Graduate Studies Blog
NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA
Forging new paths in entrepreneurship with the Nanyang Executive MBA
Our professional lives move in phases. From our early years, our work experience prepares us for leadership positions where our skills can make the most significant impact.
For industry executive Colin Yang, with his 20-plus years of experience in the offshore oil and gas sector, shifting to the next career phase demanded a clear vision forward.
“I tell my children, I’ve been working with oil and gas for the first half of my life,” Colin explains. “For the second half, I want to do something different or change the industry – I want to help improve the environment and reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”
Completing a Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) degree programme in 2017 gave Colin the structured thinking to synthesise what he’s learned over his career; it also gave him the courage to kickstart the next entrepreneurial phase of his career.
Making the most out of a turning point in his career
For nearly 20 years, Colin followed a straightforward career path, starting as a drilling engineer and working his way up the executive ranks of the world’s largest offshore drilling contractors and oil service companies.
In 2015, Colin moved to Singapore to assume the role of Chief Operating Officer for Swissco Holdings, a Scott and English (S&E) Energy subsidiary. The move put him in touch with the region’s leading business schools based in the country.
“It was a good time for me to check out some local programmes in universities to help improve myself,” he recalls.
The Nanyang EMBA drew his interest: aside from Nanyang Business School’s (NBS) stellar reputation globally, the programme’s emphasis on corporate sustainability and digital transformation caught his eye. It aligned completely with his growing interest in sustainability and renewable energy.
Colin enrolled in the Nanyang EMBA programme in 2016. The timing would prove fortuitous: Swissco Holdings decided to cease S&E Energy’s operations the year after, just as Colin completed his EMBA. His newly-minted background would give Colin a different perspective on his career – and the chance to execute a meaningful career pivot.
Unlocking connections and opportunities in Asia and beyond
Over the years, Colin already had ample management skills and industry experience. He needed the systems to help synthesise and leverage his experience into new growth opportunities in Asia’s burgeoning renewable energy market.
His EMBA education helped to fill this gap. “The modules and case studies were an excellent way to consolidate what I’ve learned in the past,” Colin tells us. “The programme’s curriculum, covering the core concepts of business and leadership, provided structural frameworks for analysing, strategising, and leading.”
Drawing on NBS’s wealth of research, practical insights, and renowned faculty, the Nanyang EMBA programme helps experienced executives like Colin enhance their cultural adaptability to thrive in today’s hyper-connected environment.
“The programme helped me understand Asia and global business better, to supplement what I’ve already learned by working with international companies,” he says.
Most importantly, the social networks he nurtured during the programme gave him the courage to kickstart the second phase of his career. “My classmates, who have since become my friends, encouraged me and reminded me that I have rich experience, held different leadership positions and that it was probably time for me to do something different,” he recalls.
Finding a path to renewable energy and sustainability
Colin parlayed his deep knowledge of the oil and gas industry to found Keystone Offshore, a Singapore-based asset management company that services the offshore oil and gas and renewable energy sectors.
The company supports offshore renewable energy-related developments that can help accelerate the global transition to net zero: a growing concern for Singapore and the rest of the world.
Keystone Offshore’s projects, particularly, tap renewable energy from geothermal resources and ocean waves, which tie in neatly with Colin’s experience in offshore energy projects. Recently, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sinopec to jointly develop a feasible solution for geothermal resource utilisation in Singapore.
Leading with impact and giving back to society
This renewed focus on sustainability ties into Colin’s sense of altruism, a value he learned from his parents. “We were not a rich family, but growing up, I always saw my parents try their best to help people in our community,” he recalls.
“So, when I settled in Singapore, I wanted to be part of a community,” he adds. “I’ve been serving in local community centres and sponsoring charitable activities. I’ve also encouraged my children to become members of different volunteer organisations.”
In recognition of his selfless community work, Colin recently received a Charity and Voluntary Service Award from Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. “It’s not something you look for when you do volunteer work, but I’m still honoured to receive this recognition,” he says.
Colin embodies NBS’s ethos of leading with impact, leveraging his leadership position to forward positive change in the world. And as he continues to work with green technologies and charitable organisations, in his way, Colin is leaving the world better than he found it.
Figure 1 – Colin receiving the Charity & Voluntary Service award from Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
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.
