Profiles: Murat Wahab

Murat Wahab

PMBA 14

Vice President, Commercial Banking Relationship Manager at City National Bank

A Fist Full of Success

Born in Melaka, Malaysia, Murat grew up in a family of limited means whose goal for him was to simply get decent factory work like so many of his relatives. He learned quickly to strive for his absolute best, and that education was an opportunity to change his circumstances. Murat always dreamed of furthering his education outside of Malaysia, but due to financial constraints, he opted to obtain a full-time job after high school. He overcame many hardships to obtain employment at a hotel, which started his career in hotel management.

Murat progressed through positions of increasing responsibility in food, beverage, and reservation management in Malaysia. His stellar performance in these positions earned him a scholarship from his employer. He went to college and earned a diploma in hotel and catering management in 1994.

After a successful stint as a sales manager at a hotel in Vietnam, in 2000 Murat took his talents out of Southeast Asia, and traveled to the United States with two suitcases, a fistful of cash, and a dream. After holding a few positions in hotel management in and around San Francisco, he left the industry to continue his education. He then paused to begin a successful career in banking, where he been awarded several accolades for his work in sales and business relationships.

Murat began his studies at Golden Gate University in 2010, determined to finally complete the degree that had eluded him for so long. Like many GGU undergraduate students, Murat juggled a career, life, and school obligations. His hard work got him on the dean's list, all while he remained in the top three percent of performers in his company. In 2012, Murat graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Management. In 2014, he earned his MBA.

Murat now works as a Vice President at Chase, where he manages a portfolio of small and large business clients of 2 to 30 million dollars in annual sales. He is also a co-founder of Global-RIDE (Global Research Initiatives for Developing Economies), a not-for-profit organization with a mission to foster and leverage international collaboration in the areas of research & technology development, innovation and commercialization, intellectual property development & management, knowledge transfer, and human capital development. Murat also serves as a VP of Corporate Development for LeanOn5, a meal-prepping company headquartered in San Jose, CA. Their clients include Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers, Cung Le actor/MMA champion, and the San Jose Earthquakes.

"Lifelong dreams do come true, and if I can make it, others can too. I hope my story will inspire others to achieve their dreams too. Nothing is too late in life."

-- Murat Wahab