Nanyang Waseda Double MBA

A Brother-Sister Pair Take on the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA

Given their similar job skills and strong family bond, it’s not surprising that these two Filipino siblings chose the same MBA path.

Laura Lutao had worked in data analytics for companies in different industries, most recently for an e-commerce platform. Her younger brother, Joey, worked as a digital transformation lead in a Filipino Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company, and was “double-hatting” as a data analyst as well.

Both Laura and Joey wanted to assume more front-facing, leadership roles. And both decided that pursuing an MBA programme was the best way to help them achieve this goal.

“I thought it would help me become more flexible in the future opportunities I can take on, because an MBA helps build my business acumen,” says Laura. Joey, for his part, wanted to prepare for taking on more responsibilities in the future: “I want to take charge, talk to stakeholders, and give insights using business data,” he tells us.

The Lutao siblings found that their goals best aligned with the double MBA programme of Nanyang Business School (NBS), specifically the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA. Here’s how the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA helped the siblings gain greater cultural intelligence, while simultaneously expanding their career horizons.

Laura Lutao: From technical to managerial, local to regional

For Laura, the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA afforded her a multi-faceted exposure to the business world – starting with NBS’s highly engaging admissions process.

“They were super helpful and very prompt,” Laura recalls. “I thought to myself, if that’s the kind of engagement that they have, I know for sure I’m going to get this same treatment when I’m within the programme.”

The Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA is a 14-month programme that starts in Singapore and ends in Tokyo – with the potential for a future career in either country. “Having that kind of exposure is a very significant jump,” Laura says.

As an MBA participant, Laura noticed the difference in teaching methods between the two top business schools. In NBS, case studies formed the core of most lessons, engaging students to share their ideas and insights with each other. The Waseda classes, on the other hand, were more structured in presenting the concepts and frameworks.

The diverse background of her fellow Nanyang MBA peers, in particular, enriched Laura’s in-class experience. “Learning doesn’t only happen within your class; it happens by simply engaging and interacting with people offering very different perspectives,” she explains.

The international cohort, in fact, became a major talking point in her job interviews: “I kept on highlighting that I was with such a diverse cohort,” Laura recalls. “My interactions with people from many different countries and industries really made me qualified for the job.”

Her Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA prepared Laura for the cross-border, regional roles she wanted to pursue. Fresh from her Nanyang MBA, Laura already found significant professional opportunities right on her doorstep. “I think the fact that I was already in Singapore really put me in a very advantageous position,” she recalls.

She first landed at Foodpanda as a Sales Performance Regional Specialist, before moving on to Xendit as Sales Operation Lead. She credits NBS’s Cultural Intelligence modules with significantly improving her career prospects. “After my MBA, I did a regional role where I was handling 11 different markets,” Laura tells us. “[The MBA] prepared me to handle conflict resolution and problem-solving conversations.”

Joey Lutao: Similar pivot, different approach

After several years of working for Universal Robina in the Philippines, Joey knew he was ready to take on an MBA, just like Laura. “I was really inspired by my sister,” he says.

He also considered the MBA as a good way “to pivot from a technical role to a more business role.” His initial plan was to go to Nanyang-St. Gallen, but he changed his mind after Laura shared her positive experience of Nanyang-Waseda.

Joey quickly realised that at NBS, resting on his laurels was no longer an option, as he was studying alongside “a lot of talented people [who are] really good at the course.” He decided to step up his approach to thrive in Nanyang’s highly diverse and competitive environment, and hold his own among his peers.

“In a way, they’re helping me out indirectly, because I’m motivated by these people,” Joey says. “They’re so good, I want to be like them! I have to put in more hours of work just to be on the same level.”

The course on cultural intelligence was something he initially took lightly – but eventually learned to embrace. “If you would like to work with clients from different parts of the world, it becomes really important that you build on your cultural intelligence,” Joey tells us.

Joey is on track to complete his MBA by 2024. Laura, for her part, notes that Joey’s approach to the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA programme is poles apart from hers. “He has more concrete plans, he is more ambitious and he is definitely more organised in the way that he approaches things,” Laura says of her brother, who is already adding to his double MBA coursework with various extracurriculars.

He is presently the EXCO VP for marketing and communications, has joined multiple MBA clubs, and is participating in the BNP Sustainable Finance case competition, while also applying for the JMCC case study competition. “I want to take on as many roles as I can, because I feel like that’s how I grow,” Joey tells us.

Conclusion: Making connections and changing mindsets

As somebody who has already finished the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA programme, Laura knows that 14 months can fly by fast. She advises her brother – and others planning to take the same double MBA programme – to “enjoy it and absorb as much as you can in this short period of time.”

The theoretical frameworks encountered in class discussions helped Laura the most. “I thought these things were just common sense, but there’s so much structure in the way that you should be thinking about business ideas,” Laura tells us. “Later on, you realise that you start thinking very differently.”

For his part, Joey intends to build on his cultural intelligence education, as he seeks future opportunities in Singapore. “It’s a melting pot of tech startups, consulting, and FMCGs,” he says. In terms of his workload, he’s keeping an open mind and taking his sister’s words of advice: “I’m enjoying the process.”

Like the Lutaos, you’ll experience a shift in your mindset after qualifying for the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA programme. The dual programme combines the strength of two of the top business schools in Asia – enabling professionals with or without business backgrounds (like the Lutao siblings) to have a deft grasp on both global business and the management of technology.

Find out more about the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA. Applications are now open.

The Nanyang MBA is a flexible 12-month or 18-month programme designed to fuel your growth into a future-ready leader equipped with the skills needed to excel in a global, digital environment. The programme aims to develop impactful, culturally adept leaders who embrace the connection between business, technology, and innovation to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change.