Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

How our Inspiring Alumni Balanced Motherhood, a Career and an EMBA

In a working environment fraught with unending responsibilities and elusive downtime, three incredible women are challenge the workplace myth that mothers can’t have it all.

Meet Lioe Cu Ling (EMBA ‘22, Corporate Finance Director of Indoprima Group), Evelyn Chow (EMBA ‘16, DecodeHR founder), and Ng Xu Wen (EMBA ‘25, Innovation & Investment Lead for Innoventures). Despite the demanding duties associated with their high-ranking roles, these remarkable alumni of the Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) programme are achieving their goals as mothers, career leaders, and continuing learners.

These extraordinary women leaders have proven that success in all aspects knows no bounds across all aspects of life. As we celebrate Mother’s Day at Nanyang Business School, let’s uncover six tactics that have fueled these alumni’s remarkable journey:

1. Hold on to your “why”

Nanyang Business School recruited a record 45% of women into this year’s EMBA cohort. This is a positive sign that more females are assuming leadership roles today. For women leaders to stay motivated and resilient, knowing their “why” ensures they keep the course for the long run.

Cu Ling knows this very well – pursuing new experiences and knowledge is her driving force. Experiences like the EMBA help her “broaden my horizons and acquire fresh knowledge,” she explains, “which motivates me to achieve more and share what I’ve learned.”

Evelyn, for her part, embarked on her EMBA while leading DecodeHR. “The motivation to do it was so I could do a better job leading the firm,” she explains. This motivation has seen her through her classes and “the constant opportunities from NBS to attend webinars, conferences, and networking functions – which I continue to be grateful for.”

2. Get out of your comfort zone

Cu Ling is grateful for her EMBA’s diverse cohort, where she enjoys engaging with fellow participants from various industries, backgrounds, and nationalities. “This has provided me with invaluable international exposure,” she explains, which she uses in her senior role at Indonesia’s largest independent automotive parts manufacturer.

Getting out of your comfort zone is, by definition, never easy. “It has significantly bolstered my confidence… encouraging me to remain open to new opportunities and challenges,” says Cu Ling.

For Xu Wen, being in a diverse environment helps to share the burden. “Many of our projects have very tight deadlines – during these crunch times, many of us have limited sleep,” she tells us. “During this time, no one ever complained, and everyone was trying their best to give their all. These shared experiences brought me and my classmates closer together.”

3. Welcome support where possible

For Evelyn, it takes a village to help her maintain personal well-being, doing the heavy lifting as DecodeHR’s managing director. “It helps to have a very supportive husband, although he has an equally demanding career,” she tells us. “Between us, and with support from our mothers, we have maintained a close and cherished relationship with our children.”

Ng Xu Wen explains that her Nanyang EMBA contacts are also an indispensable source of support – one she’s looking forward to leveraging in her role as Innoventures’ Innovation and Investment Lead. “I’ve come to realise that people are generally eager to contribute to your success,” she tells us.

Cu Ling’s own EMBA journey depends on the support of work colleagues and family alike – especially the latter. “I am very blessed to get support from my family – especially my husband and my children – to give extra time for me during this journey, despite the family time being taken away,” she explains. “And my company and team are willing to participate by arranging meetings and discussion after learning time.”

Figure 1: Evelyn with her husband and children against the backdrop of Mount Fuji, Japan

4. Manage your time well

Cu Ling found the Nanyang EMBA’s hybrid format and flexible curriculum to be instrumental in helping her manage the programme’s course load while offering her room to prioritise work and family commitments.

Women executives can extend their EMBA schedule from 13 months to two years – and, in the case of Cu Ling, attend specific segments online, as she was completing her EMBA in the middle of the recent pandemic. “This flexibility helped me tremendously,” she remarks.

The Nanyang EMBA’s flexibility also earned dividends for Evelyn, who extended her studies to two years at a period when her kids required much more of her time, “My children were a lot younger then, and the demands of the firm also meant I needed the flexibility of spreading out the modules over a longer period,” she tells us.

Figure 2: Xu Wen and her family celebrating her child’s preschool graduation

5. Be realistic

Cu Ling emphasises the importance of finding an equilibrium between one’s various responsibilities. “At times, we must exert ourselves to meet these responsibilities across various facets of our lives,” she advises. “However, there are also moments where we need to relax and appreciate our blessings. Finding this equilibrium is key to leading a fulfilling and meaningful life.”

Evelyn concurs: “You just need to be realistic about what you can and cannot achieve, and it’s perfectly okay not to be an overachiever.”

This doesn’t mean sinking into complacency. Xu Wen, for her part, resorts to technology to help her accomplish more during her downtime. For instance, she has adopted a strategy of “uploading all my reading materials onto my electronic devices, granting me the flexibility to engage with learning content anytime, anywhere.”

6. Just do it

Despite her challenges, Cu Ling found the courage to leap towards personal and professional growth. “Just do it, and you’ll embark on an incredible experience and journey,” she says. “While it may be challenging, it’s not necessarily negative—quite the opposite.”

Evelyn says: “Go for it if you can get enough support from your family. Be prepared to lose sight of your social life, but it won’t last forever.”

Xu Wen concludes with a reminder, “It’s apparent that there’s simply so much uncertainty and so many things that we cannot control. So if you feel the strong drive to pursue an MBA, now is probably the best time.”

In a world where balancing motherhood, career, and personal growth can feel like a tightrope walk, these three remarkable women have shown that all these are within reach for willing to embrace the journey.

Follow in these alumni’s footsteps – learn more about our Nanyang Executive MBA programme; or inquire about our Women in Business Scholarship and schedule a one-on-one consultation.

Figure 3: Cu Ling and her family in Bali on vacation

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 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.