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FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: |
The MFE experience by Jackson Gan I graduated with my Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s degree from NUS, and worked in Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry for approximately 4 years. I decided to further my study after leaving the school for 4 long years, with the main motivations were for career switching and further development. Particularly I was looking at finance industry. I spent significant amount of brain juice deciding between MBA and MSc Financial Engineering (MFE) programmes from local universities (NTU, NUS, SMU). With my technical engineering background and my affinity for Mathematics, MFE appeared to be a better match. The roadshows and exhibitions were definitely very useful in my view in giving out information about the programmes. Why NBS? To be honest at the start, I had little to no knowledge and zero comparison between the various local Biz schools. However, I attended multiple roadshows and exhibitions during the decision making process. That was when I gain more information about NBS. The programme staffs and professors were helpful in giving the right advice, i.e. if you have better opportunities on hand, they would point you to those directions instead of hard selling the programme. The pre-programme prep course was another attractive point that is useful for people that have left school for some time. The highlight of my experience throughout the programme was the rapport and learning opportunities with programme managers, professors and the friendships with a group of awesome individuals. I may have been awarded the “Best MFE Student” that year, but truly I think that award should be changed to “Best MFE Group”, and honour my study and project group. We have programming king, excel queen, meticulous prince, where we leverage each other’s strengths to overcome obstacles after obstacles. The experience in CMU was another awesome adventure that I believe every one of us cherishes. The experience with career is simple – I got my internship and full time job using the resume designed and reviewed by NBS career office. Takeaway – school is temporary, learning is never ending. NBS and MFE in particular, has the professors that continue to discuss, share and teach the alumni, 1 year, 2 years or 5 years after you graduated. For all my juniors, you should be excited when the professors keep telling you the programme is difficult. That shows both the quality of the programme, and your quality the moment you are admitted. For more info, visit https://www.beyondamasters.com/programme-msc-fe.aspx to learn more about our programme! |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Hult Prize Regional |
Article contributed by Jaime Zulueta Our journey to the Hult Regional Finals began in Singapore in December 2017, at the local qualification round. Out of numerous business entries in Nanyang Technological University, only ten were chosen to present. Luckily, Team PH was among them. We decided to present a business model specifically for the Philippines where we identified an underserved market in resettlement communities. Resettlement housing is socialized housing provided to the landless and those devastated by natural and man-made calamities. The problem with resettlement communities was that there are limited income opportunities in these areas. We believed that Vertical Bottle Farming was a solution to this problem. To our surprise, this idea made first runner up in the local round. We were quite happy as our business pitch was not reliant on technology compared to many of the presented ideas. Initially, Team PH thought this was the end of the Hult journey as we assumed only the first place team would go on to the next round. To our amazement, we received an email in January 2018 notifying us of our selection to go to Melbourne in March 2018. As we only had two weeks to confirm, we immediately contacted the Nanyang Business School for financial support. Once we confirmed this, we booked our tickets and sent our confirmation to the Hult Prize Committee. February was very busy as this was the end of the 2nd semester at NTU. Many of us had internships, exams, and school requirements. However, we found time to work on our business pitch. We contacted Ruo Mei Chua, one of the judges who had shown interest in our group during the local round. She provided us with valuable insights which we gladly took into our presentation. On the eve of the competition in March, we boarded a nearly 8-hour overnight flight from Changi to Tullamarine. We arrived in Melbourne at 6am, had a quick breakfast at Hungry Jack’s (the Australian Burger King) and immediately headed to the city to begin working on our presentation. The first day of the competition was filled with talks from previous finalists and participants of the Hult Prize. They shared their experiences during and after their time at the Hult competition. In addition, we had the chance to listen to various entrepreneurs. The second and last day of Hult was reserved for the various pitches. We were picked to go first which we thought went quite well. Sadly, we did not make it to the next pitch round which included the top 6 pitches. From the 6, one was chosen to go to the incubation stage in July 2018. The winner was a team from North America. They presented a business idea of farming algae to be used in cow feeds which would potentially reduce the methane produced by the cows. Overall, the competition was a great venue to experience a new city, meet various students from around the world, and listen and share great business ideas. The learning experience cannot be matched compared to attending and sitting in classes. We were able to apply lessons from Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship. This event added to the beauty and learning of the MBA program. All this would not have been possible without the Hult Prize Committee, and support from Nanyang Business School. As such, a big thank you goes out to these two. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Finalists of InnovateChina 2018 |
Written by Noel Lavarias. One shouldn’t be saying this, but I honestly still don’t know how and why my group got in the finals of InnovateChina 2018 organized by China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). With the number of contests that our group submitted entries to, this contest might be the least that we expected would be successful. Yet looking back at the experience, luck might had played a factor for us to get in, but I’m truly proud to say that we didn’t waste the opportunity given to us. The story of our experience started one January evening in the discussion hall of Graduate Hall two. The group started out literally without any idea to submit to the contest. Like any other group trying to create a new business idea, we started by saying logical and safe ideas which we eventually would just shut down due to feasibility or the idea already exist. What started out as a brain storming of conservative ideas, we eventually started thinking of crazy ideas such as “tinder” like app but for sports. I believe this no holds bar brain storming led our group to think of an app powered by Artificial Intelligence for Chinese kids to learn English. This app would eventually be our entry to the contest. Creating an idea was just the beginning as we had to create a 10-slides PowerPoint presentation as our entry to the contest. With the deadline of our requirements for classes also fell at the same week as the contest’s deadline, we did a last minute deck creation. As we were about to submit our entry, we faced technical problems in uploading our deck which by this time it was already 11:58pm with the deadline at 12mn. Within two minutes, we at least tried uploading six times using two different laptops. Fortunately, by 11:59pm and 55 seconds (not the exact seconds but it felt like it was) one of our tries got in. However, just to be sure our entry was uploaded, we sent an email to the organizers beyond the deadline containing our deck. Actually after submitting our deck, we thought that there was very little chance for our group to get in. However, lo and behold, one February evening we received an email from the organizers that our entry was chosen for the finals. So much excitement rushed through each member’s system when we received the news. We recognized that it was a gift to be chosen which was why for the next three weeks we really dedicated our time to improve our business plan. We consulted various professors in NTU which included Dr. Douglas Rolph and Professor Yonggang Wen. At the end, what started out as just an app, we managed to modify our business plan into an AI English Learning Buddy for kids named Språk. We arrived Shanghai on the 23rd of March for a dry-run and to get a chance to see the venue before the contest the next day. During the dry-run, a draw-lot was held for the order of presentations. Our group drew number six which would be the last group to present. This also meant that we won’t get a chance to see other groups present as the rule of the competition prohibited us. Come the contest day, the event was nothing but spectacular. Not only did the organizers created the event for the groups presenting, but they made it as an innovation conference with talks and product showcases. Of course, the main event for the day were the presentations. According to the organizers, the attendees for the event reached almost 800 which was quite a feat. On behalf of my group, the experience of being able to pitch a business idea and plan in front of Chinese Business Figures something we were really proud of. After our presentation, people came to us inquiring about our business, and told us that they think we were one of the top groups of the contest. However, we weren’t able to bag any prize, but we didn’t have any regrets because we know that we did our best. The group didn’t feel that we had a bad business plan, but just like any other business plan competitions, others just had ideas which the judges liked more. As I said earlier, it was luck that got my group tickets to the finals of InnovateChina 2018. However, that luck was more of a gift because we got to experience such an amazing competition. With China growing economically, the contest was a good avenue for aspiring business leaders like us to get to feel how it is to pitch in front of Chinese business figures. We got a chance to experience how they acquire about business plans and what values they are looking for. The prize of the contest was just a bonus to be honest as the real award was the experience itself. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Building next wave of women leaders through top MBA programmes |
In recent years, women have been breaking bounds in various lines of busine. The modern businesswoman is relentlessly pursuing excellence in her work through dedication to a valuable education that paves the way to a successful career. Nanyang Business School has for years been a building stone in the careers of many successful corporate women in Asia. The institution has managed to contribute to the growing number of women leaders in Asia who are powerfully leading and changing Asia’s and the world’s economies. In this piece, we look into three women who shaped their careers based on the MBA programmes in Asia they took with NBS. Women & the MBAs Jiang Wei Wei, who held a Master’s degree in electrical engineering was looking for an institution with the best MBA programmes in Asia. When deliberating between various business schools in Asia, many factors came into consideration – Rankings, curriculum, cost, exposure, campus environment. She ultimately set upon on NBS for its globally ranked MBA programmes and robust curriculum, which would develop her corporate finance management skills and help her advance in her career. She completed her MBA in Finance at NBS in 2009 where her learning curve was accelerated through the business knowledge she acquired from the course. She also gained a competitive advantage over her peers who are not MBA holders and that contributed to her promotion to Senior Director at Air Liquide after serving as the company’s general manager of home health care in China since 2013. She credits NBS’s case method of teaching, in which students position themselves in a decision-maker’s shoes at a critical juncture of an organisation’s history, for challenging and honing her core competencies and skillsets. Junko Kimura became Southeast Asia’s Senior IT Director and Business Technology Leader at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) after pursuing an MBA to improve her business management skills. She decided to study one of the top MBA programmes at NBS, the Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA). This course intertwines global principles of business. The 14-month programme boosted her senior executive leadership skills which she constantly uses at work. The programme was also time-effective. And while discussing on the transition of a woman’s role in the perceptibly conservative Asian societies and MBAs – We have Colonel Jerica Goh, who is Singapore’s highest-ranking female naval officer and also the commanding officer of the navy’s most advanced warship, RSS Supreme. Col Goh graduated from the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme in 2011. This programme was unquestionably her first choice for its intense yet well-crafted curriculum, which incorporated Residential Learning in top business schools in US, case method learning through Overseas Business Study Missions and a series of closed-door dialogues with top academics, business and government leaders. The diverse backgrounds of the participants in her cohort bolstered up her learning experience in the MBA journey. She shared that she was involved in many case studies where participants brought their different perspectives to the discussion – especially cultural differences. This highlights the importance of having a learning culture that promotes connection, discussion and integration of unique information, which is one of the key priorities of MBA programmes in NBS. NBS Ranked Top 10 MBA Programmes for Women by Financial Times Gone are the days where women consistently under-valued their own abilities and potential, and were absolutely more likely to doubt themselves in the admissions process to business schools. This is why finding a business school that offers a strong support community and nurturing mentorship are equally as important as MBA rankings. At NBS, we firmly believe that all forms of diversity are essential to creating a successful learning environment and women most definitely provide a different perspective and experience. The rich diversity and inclusive culture support the co-creation of knowledge and co-creation of ideas, driving greater success. If you’re thinking about applying to one of the top MBA Programmes in Asia, we welcome you to visit the NBS campus or join us at our events to reach out to women alumni network who have pursued an MBA. Find out more about Nanyang MBA Fellows Programme hereor download the Programme Brochure here. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Berkeley Tour by the Fellows |
Article written by Theodore Loy Tom. As a native San Franciscan who was born and raised in the Bay Area it was my pleasure to host my cohort for a day in Berkeley. It was a fun packed day that showcased the best of Northern California – amazing food and delicious locally made wines. We first started off the day by going to the Farmer’s Market at Lake Merritt. This is a very popular event to go to on a Saturday morning, with people from all different walks of life coming together to enjoy live music, purchase produce directly from farmers, and enjoy food at different food trucks. While looking out to the lake we enjoyed Spanish roasted chicken and potatoes, Himalayan Momo dumplings and freshly brewed coffee. Some say that you can travel the world through your stomach by living in the Bay Area, I would say that is quite apt. After enjoying a great lunch at the Farmer’s Market we then headed to Donkey and Goat Winery. Located right in Berkeley they are a husband and wife owned Winery that focuses on natural wines – where no sulfites or preservatives are added to the process of developing the flavors in a wine. We first started off with a quick lesson on wine tasting and theory by the staff, for some it was their first wine tasting and they absolutely loved learning how to experience wine through smell, sight and taste. We then enjoyed the rest of the afternoon by trying different wines while playing bocce ball and the Fellow’s favorite game – Jenga! Typical for a Bay Area afternoon there was some light rain but it didn’t stop us from having a great time together. Great wine, fun activities and an amazing cohort, just another day in the life of the Nanyang Fellows. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Mahindra War Room Season 10 |
Article contributed by Ambrose Tey “The best lessons are learnt outside the lecture hall” – this is what I believe in. The value in an MBA is truly found when you synthesize all the classroom learnings to compete with the brightest minds on a global stage. Mahindra War Room was the very first competition in our MBA journey. Needless to say, I was rather enthusiastic about it even though the first round coincides with our Trimester 1 examinations. The competition is organized by Mahindra Group from India, involving live business cases to be solved by MBA students from top business schools. Preparations for the qualifying round in Singapore was an exhausting yet rewarding experience. My team (Jamie, Roman, Pravin and I) was having late night meetings, while studying for the examinations. The live business case we have chosen was tough, requiring crazy amount of research. Fortunately, we have Jamie, who was a thoroughbred specialist in research and finance, to back us up. And so, we battle on! The first round of competition was held in Nanyang Business School, we were honored to have several top executives from Mahindra Group as our judges. Their presence was both encouraging and daunting at the same time; knowing that we are tackling a real problem faced by the company. I have to say that we were all excited and nervous, given the amount of hard work we had put in. During our presentation, I thought we were doing pretty well (seeing the constant nods of approval from the judges) until Roman took the stage. No, he did not disappoint us. Instead, he took the level of competition over the top as he dazzles everyone present in the hall. When he was done, I knew in my heart that the battle was won. And indeed, we did! The stage was set, and we flew to Mumbai 3 weeks later for the grand finale. Pravin and I were in Shanghai for our Business Study Mission, and flew via Singapore to Mumbai. It was nearly midnight when we arrived, and that was when disaster struck! Now, I have flown gazillion times and had never met any major misfortunes other than short delays. We were knackered and just wanted to get sufficient sleep for the competition in the morning. However, my luggage was nowhere to be seen at the belt carousel. Apparently, it was still sitting joyously in Singapore, waiting for the next flight out. I will have nothing to put on for the presentation, besides my suit jacket and pants. Now imagine having to wear your teammate’s oversized shirt, ridiculously-colored tie and moist shoes for a presentation you had spent weeks working on. It may not have been very pleasant, but it was definitely a rare experience nonetheless. On the bright side, I consider myself lucky that Pravin had spares for everything. I am forever grateful. Back to business. Let me start off by saying that the most valuable element in any competition is the networking opportunity. Not only did we get to exchange ideas with top executives and acclaimed professors, but we also learned from other brilliant MBA students from all over the world. The second most valuable element is the experience that adds to individual growth factor. Put it this way, every team has put immense effort to solve every live business problem – and we get to see all of it in one day. You will never grow as fast or as much in any other way. In that regard, we all came away as winners even though we were not victorious in the grand finale. Personally, I am both deeply humbled and honoured to have represented Nanyang Business School in the global arena. I strongly encourage all prospective students to embrace competitions such as this to enrich your Nanyang MBA experience. On behalf of my team, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organizers and Professor Vijay Sethi for the encouragements they have given throughout the entire time. Special thanks to Ms. Rachel Ng and Ms. Ong Ming Hui for working tirelessly behind the scenes to support us. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: “Why i chose the Nanyang MBA” – an American perspective. |
Article by Yunah Chung, Class of 2019. “So, why here? Why Nanyang?” I received some variation of these questions quite frequently during orientation week, and I wasn’t the least bit surprised by my classmates’ curiosity, nor did I mind answering. I’d be curious, too. How did an American like myself, born and raised in the U.S. with a background in film and television, end up in the city-state of Singapore—a place I had hitherto never visited!—to receive my MBA (of all things!) at a “little” school called Nanyang Technological University? The answer is quite simple, actually. I’ve always been a seeker of change, and after living my entire life in the U.S., I was ready for just that. Change. A change of place, pace, and people. I also wanted to return to an academic setting and have my knowledge tested, engage with peers and professors from all walks of life, and balance my creativity with analysis. In this ever-changing world that’s rapidly becoming more globalized, it made a lot of sense for me to step out of the comforts of my home and dive into a truly international experience at a university in Asia which understands to its core that there’s strength in diversity. I’m still amazed by the fact that my cohort consists of 25 different nationalities; the perspectives that each distinct individual contributes make for a rich and nuanced learning environment. Another significant factor in choosing NTU was the exposure to two countries and subsequently, two different reputable universities. As an NTU-Waseda University dual degree candidate, I’m given the chance to study in Singapore for the first two trimesters and spend my final trimester in Japan. Every Asian country has its own unique corporate structure and culture, and I jumped at the opportunity to discover them while living and breathing in Singapore and Japan, respectively. I knew an MBA can be instrumental for career progression, but I wasn’t readily aware that the degree can also act as a catalyst of personal growth as well. I can sense the scope and breadth of my business knowledge steadily expanding through challenging courses and assignments, but I’m also able to perceive an increase in my self-awareness and empathy through each and every interaction that takes place in and out of the classroom. Most successful leaders have a combination of business knowledge and emotional intelligence, and I’m heartened that I’m developing in both regards by virtue of studying business at NTU. This American is 9,521 miles (or 15,323 kilometers) away from home, but if there’s any truth to the notion that home is not a place, but a feeling, my feelings are brimming here in Singapore. For more info about the Nanyang MBA, please visit our programme page. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Beyond just getting oriented |
Article contributed by Prerna Sangal, MBA Class of 2019 The excitement of joining a business school you have worked so hard getting into is unparalleled. You enter the gates with a lot of mixed emotions and a whole lot of nerves. For me it meant, leaving the life I had known and been used to for 27 years behind and entering what I had been itching to call ‘a new phase of my life’. But usually the first few days in a new phase can be unsettling. Entering unfamiliar territory, worrying about how people perceive you, is everyone too competitive, you are stormed by a million questions. I was. And then the orientation week began. I remember the day of 12 July, 2018 where I entered a room full of strangers belonging to 25 nationalities. We walked to each other a little nervous but with a smile on our faces, greeting and meeting. I was overcome by a feeling of reassurance as I knew this is what I was here for. Exposed to people from varied cultures in one of Asia’s best business schools, hell yeah! What followed was an adventurous roller coaster of a week, quite literally because we were taken to Sentosa and made to do adventurous activities as part of the team building process. So now we were rowing boats, braving sea waves and walking together 80m above ground on a thin rope with people we met a day before. To say all of us bonded a little more that day, will obviously be an understatement. Rarely have I been excited about coursework but when we were told what lay ahead of us for this year and how I had the flexibility of choosing what I want to study or where I want to go as part of a ‘Business Study Mission’, feeling excited was involuntary. Just the wealth of resources that would be available to me in terms of market insight, global news and industry connections got me excited. No, I am not a nerd. Just an enthusiastic business student! But when there is work you need a little play. My favourite was the informal dinners that followed. We had the opportunity to network with our cohort as well as our professors. We even had an industry session in this week where we were provided multiple options and could choose our industry of choice. Meeting alumni or executives from Apple, Coca Cola, Adidas amongst many others reminded us what we are here for and helped in developing and maintaining our ambition. Let me remind you, this is just the orientation week. This was an exciting start to my Nanyang Journey and it has just been an uphill from there. For more info about the Nanyang MBA programme, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: “When you have nothing to lose.” |
Article contributed by Liao Minghao, MBA Class of 2019. On the evening of 6 Sep 18, a group of close to 20 Nanyang MBA and Nanyang Fellows students had the opportunity to hear the sharing of Nemesh Singh, Founder of Appointy.com, a bootstrapping startup based in Bhopal, India in ESR-10. The event was organized by the Entrepreneurship group comprising members from both MBA programs. The speaker started off by sharing his journey on how he ended up going into entrepreneurship. Ironically, he shared that unlike MBA graduates who often have good jobs to look forward to, he had “nothing to lose” when he graduated from college and could therefore take the plunge to be an entrepreneur. Instead of having a well thought of business plan like all good MBA students, he shared his experiences where a series of chance events brought his startup to where it is today. Some of the interesting concepts we learnt in the classroom came to mind as he shared the experience of how his company grew over the years. Experiences like how the company adjusted its product as they learnt the needs of the customers and how they moved from a free service to a subscription model and eventually a provider of customized solutions for multinational companies were all useful case study for the group of MBA and Nanyang Fellow students present. Besides the business aspect, Nemesh also shared his team building experience and how he managed to hire and more importantly retain talent by operating from a second tier city Bhopal in India. He spoke of his realization after years of hiring that it is better to hire the correct person who knows how to think rather than the person who possessed the skills required. He shared that skills can often be picked up rapidly by the person hired based on his ability to think and these people are often successful once they picked up the necessary skills. Finally, Nemesh also shared on the importance of solving the correct problem. He opined that the difficulty was not solving the problem but solving the correct problem. He shared his experiences in resolving some of the challenges that Appointy.com faced over the years such as hiring talent and building culture to illustrate his point that identifying the right problem to solve is critical and sufficient time and effort should be spent identifying the root problem as it is the key to success. Overall, it was an extremely enriching experience for those present to hear the rich experiences of an entrepreneur who walked a different path. For more info about the Nanyang MBA programme, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: When you have nothing to lose |
Article contributed by Liao Minghao, MBA Class of 2019. On the evening of 6 Sep 18, a group of close to 20 Nanyang MBA and Nanyang Fellows students had the opportunity to hear the sharing of Nemesh Singh, Founder of Appointy.com, a bootstrapping startup based in Bhopal, India in ESR-10. The event was organized by the Entrepreneurship group comprising members from both MBA programs. The speaker started off by sharing his journey on how he ended up going into entrepreneurship. Ironically, he shared that unlike MBA graduates who often have good jobs to look forward to, he had “nothing to lose” when he graduated from college and could therefore take the plunge to be an entrepreneur. Instead of having a well thought of business plan like all good MBA students, he shared his experiences where a series of chance events brought his startup to where it is today. Some of the interesting concepts we learnt in the classroom came to mind as he shared the experience of how his company grew over the years. Experiences like how the company adjusted its product as they learnt the needs of the customers and how they moved from a free service to a subscription model and eventually a provider of customized solutions for multinational companies were all useful case study for the group of MBA and Nanyang Fellow students present. Besides the business aspect, Nemesh also shared his team building experience and how he managed to hire and more importantly retain talent by operating from a second tier city Bhopal in India. He spoke of his realization after years of hiring that it is better to hire the correct person who knows how to think rather than the person who possessed the skills required. He shared that skills can often be picked up rapidly by the person hired based on his ability to think and these people are often successful once they picked up the necessary skills. Finally, Nemesh also shared on the importance of solving the correct problem. He opined that the difficulty was not solving the problem but solving the correct problem. He shared his experiences in resolving some of the challenges that Appointy.com faced over the years such as hiring talent and building culture to illustrate his point that identifying the right problem to solve is critical and sufficient time and effort should be spent identifying the root problem as it is the key to success. Overall, it was an extremely enriching experience for those present to hear the rich experiences of an entrepreneur who walked a different path. For more info about the Nanyang MBA programme, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: MBA Poker Night |
Article contributed by Bharath Ganapathy, Class of 2019. After a month-long battle against assignment submissions, class presentations and mid-term exam, everyone was itching to let loose. And the sports club decided to light the spark. Poker Night was announced on Monday, confirmed on Thursday and hosted on Friday Night. The response – phenomenal. Thanks to the Liquor Appreciation Club for lending their talents, and their club members, to make it a special event. 14 members decided that they wanted to play poker. No stakes, no money, no gambling. Just fun. At 8.30 pm, the players assembled, the chips were distributed, and the games began. 2 tables, 7 members per table and a fresh deck of cards. We were ready. I started dealing the cards, and soon enough we were hearing aah’s and ooh’s at every flop, every bet. There were onlookers marvelling at the skill of my dealing (not really!!) and the unique styles of betting at the table. People threw their arms up in frustration as the River gave their entire loot to another body at the table. And the winner was grinning like a cat. From meagre winnings to pre-flop all-in bets, we saw it all on both tables. We reached a stage where we had 3 winners from each table and then the final showdown began. This was no joke. The guys were serious. They had a reputation to build. The winner would be the poker king, at least until the next night of frivolous (no money) gambling. The stacks of chips dwindled and vanished for a few, while others didn’t find space to hold their treasure. One by one, guys walked off in dejection when they lost their last bet, but happy that they had given it their best shot. A smile and a word of thanks to the dealer (for organizing the event) and a handshake to the guy who cleaned him out. Finally it came down to 2 guys (Omar and Harry (proxy for Vincent – whole other story)) and after a few tense moments at 1 am, we finally had a winner. Omar rejoiced at his Flush, Harry threw his cards down (Three of a kind) and we crowned our first King, um.. well Sheik, whatever. Hope there are many more to come!! For more info about the Nanyang MBA programme, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Marketing and Sales Club: Our very first event |
Article contributed by Maitrayee Pathak We kick started our club with our very first event on 1st oct 2018. It was an industry talk by one of the most loved and renowned FMCG companies of the world; Procter & Gamble. The guest speakers were Mr Chinmay Shenoy and Candice Chung who are brand managers of Pampers (Baby Diapers) & Whisper (Women Sanitary care). The agenda of this presentation was to give our audience an understanding of market research in the consumer goods domain and how do companies use research data to make significant strategic decisions. The discussion started off with the speaker (Chinmay) taking us through his journey on working with Nielsen (Market research company). He gave us very insightful information on different market research techniques and how they are leveraged across industries and clients. He then moved on to talk about how his role translated from a researcher to a brand manager at P&G. The conversation was then around how research methods are adopted by the team of Pampers to improve footprint, brand equity and consumer base. The speaker cited multiple examples of different types of strategies adopted by the brand across Asia Pacific. He shed some light on how the behaviour of a new mother various across different regions in APAC. We also learnt how the brand team devices their communication based on consumer insights and market dynamics. Candice went on to speak about the internal dynamics of the company and interdependency among various teams such as Marketing, Sales, R&D and finance. This reflected well on the company’s culture and ways of working. This talk was not a monologue but spurred highly engaging discussions among the class. After the insightful presentation, we had a mini networking session with the speakers during which some participants expressed their thoughts and interests about P&G and the FMCG industry. This session was indeed a big opener for the club with around 30 participants from the Full Time MBA and Fellows MBA programmes. The feedback from the crowd was utterly positive and the group was very impressed with the guest speakers. We ended the event with some delicious pizza. We are extremely thrilled with how our first event turned out and we promise to raise the bar with each event that we do. A huge shout out to the cohort, business clubs and Exco members for all your support. Looking forward to organizing more fun filled and insightful events for the club. Till then, signing off: Maitrayee & Jeffrey |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Never too young to dream big! |
What was it like to experience -20 degrees at the Antarctica? Or hurricane-like wind? NBS alumna Sona Jain tells us about her recent expedition to the Antarctica, and how the trip has heightened her awareness of climate change. To learn more about the Nanyang MBA programme, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: First event of the Operations and Supply Chain Management Club |
Article contributed by Esha Agarwal, Class of 2019 After continuous back and forth, rescheduling, and a chance of our event almost getting cancelled we finally organized our first event – a expert speaker series, on 10th October 8-10am. We had three experienced professionals for the event and they were Jonathan Vowels – Operations Director Singapore at British American Tobacco, Naman Gupta – Business Operations and Consulting at GRAB food SEA, and Hussein Sulaiman – Head of Operations Singapore at Zilingo. Given this was our very first event, we wanted people to hear directly from professionals in this field, unrestricted by Industry. Thus, we chose speakers that represented both traditional business as well as the more online upcoming sectors. The event started with each speaker introducing themselves after which they were open for all questions by the cohort. We decided that this was the best format for our first event since the cohort would ask the questions relevant to them and take away the most from the event. Various interesting questions and topics were discussed such as the threat for traditional players with everything shifting online, the importance and use of data collected across the industries, difference in operations between big and small players, etc. By 9:30am the formal event ended, after which there was a networking session with the speakers over breakfast. The event came to a close at 10am. We are thrilled with how our first event turned out and look to raise the bar with following events. A huge shout out to everyone who made the event possible. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Spartan Race |
Article contributed by Andrea Mariani, Class of 2019 The participation in the spartan race promotes the health and work-life balance awareness among the NBS candidates and beyond. The Spartan Race is a great occasion to test our limit and to strengthen our determination in today’s high paced world. The Fitness and Wellness club members by participating in these activities want to make sure that our body and mind are synchronized in order to maximize our performance, minimize the use of medicines and ultimately live longer. The “Fitness & Wellness” club has already a Facebook page frame and a https://gmatclub.com/chat group where the members can interact and exchange opinions and advice about the competitions and training sessions. The Spartan Race participation is the proof that the NBS students can achieve great results under pressure and bring an entire team to success. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: MBA Halloween Party |
Article contributed by Yunah Chung On October 30, 2018, Halloween fun and mischief were had! We were all in high spirits thanks to a much-needed recess following a jam-packed Trimester 1. The MBA Lounge was decorated to the nines with pumpkins, cats, bats, and witches, and many of us arrived in our Halloween best. The most adorable Mario (Tiffany) won ‘Best Costume’ by a landslide, and a sweet, “despicable” minion (Maitrayee) came closest for guessing the number of M&Ms in the jar! Naturally, there was candy, chips, and pizza galore, but nothing beat marveling at all the cute, creepy, bloody, and puzzling costumes. Although Stitch and Rainbow Unicorn were baking in their fleece onesies, a little perspiration for a spooky celebration was definitely worth the while. Check out the madness below! |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: University of Munster Case Challenge 2018 |
Checked in a Bag Full of Autumn Leaves, Cobblestone, Schnitzel, and an Experience we’ll always remember. 21 hours, 5 days, and jetlag. After 6 weeks of intense selection and preparation for the case competition, we finally made it. The University of Münster Case Challenge (UMCC) is a young competition that started in 2017 and this year, it was Nanyang Business School’s first time to compete. Nanyang MBA 2019 UMCC Representatives (L to R): Atsushi Takahashi, Neil Rojas, Daniel Pieter & Vishu Gupta. There were 12 schools in total, each vying for the honor of winning the title. Schools came from all over Europe, Asia, Canada, and South America. The competitive spirits were definitely brewing as the different teams sat across and beside one another during the opening night. The competition went on for 3 rounds (1 case per round) where teams were grouped into divisions. The first two 3-hour cases were worth 75 points each with the last 4-hour case valued at 100 points for a total of 250 points for the entire competition. These points were distributed across the teams in each division. After the 3 cases, the points are tabulated and the team in each division with the most points will battle it out against the winners of the other divisions by presenting their 4-hour case to an auditorium filled with all the participants and organizers. “The Schloss” is the symbol of the university and was built between 1767 and 1787. The case preparations and presentations were held in this castle. Sadly, we didn’t come out of our division as the winner. We faced off against tough teams including the past year’s champions: American University of Beirut, whose coach shared meals with us and engaged us with stories of previous battles against Nanyang Business School in other competitions. Lastly, our stay wouldn’t be as incredible if it hadn’t been for the generosity, attention to detail, and genuine care of our hosts: University of Münster Case Club. Our ambassador, Mr. Nils Reckmann, gladly toured us behind the castle and around the city. The organizing team all made sure that we were comfortable throughout our stay and we will always be grateful for their efforts. Special Thanks to the following: Professor Vijay Sethi who equipped us with the rudiments of case preparation. Our coaches, Akshay Regulagedda, Jonah Wong, and Lokesh Gupta, who invested a lot of their personal time to train us and elevate us to competitive levels. The MBA office: Weilun, Ming Hui, and Rachel who supported us and provided us with everything we needed for the competition from coordination, to documentation, and preparation of case study materials. To the team that will succeed us in UMCC: The competition is tough but given enough preparation and hearts in the game, Nanyang Business School can certainly bring home the trophy next season. Also, never forget to enjoy and have fun with your teammates. This one-year MBA journey is short. Bond and share memories as much as you can and we assure you: you will have one of the most unforgettable experiences of your lives. Germany in Autumn is a sight to behold. And be sure to enjoy yourselves with beer in between cases… you’ll need it! Westphalian cuisine and German Beer at Kruse-Baimken. For more info about the Nanyang MBA programme, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: Pioneer Cohort Series: (1) Experience by Daniel Tay |
Daniel Tay Head, Industry Development Group Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) PMBA Class of 2019 Q: Tell us a little more about what you do. A: I work at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, otherwise known as A*STAR – I’ve been here for 9 years, of which, I spent the first four years doing a PhD which was an A*STAR and NUS joint programme. Post PhD, I worked in a research scientist role for two years before moving on to an industry and business development role. Day to day, I engage companies, both large multinationals as well as local SMEs and strike strategic partnership deals to advance science and develop innovative technology, with the mission to further economic growth and improve lives. Q: There’s been a shift in what you’ve been doing from lab-based to front-line? A: Yes. At the third or fourth year of my PhD, I realised that I didn’t really want a research or lab-based career. I was inclined to the business side of science. Leveraging on my technical expertise and interest in business, I joined the industry development group in A*STAR. Q: Why did you choose to pursue your MBA with NTU? A: The reason is pretty clear. NTU was the only local university to offer a weekend MBA programme. Q: So that it doesn’t affect your work? A: It’s not only work, but also family. I have two very young children, and it was important to spend lots of time with them. With the MBA class running every fortnight, I could afford time every alternate weekend to spend time with my kids. Q: You have two young kids, and you’re also juggling work and the PMBA at the same time. Is it difficult to balance everything? A: After a while, you’ll learn to prioritise and become “smarter” and more effective at work. It’s not a problem juggling family and studies – it’s difficult but not impossible. Attending classes on alternate weekends is really manageable, and we get school breaks in June and December. Q: What motivated you to take up the PMBA? A: In the first year of my role in industry and business development, I felt that I needed to acquire some business tools to help me understand the business deals better. This really spurred me to take up the programme. Although I could have self-studied through other ways, I’m not very disciplined. Hence, I need to be in a programme to be “disciplined” to do the learning. Q: How has the PMBA helped you in your career so far? A: A lot of the skills I’ve picked up from the PMBA are very applicable to my work, especially when you are looking at justifying million-dollar investments for an economic outcomes. There are a lot of analytics and accounting that help me understand the business side of things. In every investment, there is a qualitative aspect, but the MBA taught me how to look at the quantitative aspects. I think I can apply what I have learnt and contribute to A*STAR in this area. Q: How do you see yourself in the next 10 to 20 years? A: My kids are going to school next year, so I’ll want to spend more time with my family, helping my kids with their school work and cultivating in them the values in life. Career-wise, I aim to climb up the corporate ladder. But it takes time and you need to accumulate experience to lead organisations effectively. Q: What are your core values in life then? A: Integrity is very important to me. In work, I ensure that I am accountable and can stand up for my own action, not only to myself, by to my bosses, peers and subordinates. Q: You mentioned your previous role in A*STAR was a scientist. How have your perspectives changed now that you have moved to an industry/business development role? A: I used to function with more of a “microscopic” sense of thinking and did not see the value of things we create in the laboratory in a way that I should be. Now I realise that it translates to something bigger. Every single project done in the lab has a purpose in building a particular capability in A*STAR, which translates to building a programme within the organization. This further relates to building a portion of the value chain of an industry. The real contribution is a lot bigger than what most think it is. I think I became less individualistic and can really see how collective efforts and good coordination are required to achieve the end result. Q: What would be your “end goal”? A: I see myself growing my career in the public sector. I hope to help Singapore become an even stronger nation so as to make it an even better place for our family and our future. Q: What would you like to say to prospective students who might be considering the PMBA? A: I think there are many working professionals out there with families and young children who think that they can’t do an MBA because they don’t have the time for it. I was one of them. But having gone through the programme I found that it’s really manageable, and it is definitely possible to balance work, study and family all together. If you ask me, I would do it again. For more info about the Nanyang Professional MBA, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: PMBA Pioneer Cohort Series: (1) Experience by Daniel Tay |
Daniel Tay. Head, Industry Development Group Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) PMBA Class of 2019 Q: Tell us a little more about what you do. A: I work at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, otherwise known as A*STAR – I’ve been here for 9 years, of which, I spent the first four years doing a PhD which was an A*STAR and NUS joint programme. Post PhD, I worked in a research scientist role for two years before moving on to an industry and business development role. Day to day, I engage companies, both large multinationals as well as local SMEs and strike strategic partnership deals to advance science and develop innovative technology, with the mission to further economic growth and improve lives. Q: There’s been a shift in what you’ve been doing from lab-based to front-line? A: Yes. At the third or fourth year of my PhD, I realised that I didn’t really want a research or lab-based career. I was inclined to the business side of science. Leveraging on my technical expertise and interest in business, I joined the industry development group in A*STAR. Q: Why did you choose to pursue your MBA with NTU? A: The reason is pretty clear. NTU was the only local university to offer a weekend MBA programme. Q: So that it doesn’t affect your work? A: It’s not only work, but also family. I have two very young children, and it was important to spend lots of time with them. With the MBA class running every fortnight, I could afford time every alternate weekend to spend time with my kids. Q: You have two young kids, and you’re also juggling work and the PMBA at the same time. Is it difficult to balance everything? A: After a while, you’ll learn to prioritise and become “smarter” and more effective at work. It’s not a problem juggling family and studies – it’s difficult but not impossible. Attending classes on alternate weekends is really manageable, and we get school breaks in June and December. Q: What motivated you to take up the PMBA? A: In the first year of my role in industry and business development, I felt that I needed to acquire some business tools to help me understand the business deals better. This really spurred me to take up the programme. Although I could have self-studied through other ways, I’m not very disciplined. Hence, I need to be in a programme to be “disciplined” to do the learning. Q: How has the PMBA helped you in your career so far? A: A lot of the skills I’ve picked up from the PMBA are very applicable to my work, especially when you are looking at justifying million-dollar investments for an economic outcomes. There are a lot of analytics and accounting that help me understand the business side of things. In every investment, there is a qualitative aspect, but the MBA taught me how to look at the quantitative aspects. I think I can apply what I have learnt and contribute to A*STAR in this area. Q: How do you see yourself in the next 10 to 20 years? A: My kids are going to school next year, so I’ll want to spend more time with my family, helping my kids with their school work and cultivating in them the values in life. Career-wise, I aim to climb up the corporate ladder. But it takes time and you need to accumulate experience to lead organisations effectively. Q: What are your core values in life then? A: Integrity is very important to me. In work, I ensure that I am accountable and can stand up for my own action, not only to myself, by to my bosses, peers and subordinates. Q: You mentioned your previous role in A*STAR was a scientist. How have your perspectives changed now that you have moved to an industry/business development role? A: I used to function with more of a “microscopic” sense of thinking and did not see the value of things we create in the laboratory in a way that I should be. Now I realise that it translates to something bigger. Every single project done in the lab has a purpose in building a particular capability in A*STAR, which translates to building a programme within the organization. This further relates to building a portion of the value chain of an industry. The real contribution is a lot bigger than what most think it is. I think I became less individualistic and can really see how collective efforts and good coordination are required to achieve the end result. Q: What would be your “end goal”? A: I see myself growing my career in the public sector. I hope to help Singapore become an even stronger nation so as to make it an even better place for our family and our future. Q: What would you like to say to prospective students who might be considering the PMBA? A: I think there are many working professionals out there with families and young children who think that they can’t do an MBA because they don’t have the time for it. I was one of them. But having gone through the programme I found that it’s really manageable, and it is definitely possible to balance work, study and family all together. If you ask me, I would do it again. For more info about the Nanyang Professional MBA, please visit our website. |
FROM Nanyang Admissions Blog: PMBA PIONEER COHORT SERIES: (2) EXPERIENCE BY JERLYN KOH |
Jerlyn Koh, Regional Regulatory Affairs Manager, LEO Pharma Asia Pte Ltd, PMBA Class of 2019 Q: Tell us more about yourself. A: I’m actually a pharmacist by training. I used to dispense in a hospital, but I felt that clinical work might not be suitable for me hence I moved to the business side of the industry. I had the depth of industrial knowledge, but I realised that I didn’t have the breadth. For example, when it comes to finance and accounting, I see a bunch of numbers but I don’t have a clue what they mean. I am inquisitive by nature and I like learning, so it led me to think that I should consider an MBA if I wanted the breadth. Q: Why did you choose the Nanyang PMBA? A: I thought about doing an MBA for quite a while, about 2 to 3 years actually. But I decided to go ahead because the longer I wait, the tougher it will be. One of the key benefits of the PMBA is that I don’t have to quit my job. I also wanted to continue my career so that I can financially support myself through the programme without having to rely on my parents or take up a loan. In my current role, I deal with health authorities and my role involves registering and maintaining licences so that the company can continue selling the product in other countries. So, business partnering is very important. That’s where I really felt that I needed to understand about business. Q: The classes are held on alternate weekends, so basically you’d have to give up on certain things. A: Yes, but it’s worth it. I actually got married while I was in the midst of the course! I did have to give up some of my personal time for classes and project work, but I had a lot of family support so it was doable. The programme duration is 18 months and actually it passes really fast. Q: Were you considering other programmes? There are a lot of part-time MBA programmes out there offered at a lower cost. A: Other than the Nanyang PMBA, I also was considering other lesser-known programmes with lower tuition fees because I was going to finance this out of my own pocket. I sought advice from friends and figured out that an MBA is something that you would only do once in your lifetime – so I might as well invest in a really good one that is reputable. Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 10 to 20 years? A: 10 to 20 years is kind of far ahead! I really enjoy what I’m doing now so I see myself staying in this industry and rising up the ranks. The PMBA has helped opened up opportunities for me. For example, I can take up projects from different functions in my company which helps me learn how to obtain better business partners. Who knows, I might enjoy it and move to other functions within the industry. Actually, my company has offered me the opportunity to move to another department. I never really considered it, but now that I have gone through the programme, I realise that I can try. Q: What gives you the most satisfaction in your career? A: I like to feel that I’m an asset to the team. For example, I have something to offer that adds value to the organisation which others don’t possess. I want to be able to contribute more in the areas I’m good at, or achieve better results with the same or less resources. I feel that the PMBA helps me achieve that. Q: How has the PMBA benefitted you so far? What would be an interesting outcome that you’ve experienced from being in the programme? A: I find that I have more topics to talk about when I meet people! It helps me with my social skills. Sometimes I run out of things to say even with my own friends, and I can pull out something interesting I learnt from class. In addition, I found the Leading People Globally (LPG) really useful and applicable to my career. I was promoted to a Manager at the age of 27. I learnt it the hard way – my first report left the organisation quite soon after because I tend to micromanage. Through the LPG module, I became more self-aware, got to know my leadership style better and became more mindful of others’ styles as well. This helps me in my working relationship with my colleagues. I have a better idea on how to motivate others towards a common goal and drive for results. Q: What are your end goals? Any retirement plans? A: It’s not really a retirement plan, but I would like to have a good quality of life – meaning that when I age I hope I won’t be a burden to the people around me. I would like to help and contribute in whatever I could. I love travelling, so I hope to be financially able to do that whenever I want. |
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