Passing the Baton: Two Successors Share Their Nanyang EMBA Journey

Passing the Baton: Two Successors Share Their Nanyang EMBA Journey

by | Jul 31, 2025 | Nanyang Executive MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

Passing the Baton Two Successors Share Their Nanyang EMBA Journey

NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

Passing the Baton: Two Successors Share Their Nanyang EMBA Journey

Some Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) alumni aspire to be business leaders. Others have it thrust upon them. For second-generation leaders Cynthia Sunarko (EMBA ‘26) and Joseph Ang (EMBA ‘26), joining their respective family businesses turned out to be a bit of both.

After decades of leading Indonesian shipping firm PT Pelayaran Nelly Dwi Putri (Nelly), Koh Tji Beng Vincent (a.k.a. Ambran Sunarko) recognised the need for new perspectives. Enter his daughter, Cynthia, who had her own independent career in finance; Mr. Koh recognised her talent and her potential to infuse fresh ideas into the enterprise.

Similarly, Joseph Ang had planned to follow a more traditional route after National Service when the 2008 financial crisis struck. The subsequent talent shortage left Khoon Engineering—the construction firm founded by his father Ang Jui Khoon—scrambling to fulfil projects. Deciding to lend a hand, what began as a short-term arrangement for Joseph quickly turned into a commitment that would transform both his life and the company.

Cynthia’s and Joseph’s stories are part of family businesses’ surprising return to form.

For the last 15 years, 43% of family businesses reported double-digit sales growth. Notably, 73% of these growth rockstars possessed a clear set of values and common purpose. In other words, family succession is not just a question of bloodline, but one of who’s prepared to uphold and even transform the business for the future.

We spoke with Cynthia, Joseph, and their fathers to find out how they’re balancing family while positioning their businesses for the future, and how the Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) equipped them to transform legacy into innovation.

 

Stepping in, standing up

Succession often starts as an unspoken question: Who’s ready to take this further?

The question wasn’t something that Khoon Engineering Founder Ang Jui Khoon had initially thought about. Growing up in hardship, Jui Khoon was singularly focused on growing his business from the ground up.

“I didn’t even plan to be a boss,” said Jui Khoon. “My boss encouraged me to start a business after seeing how hard I worked, but honestly, I was scared to strike out on my own.”

Converting fear into forward motion would shape Khoon Engineering’s scrappy culture, where intuition was favoured over SOPs. But as the company expanded and projects grew more complex, Jui Khoon realised that a new approach was necessary. “There’s a limit to how much one person can handle,” he shared. “We needed new structure and ideas.”

Meanwhile, joining Khoon Engineering’s executive team was never part of Joseph’s plans. “I didn’t think of staying because this wasn’t my line of study,” he admitted, “But we were having a hard time recruiting younger staff because construction is an industry where talent ramps up slower. I’d say it takes about 3 to 5 years for fresh graduates to build a foundation.”

Unlike Joseph, Cynthia had fewer reservations about returning, having felt called to pull her weight long before her father raised the question. “My thought process was, it’s our business anyway,” Cynthia explained, “And I hadn’t been contributing as much as my siblings, although I did think about it.”

For the Sunarkos, appointing Cynthia was a strategic move. Her father valued her background in insurance and finance — fields that had equipped her with strong fundamentals, logical thinking, and experience with numbers. He felt that a new leader could push Nelly’s rank-and-file to rethink how things were done.

“Nelly is a publicly listed company,” Vincent said. “I needed someone who could help build it to last. Cynthia had experience working in KPMG and the right financial foundation, so she was a natural choice.”

He also pushed Cynthia to sign up for the Nanyang EMBA, in hopes that it would prepare her to scale the business. “Strategic planning skills from the Nanyang EMBA would guide her towards more systematic problem-solving,” he explains. “I think that that should be very beneficial.”

 

Earning trust as second-generation leaders

Second-generation leaders face a double challenge: proving themselves internally while managing external expectations. Both Cynthia and Joseph met initial scepticism and had to earn their stripes the hard way.

At Nelly, Cynthia had to navigate a hierarchical company culture, where senior staff were not accustomed to taking instructions from a younger leader. “Even if I had the authority on paper, I didn’t have it in practice,” she said.

Instead of pushing back, Cynthia leaned on concepts of cultural intelligence and systems thinking learned from the Nanyang EMBA. These frameworks helped her to articulate the root causes of intergenerational conflict. By unpacking these conversations at monthly meetings, Cynthia was able to instill a culture of accountability, shifting the team’s attention from personal disagreements to a unified focus on problem-solving.

“You don’t change culture with an org chart,” she explained. “I had to build belief, not just restructure processes.”

At Khoon Engineering, Joseph faced a different kind of challenge: nudging a team of seasoned stalwarts away from entrenched practices towards modern practices without overstepping boundaries.

“To the older generation, computers were very foreign,” he explained. “To avoid resistance, I allowed them to continue using hard copies while I quietly scanned documents into the system. They eventually warmed up to file sharing once they saw how easily I retrieved information they couldn’t find. Looking back, fixing systems and witnessing the impact may have been the turning point for me. Because it felt like I was building something worthwhile.”

 

From business legacy to trusted leadership

Today, both Cynthia and Joseph are recognised not just as successors, but credible leaders who brought something new to the table instead of replicating their parents’ approach.

Understanding of organisational dynamics from the Nanyang EMBA helped Cynthia focus on listening and understanding long-standing dynamics before introducing structural changes such that younger workers could be integrated without alienating the old guards.

Today, Nelly employees take the initiative and move together in a united front. In many ways, Cynthia has achieved her father’s long-term vision of moving towards “Nelly100”, building a company that can last for generations. “They used to come to me for every decision,” said Vincent. “Now, they talk to Cynthia first. I can see they trust her.”

Joseph, for his part, rolled out a phased adoption strategy through newfound communication skills picked up from his EMBA. Admitting to having doubts about being surrounded by classmates from MNCs in the beginning, Joseph ultimately found how to apply the tools he learned for effective decision making.

“Traditional construction culture does not emphasise language delivery,” he said. “For example, there are many aspects to a construction project, but some may be more interested in financing, or others in supply chain. It all depends on who you’re talking to.”

With Joseph’s new approach and the support of a dedicated team, Khoon Engineering and its related companies have grown to a combined revenue of over SGD 100 million, with over 200 employees. The group was recognised with the Enterprise 50 award in 2018 and listed on Forbes Asia’s “Best Under a Billion” in 2020. In 2024, Khoon Development received the Top Landed Development award at the EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards, reflecting a collective commitment to quality and innovation.

When asked about his son’s Nanyang EMBA experience, Jui Khoon noted the transformation with pride. “Joseph thinks differently now,” said Jui Khoon. “He uses old ideas with new thinking — that’s why people follow him.”

 

About the Nanyang Executive MBA

For second-generation entrepreneurs like Cynthia Sunarko and Joseph Ang, the Nanyang Executive MBA offers more than business fundamentals. It equips leaders with the frameworks, global perspectives, and strategic confidence to shape the future of their family businesses.

Designed for senior professionals, the part-time, 13-month modular format allows participants to balance work and study, applying insights directly to real-world challenges. Whether you’re preparing for succession or leading transformation, the Nanyang EMBA is built to support your next chapter.

Visit the Nanyang EMBA website or download the brochure to learn more about the programme and available funding options.

 

Download the Nanyang Executive MBA brochure

Click here to learn more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme or contact us at execmba@ntu.edu.sg.

Nanyang Executive MBA 

Nanyang EMBA 

Family Business Owners

Family Business

Successors

Entrepreneurs

Leaders

Elevating Vietnam-Singapore Ties with Strategy, Diplomacy and the Nanyang Fellows MBA

Elevating Vietnam-Singapore Ties with Strategy, Diplomacy and the Nanyang Fellows MBA

by | Jul 15, 2025 | Nanyang Fellows MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

Elevating Vietnam-Singapore Ties with Strategy, Diplomacy and the Nanyang Fellows MBA Banner

Nanyang Fellows MBA

Elevating Vietnam-Singapore Ties with Strategy, Diplomacy and the Nanyang Fellows MBA

In March 2025, Vietnam and Singapore achieved a historic milestone. They became the first ASEAN nations to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) – the highest level of bilateral cooperation that encompasses trade, technology, sustainability and regional security. 

Behind this diplomatic triumph lies years of groundwork laid by officials like Cao Xuan Thang, Vietnam’s Commercial Counsellor in Singapore. “Business between Vietnam and Singapore is not just a bilateral relationship between two countries, but it is also a multilateral business relationship,” explains Thang.

Thang had years of practical experience serving his country in Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). Yet he recognised a crucial limitation in his public sector career development. “All my experiences in leadership and economy have come from my practical experiences,” he reflects.

As Vietnam became Singapore’s largest rice supplier and bilateral trade approached US$23.5 billion, advancing in government service demanded strategic capabilities beyond his engineering background.

This realisation led Thang to pursue the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme. The Fellows experience brought together innovation, technology, economics, leadership while linking everything to real world examples and the global economic situation.

For someone seeking advancement in public sector service, the Nanyang Fellows MBA offered exactly what he needed to elevate his government career.

 

Managing a complex trading relationship

Originally trained as a specialist, Thang’s engineering expertise served him well as he rose through the ranks of the MoIT. However, this practical training could only take him so far.

As the head of Vietnam’s Trade Office in one of the world’s most sophisticated trade hubs, Thang faced daily challenges in complex economic diplomacy. Singapore’s position as the fourth-ranked global financial centre, with over US$400 billion in annual imports, presented unique challenges for advancing Vietnamese interests.

“Our Trade Office activities not only facilitate business connections between Vietnam and Singapore, but support third parties to connect with Vietnam through Singapore as well,” Thang explains. Managing such complex relationships within his public service role demanded strategic thinking that his practical experience alone couldn’t provide.

Thang recognised that advancing further in Vietnam’s civil service required academic frameworks to complement his hands-on government experience. He needed expertise at the intersection of public policy and business strategy to better serve his country’s interests.

When a friend introduced him to the Nanyang Fellows MBA, Thang paid attention. “The syllabus was interesting to me – an opportunity to gain more knowledge of leadership academically,” he recalls.

 

Getting up to speed on Vietnam-Singapore trade

From day one, the Nanyang Fellows MBA set the tone for Thang’s future career trajectory. Prof Yougesh Khatri’s first-trimester course in Contemporary Economic Analysis and Public Policy provided Thang’s “first real academic dive” into economic policy frameworks. These analytical tools would later inform his strategic approach to advancing Vietnam’s interests through multilateral partnerships.

The programme’s international components proved equally valuable for his government career. The Nanyang Fellows MBA included two-week programmes at UC Berkeley and Tsinghua University, exposing Thang to how the US and China approach trade policy and business strategy differently.

These experiences were priceless, as it broadened his perspective on how different nations structure their economic diplomacy.

Towards the end of the programme, Thang undertook the required Strategic Projects at Nanyang (SPAN) – a capstone project that tests Nanyang Fellows MBA participants’ ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-world business challenges.

The project’s telecom industry sponsor pushed Thang outside his comfort zone, giving him the adaptability needed to represent Vietnam effectively across a range of sectors. “Our project was about the telecom industry – a new sector for most of our team members,” Thang recalls. “It taught us to quickly get up to speed on a new industry, gather the right information, and manage risks.”

The overall academic experience fundamentally changed Thang’s approach to his MoIT responsibilities. He now takes a multilateral approach to cross-country trade, better leveraging common membership in trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to advance Vietnam’s broader economic objectives.

 

Strategic implementation in practice

Thang’s Nanyang Fellows MBA experience coincided with historic milestones in the Singapore-Vietnam trade relationship.

Bilateral trading between Vietnam and Singapore reached a record value of 31.67 billion SGD. In 2024, Vietnam became Singapore’s 5th largest seafood exporter, overtaking Japan with 9.2% market share. Most notably, Vietnam became Singapore’s largest rice exporter for the first time, capturing 33% market share.

Thang was an active participant in these developments. His enhanced public sector capabilities enabled breakthrough achievements in market access. In 2025, Singapore’s Food Agency officially approved exports of heat processed chicken, egg and meat (excluding beef) from Vietnam – representing the first successful negotiation of its kind between the two countries.

His office’s approach to economic diplomacy throughout 2024 helped pave the way for the bilateral relationship upgrade to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2025.

Thang’s future work within Vietnam’s public service will certainly be influenced by his transformed perspective through the Nanyang Fellows MBA. “What I learned about leadership in the Nanyang Fellows MBA is well combined with my practical experiences to support my present role,” he tells us.

 

The path forward for public-sector leaders

The Nanyang Fellows MBA’s intersection of technical knowledge, practical experience, and strategic thinking continues to shape Thang’s approach to public service excellence. His journey illustrates how government officials can enhance their career impact through continuous learning and professional development.

For those navigating similar paths in public service and seeking career advancement within government roles, the Nanyang Fellows MBA offers a unique platform to develop strategic capabilities while maintaining professional commitments.

The programme’s blend of academic rigour and practical application creates leaders equipped for the complexities of modern public administration. As Thang’s experience demonstrates, this combination is invaluable for those seeking to make a greater impact within their public sector roles.

Discover how the Nanyang Fellows MBA can enhance your public service leadership journey.

 

Nanyang Fellows MBA

MBA

Nanyang Business School

SPAN

Leadership

Public Sector

Real Impact, Authentic Results: A Strategic Edge for Asia, Powered by the Nanyang Executive MBA

Real Impact, Authentic Results: A Strategic Edge for Asia, Powered by the Nanyang Executive MBA

by | Jul 14, 2025 | Nanyang Executive MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

Balancing people, planet, and profit: How sustainability drives businesses, with accountants leading the charge

NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

Real Impact, Authentic Results: A Strategic Edge for Asia, Powered by the Nanyang Executive MBA

As a global hub, Singapore continues to attract expat professionals — many of whom are now turning to the Nanyang Executive MBA at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, a leading tech university globally, to accelerate their leadership journey.

Manuel Ungerer, the Head of Site Development at Novartis, shares an insightful perspective on why obtaining an EMBA from NTU Singapore makes sense.

“In Singapore, where technology, academia and business have grown side by side over the last few decades, institutions like NTU — ranked 12th globally — have gathered unique knowledge and expertise,” he says.

Currently a senior engineering manager at Zendesk, Etienne Dodat moved from France to Singapore in 2016 to fast-track his career. Seven years on, he chose the Nanyang EMBA programme over top European schools for its unique integration of business fundamentals with innovation and tech insights — an edge he sees as critical in today’s business landscape.

“Being a lifelong learner, I was drawn to the opportunity to deepen my theoretical foundation across multiple disciplines within a condensed timeframe. At the same time, I was really looking forward to gaining real-world insights through the immersive classes at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley (USA) and Tsinghua University (China).”

 

Gain Eastern and Western Business Perspectives

The 13-month Nanyang Executive MBA programme allows senior leaders to experience different pedagogical approaches at UC Berkeley and Tsinghua University in Beijing, offering them deep access to America’s culture of innovation and China’s digital ecosyste

Ungerer too was intrigued and excited about the prospect of exploring innovation ecosystems and business frameworks from the lens of two very distinct but equally influential economic powerhouses.

Recalling his visits to the two universities, Dodat says:

“My primary takeaway from the UC Berkeley segment was gaining eye-opening insights into the world of start-up financing and hearing inspiring stories from astute entrepreneurs.”

“The visits to an EV and an AI company and learning about their business challenges and strategies (during our trip to Tsinghua University) were quite helpful in decoding China,” he adds.

 

A Diverse Cohort for Regional Insights and Interdisciplinary Discussions

Jahanara Parveen, who works as the APAC Business Manager at GE Healthcare, chose NTU Singapore’s EMBA programme to learn alongside a diverse cohort of experienced professionals from key regions in Asia.

“It feels like an immersive education in navigating Asia’s diverse business landscape,” she says.

Engaging with her cohort — seasoned professionals in areas like accounting and operations — has helped her lead cross-functional teams within her organisation with greater confidence.

“One of the most powerful insights I have gained, especially through the cultural intelligence sessions in the EMBA programme, is that embracing feedback and being open to new perspectives is essential for excellent leadership,” she adds.

It’s commonly known that the strength of any EMBA lies in the quality of its cohort.
At Nanyang Business School, the candidate selection relies heavily on their professional experience, industry background, and leadership abilities.

“We place great emphasis on experience and the candidate’s motivation for joining the programme to curate a dynamic, globally diverse cohort,” explains Gilbert Chua, Director of Graduate Studies at NBS.

Interacting with his cohort — especially during group discussions — has been game-changing for Ungerer.

“I remember being quite surprised upon hearing how the local business etiquettes in Indonesia and Japan are vastly different from what I’ve encountered in Europe or Singapore,” Ungerer recalls.

These enriching exchanges have helped him calibrate the skills and strategies required to negotiate, resolve conflicts, and engage with stakeholders across the APAC region.

 

At the Intersection of Business, Technology, and Innovation

NTU Singapore’s technological DNA, combined with a rich history of innovation as demonstrated through its cutting-edge research centres, played a decisive role in Spirig’s decision to enrol for an EMBA there.

“I value the programme’s focus on AI, robotics, digitalisation and other emerging technologies and their impact on the business world,” he says.

Dodat echoes the sentiment:

“For example, incorporating perspectives from design, sales, operations and procurement — not just the tech departments — has equipped me to contribute to my company’s growth at an organisational level, whereas in the past it was more at a departmental level,” he adds.

Even though he started the programme only a couple of months ago, Ungerer feels it has already helped him look at innovation not just as a technical upgrade but as a mindset and leadership imperative.

“It nudged me to think about how knowledge is transferred, captured, and scaled across large organisations like mine. That has immediate relevance to the digitalisation and lifecycle management projects I lead at Novartis,” he explains.

 

Personal and Professional Growth via Immediate Application of Insights

All four senior leaders feel that the Nanyang Executive MBA is thoughtfully designed and well-structured to accommodate the demanding nature of their jobs.

“I found the format of two weeks of full-day classes per segment quite manageable. I saw some of my colleagues rushing to attend classes after work hours, which felt a lot more challenging,” Dodat shares.

According to Parveen, the programme’s structure — wherein one continues to work in between segments — allows for immediate application of insights to solve real-world challenges.

Spirig’s biggest takeaway from the programme has been his ability to connect macroeconomic trends with industry dynamics and cultural nuances, resulting in more meaningful conversations with his clients and enriching his advisory work with strategic thinking.

He recommends the programme to anyone at a transitional point in their professional journey — be it stepping into higher leadership roles, exploring new industries, or aiming to drive change within their organisations.

Dodat, on the other hand, feels the programme accelerated his personal growth.

Calling himself an introvert, he says:

“The EMBA provided me the vocabulary and frameworks to participate in macro-level discussions, connect with various stakeholders in the company, and equipped me with the confidence to reach out to the CEO of my company. This wouldn’t have been possible without my participation in the consulting project module, for which I proactively reached out and interviewed the director of the National Bank of Rwanda.”

“The confidence to break down self-created barriers and push yourself out of your comfort zone can be so liberating!” he beams.

 

About the Nanyang Executive MBA

As technology, digital transformation, and sustainability continue to redefine global business, continuous learning is essential. The Nanyang Executive MBA brings together world-class faculty, high-impact modules in leading international business hubs, and a powerful network of global leaders across industries. Designed for experienced professionals, the programme equips you to lead with innovation, purpose, and strategic clarity. Its part-time, career-compatible format allows you to balance professional and academic commitments, with the option to extend over two years if needed.

Explore the programme and available funding options at: https://bit.ly/NanyangExecMBA or download the brochure to learn more.

 

Download the Nanyang Executive MBA brochure

Click here to learn more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme or contact us at execmba@ntu.edu.sg.

Nanyang Executive MBA

Nanyang EMBA 

Expats

Expatriates

Leaders

Lifelong Learning

Choosing Asia

Real Impact, Authentic Results: Firsthand Accounts from Nanyang Executive MBA Alumni

Real Impact, Authentic Results: Firsthand Accounts from Nanyang Executive MBA Alumni

by | Jul 4, 2025 | Nanyang Executive MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

Balancing people, planet, and profit: How sustainability drives businesses, with accountants leading the charge

NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

Real Impact, Authentic Results: Firsthand Accounts from Nanyang Executive MBA Alumni

Pursuing an Executive MBA is often seen as a long-term investment – one that only pays off after graduation. But what if the return on your investment starts the moment you step into the classroom?

Three Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) alumni from diverse industries share how their transformation began in the classroom and how the returns continue to shape their careers long after graduation.

Part of it was down to the programme’s 13-month part-time structure, which allowed them to apply new frameworks immediately in their work. But a greater part of it was down to their ability to connect the Nanyang EMBA’s distinctive curriculum to their evolving careers, allowing them to make a long-lasting impact.

 

From Operations to Strategy: Zani Zaw’s EMBA Shift

While Zani Zaw was in the Nanyang EMBA programme, he was promoted to head of customer and tech support at ViaSat, a global telecoms company. The EMBA helped Zani improve his ability to lead across functions, setting him up for success in his expanded role. “The programme completely changed how I think and perform my duties,” Zani explains.

The programme’s strategic capabilities module and technology management coursework shifted Zani’s perspective from operational to strategic. Post-EMBA, Zani began sharing market analysis and industry trend insights with ViaSat’s senior leadership.

“The EMBA’s leadership coaching and exposure to industry best practices gave me the confidence and credibility to step into this more senior role,” Zani notes.

His enhanced strategic thinking delivered immediate business impact. Drawing from technology management concepts about platform effects, Zani influenced his company to enter new market segments like direct-to-device connectivity; an area they hadn’t previously considered.

Beyond increasing his leadership capacities, the Nanyang EMBA helped him envision his future career trajectory: “My cohort suggested I could be a COO, and I’m working towards that,” he tells us. “I now understand better what it takes to become one.”

 

Beyond the Numbers: Anne Liew’s Leadership Transformation

Anne Liew had established a reputation in her 16 years at Singapore-listed investment company Chuan Hup Limited. “As part of the senior management, I always drew clear lines and stayed very objective,” Anne recalls of her pre-EMBA leadership style.

As the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Anne was already known for her domain knowledge and unwavering focus on the bottom line and compliance. The Nanyang EMBA, she felt, was an opportunity to enhance her leadership abilities beyond her core expertise.

The programme’s modular format allowed Anne to test new approaches immediately. Between intensive study weekends, she returned to work with fresh frameworks from AI governance sessions and strategic capabilities modules. The Nanyang EMBA’s part-time structure became her laboratory for leadership development.

At the programme’s international segments in China and the U.S., Anne absorbed the varied insights provided from both Tsinghua University and UC Berkeley – choosing relevant approaches that worked in her specific business context. “I became more open to different perspectives in my management style,” Anne notes.

Her team immediately noticed the change. Colleagues found that Anne’s approach had become more inclusive, providing opportunities for dialogue and input on complex issues. “I learned that effective communication can better bridge gaps between people,” she shares.

The practical applications extended beyond soft skills. Using newly learned talent management frameworks, Anne successfully recruited an experienced HR executive to her staff. The Nanyang EMBA’s technology modules also provided frameworks for evaluating blockchain and AI adoption – knowledge she immediately shared with Chuan Hup’s C-Suite.

“The programme has changed how I manage and approach things,” she concludes. “Beyond technical skills, its learnings about mindset and leadership really stuck with me.”

 

From Local Leader to Global Changemaker: Dr. Koh’s Story

Dr. Koh Hau-Tek embodies the Nanyang EMBA’s continuing benefit long after completing the programme.

Over the past decade, Dr. Koh has taken on a series of impactful roles following his EMBA. He was serving as Medical Director at Parkway Shenton when he joined the programme, and soon after, accepted a classmate’s offer to take up a consultant role at Certis Cisco.

He later went to China, where he led Raffles Medical Group in China across 6 cities, and then the Jiahui International Hospital ecosystem – a PE and Temasek invested 500-bed hospital and associated ambulatory centres in Shanghai, Shenzhen and beyond with over 300 international medical specialists. After a distinguished stint there, he co-founded GWS Medika in Indonesia, where he now sits as its Chief Medical Officer.

The EMBA, combined with his business experiences, prepared him for this successful transition. “The business training and exposure allowed me to combine the roles of physician and leader, delivering healthcare innovations on a much larger scale,” Dr. Koh reflects.

The transformation was systematic rather than gradual. Berkeley’s innovation modules helped him think beyond conventional approaches, view through multiple different lenses, while finance and strategy coursework provided analytical frameworks needed for healthcare business management and strategy. Most crucially, the programme’s emphasis and deep focus on cultural intelligence became essential tools as he navigated and adapted to international healthcare markets.

“You need a global mindset combined with deep local knowledge. Cultural intelligence enables me to more fully understand cultural intricacies, plus a strong ability to adapt are critical success elements in earning respect to lead multicultural teams,” Dr. Koh advises, drawing from his experience across the region.

The programme’s long-term impact on Dr. Koh has been substantial – far beyond simply managing more extensive healthcare networks, he’s become sought after to build and lead efficient healthcare delivery across multiple cities and countries.

“The business training and exposure allowed me to eventually combine closely the roles of a physician and management to deliver healthcare services and innovations with a large scale and scope, and has indeed transformed me both professionally and personally,” he tells us.

 

Return on Transformation

Smart companies recognise that postgraduate programmes such as the Nanyang EMBA delivers returns beyond individual advancement. These three alumni demonstrate how organisations benefit when leaders act on this insight.

Anne’s employer gained a more culturally intelligent leader who could navigate complex international business discussions with empathy. Zani’s promotion filled a strategic gap at his company: they gained a leader capable of contributing to high-level strategy while maintaining operational excellence.

And Dr. Koh’s transformation enabled his successive employers to access healthcare expertise combined with business acumen – a rare combination in the industry. His ability to scale operations across multiple countries provided significant competitive advantages.

Beyond traditional ROI measures, the Nanyang Executive MBA delivers immediate impact, accelerated career progression, and lasting transformation. Zani’s strategic advancement, Anne’s leadership transformation, and Dr. Koh’s career transformation illustrate how executive education creates value at every stage.

Ready to transform your career trajectory? Discover the Nanyang Executive MBA here.

 

Download the Nanyang Executive MBA brochure

Click here to learn more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme or contact us at execmba@ntu.edu.sg.

Nanyang Executive MBA 

Nanyang EMBA 

Return on Investment

ROI

Leaders

Lifelong Learning

Leadership Development

Global dreams out of China: the Nanyang MBA’s role in our alumni’s success

Global dreams out of China: the Nanyang MBA’s role in our alumni’s success

by | Jul 4, 2025 | Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

How case competitions prepare Nanyang MBA graduates for the real world banner

Nanyang MBA

Global dreams out of China: the Nanyang MBA’s role in our alumni’s success

The impulse for change can come from many directions. This was true for Chinese executives Zeya Bao, Xueyuan Cui, Elaine Shih, and Zhao Zhe, who all felt different pressures that drove them to the same conclusion.

For Zeya, the COVID-induced business slowdown for Beijing’s Universal Studios (where she worked in operations strategy) showed her that she needed to change industries and countries. Elaine, for her part, was inspired by a three-year expat stint in Vietnam; “I had the inspiration to challenge myself more in my career,” she recalled.

Zhao Zhe felt that the defense industry was “too narrow for a life-long career”, so he knew he had to change tracks and upskill. Xueyuan similarly felt that growth in China’s venture capital industry was slowing even as he took on a new role at a VC firm; “it was increasingly important to diversify investments into industries beyond the internet sector and China,” he explained.

All four of them decided to undertake a Nanyang MBA at the Nanyang Business School to make that necessary career shift.

 

Globally competitive learning in a supportive environment

As soon as they arrived, our Chinese Nanyang MBA participants found elements of the programme that complemented their experiences and addressed any gaps.

Xueyuan felt that the Nanyang MBA provided the latest management knowledge and a global perspective. “Prior to the Nanyang MBA, I didn’t fully appreciate the global tech industry’s developments,” he explained. “But afterwards, I started engaging in investments in AI and semiconductor industries, achieving the ‘global vision’ I had intended.”

Zhao Zhe, who already had a masters degree from ESSEC Business School in France, says that the Nanyang MBA complemented his learnings from ESSEC. “At ESSEC, the focus was mainly on the European Union,” he told us. “We didn’t learn how Asian companies operate or the challenges they face.”

He added the Nanyang MBA filled this gap – “50-60% of the discussions were based on Asian case studies,” he said.

All this learning took place in a supportive environment. For example, later in her MBA stint, the Nanyang MBA career office matched Elaine with a coach who helped her figure out her post-MBA career path. “I was able to think carefully about my goals (long-term) and targets (short-term),” she told us. “I became better at making big decisions.”

 

The Nanyang MBA experience extends beyond the classroom

During their time at Nanyang Business School, our Chinese alumni were able to actively engage in extracurricular activities that enriched their MBA experience.

Zeya served as president of the student executive committee; Elaine was Club Chair of Wine Appreciation Club; while Zhao Zhe was vice president of business clubs like the consulting club, finance and data analysis club, and more.

Zeya also took on an internship at ADI, with a focus on technology, especially the nascent field of Generative AI.

“ADI taught me the importance of quickly grasping complex topics and translating them into simple, accessible language,” she recalled. “I applied frameworks and strategic ways of thinking from my MBA coursework at NBS.”

Meanwhile, the Strategic Project at Nanyang (SPAN) capstone module, where MBA teams worked with real clients, helped them apply their classroom knowledge to real-world business challenges.

Zhao Zhe’s SPAN experience with an AI company helped him anticipate future trends, develop contingency plans, and mitigate risks while capturing potential returns, all on top of providing essential industry exposure.

“I had to look forward with more imagination and creativity,” he added. “It was definitely mind-expanding.”

Similarly, Zeya’s MBA experience drove home the importance of choosing the right teammates:

“Each contributed a unique skill set to significantly enhance the project’s success,” he explained.

Elaine, NBS’ 2022-2023 brand ambassador, felt particularly drawn to the LinkedIn workshop she attended with other brand ambassadors. “It helped me think from the job recruiter’s perspective and fine-tune my profile in job applications,” she says.

 

Springboard to further success

Each of our Nanyang MBA alumni experienced a significant boost to their professional standing after re-entering their respective fields.

The Nanyang MBA enhanced Xueyuan’s profile in China’s venture capital industry. He mentioned that in his new role as a fund partner, “having an MBA from a prestigious school adds credibility,” citing his MBA as a contributing factor for being selected for Forbes China’s 2023 “Elite Returnees” list.

For Zeya, “the Nanyang MBA helped me pivot into a new industry and take on a role I never imagined I could achieve,” she explained. She is now an investment and portfolio manager in a leading real estate company in Singapore.

Elaine’s experience in the Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA prepared her for her present leadership role in an automotive company in Tokyo, Japan. “[The Nanyang MBA] not only covered management knowledge but also made me understand Japan’s culture and modern history,” she recalled. “What also helped was we did many mock interviews with the Waseda career office.”

 

The Nanyang MBA forms relationships that help long afterward

The relationships our Chinese alumni built during their stint at NBS continued to help long after graduation.

Zhao Zhe received valuable career advice from professors, professionals, and alumni, especially when he was job hunting. “These are insights you cannot easily get from websites or Glassdoor,” he stresses.

Xueyuan has found fruitful collaborative work with fellow alumni. “Many have achieved significant success in their fields, and we continue to communicate and collaborate, driving personal and corporate progress together,” he says.

On a related note, Zeya says: “I think people often underestimate the importance of networking during an MBA, especially the value of meaningful connections, which have played a crucial role in advancing my career.” 

These relationships benefited our alumni personally, as well. “These long-term relationships also contribute to my mental well-being and happiness,” Cui revealed; Zhao Zhe concurs, saying “You gain life-long friends in the Nanyang MBA.”

 

About the Nanyang MBA

These Chinese executives found their careers significantly transformed by the Nanyang MBA experience: a highly ranked, globally competitive programme with a relevant and forward-thinking curriculum.

The programme develops culturally aware, impactful leaders who grasp the synergy between business, technology, and innovation, and empowers them to thrive in international environments.

Learn more about the Nanyang MBA programme here.

 

Academic Story 

Alumni Story

Student Experience

Career Advancement

Scholarships

Sellappah Scholarships

China

Forbes