Graduate Studies Blog
NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA
An EMBA, a new job, and a move overseas? How this tech leader managed it all
Leveraging the cultural intelligence and innovation expertise of Nanyang Business School, Alex Tan made the leap from Asia to the Middle East – all part of plans for a global career as he aims for the C-suite.
Like many keen on pursuing a global career, Alex Tan has always wanted to work overseas. “I dreamt of moving to the Middle East, US, or China,” says the senior technologist.
This goal was realised in 2022 when the former vice president of digital technology at a Singapore investment firm landed a role as enterprise digital architect for Dubai-based conglomerate Al-Futtaim, relocating to one of the world’s largest emerging markets.
“The MENA exposure, which is new to me, and the company’s wide breadth of business domains, increases my business acumen as I prepare myself for a C-suite role,” he says.
Despite the new cultural and business environment, Tan adjusted quickly and is already making an impact at work – achievements he credits to the Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) programme, having secured the position midway through his studies.
“With a deeper understanding of global business dynamics, market trends, and emerging economies, the programme equipped me with the knowledge to navigate international business environments in Dubai quite effectively,” the senior leader says, citing a comprehensive curriculum that combines advanced business knowledge, strategic thinking, and leadership skills.
“This makes graduates like us well-suited for leadership roles in multinational companies.”
World-class cultural insights
Tan’s career in tech began when he graduated from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) two decades ago with a Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering.
In 2022, he returned to his alma mater – one of Asia’s most comprehensive research-intensive universities – for the Nanyang EMBA. The programme is run by NTU’s Nanyang Business School (NBS), which houses the world’s foremost research centre for cultural intelligence.
The Nanyang EMBA programme draws on NBS’s wealth of research, case studies, and world-class faculty to imbue participants with the cultural dexterity to succeed globally. This is achieved with deep insights into emerging markets, cross-cultural communication, business practices and consumer psychology.
The programme also includes cultural immersions to two partner institutes: Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.
At Tsinghua, Tan learned how to do business in China via foreign direct investments – learnings that later informed his understanding of the emerging market Dubai. “It was intriguing to learn how Apple and Tesla were able to do better than others,” he says.
“Beyond opportunities to attend top institutions in the East and West, the programme’s bootcamp structure was also a draw, enabling the senior leader to continue his studies even as he settled into a new role halfway across the world. The 13-month, part-time programme is delivered in six segments of intensive learning, each lasting two weeks.
“The entire programme is split into manageable segments and focuses on a few modules at a time,” Tan explains. “By taking it step-by-step, the workload becomes more approachable, and I felt I could maintain a sense of progress and accomplishment throughout.”
Advocating for innovation
Since arriving in Dubai, Tan has been struck by the emirate’s ambitious projects and innovative, entrepreneurial spirit. Between 2017 and 2021, the city attracted projects worth US$1.4 billion – more than Singapore, London, and even New York.
Here, he credits the Nanyang EMBA for enabling him to capitalise on opportunities, thanks to the programme’s emphasis on cultivating innovative leaders. Modules develop participants’ entrepreneurial attitudes, and impart knowledge of intrapreneurship, which occurs when companies empower staff to think creatively and take risks.
With intrapreneurship, large organisations that are part of a mature technical system can still grow – and avoid being disrupted, Tan says, citing learnings from the Haas School of Business: “The Berkeley professors taught us that it’s okay to fail, and to be willing to learn from failure.”
These learnings have directly impacted his influence at work as a key advisor on organisation-wide projects related to app development, automation, analytics, and cloud.
The enterprise architect is now advocating for a growth mindset within Al-Futtaim, and developing an internal innovation network through hackathons, innovation labs, and cross-department collaboration.
“I am glad that some of these have been set in motion after my proposal to the CTO,” he says, adding that colleagues “understand the need for enhanced customer experience but are afraid to take risks”.
Similarly, as he moves forward with his career, the desire to take risks and engage in constant self-development is Tan’s greatest takeaway from the Nanyang EMBA.
“Self-development fosters personal growth, resilience, and adaptability,” he says. “These qualities are highly sought after in today’s global business landscape.”
About the Nanyang Executive MBA
In this rapidly changing world driven by technology, digitalisation, and sustainability, lifelong learning is key to staying ahead of the competition. The Nanyang EMBA equips business leaders with the tools and strategies to lead purposefully in the hyperconnected economy.
This part-time programme offers a career-compatible schedule allowing you to you’re your undivided attention to work and study. The programme’s duration is 13-months with the flexibility to stretch to 2 years to accommodate work demands.
Visit our website at https://bit.ly/NanyangExecMBA or download the brochure to learn more about the programme and available funding options.
