How case competitions prepare Nanyang MBA graduates for the real world

How case competitions prepare Nanyang MBA graduates for the real world

by | Apr 2, 2024 | Nanyang MBA

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Nanyang MBA

How case competitions prepare Nanyang MBA graduates for the real world

For many MBA participants at Nanyang Business School (NBS), joining case competitions has become a serious aspiration, if not an outright obsession.

In case competitions, MBA participants confront real-world cases that need to be solved quickly, providing experience that simulates their future as high-level executives or consultants. Case competitions put Nanyang MBA participants’ fast thinking, innovation, and creativity to the test—honing their capabilities for their post-MBA careers.

The most ambitious Nanyang MBA participants aspire to compete in the “Olympics” of global case competitions—the John Molson MBA International Case Competition.

For one week in January, top MBA participants from leading business schools meet at the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, to compete against each other in solving complex, real-world business cases under time pressure.

Nanyang MBA has been participating in Molson since 2009 and has achieved a surprisingly high winning record at the competition, in part due to its forward-thinking interdisciplinary curriculum and its volunteer alumni coaches—led today by Molson 2014 semi-finalist and present-day head coach Akshay Regulagedda.

Understanding the importance of case competitions

Why put all this effort into sending Nanyang MBA participants to global case competitions?

Aside from the prospects of winning, it is also an excellent platform for MBA participants to put their academic learning into practice, sharpen their analytical skills, and exercise their agility by competing against the best of the best. It is a great training ground to prepare for the high-stakes and high-pressure world of executive board rooms.

In case competitions, teams of two or more individuals go head-to-head to develop the best solution to a business-related case study within an allocated time frame. The teams then present these solutions to a panel of judges. The Molson case competition amps up the ante with its tournament format, narrowing down the top teams to those that make it to the final round.

“Unlike other case competitions, [Molson] business cases are given only at a designated time,” shares Akshay. “The teams have a limited time to read through the documentation, understand what’s happening, come up with recommendations, prepare their slides, and present them to a panel of judges.”

The intense and fast-paced nature of the Molson case competition is the ultimate test of grace under pressure—testing the participants’ critical thinking abilities, decision-making skills, and teamwork under significant time constraints.

From Molson participant to coach

Akshay Regulagedda has been a regular fixture in these global case competitions. From participating when he was pursuing his MBA in 2014, Akshay has been coaching Molson teams since 2015, starting as an assistant coach under longtime coach Professor Vijay Sethi, and rising to full coach status afterward.

Dr Sethi teaches IT, e-Business, and technological entrepreneurship classes for the Nanyang MBA programme and has long coached teams for various international case competition teams hailing from NBS.

In 2014, Akshay wasn’t sure if he wanted to compete at first. “I originally wanted to do a business plan competition, but through Dr Sethi’s introductory presentation, I figured case competitions were a great way to improve my presentation skills,” he shares. “I was lucky to represent the school—it was a highlight of my MBA career back then.” In 2014, the team made it to the semi-finals, coming within a whisker of reaching the finals.

When Akshay returned to Singapore after his exchange semester in 2015, Dr Sethi asked him if he wanted to accompany that year’s Molson team to Montreal. “Dr Sethi felt that somebody who has participated in the competition would be in a good position to coach the team,” he recalls.

In 2015, he assisted Dr Sethi in coaching Nanyang MBA participants to the first Asian victory at Molson since it expanded into a global case competition in 1992. “In many ways, this was a great way to give back to the university, and it just so happened that we won,” he shares. They repeated this victory in 2019 and clinched third and second place in 2020 and 2023 respectively.

The coaching process

Since then, Akshay has been coaching Nanyang MBA’s Molson teams. “I treat coaching both as a hobby and a form of continuous learning similar to attending part-time courses,” he says. As he is also the principal data strategist for Singapore Airlines, he can only devote after-office hours and weekend afternoons to coaching.

“I put a high premium on productivity—every minute counts. We have a precise coaching schedule, with clear learning objectives that we all decide on well in advance,” he shares, which is also a good training for the time-based case competitions at Molson.

For Akshay, the “Nanyang Way” of preparing for Molson involves fostering a growth mindset and cultural intelligence. When conducting a “blind test” for potential Molson participants, he typically looks for an aptitude for learning from one’s wins and losses, and the ability to work with people from different backgrounds. “Every team is different,” he says.

Preparing for case competitions also galvanises Nanyang MBA alumni, who still embody the Molson spirit and jump at the chance to evaluate and coach participants. “Because our alumni cohort is so diverse, this exponentially enhances the feedback teams get during coaching sessions,” shares Akshay.

All the training sessions for Molson are worth it, as the benefits carry through to the participants’ post-MBA careers.

For one, it hones fluency in both public speaking and creating compelling slides in a short time. “Once you pick these skills up, they are yours for life,” quips Akshay. Also, the time limit trains participants to get to the root of a problem quickly, while the presentation to a panel of judges builds awareness on convincing senior leadership to buy into creative solutions, he adds.

 

A rigorous MBA programme built for the real world

Beyond the prestige of victory, winning at global case competitions, like Molson, is a testament to how Nanyang Business School’s forward-thinking MBA programme prepares its graduates for the complex business problems of the real world.

Building on the strengths of NTU Singapore, one of Asia’s leading and most comprehensive research-intensive universities, the Nanyang MBA programme marries rigorous academic theory with real-world business practices. This combination provides enriching opportunities for interdisciplinary study and cultural intelligence.

Do you want to experience the thrill of participating in global case competitions like Molson? Apply to the Nanyang MBA programme today. We are also accepting scholarship applications. Visit our website to learn more.

 

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A Tech Leader’s Bold Journey Towards Regional Transformation

A Tech Leader’s Bold Journey Towards Regional Transformation

by | Apr 2, 2024 | Nanyang Executive MBA

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NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

A Tech Leader’s Bold Journey Towards Regional Transformation

Within executive circles, the advantages of an Executive MBA (EMBA) are widely acknowledged: refined business acumen, expedited career progression, and elevated leadership credentials. However, Yogesh Gaikwad harboured a distinct ambition – to hone his entrepreneurial skills.

“NTU’s course helped me do just that,” says the Interim Chief Information Technology Officer spearheading the insurer’s digital transformation initiatives across the region, particularly focusing on the Indonesia business in recent times.

Yogesh is a 2022 graduate of the Nanyang EMBA programme, offered by the Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU).

Drawing from his experience spearheading digital incubations resembling startups within established businesses, Yogesh recognised the imperative of taking an intrapreneurial approach, and honing the leadership skills required, to successfully pursue ambitious endeavours within his diverse global corporation.

This propelled him to explore business schools globally, seeking a course that could answer his curiosity in better and more effective approaches to drive large-scale initiatives, and provide insights around how industries and multinational organisations have successfully navigated technological revolutions.

The Nanyang EMBA’s primary focus on digital transformation, innovation, and intercultural leadership aligned with these aspirations, making it the perfect fit.

 

Big bold vision and ideas

With EMBA in hand, the initiatives Yogesh now leads at work boast higher success rates than others, thanks to learnings he says are “baked into all I’m strategizing for the future.”

The Nanyang Executive MBA programme offers business leaders a holistic curriculum designed to strengthen knowledge and skills in general management, leadership, and technology and innovation. Course modules include digital transformation, knowledge, and technology management, and developing strategic capabilities.

In addition, Yogesh studied technology-based innovation and disruption on an overseas immersion to the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley. The Berkeley community boasts close ties to Silicon Valley.

“We were taught how to get an idea into execution mode, and do better for people and communities,” he says. Inspired by the Berkeley Venture Capital, a VC fund run by Berkeley students, Yogesh is now mulling the creation of a VC fund for NTU.

Other EMBA learnings found their way into his work. Analysis of how Google and Facebook leverage market network effects to scale their products provided Yogesh the insights to bake the learnings into Prudential’s regionwide offerings.

Meanwhile, case studies of how Air Liquide kept a merged entity lean, agile and profitable, and how Alibaba used data from platform transactions to run an innovative new enterprise offering loans to small businesses, proffered inspiration on how to enhance the success of digital transformation initiatives driven by a core focus on keeping customer needs at the forefront of all endeavours.

These takeaways enabled Yogesh to unleash his natural entrepreneurial bent and deliver results. “I’ve developed a structured perspective to consider all angles of an opportunity, challenge or an issue and work out strategies – such that when I start looking at a problem now, these learnings automatically come up,” he says. “I am more bold, more aggressive, and more structured, in terms of whatever I want to drive.”

 

Honing cultural intelligence

Beyond sharper strategies, Yogesh also credits the increased success rate of his projects to an improved cultural quotient, built up through Nanyang EMBA learnings.

This has resulted in heightened sensitivity toward cultural nuances when leading people, serving customers, and designing products and services. “It’s helped me have a positive impact across the organisation for the last few years,” he says.

The Nanyang EMBA emphasises intercultural leadership by offering senior executives a trifecta of cutting-edge management, innovation, and leadership perspectives across Singapore, the US and China.

This is exposure the India-born leader particularly values. “I had the opportunity to do my MBA at Harvard or the London School of Economics, but NTU’s course came with an East-West flavour,” he explains.

“I thought if I combined my understanding of the Indian landscape with knowledge of Asia, China and Silicon Valley, that’s the best combination a leader could have to build and lead global teams and organisations, because I would be exposed to almost all parts of the world that are growing rapidly.”

Apart from the learnings at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, Yogesh also attended courses on technology and innovation, and doing business in China, at the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management, Beijing.

Enhanced knowledge of the workings of Chinese corporations, and their cultural and business norms, has enabled him to effectively engage and lead China-based employees and change engine projects. The diverse cohort of over 15 nationalities within the Nanyang EMBA also provided rich opportunities to expand his cultural perspectives.

 

Yogesh Gaikwad

 

Becoming a businessman

Having been approached by aspiring participants to share his EMBA experiences since graduating, Yogesh readily points out concerns that senior leaders’ tight schedules mean carving out time for classes and immersions can be challenging.

“NTU’s support and flexibility around schedule management and assignment completion was a key plus,” he says. To accommodate participants’ needs, the part-time Nanyang EMBA course is designed to run in six segments of two weeks each across 13 months, with each course segment spaced three months apart.

His studies concluded, the computer engineering expert now looks forward to applying his freshly honed entrepreneurial and intercultural skills to not only the workplace, but also personal aspirations to build an agritech platform that will benefit farmers across Asia.

“The course has given me the learnings, insight and platform to be more confident, aggressive, and polished in my approach to handling leadership assignments and running my business in time to come,” he says.

And when that day arrives, he can also expect the support of a diverse cohort of professional connections spanning 20 industries. “I’ve established solid friendships during the course. We hang out,” he says. “We call if someone is in need of something, and come together to use our contacts and offer help.”

 

 

About the Nanyang Executive MBA 

In this rapidly changing world driven by technology, digitalisation, and sustainability, lifelong learning is key to staying ahead of the competition. The Nanyang EMBA equips business leaders with the tools and strategies to lead purposefully in the hyperconnected economy.

This part-time programme offers a career-compatible schedule allowing you to your undivided attention to work and study. The programme’s duration is 13-months with the flexibility to stretch to 2 years to accommodate work demands.

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

 

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.

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How An MSc In Business Analytics Helped Me Land An Internship & Boost My Career

How An MSc In Business Analytics Helped Me Land An Internship & Boost My Career

by | Mar 6, 2024 | MSc Business Analytics

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MSC BUSINESS ANALYTICS

How An MSc In Business Analytics Helped Me Land An Internship & Boost My Career

As an engineering graduate with several years of experience at EY—one of the big four accounting and professional services firms—you’d be forgiven for wondering why Yacob Chaly felt the need to enroll in a master’s degree.

A native of Kerala, south India, who held a keen interest in technology, Yacob focused his bachelor’s on tech and carved out a career in data and analytics consulting at EY after graduation.

But, having developed a passion for data, after five years he decided that he needed to expand his scope while also learning how to apply his skills towards business decisions.

“I realised that in order to grow in my career and become a subject matter leader in data analytics, I needed a bigger picture of the data ecosystem,” he says.

Yacob decided pursuing a Master’s in Business Analytics would offer the chance to do this.

 

Why the NTU MSc in Business Analytics? 

When choosing where to study his MSc, Yacob was attracted to Singapore as a key business hub within Asia, and a country that was not too far from home.

“Singapore is a regional hub and so you have the brightest minds in APAC over here,” he explains.

Searching for a suitable degree, he found the MSc in Business Analytics at Nanyang Business School, a programme that mixed technical learning in areas such as advanced programming and machine learning, with broader business modules.

 

Yacob was intrigued by the programme’s various practical opportunities, which included undertaking data-led business simulators and projects, and embarking on an internship.

He successfully applied for the programme, and was immediately impressed by this focus on applied learning.

“I liked the fact that most of the modules had an individual or group project, and these were based on real-life data,” he says. “The course was focused more on the application of concepts.

“Professors were also very helpful, they would drive interactions and encourage you to ask questions,” he adds.

With a broad curriculum ranging from analytics strategy to data visualization to cyber security, the NBS MSc in Business Analytics helped Yacob successfully expand his data expertise.

“It helped me grow horizontally and equipped me with concepts of data science and business, because I already knew the database side of things.”

 

How can business school develop your experience?

Beyond his modular learning, Yacob’s time on the NBS MSc in Business Analytics involved a range of eye-opening experiences that helped expand his development.

Having left India to live and study in a new country, the immersion in a new culture involved a large adjustment during the early stages of the year-long programme.

“Considering the fact that I’d never moved out of Kerala, it actually did open my eyes,” he says. “In the first few weeks, I realized that people here have dinner at 6pm, and back home we have dinner at 8pm—it’s all kind of a cultural shock.”

Within a cohort composed of 90% international students and a near 50% gender split, the diverse classroom meant Yacob could enhance his cultural understanding while working closely alongside his fellow students.

“When you’re working in groups and you are on campus, you meet a lot of people from across the world, so it helps you to network,” he says. “You also learn about different cultures because they become your friends, so you learn more about them. It’s a wonderful learning experience.”

Alongside networking with his peers, designated sessions organized by the Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO) throughout the year meant Yacob could network with recruiters.

The GSCDO also helped connect Yacob and his fellow students with employers to secure those all-important internship and job opportunities that would provide their next steps after graduation.

 

How can an internship offer your career a boost? 

While applying for internships, the GSCDO connected Yacob with a data intern opportunity at Mindshare, a global media agency, before providing additional support during the interview process that helped him secure the role.

A firm largely focused on media and marketing, Yacob was initially daunted by the challenge of entering a new sector. However, the internship provided him with a platform to gain experience in a different industry while also employing his holistic data skillset.

“When I started off the internship, I had basically zero knowledge about marketing. So this internship actually helped me slightly bridge that gap,” he explains. “You are an employee, but you’re actually a student as well.”

After impressing his superiors over a five-month period, Yacob was offered the chance to take on a full-time role, which he began shortly after finishing his degree.

Today, he is working as a data and analytics manager, employing a broad range of skills including building dashboards, designing data pipelines, and writing code using Python. A key focus is using data knowledge and skills to benefit the business.

“It’s a mixture of what I used to do before, and what I learned during the programme,” he explains.

Reflecting on his journey, Yacob feels that his drive to continue learning has helped boost his career and allowed him to have a greater impact at work. He advises that others channel the same thinking in their own careers.

“The main use of data analytics is to solve a business problem, and the tools that we use are just learned so that we can achieve that,” he explains. “Technology is an evolving space, so you should always have that curiosity to keep learning because the tool that you use today may not be valid tomorrow.”

The article first appeared on BusinessBecause. Find out more about our MSBA programme here.

 

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Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

by | Feb 22, 2024 | MSc Financial Engineering

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Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

MSC FINANCIAL ENGINEERING

Charting New Career Directions With The MSc Financial Engineering Programme

Internships can be a gateway to unexpected career paths, and Javier Ng certainly made full use of the opportunity to explore his options. By the end of his Double Degree in Accountancy & Business at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), he already had five internship stints under his belt – and a new career direction in mind.

“I tried multiple internships in different areas to find out what I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy,” explained Javier. This included an audit internship at a chartered accounting firm, a data analytics internship, and a Research & Strategy internship at Dymon Asia Capital, an investment management firm. It was this last stint that piqued his interest in a pivot towards investment.

“It was my first foray into markets, and I learnt a lot with access to materials from different sell-side banks,” he recalled. “I love the uncertainty and challenge that the markets bring.”

But to take on today’s highly complex markets, Javier needed the quantitative finance skills to analyse investment opportunities and measure risk. In this article, he shared how NTU’s MSc Financial Engineering (MFE) programme was the launchpad to jumpstart his career pivot, opening doors to his current role at the global investment bank Nomura.

 

​Adapting to a highly quantitative curriculum

Financial engineering brings together the best of mathematics, financial theory, and computing to solve financial problems. From advanced statistical modelling to methods for asset pricing, NTU’s MFE programme equips participants with the skills to conduct quantitative analysis on financial markets.

Javier entered the programme intending to build his quantitative skills, but its rigour still came as a shock for him. “Coming from a business background, the heavily quantitative nature of the curriculum took me by surprise,” he admitted.

Despite struggling to pick up technical skills quickly, he considered this experience to be his most valuable takeaway from the programme. “I learnt to stay determined, and to clarify doubts when I’m uncertain,” he said. To shorten his learning curve, he would share notes with coursemates and do independent research before emailing his professors with queries.

Javier’s challenge was compounded by the fact that he was juggling work and school. For three semesters, this go-getter pursued a full-time internship with a leading local bank while completing his MFE degree full-time. The secret to staying sane during this busy period, he said, was strategic time management.

“Focusing on everything would get me nothing. Hence, I decided to focus more on modules that I had a keen interest in as a career path,” he shared. “I barely had time to unwind, so I also tried to find pleasure in the study process.”

 

Paving the way to career opportunities

Like most of his peers, Javier’s main concern was preparing to secure a job after graduation. Internships were a key way for him to get his foot in the door of the investment world, and his MFE degree gave him an edge over other applicants.

“Not many people complete a quantitative master’s degree. If you’ve done so, that places you a level above others in terms of viability,” he explained. “The MFE programme gave me the opportunity to re-invent myself for a career in Global Markets.”

Beyond the classroom, Javier highlights the career support he received from the Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO) at Nanyang Business School. The GSCDO’s team of career counsellors helped him to polish his resume, and offered advice at a crucial crossroads in his career path.

“I had a summer internship lined up with Nomura, a leading financial services group and investment bank,” he recounted. “But to do that internship, I would have to defer my graduation by six months. I wasn’t sure if delaying my graduation was the best course of action, given the chance that I might not get converted to a full-time role.”

After consulting the GSCDO, Javier eventually decided to take a chance on deferring his graduation. His leap of faith paid off – post-graduation, he secured a position as a Global Markets Analyst at Nomura. 

 

Learning to “be like water”

As part of his training as a Global Markets Analyst, Javier completed a rotation programme across various teams at Nomura. He has now settled into a permanent role at the Structured Rates Trading desk.

It’s a dynamic role that calls for agile problem-solving and constant innovation. One of his most memorable projects so far has been creating an internal tool that “filters out recommended trades for traders analysing carry against volatility in the linear Emerging Markets (EM) rates market,” he revealed. “It also allows users to compare the historical data of multiple trade ideas.”

Tackling a steep learning curve with each new rotation is no mean feat, but Javier’s time at NTU has prepared him well for the challenge.

“With its fast-paced curriculum, the MFE programme taught me how to think and learn quickly on my own,” he affirmed. For him, this agility is the most essential skill for success that he has acquired from the MFE programme.

“I believe only 10% of what you learn will be applicable in the industry. It’s hard to find a role that perfectly fits the skillsets we learn in the MFE programme,” he explained. “The most important skill is – as Bruce Lee puts it – to ‘be like water’. Be formless and adaptable. That way, even if something is new to you, you’ll be able to pick it up quickly.” 

 

In a fast-evolving finance landscape, the MSc in Financial Engineering programme equips you with the agility and industry-ready skill sets to stay ahead. Learn more about the programme here.

 

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From Auditing to Analytics: MSc Business Analytics Success Story

From Auditing to Analytics: MSc Business Analytics Success Story

by | Feb 21, 2024 | MSc Business Analytics

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MSC BUSINESS ANALYTICS

From Auditing to Analytics: MSc Business Analytics Success Story

After seven years as an auditor in a Big Four firm, Bella Lau was eager for a change. “Everyone who has worked in a Big Four or audit firm would understand the demanding nature of the job,” she reflected. “I felt it was time to explore a new professional avenue.”

As an auditor, one of the most satisfying aspects of her job had been delving into extensive sets of numbers to derive patterns and trends. This skill translated well into a career switch into business analytics, where she could transform data into insights for better business decision-making.

Another factor that tipped the scales was her interest in coding. Bella had picked up programming languages like SQL during her undergraduate studies but had not found the opportunity to explore this passion in her auditing career. Having coding savvy would give her an advantage as a data analyst, equipping her to perform day-to-day tasks like data mining and modelling.

To pull off this mid-career change, Bella enrolled in a Specialised Master’s in Business Analytics at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU). We chatted with her about her journey from auditing to analytics, and how her experience in the programme led to her current role at AI software firm Transparently.AI.

 

Getting hands-on with data analytics

Coming from Hong Kong, Bella had her eye on pursuing her master’s degree in Singapore due to its similar culture and the job opportunities available there. NTU stood out to her due to its “highly prestigious ranking in Asia” – the university clinched fourth place in the QS 2024 ranking of Asia’s top universities.

NTU’s MSc Business Analytics (MSBA) curriculum also offered one unique feature: a data analytics practicum. Scheduled for the third trimester of the programme, this three-month internship enables participants to gain hands-on experience with industry partners and take their learnings from classroom to workplace.

For someone making a career switch like Bella, the practicum was an invaluable opportunity to kickstart her new career path in data. “Given my age and previous work experience, I faced hurdles in securing an internship,” she explained.

To overcome this challenge, Bella turned to the career coaching services at NTU’s Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO).

The GSCDO’s career counsellors worked with her to clarify her career goals and interests, and subsequently matched her with an intriguing new role – one that would let her wield both her auditing experience and her newfound data analytics skills.

Diving into the dynamic world of AI

This data science role was offered by Transparently.AI, a Singapore-based AI software company breaking new ground in the detection of accounting manipulation and fraud. Powered by proprietary machine learning algorithms, Transparently.AI’s solution can analyse millions of data points and deliver forensic accounting reports on over 80,000 companies across the globe.

“The practicum experience introduced me to the world of AI,” said Bella. “Prior to this, I had never considered engaging in anything related to AI. Working at Transparently.AI provided the perfect opportunity to leverage my domain knowledge in auditing while utilising machine learning tools.”

NTU’s MSBA programme also provided a foundation for her journey into AI. With future-ready modules like ‘AI and Big Data in Business’ and ‘AI with Advanced Predictive Techniques in Finance’, the MSBA curriculum is designed to help participants stay on the cutting edge of the latest technologies reshaping businesses.

In the face of the internship’s many challenges, Bella seized the chance to put many new learnings from her MSBA journey into practice. “The MSBA programme equipped me with knowledge of the ‘hottest’ and most commonly used programming languages, such as Python, R, and Tableau,” she shared. This stood her in good stead during her internship, where coding was a significant aspect of her everyday tasks.

Another challenge involved adapting to working in an engineering team with a completely different routine than what she was accustomed to. “Despite always considering myself a business student, I lacked the mindset for data analytics projects,” Bella explained. Fortunately, her experience with group work in the MSBA programme helped to ease the learning curve. “MSBA created an environment for collaboration with course mates of diverse backgrounds, allowing me to gradually adapt to how an IT person thinks and works.”

Her hard work ultimately paid off. By the end of her internship, Bella had secured a full-time position at Transparently.AI as a Research Manager in Data Science.

 

Reaching new heights with the right foundations

As a Research Manager, Bella performs accounting research and pinpoints best practices to develop and enhance Transparently.AI’s machine learning system. The role calls for a thorough understanding of accounting data and audit analysis, alongside strong data modelling knowledge and coding skills.

For Bella, it’s also an opportunity to bring her love of coding to life. “I’m really enjoying the satisfaction of successfully building code and transforming something I know into a function,” she said.

In one recent project, she was tasked to develop new features for Transparently.AI’s system utilising insights from her auditing experience. “I leveraged my coding skills to build functions for each feature, which were then deployed into our system and thoroughly tested to ensure their functionality,” she explained.

She attributes her ongoing career success to the strong foundations she acquired at NTU. “The MSBA programme has played a crucial role in building a solid foundation in data science for me,” she recalled. “Not only has it enhanced my understanding of the fundamentals, but it has also helped me familiarise myself with the essential routines of software engineering.”

“Armed with this foundational knowledge, I’m able to continually advance my skills by engaging in more advanced programming techniques.”

 

Achieve career change with an industry-relevant programme

Getting your foot in the door of a new field is never easy, but Bella’s MSBA journey has helped her close the gap. With a practicum that offers extensive industry exposure, participants can sharpen their classroom skills and gain an edge for a fulfilling career in data analytics.

“Whether you’re a recent graduate or someone with working experience like myself, my advice is to leverage this opportunity to gain experience in a data-related job,” Bella shared. “Make the most of this chance to delve into the world of data and maximise your learnings. This can help you understand more about your interests in data analysis and data science.”

 

Looking for an MSc Business Analytics programme that combines future-focused content with industry relevance? Find out more about our MSBA programme here.

 

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Embracing Technology In Accounting With The MSc Accountancy Programme

Embracing Technology In Accounting With The MSc Accountancy Programme

by | Jan 4, 2024 | MSc Accountancy

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Embracing Technology In Accounting With The MSc Accountancy Programme

Today, the accounting industry is on the verge of an AI revolution. From tax to audits, AI-powered tools are rapidly automating many rote tasks that accountants used to do. Up to 48% of accountants say they plan to invest in AI and automation tools over the next year to become faster, sharper, and more efficient in supporting clients. Those who don’t risk being left behind.

“When I think about myself 10 years from now, I don’t want to be just an accountant,” said Darshini Krishna, a current MSc Accountancy (MACC) participant at Nanyang Business School (NBS). “To make sure that I’m not redundant, I’d like to be able to deploy technology and evolve together with the industry. I want to be a part of the AI revolution in my field.”

Darshini sought a way to close her knowledge gap between accounting and technology, and she found the right bridge in NBS’s MACC programme. She recounted her prior experience at a Big Four accounting firm, which inspired her to embark on further studies, and how she has grown through her journey at NBS.

 

Technology as an ally to accountants

After graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2020, Darshini landed a role as a tax consultant at Deloitte’s US-India Offices. There, she advised clients on tax strategies and liaised with foreign tax authorities to expedite certificate issuance.

In the course of her work, she began to realise that technology could be a game-changer for her productivity. “During my undergraduate studies, we weren’t taught about how AI and analytics could be applied to accounting,” she reflected. “Even at a Big Four firm like Deloitte, there wasn’t a lot of scope to use technology to enhance our procedures.”

Darshini believed that knowing the right set of analytical tools would accelerate her efficiency by “10 times or even 100 times” – giving her more time to focus on meaningful tasks like decision-making. “The accounting industry isn’t growing as fast in terms of technology compared to other fields,” she observed. “Instead of viewing technology as a threat, we need to start thinking of it as a tool or ally.”

Speaking to other professionals at networking events sparked Darshini’s desire to upskill herself. “Many of them highlighted a gap between accountants and technicians. There’s up-and-coming demand for people who have a background in both coding and accounting,” she shared. “I want to be someone who can fill this gap and translate between the two areas.”

 

Levelling up with a Data Analytics specialisation

Darshini set her sights on the MACC programme at NBS to hone her technological skill sets. The curriculum stood out to her with its diverse courses, ranging from risk management to business analysis, and equity valuation.

Most importantly, the programme featured a unique Data Analytics specialisation. During this optional trimester, participants can gain insights into cutting-edge technologies like AI in Accounting and Finance, Blockchain for Business, and Audit Analytics. “This was a big reason why I chose NBS, as I wanted to learn how to apply data analytics in accounting,” she said.

Looking back on her first trimester at NBS, Darshini thoroughly enjoyed her classes. “I generally get sleepy during classes, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt sleepy here!” she joked. “You can see how much experience the professors have, and I like how they use case studies to give our lessons a lot of practical relevance.”

In particular, she had fond memories of her Management of Legal Obligations in Business module, led by the “bubbly and joyful” Professor Valerie Du Toit-Low. “I didn’t expect to enjoy law, but she made it interesting with a lot of practical and relatable cases. For example, suppose you’re eating at a hawker centre, and you get food poisoning, how can you deal with it?”

Darshini also shared that all her professors have been highly approachable even after class. “I could always approach them to ask questions, or just chat with them about my career interests. Every professor has been kind enough to help me out.”

 

A stronger understanding of cultural diversity

Having lived and studied in India for most of her life, it’s Darshini’s first time in Singapore. While Singapore’s “hustle culture” came as a surprise to her, it has motivated her to become a lot more active.

“Everyone is always doing something here, whether it’s sports, adventures, or academics,” she laughed. “In India, I was more of a ‘lazy person’, but I’ve ended up doing some adventure sports and going to more events here.”

Another big change for Darshini was having coursemates of diverse nationalities in the MACC programme. While initially nervous about connecting with her coursemates, the orientation activities arranged by NBS before the start of the term helped ease her mind. “We had fun activities like singing songs and doing funny poses for a photo shoot, which helped me to break the ice with my coursemates.”

During assignments and group work, the diverse perspectives of her coursemates have exposed Darshini to different ways of solving problems. She believes this understanding of cultural diversity will be invaluable in her future career.

“I plan to work in Singapore, which is a global financial hub,” she said. “I’m developing a global mindset that will prepare me to work with people of different cultures and nationalities.”

 

Taking on the tech-enabled future of accounting

When asked about her career plans after graduation, Darshini revealed her hopes for a change from her tax consulting role.

“Tax is a field where you largely follow set processes. I want a role where I can apply my analytical knowledge and help in decision-making, and the MACC programme will help me grow towards this.”

While she did not have a specific career path in mind, she anticipated that her MACC journey would help her gain clarity. “I’m gaining a stronger knowledge base in various fields, from law and audit to financing and consulting,” she explained. “I’m also looking forward to the module on Forensic Accounting as a potential career path.”

The MACC programme’s technological focus and diversity of subjects, she believes, will have enduring relevance for her career – whether in accounting or beyond. Her advice to aspiring candidates is to go in with an open mind.

“Learning about technology will give you an edge over traditional accountants, as you’ll be able to enhance your work and provide insights that companies are looking for,” she said. “Even if you don’t want to go into accounting, the MACC curriculum offers a wide range of subjects integrated with technology and analytics. This knowledge can help you open doors to so many different roles.”

 

Find out more about the MSc in Accountancy programme here.

 

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Transforming Regional ESG Impact: Francois’s Journey

Transforming Regional ESG Impact: Francois’s Journey

by | Dec 6, 2023 | Nanyang Executive MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

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NANYANG EXECUTIVE MBA

Transforming Regional ESG Impact: Francois’s Journey

Amid a new global emphasis on the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), sustainability stands at the forefront of many corporate agendas today. However, how can global business leaders ensure that initiatives truly have a real impact?

For one sustainable aviation expert, the answer lies in high-level collaboration. “Technology per se is insufficient to drive disruption,” said Francois Balland, Chief Product Officer at AIR Lab, a joint research lab by French multinational Thales and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

“International flights frequently cross regional boundaries, and the impact of aviation emissions transcends national airspace,” he added. “We are reaching a stage, where further optimisation can only be done through regional collaboration, which requires cultural intelligence, stakeholder identification and engagement.”

Directing global teams across Asia and Europe, Balland’s work is centered on driving innovation technology through the development of next-generation, digital aviation solutions that leverage new technologies, such as Cloud and open API and involve regional experiments such as collaborative data exchange.

To facilitate the long-term stakeholder collaboration needed to turbocharge these solutions, the C-suite executive, who has spent 15 years with Thales and holds a Master of Science, enrolled in the Nanyang Executive MBA (Nanyang EMBA) programme at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2022. The programme is offered by Nanyang Business School.

“As my leadership responsibilities grew, I started to feel that a consolidation of business acumen and strategic thinking skills would support me in being more impactful in the moments that matter,” he shared.

A Powerful Suite of Interconnected Skills

In the Nanyang EMBA, participants embark on study trips to partner institutes, Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and Tsinghua University, School of Economics and Management in Beijing, where they gain insights on cultural intelligence and innovation delivered by world-class faculty.

“I chose NTU, because the inclusion of immersions in Tsinghua and Berkeley unveiled diverse perspectives on conducting business in Singapore, the United States, and China. Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of these varied approaches and incorporating them into one’s portfolio is an exceptionally potent tool.”

Through these experiences, Balland – who achieved a position on the Dean’s List for his mastery of the programme’s modules – gained “a profound appreciation for cultural nuances in communication, and a valuable repertoire of business approaches that can be leveraged to enhance executive acumen and decision-making capabilities”.

The regional leader leveraged stakeholder analysis strategies to tailor Thales’ value proposition and communication strategies to better align with stakeholder priorities and leveraged his newfound negotiation expertise to garner stronger stakeholder support for initiatives.

Beyond cultural insights, he also parlayed learnings from modules on corporate sustainability into key projects aimed at optimising regional air traffic to reduce fuel consumption, and channelled takeaways on corporate innovation into guiding project teams, partners and experts to embrace disruptive technology.

“Technology in itself holds little value unless it is embraced through relevant corporate strategy, with the right teams, stakeholders, investments, and at the right time – the point being that the value of the Nanyang EMBA programme is reinforced through the realisation of ties between each module,” he said.

“The emphasis on cultural intelligence, as well as business sustainability, helped me design solutions that considered environmental impact while engaging efficiently with regional stakeholders. It taught me to embrace disruption, which is what is needed to integrate these technologies effectively, while keeping sustainability in focus.”

Cross-Pollinating Ideas Through New Connections

Beyond lectures, Balland’s cohort of C-suite executives, partners, managing directors and business owners – hailing from 15 nationalities and across 20 industries – also proved to be a rich source of innovation around sustainability practices.

In one conversation, a peer with a background in airport operations shed light on innovative practices in terminal management and security that were useful for enhancing aviation efficiency.

Another time, discussions with fellow participants from the automotive industry on emission mitigation proffered new approaches to reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation sector.

In a third instance, classmates involved in airline maintenance shared knowledge on best practices that could reduce fuel burn and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions.

Francois' Quote

“The interactions expanded my horizons significantly, and the network cultivated has been instrumental in creating a larger web of connections, opening doors to collaborative ventures, and providing access to valuable insights across various sectors,” said Balland, who was conferred the Outstanding Peer Award for his own contributions around cultural, technological, and industrial perspectives.

What lies ahead for this sustainability leader? Much like the technology he engages with, Balland aspires to evolve personally and promote a more sustainable direction within the current generation of corporate leadership.

“We are living in an environment where conservatism leads to missed opportunities,” he remarked. “I like to remind myself that in today’s disruptive world, it’s crucial for senior executives to remember that if we don’t fail, it means that we haven’t tried hard enough.”

“It is our turn to empower a future generation of leaders to drive change, and advocate for sustainability – leading by example to drive these important causes forward and make a meaningful impact on the issues the world is facing.”

 

 

About the Nanyang Executive MBA 

In this rapidly changing world driven by technology, digitalisation, and sustainability, lifelong learning is the key to stay ahead of the competition. The Nanyang EMBA equips business leaders with the tools and strategies to lead purposefully in the hyperconnected economy.

This part-time programme offers a career-compatible schedule, which allows you to focus on both work and study. The programme’s duration is 13-months with the flexibility to stretch to 2 years to accommodate work demands.

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

 

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

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How an MSc Business Analytics Equips a Finance Major for Data Solutions

How an MSc Business Analytics Equips a Finance Major for Data Solutions

by | Dec 4, 2023 | MSc Business Analytics

Graduate Studies Blog

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MSC BUSINESS ANALYTICS

How an MSc Business Analytics Equips a Finance Major for Data Solutions

Business analysts have the art of problem-solving down to a science. Turning data into insights to improve products, pinpoint root causes, and reduce inefficiencies – it’s all in a day’s work for a business analyst.

Despite being a finance major, Erick Susantong found himself drawn to the problem-solving possibilities of data analytics. During his undergraduate studies, he was introduced to the basics of data analytics and machine learning and found them fascinating.

“However, these lessons were focused on theory and not implementation,” he explained. “I learnt that I could use certain analytics models to solve certain problems, but I didn’t have the programming skills to actually apply it.”

To explore a career shift toward data analytics, Erick knew he needed to bring his theoretical learning to life and he found a path to achieve this in Nanyang Business School’s (NBS) Specialised Masters (MSc) in Business Analytics programme.

 

From theory to real-world problem-solving

Like many undergraduates, Erick spent a few summers pursuing internships. In his first stint as an e-commerce intern at an Indonesian startup, he analysed past promotional campaigns to design a promotion plan that would maximise profits. “I saw how analytics could create value for a company,” he said.

As a summer associate at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Jakarta, one of his most memorable projects was analysing a client’s past employee safety data using Excel. His insights helped to determine key causes of workplace accidents and where they happened along the production chain.

“Most of these were achieved using Excel and the programming language R. I actually knew of other methods that could further improve my analysis but I just didn’t have the programming skills to perform them,” Erick shared. “This sparked my interest in pursuing a Masters in Business Analytics (MSBA).”

While researching programmes in the region, he noticed something unique about NBS’s curriculum: a data analytics practicum enabling participants to take on a three-month internship in their third trimester. For Erick, this opportunity to gain real-world experience was a game-changer. “I liked that I would be able to apply what I’ve learnt in the industry, and it would be a good stepping stone to a full-time role as well.”

 

Levelling up his programming skills

Three months into the MSBA programme, Erick felt that the hands-on approach of the curriculum has pushed his programming skills to the next level. “It’s very focused on how to implement analytics models, which is challenging but important since programming is a key skill for data analysts.”

For participants without a programming background, the MSBA programme runs a bootcamp dubbed Programming Essentials before the start of term. Despite having some prior programming basics, Erick admitted that the bootcamp was tough.

“In our final group project, we had to build a basic application to solve a business problem,” he recounted. “My past programming knowledge was more about data analysis and not building software, so that was a challenge. But it was definitely a good learning opportunity.”

 

Gaining an edge through group work

Transitioning directly from undergraduate to master’s studies, Erick shared that he needed some time to adapt. One significant change was the coursework approach. While his undergraduate experience was heavily exam-focused, he found himself engaging in hands-on group projects and presentations for every module at NBS.

“I’m really enjoying all the group projects now, as I didn’t get the chance to apply what I learnt to solve business problems back in my undergrad,” he shared. “Getting experience with group work will translate well to a real-life work scenario, since I’ll need to collaborate with colleagues on projects and present our results to a supervisor.”

With course mates from around the globe, group work also offered Erick an opportunity to learn from different cultures. “My groupmates often have different ideas and perspectives on things. It helps me to expand my viewpoint, especially when working in Singapore’s multicultural context.”

Another key skillset that Erick hopes to hone is communication, and the MSBA programme provides ample opportunities for this through group work, presentations, and class discussions. “As a business analyst, I’ll need to communicate and explain technical details in an easy way to non-technical colleagues,” he said.

 

Pulling off a career shift with an MSc Business Analytics

With his drive to improve, it is not surprising that Erick was a recipient of the ASEAN Development Scholarship offered by NBS. Open to citizens of ASEAN member countries outside Singapore, this partial scholarship offsets 40% of tuition fees.

Erick shared two top tips on applying for the scholarship. Firstly, apply early. “You need to apply before the Round 1 deadline to be considered for the scholarship. So if you’re already sure about the programme, get started early.”

Secondly, be strategic when answering the essay questions. “It’s good to elaborate on how this programme can benefit you in your future career,” he suggested. “Think about how your past experiences in your undergraduate studies and internships can improve the quality of your future cohort.”

Looking ahead, Erick has plans to become a business analyst or data analyst in the financial sector – bringing together the best of his finance training and analytics skillsets. For anyone considering a career switch into business analytics like himself, his advice is simple: do your research first.

“Many people think it’s all about creating and implementing models, which might be true for data engineers. But data analysts have to spend a lot of time on cleaning data, which is a tedious task to a lot of people” he said. “Another thing is that business analysts need to communicate with people a lot, as they are the liaison between the business side and IT teams. So it’s not the right fit for those who prefer being behind the computer all the time.”

Finally, Erick’s advice to those without programming knowledge is to start preparing early on. “Though you’ll have a bootcamp, it’s fast-paced and there’s a lot of learning to cram in a very short time. Take some introductory courses in programming to get a headstart!”

 

The MSc Business Analytics programme equips participants to solve business problems with cutting tools and technologies, enabling you to transform data into value for businesses. Find out more about the MSBA programme here.

 

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Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA – Two siblings share their story

Nanyang-Waseda Double MBA – Two siblings share their story

by | Nov 8, 2023 | Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

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Nanyang Waseda Double MBA

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Laura Lutao: From technical to managerial, local to regional

Laura Lutao: From technical to managerial, local to regional

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Joey Lutao

Joey Lutao: Similar pivot, different approach

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Conclusion: Making connections and changing mindsets

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

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

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

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

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

 

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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.

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Nanyang MBA – APEC scholars share their experience

Nanyang MBA – APEC scholars share their experience

by | Nov 8, 2023 | Nanyang MBA

Graduate Studies Blog

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NANYANG MBA

Nanyang MBA – APEC scholars share their experience

Meet Four APEC Scholars Blazing New Trails in Business

These future change-makers found a gateway to a better future, by securing an APEC Scholarship.

This prestigious and highly exclusive scholarship is open only to citizens of “member economies” of APEC, excluding Singapore. It covers the full cost of a Nanyang Business School MBA programme; only one place is granted every year.

Those who pursue it find their careers and lives transformed, in more ways than they imagined possible.

 

Song Han Nguyen

Song Han Nguyen – Shifting from MNCs to tech

Prior to her Nanyang MBA, Song Han Nguyen (Nanyang MBA Class of 2019) was working as a consultant in EY’s Ho Chi Minh City office – and was also pondering a problem that consulting firms often face in developing markets.

“You get a really nice strategy written up by consultants, but implementation gets really hard,” Song Han explained. The dilemma got her wondering “if there’s any way that that could improve.”

She realised a Nanyang MBA could help her learn about “building more competitive strategies,” but Song Han got more than she bargained for. Securing an APEC Scholarship triggered a whole career perspective shift.

“Before, I was really into consulting and strategy for large corporations,” she tells us, but the Nanyang MBA showed her that “there are a lot more options for me out there in the market.”

Her time as an APEC Scholar led her to pivot to the tech industry. “During the MBA, I got exposed to tech at a deeper level,” Song Han explains. “There is so much more innovation there, compared to the traditional industries that I have been exposed to.”

In the course of her Nanyang MBA, she dove head-first into digital and tech activities. “I was able to join projects covering tech startups; we also had tech people in Singapore sharing in our class,” she recalls.

Today, as a strategy manager at loyalty platform tech startup TapTap, Song Han is now a consummate tech professional. The future is wide open, but she won’t say no to a return to consulting. “Professionals with both consulting background and hands-on experience are very rare in Vietnam,” she explains.

 

Victor Medina

Victor Medina – Building a future in sustainability

Victor Medina (Nanyang MBA Class of 2022) discovered a career path in sustainability from his time as an APEC Scholar – not an obvious outcome, given his background as an electrical project engineer at Petron, the Philippines’ largest oil and gas refinery.

He would not have considered taking on a Nanyang MBA, if he had not won his year’s APEC Scholarship. “The scholarship provided me with the financial security to complete my MBA without constant worry about expenses,” Victor tells us. “I’m incredibly grateful – without the APEC Scholarship, obtaining my MBA degree from a prestigious institution would have been nearly impossible.”

At Nanyang Business School, Victor discovered a passion towards sustainability – inspired by the commitment shown by the university and professors, in particular Sustainability Professor S. Viswanathan.

Victor put his principles into practice, joining a Social Innovation Challenge case competition in 2021; taking part in two sustainability-related internships; and even joining the Student Executive Committee, where he learned how to effectively navigate and lead a diverse group comprising individuals from various nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds.

Today, Victor is pursuing a post-MBA career that aligns with his interests, aiming for a Chief Sustainability Officer role in the next ten years. He is also committed to making a sustainable future possible in the Philippines, his homeland. “I am committed to figuring it out and making a meaningful difference,” he tells us.

 

Jessica Han

Jessica Han – Future tycoon finds grounding in Singapore

Jessica Han (Nanyang MBA Class of 2023) used her MBA experience to make room for all the big plans she has for her life. “I joined the Nanyang MBA with the intention of looking for more possibilities,” she explains.

Prior to her time at Nanyang MBA, Jessica had been working for six years in China PRC’s burgeoning tech industry – spending the latter two years at ByteDance as a strategy manager. Even then, she always planned to start her own business and believed an MBA would help supplement her knowledge.

The APEC Scholarship helped validate Jessica’s entrepreneurship goals, giving her a “strong boost” of confidence. As she expected, the MBA curriculum helped fill out the information she needed for her future as an entrepreneur, particularly insights in finance and supply chain. She shares that it gave her a foundation in thinking through business strategies systematically – something she felt was out of reach in her previous working experience.

“Before the MBA, I worked for ByteDance to support the Chinese brand for growth,” she explains. “I had no initial background, because my undergraduate degree is biomedical engineering; and working in a tech company is not like a traditional business background.”

Today, Jessica is building her business from scratch – Newbyte, an online marketplace with operations throughout Southeast Asia. She attributes the Nanyang MBA and the APEC Scholarship with giving her the knowledge and motivation to start her own business in today’s competitive environment.

For future APEC Scholars, Jessica has a few simple words of advice. “Know what you are looking for, and have a clear path to reach that goal,” she explains. “Be true to yourself – don’t pretend to be somebody you are not.”

 

Arief Kresnadi Ignatius Kasim

Arief Kresnadi Ignatius Kasim – Out of his comfort zone

Arief Kresnadi Ignatius Kasim (Nanyang MBA Class of 2024) finds himself out of his comfort zone as this year’s APEC Scholar – and he’s enjoying every minute of his experience.

An Indonesian citizen, Arief achieved a bachelor’s degree at the Nanyang Technological Institute’s School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 2018. He has worked in Singapore ever since, spending the last five years rising through the ranks at Siemens Singapore.

His present stint as an APEC Scholar pursuing a Nanyang MBA has been eye-opening for Arief. For starters, his APEC Scholarship has motivated Arief to make the most of his time in NBS’s MBA programme. In practice, this has resulted in Arief striving to push himself out of his comfort zone, and become more proactive academically and socially.

He also realises that being an APEC Scholar gives him a high profile, whether he likes it or not. “I’m expected to set an example, both academically and in personal character and conduct,” he explains. For him, this means “active participation in class, assisting peers whenever possible, and building relationships not only with my peers but also professors and staff.”

The Nanyang MBA’s leadership modules are a highlight of the experience, in his opinion. “They give me valuable skills such as cultural intelligence, talent management, and negotiation which are essential for leaders in a global and diverse world,” he explains. He specifically calls out the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) module taught by Dr. Catherine Wu as an “eye-opening experience to learn how we can function in a culturally diverse environment.”

These insights will serve him well after he completes his MBA in 2024: “I plan to go back to my home country, Indonesia, and grow my career there,” he shares.

 

Do you have what it takes?

The APEC Scholarship is the only scholarship that covers the full cost of the one-year full-time Nanyang MBA programme. Applications open in November and close in December each year.

Chart new paths in your career with the support of the APEC Scholarship.  Find out more about Nanyang Business School’s scholarships, or contact the Nanyang MBA office at mba.admissions@ntu.edu.sg.

 

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.

 

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