NANYANG EXECUTIVE EMBA

Beyond Gender – How Our Women Alumni are Redefining Leadership

A Life-Changing Global Opportunity at IATA Africa

Adefunke Adeyemi, Nanyang EMBA Class of 2014
Regional Director, Advocacy and Strategic Relations, Africa
International Air Transport Association (IATA)

“Be bold, be driven, be ambitious, and go for what you want.”

That piece of advice powerfully resonates with Adefunke Adeyemi’s own professional journey. When a memo from her company’s headquarters came to her regional branch asking for additional support in a new project, the Nanyang EMBA alumna immediately took up the challenge. Fast forward to a few months later, that decision turned out to be a life-changing opportunity to represent her country and industry on a global stage.

“Within five months of starting my career with this international organisation, I found myself representing our industry’s position on a critical global issue at a global conference along with Presidents, Heads of State, and Ministers,” she recounts proudly.

When it comes to executive leadership, Adefunke holds a lifetime’s worth of wisdom to share. The high-ranking Nigerian executive for Africa’s regional aviation industry believes that to make their mark professionally and vocationally, every woman leader should practice  four C’s:  Confidence, Competence, Capital, and Charisma.

“As women, we need to build up our confidence so we can seize opportunities wherever they may arise. It’s also essential to develop competencies that are transferrable and scalable so that you can let your work and winning personality be your calling card,” she says.

Adefunke specifically emphasises the importance of seizing the opportunities. “For too long and in many ways women have restrained our natural talents and capabilities and also played down our strengths through our own unconscious biases of not being qualified enough. Or senior enough. Or experienced enough. Or just simply not being enough!” she emphasizes.

Her advice to women leaders is to “be bold and confident at every stage of our careers.”

Mind Matrix of Bridging the Skills Gap in Health Sciences

Junko Kimura, Nanyang EMBA Class of 2018
Senior Director and Head of Information Technology
Gilead Sciences Japan

For Junko Kimura, leadership is a mind matrix more than a skills-building exercise. To thrive and excel in the corporate world, she believes that women leaders must develop great mental strength and self-confidence.

“The mind can be your greatest asset, but it can also be the reason why you may experience a major setback in your career. I’ve seen many promising female talents who cut themselves short as they create doubts in their minds that they can not compete for the position that they covet,” says the current Senior Director and Head of Information Technology at Gilead Sciences, Japan.

Junko’s own catalyst for a transformational change occurred four years ago when she took up the role of a senior director at Johnson & Johnson, Southeast Asia. Driven by her desire to have a complete grasp of her new role, she decided to enrol herself in the Nanyang EMBA programme.

Joining the programme proved to be one of the best decisions that Junko had ever made for her career development. After working for more than 19 years in her former firm, she has successfully embarked on a new career journey in Gilead Sciences since November 2019.

“I was able to reinvigorate my career and capture new opportunities to grow with this decision,” she shares.

Staying Ahead of the Curve in Executive Leadership

Evelyn Chow, Nanyang EMBA Class of 2016
Managing Director
DecodeHR

Breaking the glass ceiling isn’t easy. But for Evelyn Chow, her triumphant ascent to executive leadership at her own company has made her realise the importance of inspiring change in other women.

“Women must not be afraid of competition—whether it’s in the organisation or outside of it. Instead, they should stay true to their aspirations and seek to build alliances and partnerships with those that value integrity and innovation, especially when building up our team.”

While ambition lets the dream soar above the sky, setting priorities is equally crucial to keep one’s goals remain grounded. “We don’t have to spread ourselves too thin to attain success”, asserts the managing director at strategic HR consulting firm DecodeHR.

“For me, once my priorities were established, it was a lot easier to decide how to spend my time or invest my resources. With proper planning, I can take calculated risks that allow me to work through difficult decisions while keeping my career on track.”

She adds that women have to take charge of their career progress. “Embarking on the Nanyang EMBA was a boost that made a real difference to my career and personal growth.

I believe proactive and purposeful long-term planning can make a positive difference in one’s career and life as a whole.”

The Change Catalyst in an Established Industry

Ivana Arlianto, Nanyang EMBA Class of 2021
Head of People Performance and Culture
One of the Big 4 Accounting Firms in Indonesia

As an HR leader for one of the largest global accounting firms in the country — Ivana Arlianto knows firsthand what it takes to cultivate different strengths in her team to move the company forward.

“The corporate landscape has been heavily disrupted by technologies. That is why leaders must know how to create a dynamic work environment to foster innovation, especially in times of uncertainty,” she explains.

Ivana has been working for the firm for the past 20 years, growing her professional capabilities in various leadership roles. Despite her numerous achievements, however, her drive for excellence has never faded.

“As practitioners, we tend to make our business decisions based on our past experiences and gut feeling,” says Ivana. “That might have worked thus far, but will not hold much water in the future,” she adds.

Setting her sights on the next giant leap of her life, she has chosen to further her education at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).

“I want to find the structure, the underlying business concepts that we are likely to encounter in the future. We all need to pivot our mindsets to embrace the digital revolution. I believe I need to prepare myself with the skillsets to be a change catalyst in the future,” says Ivana.

 “We all need to pivot our mindsets to embrace the digital revolution.”

The Nanyang Executive MBA is a part-time 13-months programme that is designed for senior leaders aspiring to innovate and transform the way they lead. The programme aims to embrace the connection between business, technology, and innovation to deliver a relevant curriculum to business leaders to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change. 

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Click here to learn more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme or contact us at execmba@ntu.edu.sg.