Global, Challenging, Inspiring – Students Share Their MSc in Financial Engineering Programme Experience

Global, Challenging, Inspiring – Students Share Their MSc in Financial Engineering Programme Experience

by | Mar 14, 2022 | MSc Financial Engineering

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC FINANCIAL ENGINEERING

Global, Challenging, Inspiring – Students Share Their MSc in Financial Engineering Programme Experience

The Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MFE) programme by Nanyang Business School (NBS), Nanyang Technological University Singapore, is a highly rigorous one-year journey that develops professionals to succeed in – and stay ahead of – the quantitative finance world.

Candidates gain both theoretical and practical knowledge from industry experts in areas such as risk management, product structuring, and quantitative trading.

Hear from students in the programme as they describe the curriculum, share their thoughts on revisiting university life, and more.

“A truly global programme set in an excellent campus.”

Shidong Shao, China

Shidong witnessed how the industry is increasingly in need of professionals who possess mathematical and computer science skills. Since undergraduate days, he has been interested in combining his financial knowledge with other related fields. Shidong found the perfect place to do so in the MFE programme, which he believes brings cutting-edge know-how in financial engineering to the table.

“I like the seminar-style classes in the MFE programme, where I can connect with the professors who have excellent teaching abilities and are so friendly. Whenever we have questions or when we face challenges, we feel comfortable approaching them.

This programme offers ample opportunities for me to improve my teamwork and communication skills, giving me the opportunity to make friends from all over the world. Every classmate is outstanding in his or her unique way. There is just so much to learn from them, especially learning about their diverse cultural backgrounds.

One of the highlights of the MFE programme is the mini-term conducted at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). We know how strong CMU’s computer and engineering programmes are. Being able to learn first-hand from CMU is an experience that I will always treasure.

The NBS campus facilities are conducive for learning.  It is easy to find a nice, quiet spot with air-conditioning for studying. The library is well-equipped with both online as well as offline resources. There is also the beautiful The Hive building, which has many seminar rooms where you can hold discussions and give presentations. What’s more, the free campus bus takes you right to the train station, which leads you seamlessly to malls and other amenities. Finally, if you are intending to serve internships during the programme, it is totally possible because the weekday courses are all held at night.”

“Being a student again is challenging yet rewarding.”

Pongchaloem Phuwit (Pao), Thailand

Pao’s background is in trading and investments, where he has 2 years of experience in technical and fundamental analysis. Through the MFE programme, he hopes to upskill by exploring quantitative analysis and programming.

“The MFE programme is rigorous. Imagine tackling 24 courses within a year! It is also perfect for those who are interested in the fields of mathematics, finance, and programming.

I have not been in a school setting for several years. At first, adjusting to student life again was challenging, especially grasping math-related subjects. I had to spend a bit more time on them to strengthen my foundation. I also had to change my mindset and remind myself that, as a student now, I must learn as much as I can.

My favourite courses are Programming Web Applications in Finance and Equity Portfolio Management. In the former, we learned to build real-world online applications and studied FinTech trends like bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain technology. Through the latter, I gained a solid understanding of asset pricing theories and derivative products, among others.

The programme has turned out to be very fulfilling for me; I feel like I have made the most of one short year by gaining so many new skills!”

“The MFE courses are truly inspiring and useful.”

Shen Zheyuan, China

Zheyuan embarked on the MFE programme to complement his finance background with mathematical and computer science skills. Apart from integrating his knowledge in these fields, he wanted to understand the financial market from a quantitative perspective.

“Two MFE courses left a deep impression on me. In Programming Web Applications in Finance, Prof Yang Ye totally changed my views on the programming language, R. He introduced it using a very thorough structure, presenting visualisations that increased my understanding of the topic. He also discussed emerging topics like hashing in blockchain. After the course, R became part of my life, and I used it in a recent project on financial time series analysis.

Stochastic Modelling in Asset Pricing was another favourite course for me. The name of the course may sound scary but Prof Robert Kimmel made the subject so digestible. If you send him questions through email, you were likely to receive a two-page reply! He is extremely generous and detailed in his explanations.

In the seven-week CMU mini-term, I was able to strengthen my abilities in strategic implementation and product design. Meanwhile, industry experts in the MFE programme offered advice that helped to broaden my perspective about the various possibilities in financial engineering.

Lastly, I am thankful for the services of the Graduate Studies Career Development Office, which provided me the opportunity to apply for an internship with GIC.”

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MFE

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On Taking the Next Step and Being Limitless

On Taking the Next Step and Being Limitless

by | Mar 8, 2022 | Nanyang Professional MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA

On Taking the Next Step and Being Limitless

For Natasha Koo, an experienced hand in the field of logistics and a mum of two young children, being empowered as a woman in the workplace means being limitless: to believe that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, and to have the courage to overcome any challenge thrown at you. With this mindset, she successfully completed the Nanyang Professional MBA (PMBA) at Nanyang Technological University Singapore’s (NTU Singapore) Nanyang Business School (NBS) in 2021. This achievement propelled her career, and she took on a new role in the tech industry with global tech giant Apple.

The decision to pursue an MBA came after eight years of working in the same company within the healthcare industry. “I was in an individual contributor role and felt that the next step in my career would be to become a people leader, which would require a totally different set of skills. In addition, I believed that pursuing an MBA would offer more opportunities for me to explore a different function or industry.”

Choosing the Nanyang PMBA programme was an easy decision, says Natasha, first because of the weekend classes, which she felt would be much more feasible than undertaking weekday night classes after a full day’s work; and second because NTU is a reputable university with a well-recognised MBA programme.

Natasha soon found that having an MBA from a renowned university certainly did pave the way to broader career opportunities. “There were more recruiters popping messages in my LinkedIn – and not just from logistics or healthcare. So it really opened doors for me.”

One of these doors led her to a new position as a regional planner with Apple, where she is responsible for end-to-end demand and supply planning for a particular product for the whole of Asia. “Even though it falls within the supply chain umbrella, I had never done such planning before. It’s more of a specialist role and involves more ownership because I’m in charge of this product. The tech industry is also more time-sensitive, I feel.”

While getting to grips with a totally different industry was a steep learning curve due to a change in pace, focus, and sub-function, the strategic thinking capabilities and soft skills that she gained from the PMBA helped tremendously. In particular, the Leading People Globally (LPG) module, which includes courses on cultural intelligence, leadership, negotiation, and talent management, taught her about team and peer management, the importance of empathy as well as how to influence and manage people from diverse backgrounds. “The environment I work in now is diverse, so this set of skills helped me to get started really fast, get to know people, and build relationships.”

The other key takeaway from the programme was the valuable network she gained. Compared to a full-time MBA, the PMBA brings together professionals who have considerable work experience, which greatly contributes to the knowledge and experience sharing in class and beyond.

While the PMBA has been a career-changing experience for Natasha, it was definitely a challenge to balance work, family, and studies, one that she managed by being flexible in terms of time management, having the grit and determination to keep going, and relying on family support. “Sometimes I found it more conducive to stay in the office to complete my assignments. Other times, I would prepare for project meetings and classes after the kids were asleep, during lunchtime, or on the train rides to the office. It’s really about making the most of your time,” she shares.

If pursuing the PMBA may be on the horizon for you, Natasha has these words of encouragement: “Sometimes you just need to go out there and hustle, have the courage to take the first step and work it out because whatever you do today is laying the foundation of what you will achieve tomorrow. Believe in yourself and be limitless.”

Alumni Story

Academic Experience

Career Progression

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A Muay Thai Practitioner and an Ardent Globetrotter Share What It’s Like to Be in the NTU NBS MSc Marketing Science Programme

A Muay Thai Practitioner and an Ardent Globetrotter Share What It’s Like to Be in the NTU NBS MSc Marketing Science Programme

by | Mar 3, 2022 | MSc Marketing Science

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC MARKETING SCIENCE

A Muay Thai Practitioner and an Ardent Globetrotter Share What It’s Like to Be in the NTU NBS MSc Marketing Science Programme

Celyna Peck and Daniel Yu, participants of the MSc Marketing Science programme at Nanyang Technological University Singapore’s (NTU Singapore) Nanyang Business School (NBS), talk about life in university, their internships, as well as their hobbies that make them better people.

Why they like it at NBS

Q: Celyna, you’re an NBS brand ambassador. Daniel, you flew from the Philippines to study at NBS. Tell us, how has your NBS experience been special?

Celyna:

I truly believe in the strong values that NBS expects of its masters degree candidates: having a collaborative spirit, leadership, curiosity, and a global mindset. As an NBS brand ambassador, I get to represent the school’s graduate programmes and uphold these values. It has been a heart-warming journey. I enjoy sharing my experiences with potential candidates, bonding with other ambassadors at events, and forming valuable friendships.

Daniel:

For me, NBS differentiates itself from the rest by focusing on the future.

In the MSc Marketing Science programme, apart from the marketing and business modules, there are also modules in neuroscience, AI, marketing analytics, and other cutting-edge subjects. It’s clear that the programme keeps it finger on the pulse of emerging business trends.

The study-and-work experience

Q: How are you making the most of the masters degree learning experience?

Celyna:

Being an NBS candidate has been eye-opening, not just due to the skills and knowledge I’m gaining, but also because of the people I meet.

They’re so diverse, there’s so much to learn from everyone. I came into the programme with a very open mind, and this has helped me to form strong connections.

Daniel:

I’m currently serving my internship, so to make my learning an especially productive experience, I zero in on topics from class that are relevant to my job. This allows me to test and apply concepts in the real world.


Q: Speaking of internships, could you share more about the company you’re working for?

Celyna:

I’m an intern at Kantar, a data analytics and brand consulting firm headquartered in London. My job scope comprises market insights generation, strategic brand guidance, client engagement, research study design (research methods, data collection, statistical modelling, insights reporting, and formulating market reports), project management, brand strategy and growth formulation, and data analysis.

The role isn’t easy, but the MSc Marketing Science modules such as Marketing Research, Strategic Marketing, Consumer Psychology, and Consumer Neuroscience and Neuromarketing have helped me build a strong foundation and manage daily work challenges.

Daniel:

My current internship is with 99 Pte Ltd, which runs the online property platform 99.co. My job scope includes supporting the SEO team to generate higher traffic to the website, writing and reviewing content, analysing website architecture, and diagnosing issues like keyword cannibalisation.

Some useful concepts from the MSc Marketing Science programme for my work are the Jobs to be Done consumer theory, the Experimental Mindset, Point-of-View Framing, and Consumer Behaviour.


Q: Tell us about some of your interesting projects at work?

Celyna:  

I’m currently working on nine markets for one of the clients at Kantar.  What a wild ride. It’s challenging yet fulfilling. It has pushed my limits and I’m excited about growing my capabilities as an analyst.

Daniel:

I’m currently involved in a massive content update comprising more than 1,000 webpages. For this, I’m learning to tap web automation using Python to be efficient and eliminate manual tasks.

Life outside school and work

Q: Celyna, you’re an avid traveller, having visited some 26 countries. Daniel, you’re passionate about music composing and mixed martial arts. Tell us how your hobbies add value to your life.

Celyna:

Travelling widens one’s perspectives. I spent my high school years in a British international school, and then completed my bachelor’s degree in Australia before returning to Singapore for my masters degree. These international experiences have taught me to be adaptable and tenacious to navigate various situations in life.

Daniel:

I’ve always felt that I have a “half-and-half” brain, since I tend to combine right and left brain thinking. Composing music is my go-to outlet for creativity. It’s a mental playground, where I break parts down to form a sequence while telling a story through sound. I see Muay Thai as an expression of my values. A Muay Thai practitioner needs discipline and hard work to acquire the right techniques. Sparring is also a humbling experience as going against somebody more skilled pushes me to improve myself.  A belief I have is: “If I can get punched in the face and deal with it, then I can do the same with any other challenge in life.”

Tips for prospective candidates

Q: Both of you will graduate from the MSc Marketing Science programme in June 2022. What are three takeaways that you’d like to share with future candidates?

Celyna:

  1. The marketing world changes every day. Apply what you’re learning to your job with a sense of flexibility and long-term thinking.
  2. Forging connections is key. Make friends, be sincere in your interactions, and get to know people both as colleagues and friends. Be willing to pay it forward too.
  3. Time management is more important than you think. There is never enough time to do everything. However, once you get your priorities right, you can find opportunities to learn and achieve better work-life balance.

Daniel:

  1. Understand everything you possibly can about your consumers.
  2. In today’s day and age, we can’t assume certain ways of marketing will work ­– especially in the digital space. Always test in small ways before spending big bucks on decisions you think you’re sure of but can’t prove.
  3. Marketers can’t only do creative work. Having technical skills and knowing where your numbers come from also help you go a long way.

 

Talk to us today to find out more about the MSc Marketing Science programme. Click here to book an appointment with us.

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MSc Marketing Science

Academic Experience

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Crossing Borders: The Journey of Two NTU NBS MSc in Accountancy Programme Students

Crossing Borders: The Journey of Two NTU NBS MSc in Accountancy Programme Students

by | Mar 3, 2022 | MSc Accountancy

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC ACCOUNTANCY

Crossing Borders: The Journey of Two NTU NBS MSc in Accountancy Programme Students

Nanyang Technological University Singapore’s (NTU Singapore) Nanyang Business School (NBS) candidates Lin Tian Wen and Goh Cheng Yong will soon be graduating from the Master of Science in Accountancy (MSc Accountancy) programme. They look back on their motivations for embarking on this journey, talk about student life in Singapore, and share their future plans with us.

Reasons for choosing NTU

Tian Wen:

I graduated from National Taiwan University, which has the same abbreviation as Singapore’s NTU. My friends and I often laughed about being from the “fake” NTU!  I relished the idea of joining the “real”, NTU, so I applied. Jokes aside, NTU is a prestigious university with an accountancy programme that is internationally acclaimed. My undergraduate department’s academic advisor also encouraged me to apply to NTU.

Cheng Yong:

NTU offers a gateway to opportunities in the Singapore job market.

While COVID-19 had already begun disrupting many daily activities when I applied, I was undeterred and saw this uncertain time as an opportunity to upskill.

I also saw the NBS accountancy programme as a steppingstone to acquire the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) accreditation. For a Malaysian, Singapore is a great choice as it’s just “next door.”

Describing student life in Singapore by completing these sentences …

Tian Wen:

In the MSc Accountancy programme, student life is … rich and intense. The modules can be challenging with many assignments and reports, but I have learnt so much.   

Outside of class, I enjoy … weight-training, running, and watching TV shows. Occasionally, I hang out with friends!

An interesting discovery I made about Singapore is …  the rules that have been put in place to make it what it is today. I make it a point to check the floor when I’m walking just in case, I had accidentally dropped some litter!

Cheng Yong:

In the MSc Accountancy programme, student life is … enjoyable. School projects are demanding but aren’t overwhelming, and those in the programme get along since we are in the same class for the entire programme.

Outside of class, I enjoy … visiting my relatives and brother who are living in Singapore. I play billiards and virtual reality games with my brother. I also hike and sightsee to explore the island. Hawker centres are a must-go here: they offer such diverse food, both local and regional cuisines, at very affordable prices.

An interesting discovery I made about Singapore is … the National Library Board membership, which gives me access to more than 8,000 Udemy online courses!

Work, plans, aspirations

Tian Wen:

I will be returning home for work due to family commitments. I had done quite a few internships there, such as at Deloitte, the National Audit Office, Shopee, Sea Group, and more.

What I realised from these internships is the importance of having multiple professional skills: from finance to digital to soft skills like leadership.

These internships also taught me to adapt quickly to a new environment and its people. After graduation, I will go back to home and start my job search. I will be focusing on the banking industry, as that is where I feel I can best use my skills.

Cheng Yong:

I will be joining PwC as an associate auditor. I got to know about this role through a recruitment drive in October 2021 organised by NBS.

The Graduate Career Development Office at NBS also frequently informs us about job and internship opportunities, and workshops to improve our employability. I plan to get the CIMA accreditation and continue my career path as an accountant.

Tips for future candidates

Tian Wen:

  1. If you’re yearning to experience multiculturalism, Singapore and NTU will not let you down! Improve your English communication skills to adapt more quickly here.
  2. Teamwork will be a huge part in the programme, so do your best to collaborate and be efficient.

Cheng Yong:

  1. Learn to communicate with diverse individuals. Singapore is an international city where you’ll meet and work with people from all around the world.
  2. Learn to use Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) if pursuing accountancy here. You’ll likely come across an ERP system if you’re working for a big company in Singapore and gaining proficiency in it will be beneficial.
  3. Plan your career. There are different types of accountancy jobs, so it’s important to know which kind you’ll like to specialise in. For international candidates, ask yourself if you’d want to stay in Singapore. If yes, apply for jobs as soon as possible – it will take time for your work permit to be processed.

 

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MSc Accountancy

Academic Experience

Curriculum

Future-proof your finance career with the Nanyang MBA

Future-proof your finance career with the Nanyang MBA

by | Mar 2, 2022 | Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG MBA

Future-proof your finance career with the Nanyang MBA

Machine learning. Data analytics. Blockchain.

These are among the hottest buzzwords in finance right now as a wave of digital transformation sweeps the industry, with numerous professionals eyeing upskilling courses to stay relevant in the tech age.

But to Shadab Taiyabi, this alone is not enough to future-proof a career.

Rather, the final step is synthesising knowledge across disciplines and applying it to real life, the President of the Singapore FinTech Association says. “The skills that are most in demand today are related to helping businesses innovate and commercialise products.”

“In such a fast-evolving landscape, skills are the new currency,” he adds. “Finance professionals should focus on acquiring skillsets in key emerging areas to maintain market relevance and a competitive edge.”

Taiyabi, who has a masters degree from Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, says he picked up knowledge from experts across the finance, mathematics, computing and risk management fields.

This “provided the necessary rigour to absorb information from multiple sources and synthesise it” to benefit his work. The senior leader is APAC Head of FinTech and Innovation at Schroders.

Interdisciplinary skills a must

Taiyabi reiterates that to stay relevant in the digital era, it is critical for finance professionals to command interdisciplinary skills from various fields. Naturally, this includes fintech, which is at the forefront of the global digital transformation trend.

As financial institutions look to serve more customers remotely across Asia, the coming decade will see the proliferation of financial services through multiple non-financial digital channels, to meet customers’ needs for convenient and fast transactions.

This will mark the rise of embedded finance, which comprises the streamlined integration of financial services into traditionally non-financial platforms, allowing for increased accessibility to financial products and ease of use, Taiyabu says.

And as digital banks and fintech firms enter the banking space, and traditional banks expand their offerings to include advanced digital services, there will be more digital platforms that offer all-in-one and cross-segment financial products and services.

An understanding of AI, machine learning and data analytics is key for those looking to get ahead of the open banking trend, which will see greater customer data availability used to make personalised financial product recommendations. AI can also be used to strengthen customer service, risk management and business competitiveness.

Meanwhile, blockchain and distributed ledger technology are trends the financial sector cannot afford to ignore.

“We expect to see pervasive adoption of blockchain across the industry, including digitalisation of traditional assets,” says Taiyabi, adding that financial institutions are already integrating distributed ledger technology to develop digital infrastructure in financial markets.

In line with these trends, the interdisciplinary curriculum of the Nanyang MBA and Professional MBA (PMBA) is tailored to help finance professionals adapt to the changing digital landscape.

Offered by the Nanyang Business School, these forward-thinking programmes not only equip participants with deeper knowledge and skills on machine learning, AI, big data, blockchain and cybersecurity, they also connects the dots between these fields and the wider business ecosystem to offer big-picture understanding of digital transformation and business strategies.

Singapore the place to learn

For those looking to dive deeper into fintech, Singapore is one of the best places to learn. A regional hub for fintech innovation in Southeast Asia, the republic accounts for almost half of all fintech funding in ASEAN, according to a report by the Singapore FinTech Association, UOB and PwC Singapore.

It’s also why Nanyang MBA alumnus Li He quit his job as a Senior Business Development Manager at a securities firm in China and travelled to Singapore to upskill. 

“The Singapore fintech ecosystem is more mature and better regulated, and as a result it gets more global opportunities and collaborations in the digitalisation space,” explains Li, who is now lead of digital transformation at OCBC China.

Previously an officer at the People’s Bank of China, Li was tasked with fintech research. Still, he says, this only afforded only a “fundamental-level” understanding of the space.

To take the next step in his career, he sought an MBA that would impart a market and commercial perspective on how to apply fintech to wider corporate strategy.

“The Nanyang MBA curriculum helped me understand how fintech could be integrated into the business ecosystem to solve problems,” he says, highlighting modules including strategic management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and strategic innovation – which teaches participants how to apply design thinking to optimise business services.

“Tech isn’t helpful all the time. Sometimes it’s harmful to the organisation,” Li adds. “You need to know how to use the right instrument at the right time. The strategic curriculum provided a step-by-step framework on how to validate fintech solutions and apply them appropriately to business scenarios, a skill I now use daily.”

Similarly, Nanyang PMBA graduate Lianne Lee is using the insights gleaned from the course’s digital transformation, finance and marketing modules at work as a senior software engineer and scrum master at investment platform Shareable Asset. 

“I wanted to gain insight into the role technology can play in various industries, finance being one of them,” says Lee, who was previously an observability engineer at JPMorgan. “Working in a startup requires me to not only develop according to business requirements, but also provide input on how the customer journey and experience should impact the application architecture.” 

She’s also pleased with how the part-time programme was structured to optimise the learning experience, such as holding classes on weekends instead of weekday evenings so participants can concentrate better. 

“Mastery of any fintech domain is a full-time job, and most fintech domains are still evolving,” Lee adds. “Therefore, the better method would be to understand key concepts, which will make it easier to stay abreast of developments.”

Li and Lee’s experiences tie in with Taiyabi’s take that to be truly well-positioned for the future, finance professionals need to not only continue to upskill, but also develop their capabilities to gain big picture understanding of how fintech trends fit into the complex web of business.

“Professionals need a proficient understanding of FinTech to stay on top of trends,” the FinTech head adds. “Through this, they will be better equipped to help businesses keep up with the accelerating pace of innovation that we are seeing throughout the industry.”

Nanyang Business School offers various MBA programmes designed for professionals at various stages in their career journey. Find out the right-fit MBA programme for you.

Nanyang MBA

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.

 

Thought Leadership

Financial Services

Women in Focus: The Nanyang MBA

Women in Focus: The Nanyang MBA

by | Feb 21, 2022 | Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG MBA

Women in Focus: The Nanyang MBA

Cross-cultural leader, MedTech innovator, global marketing specialist – three talented women, three unique stories. Hear from our Nanyang MBA participants as they share snapshots of their career and how Nanyang Business School (NBS)’s MBA programme is contributing to their journey.

Daiwei Yu: Cross-Cultural Leader

Daiwei’s experience in post-merger and acquisition integration saw her support the development of a new product, the exit of a business line, and the launch of a new manufacturing facility. As a Chinese woman working in Tokyo, Daiwei also collaborated with cross-cultural colleagues and recognised the unique working styles across the two societies.

With nine years’ experience under her belt from various roles at Japanese chemical company Asahi Kasei, Daiwei saw herself as a future leader who could transform the business. To make this happen, she knew she had to equip herself with the right hard and soft skills. She decided on the Nanyang MBA from NBS.

Now more than halfway through the programme, Daiwei has already defined her leadership style and strengths, expanded her people skills, gained practical experience through collaborations with industry partners, and widened her network by interacting with like-minded participants in the programme.

As a mother to a year-old toddler, Daiwei also appreciates that the 12 month long Nanyang MBA programme allows her to juggle various roles without disrupting her career and lifestyle.

“NBS has prepared me on multiple dimensions – from having a career coach to guide my professional pathway, to mentors who encourage and foster an entrepreneurial mindset, to an educational collaboration with industry partners through the NBS Strategy Projects at Nanyang (SPAN),” says Daiwei, who is now more confident to take on her next role.

Bea Frese: MedTech Analyst 

As a product manager with one of the world’s leading providers and manufacturers of healthcare solutions, Bea knows what it takes to operate at the forefront of medical advancement technology. To surpass her peers in the rapidly innovating healthcare technology sector, she knew she would have to up her professional game.

Bea found the right fit with the Nanyang-St. Gallen Double Masters, a programme that will see her earn an MBA from NBS and a Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland simultaneously. “This programme was at the top of my list due to its renowned status, focus on community, and focus on leadership development. The double degree programme gives me the opportunity to explore my interest in research and at the same time build on my work experience,” she shares.

At NBS, Bea is pursuing the business analytics track while at St. Gallen, she will hone her strategy and management skills. “I believe analytics will play an increasingly important role and in the business world and this track teaches me its different facets as well as the possibilities that lie ahead. I look forward to applying these learnings in my future roles,” shares Bea.

Besides the rich curriculum, Bea is full of praise for the Nanyang MBA initiatives, especially those which connect participants with alumni who share their experiences as women in business.

“I appreciate the networking opportunities that have been provided via the Women in Business Club and the LEAP mentoring programme. It has been inspiring to learn from female leaders that work in challenging roles in Asia Pacific. My journey has only just begun, and I cannot wait for what this path has in store for me,” she adds.

Melissa Vizcarra Neira: Global Marketing Specialist 

“I want that experience!” – that was Melissa’s first thought as she listened to her husband’s Nanyang MBA experience back in 2016. She was fascinated by the breadth and depth of classes he took, the intercultural exchanges among his classmates, as well as the personal and professional connections he gained.

With over seven years’ experience in brand awareness, marketing, and public relations in both B2C and B2B environments, Melissa’s specialty was in understanding stakeholder interests and consumer insights. However, having only studied and worked in Peru previously, diversity was one of her most important considerations when selecting the right MBA. She ultimately chose the Nanyang MBA programme.

Melissa was immersed in the Asian business environment, quickly learning about the Asian consumer and the trends future managers must anticipate when developing strategies in such a market. By choosing the Marketing Management track, the programme will pave her way to pivot into areas such as brand or product management, customer centricity, loyalty, and marketing technology. She also found the course in Technology and E-Business especially invigorating, as she learned how e-businesses transformed entire industries and the strategies that helped them succeed.

Beyond the classroom, Melissa is Vice President for Social & Cultural within the Nanyang MBA Student Executive Committee. Here, she plays the lead role in ensuring a sense of inclusion for all the participants from her class regardless of their cultural backgrounds.

“I am learning from every interaction with them, whether inside or outside the classroom, so I make every moment count,” says Melissa.

Thinking of leveling up your professional game with an MBA degree? The Nanyang MBA has been listed as a top programme for women.

Nanyang MBA

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.

 

Academic Experience

Student Life

4 Insider Tips on Mastering Your Masters Degree Application

4 Insider Tips on Mastering Your Masters Degree Application

by | Feb 17, 2022 | MSc Accountancy, MSc Business Analytics, MSc Financial Engineering, MSc Marketing Science

Graduate Studies Blog

MSC ACCOUNTANCY, MSC BUSINESS ANALYTICS, MSC FINANCIAL ENGINEERING, MSC MARKETING SCIENCE

4 Insider Tips on Mastering Your Masters Degree Application

For many of us, applying to a highly sought-after specialised masters’ degree programme can be daunting.

Schools such as Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Nanyang Business School (NBS) receive thousands of applications every year while admitting only a few hundred participants.

To help you navigate the process, Damon Hon, Head of Graduate Studies Admissions, NBS, offers some quick tips on what the admissions team looks out for in an application.

​1. Showcase yourself beyond grades

NBS evaluates your application holistically by looking at several key aspects.

Academic capacity is the most obvious one. The admissions team needs to know that you are equipped to handle the academic rigours that come with a masters programme but it’s often not so straightforward. “For example, if your undergraduate performance was mediocre, we will look at your GRE/ GMAT scores, which can compensate for it,” Damon says.

However, it’s increasingly no longer just about your grades. Equally important are your leadership and collaboration abilities. Damon explains: “We want to know what kind of responsibilities you’ve taken on: whether at work, in your internship, while you were studying, or at home. We also want participants who can work well with others because your programme will involve lots of group work.”

Finally, how do you respond to stress and change? NBS programmes are demanding, so the admissions team will have to assess your adaptability and resilience skills. “Tell us how you plan to adapt to the Singapore lifestyle, or how you cope with recent crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic,” Damon shares. “In the post-pandemic era, employers, too, will be keen to understand your mental health practices.”

2. Tighten up your resume

“The admissions team has looked at many resumes over the years. One thing is for sure: it’s very possible to keep your resume short and sweet – I’ve seen people with 20-plus years of experience putting it all down in just one page!” Damon says.

Here are some practical steps to keep yours to a page. First, reduce technical jargon and translate your achievements into quantifiable results instead: put into numbers the revenue you’ve helped to bring in for a company, the percentage of cost savings you’ve achieved, or other data that reflect how you’ve value-added.

Professional experiences such as internships are just as important as educational qualifications, so bring the former to the fore. Alternatively, personalise your resume by making concise notes of awards gained and volunteering or student activities you have participated in.

And always edit, edit, edit. A resume isn’t meant to be completed in one seating. Go back to it a few times to rephrase for succinctness and check for any errors.

3. Include Letters of Recommendation

Have you completed a few working stints or internships? Keep in touch with your supervisors so that they remember and can recommend you.

“These supervisors are industry people with many years of experience,” Damon says. “They can vouch for you and your work. Their letters of recommendation will help add weight to the professional experiences you list in your resume.”

4. Practise Your Interview Skills

You will need a kind yet brutally honest friend for this last bit. Get this friend to wear the hat of the interviewer and practise the interview process with you.

Key interview questions to rehearse include:

  • “Why did you decide to apply for this programme?”
  • “What are your career plans and future goals?”
  • “How will you add value to your fellow classmates?”

These questions are necessary and hence common, so spar with your friend verbally to enhance your responses.

“Not everyone is a good storyteller, and we’re not expecting that at the interview. What we do want are sharp answers that are to the point and which helps us understand you as a person and what you bring to the programme.”

“Not everyone is a good storyteller, and we’re not expecting that at the interview. What we do want are sharp answers that are to the point and which helps us understand you as a person and what you bring to the programme.”

Remind your friend to also observe your interview mannerisms and responses to provide you feedback for improvement.

The last advice that Damon offers has to do with interview practicalities. “First impressions do count,” he says candidly.

“In the Zoom era, it means having a professional background during your virtual interview, dressing smart, and being early for your interview. In fact, the applicant before you might skip his or her interview, which means yours can start ahead of time. This gives you precious extra minutes to speak with the panel and ask thoughtful questions that can provide insights into why you’re the right fit for the programme and school.”

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Navigating An Emerging Market – A Nanyang EMBA Alumnus’s Perspective

Navigating An Emerging Market – A Nanyang EMBA Alumnus’s Perspective

by | Feb 14, 2022 | Nanyang Executive MBA, Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

Navigating An Emerging Market – A Nanyang EMBA Alumnus’s Perspective

Before you jump in and start steering a business in Myanmar, it is a good idea to learn cultural intelligence so leaders can “blend in” and lead from within, says Brandon Lye, CEO of Tiger Asset Management.

Developing economies offer unique challenges and opportunities for businesses and their leaders. It takes skill to navigate the market in the diverse Asian region; because of nuances that the unfamiliar may fail to grasp, a well-intentioned leader can inadvertently cause more harm than good promising business relationships.

“To deftly navigate emerging markets in Asia, due diligence is needed, and a successful leader needs to understand local norms and cultures, and be able to build deep connections in order to lead with impact.”

Brandon Lye, EMBA Class of 2022
CEO
Tiger Asset Management

Brandon Lye, Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Asset Management Pte. Ltd. (TAM), an investment firm and trustee manager for a digital real estate trust with assets under management in Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar, and a Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) participant, discusses his journey navigating Myanmar’s business landscape. He explains why taking on the Nanyang EMBA at this point in his career was timely, and how the EMBA was critical in helping him achieve his goals in Myanmar as well as explore other opportunities in the region.

Capturing the vast potential of emerging markets

Brandon’s first foray into Myanmar was as Director of Capital Projects and Infrastructure at PwC in Singapore. He co-authored “Transforming Yangon–The Heart of Myanmar,” a PwC report that outlines the infrastructure and economic development potential of the country’s former seat of government and its largest city.

After his stint at PwC, Brandon joined EFD Group, a young Myanmar conglomerate with a diverse portfolio, including financial services, mining, real estate, agriculture, and industrial. The move from PwC to EFD Group allowed him to shift from being a consultant working on typically short-term projects to a more hands-on role where he could see things through to the end. In 2022, Brandon moved on to join TAM as CEO to lead the investment and asset management of digital real estate and infrastructure portfolio across Southeast Asia, including Myanmar. 

“I find much more satisfaction in really understanding the issues and working in a longer-term engagement within an organisation. I also fell in love with Myanmar after setting foot there and decided that this is a country that I want to stay in touch with and contribute to, whether in a personal or a professional capacity,” says Brandon, who has been working with the overseas offices remotely from home in Singapore due to COVID-19.

How to navigate emerging Asian markets

Bordering India, Bangladesh, China, Thailand, and Laos, Myanmar is a country with a rich history. Even amidst the current socio-political uncertainty, it remains a dynamic economy with huge promise. Like most of Southeast Asia, the country has great potential for digitalisation – and a need for savvy leaders who can identify these opportunities and innovate business processes to ride its economic growth.

Currently, about 43% of the population uses the internet and there are more mobile connections than people as some own more than one device. Its population of 54 million is relatively young, with a median age of 29 years, which may make digital adoption easier.

“When it comes to making business decisions, some may find the Myanmar business environment slightly more closed off than others. Information isn’t always easily available, so you need to be on the ground, talking to people,” says Brandon. Researching a person’s background or a corporate profile, for instance, may not be a straightforward process, while language and cultural differences are barriers to circumvent.

This means that doing business demands more time and effort; leaders should prepare accordingly.

Building relationships is a top priority for Brandon. In Myanmar, work is rarely discussed during the first business meeting. “People want to build rapport and trust before discussing professional matters,” he explains. Another reason to add a personal touch to business interactions is that most businesses in the country, even the country’s large private banks, are family-owned. In this environment that’s connected by familial relationships, personal ties matter.

To do business in Myanmar, it is also important to be familiar with the local culture, show respect for social norms and customs, and understand the socio-political undercurrents.

“You don’t need to be an expert but knowing what the country is going through goes a long way in ensuring you’re making business calls that are respectful of the country, its people, and its history.”

For TAM, technology has played a critical role in weathering COVID-19 related challenges. At the onset of the pandemic, when business operations shifted to remote working, the company invested in digital tools to conduct virtual meetings and facilitate interactions. It called for a bit of an adjustment in the beginning, but the company’s predominantly young and tech-savvy employees picked up the technology quickly.

The Nanyang EMBA shapes culturally fluent leaders

The decision to join the programme was a personal one for Brandon: “Pursuing an MBA is a life goal. I believe in a continuous journey of learning regardless of one’s age and seniority level.”

He adds, “I graduated from Nanyang Business School at NTU many years ago, and this is also where I met my wife. So NTU always has a special place in our hearts,” he says.

The Nanyang EMBA programme helped Brandon stay abreast of upcoming business and technological trends that could impact his company and the industry. Some modules he found particularly helpful include those on digital transformation, emerging technologies, and strategy.

To help business leaders “blend in” and lead from within without “stepping on anyone’s toes” – a key skill in culturally diverse emerging markets – the Nanyang EMBA programme offers a cultural intelligence module.

The holistic programme has also widened Brandon’s network globally as he learned alongside other experienced business leaders, and let him explore potential collaborations with some classmates, beyond the classroom.

Tapping on his contacts and the networks fostered through the programme, Brandon hopes to bring more business opportunities for local businesses in Myanmar to link up with the rest of the world. “I would like to introduce more classmates from the Nanyang EMBA programme to Myanmar and take the opportunity to let the world know more [about the country],” he adds.

For business leaders interested to grow in Asia, with a global outlook on high-level issues such as sustainability, digitalisation, and economics, the Nanyang EMBA can help you realise your vision.

The Nanyang Executive MBA is a part-time 13-month programme designed for senior leaders aspiring to transform the way they lead, delivering a dynamic curriculum that bridges business, technology, and innovation for businesses to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change.

To find out more, visit our website or contact us at execmba@ntu.edu.sg to schedule a 1-to-1 discussion on your postgraduate aspirations.

Register here for a chat: https://bit.ly/NanyangEMBAchat.

 

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Leadership Development

The successful leader’s toolkit

The successful leader’s toolkit

by | Feb 7, 2022 | Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

NANYANG MBA

The successful leader’s toolkit

There are no natural leaders – it takes conscious, focused effort to become one, says Professor Boh Wai Fong, as she reveals the 3 essential leadership tools for impactful leadership today.

As Deputy Dean at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore’s (NTU Singapore) Nanyang Business School (NBS), Prof Boh Wai Fong inspires MBA participants with the wealth of knowledge she has amassed from over two decades of intensive research into diverse businesses and the entrepreneurs that drive them.

“There are all kinds of businesses and leaders,” she muses. “Our challenge is to create better leaders who can transform their businesses from inside out.”

Prof Boh and her fellow faculty members at NBS believe that having empathetic, insightful leaders is often a major determinant for a company’s continued success. There are three key leadership tools for success.

Build Connections with Cultural Dexterity

One of the challenges of doing business in different territories is adapting to the cultural diversity and idiosyncrasies of business partners from other parts of the world. How can we succeed in building connections with new business partners?

Prof Boh explains: “Cultural intelligence at NBS means that you can read situations in different contexts and recognise what different signs mean, verbal or otherwise. With this cultural awareness, you can discern the best courses of action when facing different situations and people.” This dexterity will be even more crucial as organisations grow and begin tapping on larger talent pools worldwide.

 “When we spend the majority of our time with people who share similar goals, we will have similar opinions, and therefore effecting any changes can take ages. To counteract that, there’s a need to consciously, and intentionally, hear from people with different perspectives,” says Prof Boh. This is the reason why cohort selection is critical to NBS. The faculty encourages participants to express their views openly and honestly, building on one another’s ideas and industry expertise. This also helps polish their analytical and communicative skills.

Integrate Tech into Business Processes

 As technology and business converge, leaders will work far more closely with their tech teams. They will also spend more time learning about emerging technologies and analysing the potential value they can bring to the organisation. Leveraging artificial intelligence, blockchain, and process automation is not a simple plug-and-play button; instead, leaders must nurture an appreciation of technology to overcome any challenges and manage potential hiccups.

NBS aims to support leaders who can effectively transform and update their organisation’s units with the latest digital technologies. Prof Boh takes pride in the University’s status as one of the few institutes of higher learning in Singapore and in the region that positions its IT and information systems unit within the business school. In most schools, she explains, they are separated because they are considered dissimilar fields.

Although many have begun to realise that tech and business are now deeply interlinked, some continue to view tech as a black box that can be relegated to the ‘techies,’ explains Prof Boh. She highlights blockchain as an example. Industries like banking, healthcare, and manufacturing are all exploring their blockchain use cases for the improved security it offers. But how do hashes work? Why do hashes create immutability? What will happen if leaders choose to ignore the growing use of blockchain? Leaders should understand such fundamentals to make the most of new developments.

Show Empathy in Problem-solving

At NBS, exposure to various industries and people from different walks of life is an additional and invaluable benefit for MBA participants: it cultivates deep empathy, which is becoming critical to organisational sustainability. “Empathy pays off considerable returns to the organisation itself through improved reputation and branding, happier employees, and better connections with consumers,” says Prof Boh.

She highlights the understated importance of empathy in today’s problem-solving and ideation frameworks like design thinking, which is completely ineffective without empathising with the user or stakeholder. “The probabilistic nature of the world demands that we consider and protect the lives of those we touch when implementing various structures, mechanisms, and rules for growth,” she adds.

More than ever, empathy comes to the fore as businesses grapple with new technology’s ethical ramifications. “I used to think that regulator-enforced restrictions could hinder innovation,” says Prof Boh, “for example, compliance costs are commonly considered too inconvenient and burdensome for smaller organisations. But when we practise empathy, we see that a lack of it can lead to dire consequences.” Despite its tremendous benefits in vaccine research, for example, AI and algorithmic bias in healthcare settings have inadvertently contributed to unequal care and widened social gaps.

The path to leadership isn’t easy, and numerous aspiring leaders do not receive the support they need. “No one is born a leader,” says Prof Boh. “It takes conscious, focused effort from many people to become one.”

NBS is committed to equipping leaders with essential leadership tools to scale the heights, create impact, and build a lasting legacy. Beyond the business school’s faculty, there are a series of initiatives and support curated for participants after graduation – committed and engaging staff, an esteemed pool of local and international alumni, and continued guidance from faculty.

If you are ready to take the next step as a leader who can make impactful change, download the programme brochure here or visit our website.

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.

 

Thought Leadership

Could workplace well-being be the secret to organisational success?

Could workplace well-being be the secret to organisational success?

by | Jan 24, 2022 | Nanyang Fellows MBA, Nanyang MBA, Nanyang Professional MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

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NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA, NANYANG MBA, NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA & NANYANG FELLOWS MBA

Could workplace well-being be the secret to organisational success?

Workplace mental health is a key topic today with remote work arrangements that reflect declining engagement levels and increasing mental health strains. Associate Professor Trevor Yu from the Division of Leadership, Management & Organisation at Nanyang Technological University Singapore’s (NTU) Singapore Nanyang Business School (NBS) shares his views on the subject of employee well-being – What is it? How can leaders engage with it? What is the role of leaders in cultivating joy and a sense of meaning for their employees in the workplace?
Trevor Yu's Quote
Early into the pandemic, many leaders shrugged off any potential adverse effects of remote and hybrid working to focus on short-term business survival. Says Prof Yu: “You have essentially taken people out of a normal type of life and work environment and now we are noticing a general lack of communication [in employees], as well as an inability to function normally.”

Instead of concerning themselves only with their employees’ output on the clock, Prof Yu says that today’s leaders are now “recognising that work is not everything, and that people want to lead a more balanced life that allows them to thrive and flourish outside of work as well.” As a professor of graduate students in the MBA programmes at NBS, Prof Yu is partly responsible for instilling an awareness of the importance of well-being in his students.

 

5 things leaders should do to promote employee well-being

 

Work-life balance is considered by many to be an impossible ideal, but Prof Yu believes it’s possible — and important — for employers to support their employees and prioritise a fairer split between work and non-work domains. There are several ways to do this, he says.


1. Build a corporate culture and institute policies that recognise employee well-being as a corporate priority

“The challenge for modern leaders is to be able to manage competing interests,” explains Prof Yu. This means reorienting office rules to prioritise mental health even if the changes seem to go against conventional practice.

He recommends making strategic use of synchronous and asynchronous communication methods to “ensure that people are getting opportunities to contribute while at the same time giving them the flexibility to take care of other responsibilities, like kids or elderly parents,”. In the long run, this is good for the bottom line, too, as workers can now “focus more on work without distractions and without having to worry.”


2. Reframe HR benefits within the context of employee well-being

More than ever, HR personnel should be encouraged to make commitments that nurture employee well-being. Instead of leaving workers without guidance on the use of their benefits, Prof Yu suggests that HR “educate employees about their employment contracts and benefits to address their well-being, like explaining the various leave entitlements,”. “Treat this as a specific timeout to get your mental wellness right to recharge”.

Leaders can go the extra step and encourage their employees to take advantage of their benefits whenever possible. This includes reminding them to take breaks, advocating the use of vacation hours and flexible leave policies, and making sure employees are aware of company-provided insurance and health services.


3. Find ways to build interpersonal connections despite the physical distances

Remote or hybrid work has taken away the “accidental collisions”, or chance meetings between workers, that encourage collaboration and create happier, more productive work environments. “The social environment of the office can add meaning to one’s work,” Prof Yu says, “and in a remote/hybrid work setup, that important element is just lost.”

While technology has contributed to the isolation remote workers feel, it can also be used to rebuild the personal connections that were severed by work-from-home arrangements. For instance, he points to certain companies that use platforms that help with employee pulse checks.

Trevor Yu's Quote

4. Ensure that transparency and fairness continue to be key values in employee management

Building on his earlier point on managing competing interests, Prof Yu says there’s a need for particularly skilful leaders going forward who can negotiate competing interests and conflicts. It won’t be easy, but leaders must be guided by one key principle: “to be as transparent and as fair in the way that you do things”.

Prof Yu believes that workplaces are trending towards greater diversity. While younger employees may have concerns about job security; older workers have concerns about adapting to online/hybrid work. In addition, dealing with a team where half the team are full-time employees while the other half are contractors or part-timers who may not consider themselves as part of your organisation adds to the complex dynamics of employee management addressing workers with varying concerns and agendas.


5. Institutionalise established talent management and HR practices on a more systemic level

A company-wide emphasis on personal well-being will need to be enshrined in the organisation chart. Prof Yu suggests that offices “create a particular role/office designated to take care of employee well-being.” They will need to be specifically qualified for the job, have the right connections to mental health experts, ensure there’s a healthy workplace in terms of ergonomics, and that employees have the right equipment to do their work properly.


How MBA participants internalise employee well-being

Executives who enrol for NBS’s MBA programmes quickly learn to prioritise optimal employee well-being. It’s not a hard sell – many of them have had personal encounters with the issue before.

“The participants actually come to our programmes with their own experiences from their jobs – some of them are good, some of them not so good,” says Prof Yu. “They can actually relate to this need for a more human approach to management,” he adds.

Through the MBA programmes, our participants learn the leadership and interpersonal relationship management skills that are key pillars in NBS’s MBA programmes.

Today’s disrupted business climate calls for leaders with a more nuanced toolkit for people management, including a full suite of soft skills. MBA participants taking on greater leadership responsibilities will be well-prepared as they move up the corporate ladder, learning “not just good decision-making skills, but also how to manage relationships,” Prof Yu says. “This humanistic side of management – it’s what we have been increasingly trying to inculcate into the programme.

“Our participants learn that human capital is a key resource they are responsible for and to turn this resource into a competitive advantage for their business, they must invest in ways to help their colleagues or employees reach their full potential.”

 

Trevor Yu is an Associate Professor in the Division of Leadership, Management & Organisation at the Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He teaches executives and undergraduates various courses involving the management of human capital including strategic HRM, change management, consulting research methodology, total rewards, and organisational behaviour and design.

 

NBS offers four MBA programmes that nurture strategic, entrepreneurial leaders at any stage in their career, whether they’re starting at the bottom or part of senior leadership teams. The key cornerstones of our programmes – technology and innovation, leadership, and global focus with Asian insights – help our participants face broader issues in business, society, and the environment head-on.

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