NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA

On Taking the Next Step and Being Limitless

For Natasha Koo, an experienced hand in the field of logistics and a mum of two young children, being empowered as a woman in the workplace means being limitless: to believe that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and to have the courage to overcome any challenge thrown at you. With this mindset, she successfully completed the Nanyang Professional MBA (PMBA) at Nanyang Technological University Singapore’s (NTU Singapore) Nanyang Business School (NBS) in 2021. This achievement propelled her career, and she took on a new role in the tech industry with global tech giant Apple.

The decision to pursue an MBA came after eight years of working in the same company within the healthcare industry. “I was in an individual contributor role and felt that the next step in my career would be to become a people leader, which would require a totally different set of skills. In addition, I believed that pursuing an MBA would offer more opportunities for me to explore a different function or industry.”

Choosing the Nanyang PMBA programme was an easy decision, says Natasha, first because of the weekend classes, which she felt would be much more feasible than undertaking weekday night classes after a full day’s work; and second because NTU is a reputable university with a well-recognised MBA programme.

Natasha soon found that having an MBA from a renowned university certainly did pave the way to broader career opportunities. “There were more recruiters popping messages in my LinkedIn – and not just from logistics or healthcare. So it really opened doors for me.”

One of these doors led her to a new position as a regional planner with Apple, where she is responsible for end-to-end demand and supply planning for a particular product for the whole of Asia. “Even though it falls within the supply chain umbrella, I had never done such planning before. It’s more of a specialist role and involves more ownership because I’m in charge of this product. The tech industry is also more time-sensitive, I feel.”

While getting to grips with a totally different industry was a steep learning curve due to a change in pace, focus, and sub-function, the strategic thinking capabilities and soft skills that she gained from the PMBA helped tremendously. In particular, the Leading People Globally (LPG) module, which includes courses on cultural intelligence, leadership, negotiation, and talent management, taught her about team and peer management, the importance of empathy as well as how to influence and manage people from diverse backgrounds. “The environment I work in now is diverse, so this set of skills helped me to get started really fast, get to know people, and build relationships.”

The other key takeaway from the programme was the valuable network she gained. Compared to a full-time MBA, the PMBA brings together professionals who have considerable work experience, which greatly contributes to the knowledge and experience sharing in class and beyond.

While the PMBA has been a career-changing experience for Natasha, it was definitely a challenge to balance work, family, and studies, one that she managed by being flexible in terms of time management, having the grit and determination to keep going, and relying on family support. “Sometimes I found it more conducive to stay in the office to complete my assignments. Other times, I would prepare for project meetings and classes after the kids were asleep, during lunchtime, or on the train rides to the office. It’s really about making the most of your time,” she shares.

If pursuing the PMBA may be on the horizon for you, Natasha has these words of encouragement: “Sometimes you just need to go out there and hustle, have the courage to take the first step and work it out because whatever you do today is laying the foundation of what you will achieve tomorrow. Believe in yourself and be limitless.”