, the UK, Mexico and Turkey, but has spent the past three years in the UAE. There she also gained a global executive MBA from Insead last year.

Describe your financial journey so far.

From early on, being financially independent has been a major goal in my life. I live within my means, even if it is sometimes difficult, particularly with the luxury lifestyle in the UAE.

Are you a spender or saver?

Decisions between spending and saving are a constant challenge for me. While I like to seize the moment and splurge without thinking too much about the future, I also like the sense of financial security. I spend more than I save unfortunately, but I also impose financial discipline on myself by having a mortgage and direct saving plan.

What is your philosophy towards money?

For me, money is the means to my ends. It has never been the main focus of my life, or a drive by itself. I need it to support the lifestyle I enjoy, but I went through different financial cycles in my life to know that you can lose all your money overnight – you can only rely on your skill set, your memories and your friends and family. For me, the best things in life are still free.

Have you made any financial mistakes along the way?

Being more risk-averse comes sometimes with missing out on opportunities. I would not necessarily call them mistakes, but when I look back, I could have bought real estate much earlier in my life instead of paying rent.

If you won Dh1 million, what would you do with it?

I would probably retire some portion of my mortgage.

What has been your best investment?

An executive MBA at Insead is the most expensive gift I have given myself but, at the same time, the best investment so far. It was a life-changing journey enabling me to gain completely new perspective, amazing new friends and a very enriching experience overall. Of course, the return on this investment remains to be seen as in any long-term investment, but I’m a true believer in lifelong learning and investing in oneself.

Do you plan for the future?

While not thinking all the time about retirement, I do plan for the future. I recently bought an apartment and would like to buy a second flat to rent in the next few years.

What do you enjoy spending money on?

On holidays. Buying new memories is priceless.

mfahy@thenational.ae

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