Nanyang MBA

The Causeway Connection: How Our Malaysian Nanyang MBA Alumni Achieved Their Career Goals

It’s common to find Malaysians pivoting their careers across the Causeway. But these Malaysian Nanyang MBA alumni – Aaron Ting, Justin Lee, and Terrence Fou – took their cross-border career shifts to new heights.

The Nanyang MBA programme aligned seamlessly with their desires to push beyond their limitations and reach their goals. Aaron, Justin, and Terrence were drawn by Nanyang Business School’s stellar global reputation, strategic location, and networking opportunities; the possibilities that opened up to them post-Nanyang MBA justified their efforts.

We asked them to share how the Nanyang MBA helped them achieve their goals, and what unexpected lessons they picked up along the way.

Breaking free of career limitations

Before taking the MBA, Aaron had worked as a financial analyst in the retail industry. The pandemic gave him time to evaluate what he wanted to do next. “I believe an MBA equips individuals to manage diverse talent and work toward a common goal,” he says. “My decision to pursue an MBA was driven by a desire to enhance these skills and advance my career.”

Justin and Terrence both felt limited by their existing roles and saw the MBA as a pathway to positions with increased scope and impact.

Terrence had been working as an R&D scientist specialising in sustainable product development. “I found research in a corporate setting too constraining,” he explains. “I wanted to pivot into a marketing-related career.”

Meanwhile, Justin left the tech consulting industry in early 2019 to pursue a business development (BD) role in the renewable energy space. Unfortunately, his momentum was stymied by the pandemic. “That’s when I sought an MBA to pivot into a business development role within a regional renewal energy company,” he says.

Pursuing a world-class MBA programme closer to home

For each of them, the Nanyang MBA was the ideal choice, aligning with their personal and professional aspirations.

In Terrence’s case, the decision was straightforward since Nanyang Technological University (NTU) – the home institution of Nanyang Business School – was his alma mater. “I fully trust the quality of the faculty,” he shares. He was also granted an alumni subsidy and a partial scholarship, which he found tremendously helpful.

The Nanyang MBA was a perfect fit for Justin, given its global rankings. The prospect of participating in a class led by Singapore’s top sustainability and energy experts also piqued his interest. “Singapore was a natural choice since I wanted to focus on the ASEAN market,” he explains.

Aaron, too, was attracted to Singapore, but it was the personable and engaging staff at Nanyang Business School that ultimately sealed the deal. “An MBA programme starts with the university setting the tone and culture,” he says. “NTU’s programme admins were willing to go the extra mile to explain the programmes to me and how I could successfully become part of the cohort.”

Charting unfamiliar territories to uncover hidden opportunities

For many working professionals, staying in the same role can greatly limit their exposure to new ideas. That’s why many participants benefit from the Nanyang MBA’s broad range of opportunities to widen their professional viewpoint.

Aaron, for instance, initially wasn’t sure how sustainability would fit into his finance-focused career. To his surprise, he found that the insights in the sustainability track multiplied his career options. “Though this journey hasn’t directly led to a new career, it has significantly broadened my professional network and opened doors to potential job opportunities,” he says.

Terrence had a similar experience with the strategy specialisation track. “The modules exposed us to numerous real-life business case studies,” he shares. “Those intense classroom discussions have helped me see business through a wider lens levelling up my strategic planning and improvisation skills.”

The sustainability track gave Justin access to modules that met his aspirations in the energy space. “I was particularly interested in the class ‘Energy Systems and the Future of Energy’, which was part of the sustainability track,” he explains. “As it was taught by Prof Subodh Gautam Mhaisalkar, who’s the Executive Director of the Energy Research Institute @ Nanyang, I could get insights into Singapore’s energy strategy at a country level.”

Enriching the learning experience with capstone modules and extracurricular activities

Beyond the classroom, the Nanyang MBA’s capstone modules and extracurricular activities played a key role in enriching our alumni’s educational journeys.

Strategy Projects at Nanyang (SPAN) gave Terrence a chance to work on an ESG-centred project, in line with his own background. “Our team chose a sustainability-related project on energy management via IoT devices and monitoring,” he explains. “We had great exchanges with the senior management team; we got great feedback and further conversations afterward.”

Justin, for his part, turned to extracurriculars to make the most of his MBA experience. He ran as the Sustainability Club Chair and participated in the Accounting4Sustainability International Case Competition (A4SICC). “I learned a lot about entrepreneurship from A4S,” he notes. “We did a lot of research to back up our financial model and proposal.”

Cultivating diverse skills and new perspectives

Aaron is quick to debunk misconceptions about what an MBA brings to an individual post-completion. “Many think it makes or breaks getting a specific job or role,” he says. “However, the true value of an MBA lies in the diverse skills and perspectives it cultivates.”

The Nanyang MBA experience draws its lessons not just from professors, but also from fellow cohorts. “The perspectives you can potentially gain from your peers carry a lot of weight,” he explains. “They can broaden your views in the workforce and how it can be translated into your personal life.”

That’s why he appreciates how the Nanyang MBA opens doors to a wider network of connections. “It’s about the genuine relationships you form with like-minded individuals – professionals who have the same passion and drive,” he explains. “It all boils down to how one approaches and takes away from these relationships in a meaningful manner.”

Getting ready for the real world with a Nanyang MBA

These alumni not only achieved the goals they set out to pursue, but also gained unique takeaways from their Nanyang MBA journeys that served them well in furthering their careers.

Aspiring Nanyang MBA candidates from Malaysia and beyond can follow in Aaron, Justin, and Terrence’s footsteps, becoming culturally aware, impactful leaders who understand the synergy between business, technology, and innovation and are empowered to thrive in international environments.

Learn more about the Nanyang MBA programme here.

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.