Growing leadership and business acumen for a new economy

Strategy doesn’t just refer to business – it also applies to one’s career and learning, as Mr Brian Chen’s journey in the workforce shows. 

Mr Chen started his career as an engineer in 2006. By taking a hands-on approach through the years while working in various countries, including China and France, he gradually learnt the ropes of different business functions, such as sales, operations, human resources and finance. In 2019, he completed a country manager posting in the Philippines and relocated to Singapore. It was then he decided it was time to pause and review the next step in his career. 

Mr Chen had three objectives: Combine his experience and knowledge for a more structured take on business, expand his horizons by gaining exposure to different business segments and technologies, and build a professional network.

With these in mind, Mr Chen applied for the Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) at Nanyang Business School (NBS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Last year, he graduated as the Willie Wong EMBA gold medallist, an accolade awarded to the top participant of the cohort. 

Now the general manager of CIRCOR Industrial Asia Pacific, based in Shanghai, Mr Chen said the EMBA fulfilled his objectives and benefited his career transition. “It helped me to level up and gave me frameworks for my career. The curriculum’s strong focus on technology, science and innovation was critical as these elements continue to be the most important parts of future businesses.”

NEW PERSPECTIVES FROM A GLOBAL EDUCATION

Like Mr Chen, Ms Jacilyn Tan, the finance director and head of parts and external manufacturing (global) at The LEGO Group, already had a strong background in a specialised field: Finance. After all, she holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from NBS. But in her quest for self-improvement, Ms Tan decided to broaden her knowledge by enrolling in an EMBA programme. 

She chose to return to NBS because she enjoyed her earlier learning experience. “The EMBA’s holistic and interdisciplinary curriculum, alongside the promise of networking with classmates who are leaders from different industries and backgrounds, attracted me,” added Ms Tan, who graduated with an EMBA in 2021.

The Nanyang EMBA offers students an opportunity to attend classes with top global universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and Tsinghua University in China, to gain a holistic perspective of the world’s largest economies.

Ms Tan attended courses from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. The lessons on innovation, disruption, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s technologies – artificial intelligence, augmented reality, advanced robotics and the Internet of Things – were particularly insightful, she said. 

“The COVID-19 crisis accelerated changes, and my company needed to make optimal use of technological infrastructure to achieve its goals,” she explained. “With the integration and implementation of any game-changing technologies, teething issues and significant inertia towards adoption are not uncommon, but I learnt that these issues can be overcome.”

LEARNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

For Mr Chen, the case studies of technology companies were especially intriguing. “My experience lies in the manufacturing and chemical industries, so these cases taught me a lot. By understanding how these companies revolutionised so quickly, I acquired new ideas and insights in driving transformational initiatives at the workplace.”

He also appreciated his cohort’s diverse work and cultural backgrounds, like a classmate from the insurance field who shared how blockchain technology is used in the industry. 

As part of the EMBA, industry perspectives also came from visiting business leaders, including an investment banker who spoke about redesigning business for sustainability. “Some of these executives and entrepreneurs are very successful, and it was inspiring hearing from them,” said Mr Chen. 

The EMBA’s focus on sustainability is especially relevant to Mr Chen, who shared that CIRCOR is developing products that support the energy transition of various industries. “The module on sustainability gave me a holistic view of ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors for corporate management,” said Mr Chen. “We discussed corporate ESG reporting, which many of us had not yet been exposed to and learnt the direct implications sustainability has on governance and business.”

BE THE LEADER YOU WOULD FOLLOW

During Ms Tan’s time in the programme, the COVID-19 outbreak occurred – and the financial health of The LEGO Group’s suppliers came into question. Using what she learnt in business analytics, she could address the challenge by predicting supplier bankruptcy risk. The model she developed enabled The Lego Group to improve its supply base resiliency and prepare business continuity plans. 

With the tools from her leadership module, Ms Tan has also created a targeted leadership development plan for herself.

“One phrase from the EMBA programme imprinted in my heart is ‘be the leader you would follow,’” she said. “Equip yourself with the knowledge the EMBA programme can provide, and continuously develop yourself.”

Mr Chen also agreed that continuous learning is imperative for one’s career. “In such a complex world, investing in yourself is the best action plan against uncertainties,” he said.

Find out more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme.