HKU MBA Insights: Recent Episodes
HKU MBA
Welcome to HKU MBA Insights. In our podcast channel, we will be bringing you the latest insights, news and opinions from students, alumni's and professors in our business school.
In this episode, our alumna Sarah Atiq from Class of 2021 who now works for Euromonitor International, a world's leading independent provider of strategic market research, shared how companies stay ahead of the game in today's competitive business environment by applying business intelligence in decision making. From Doha to London, and Singapore to Hong Kong, Sarah also spoke about her experience on navigating an international career and achieving professional transition in Hong Kong after MBA.
In this episode, we invited Kannes Wong (Class of 2021), Head of strategy and planning, sustainability officer of the CEO office at the Zurich Insurance Hong Kong, to speak about her experience successfully ascending to leadership roles in corporate strategy and development. Looking back, she shared about her leadership philosophy and how it has evolved along the way, as well as advice for navigating growth during times of uncertainty. Kannes also shed lights on opportunities and trends of sustainability initiatives in Hong Kong’s insurance industry, and how she drives ESG innovation and performance for one of the world's largest insurance companies.
In this episode, we are thrilled to have Kritika Taneja (Class of 2019), a distinguished professional who shared the unique benefits that Hong Kong offers to aspiring management consultants.
During the interview, Kritika highlighted the exceptional opportunities available in Hong Kong and discuss how MBA students can leverage these advantages to establish themselves in the field of management consulting. Gain valuable knowledge on how to navigate the vibrant business landscape of Hong Kong and position yourself for success.
Sakshi Gulati (Class of 2020), a manager at KPMG China, shares her remarkable career journey in this episode. From working with prestigious firms like KPMG and Deloitte to pursuing her MBA at HKU Business School, Sakhi's story is filled with ambition and determination. She reveals how she successfully managed internships alongside her studies, the transformative impact of her MBA programme, and her current role in finance transformation at KPMG China. Prepare to be inspired by her proud achievements, including leading training initiatives and spearheading a critical data management project.
Vincci Mok (Class of 2022) is a senior manager of digital innovation and technology at Digital G. Her career journey is a testament to the transformative power of an MBA education. As a graduate of the HKU part-time MBA programme, Vincci successfully made a career transition from civil engineering to digital innovation and technology. In this episode, she shares her personal experience of utilizing the MBA programme to empower herself in the STEM industry and offers valuable advice to those who are considering pursuing an MBA to advance their career. Vincci's insights shed light on the challenges faced by women in STEM and offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to make a significant career transition.
Geoff Mak (Class of 2003) has a wealth of experience in managing fashion and consumer brands in China. Leveraging his decades worth of experience, he has established his own training and consultancy business to help other brands break into the fast-growing consumer market in China. In this episode, Geoff explains how his HKU MBA experience equipped him with the skills and knowledge to navigate the complex business environment of China, and shares his unique insights on upcoming trends in China's dynamic and ever-changing consumer market.
Alex Qiu, full-time MBA Class of 2020, is the Founder and CEO of MR.SPARKLING, an original sparkling wine brand that targets young and trendy consumers in Mainland China. A born entrepreneur with a passion for alcoholic beverages, Alex contributed to the burgeoning wine culture in China through his business ventures. In this episode, Alex speaks about his journey as an entrepreneur and how the HKU MBA programme helped him navigate the challenges of running a business.
Chandan Gupta, full-time MBA Class of 2012, is a Senior Relationship Manager at Credit Suisse. Through the HKU MBA programme, he successfully relocated from India to Switzerland via Hong Kong and changed his career from engineering to private banking. In this episode, Chandan discusses upcoming trends in the private banking sector and his career transformation.
Aakriti Jain, full-time MBA Class of 2020, is currently the Head of Marketing at BCW Group, a Web3 venture studio and enterprise consulting firm. In this episode, Aakriti talks about how her HKU MBA journey and her experiences at London Business School helped her build a career in Web3 and adapt to the challenges of working at the cutting edge of technology.
From organising networking events to liaising with professors, the MBA class representative plays a critical role in shaping the student experience. But the experience and skills gained from this role remain relevant well beyond the MBA programme. In this episode, Iris Heung (Class of 2022) reflects on her time as an MBA class representative and the lessons she learnt.
Rajendra Shroff, an alumnus from our full-time MBA Class of 2019. He worked in the insurance industry in Hong Kong for seven years, after graduating from the London School of Economics, with a BSc Management degree. Raj was part of the Asia Pacific regional office overseeing strategic IT projects, transformation programmes, and other matters related to department finance analysis.
Since he really wanted to transition into investment management, Raj finished his CFA qualifications and then decided to pursue an MBA to make a career change.
He now works as Director, Head of Applied AI Research at Blu Artificial Intelligence. In this episode, we speak with him about AI strategy and technology.
Dr. Neeladri Verma, an alumna from our full-time MBA Class of 2019. She now works in the health practice team at Economist Impact. After completing a master’s degree of dental surgery back in 2014, she started her dentist journey with India’s largest multi-specialty corporate dental chain, Clove Dental.
Later, Neeladri decided to pursue an MBA at HKU as she wanted to take her professional experience to the next level. In this episode, we speak with Neeladri about how she transformed herself from being a dentist to a healthcare consulting expert.
Dr. Neeladri Verma, an alumna from our full-time MBA Class of 2019. She now works in the health practice team at Economist Impact. After completing a master’s degree of dental surgery back in 2014, she started her dentist journey with India’s largest multi-specialty corporate dental chain, Clove Dental.
Later, Neeladri decided to pursue an MBA at HKU as she wanted to take her professional experience to the next level. In this episode, we speak with Neeladri about how she transformed herself from being a dentist to a healthcare consulting expert.
Janice Li, an alumna from our part-time MBA Class of 2020. She works in the aviation industry in Hong Kong. After graduating with an Aviation Management degree in Australia, she begins her career in the ground handling business, first in the area of private jets and later at a company that had a customer profile of over 40 international airlines.
She now works in strategy and service design at Cathay Pacific, in a role that designs and improves customer experiences on the end-to-end air travel journey. In this episode, we speak with her about the future of air travel.
Yuta Shirahata and Meon Tang are co-founders of a new start-up company called
, an e-commerce platform specialising in sophisticated Japanese products. Yuta has more than 7 years of experience in Japan’s leading information media and is familiar with all genres of Japanese products. The second co-founder is Hong Kong native Meon Tang, an interior design professional with a strong sense of aesthetics and creativity, which she has gained from international award-winning design companies. In this episode, they will talk about this brand new platform.
In this episode, Bhavya Siddappa, our part-time student (Class of 2023), together with Lewis Chen and Reynald Reni, full-time students (Class of 2022) talk about the first-ever student-led HKU MBA ESG club, which was officially launched in February 2022.
The three committee members plan to create personal, academic, and professional development opportunities for other club members through social activities, green changes, eco-tours, panel discussions, and various networking and volunteering events. They are passionate about Environmental, Social, and Governance. By studying the HKU MBA elective course – Business Ethics, they found their purposes and would like to raise environmental and sustainability awareness amongst people who are interested in the same goal.
In this episode, we sit down with Stella Chun, a current Part-time MBA student from the Class of 2022. She has over 20 years of extensive experience in consumer product and multinational corporations, including Swire Coca-Cola, Henkel, and GSK. Last year, during her MBA study, she was promoted to head the Hong Kong office of Kimberly-Clark as a General Manager, where she leads a multicultural team for business growth. She shares her experience, insights, learnt lessons and the challenges she faced when she transitioned from the role of a Sales Director to being a General Manager, particularly amidst the pandemic.
Abinash Sahoo, a full-time MBA graduate in 2015. He is currently working at Target Corporation USA as a Lead Product Owner. Previously he led various roles in supply chain and IT companies in Hong Kong and India. In this episode, we will learn about the role and importance of product management from him.
Lisa Sha, a Part-time MBA graduate, Class of 2020, has over 15 years of extensive experience in Communications and Digital Innovation at global financial services companies. Last year, during her MBA study, she has been promoted to the Head of Digital Innovation and Communications Operations to look after global operations. In this episode, she will share her experience and insights about her transition from a regional role to a global role within a multinational organisation.
Manasy Vidyasagar, a Full-time MBA graduate, Class of 2015. She has demonstrated her professional experiences in the financial services and consulting sectors for over 10 years. In this episode, she will share her insights and expertise on digital transformation strategy, particularly for the financial services sector.
David Deka recently completed his MBA at HKU and London Business School. His work experience spans 7 years, covering sales, marketing & business development at a leading wines and spirits company. In this episode, he will share his insights and MBA experience.
In today's episode, we sit down with Mohan Ramola who recently graduated from the Full-time MBA Class of 2021.
He has over 12 years of diverse experience in scaling and implementing value-driven projects across six countries in the Asia Pacific and the US market. Today, he will share his insights and expertise in project management.
In today's episode, we sit down with Stanley Chan, a part-time MBA graduate, Class of 2010.
He has over 20 years of seasoned experience in fitness management, sporting event organisation, corporate wellness program development. Today, he will share his insights and expertise on health and well-being lifestyle with us.
We sit down with part-time MBA alumnus Teddy Liu in today’s podcast episode. Teddy has an impressive portfolio of businesses working in the real estate industry. He has strong business and professional experience, network, and expertise, especially in People Development and Talent Management. We will learn about career development in the post-COVID environment including workforce change/trend, career development strategy, and adapting to the new normal.
In today's episode, we sit down with part-time MBA alumnus Anirudha Bopche to learn about the opportunities and challenges in the telecommunication industry.
The telecom industry plays a vital role in retaining competitiveness in the era of electronic commerce, so let’s explore the key trends which have influenced the evolution of this industry.
In today's episode, we discuss Financial Crime Compliance Strategy with full-time MBA (Class of 2014) alumna Wenjing Li. Wenjing has over 12 years of expertise in financial crime, anti-money laundering and overall financial industry having worked at corporates such as Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank.
In today's podcast episode, we sit down with current part-time student Daniel Epstein. He is currently working as the Creative Production Lead for one of the biggest media companies and has extensive years of experience developing commercial and editorial content creation.
Today, we will explore the role and strategy of creative production, trends, and challenges faced within the creative industry and tips on developing content that stands out.
In this podcast episode we are joined by our full-time graduate Brady Shwartz (class of 2019). Brady is currently working at Pureliving, a leading indoor environmental consulting company as an Operations Supervisor.
Today, we will learn about the importance of indoor environment management and some of the solutions and risk mitigations in improving health quality.
Today we sit with full-time MBA alumna Kritika Kumar (class of 2016) to talk about how big companies can innovate like a start-up? She has immense experience working for large companies such as CLP Group, Infosys Consulting, Schneider Electric, and Moody’s.
Today, she will share her insights on innovation strategy for large companies including challenges and risks faced when integrating innovation into the structure and design.
We sit down in today's podcast episode with our full-time MBA alumnus, Jose Moreno to discuss the subject of Multiculturalism and Diversity. Jose has studied and worked in 7 different regions and will share insights around the topics of: what does multicultural diversity mean? values and benefits that diversity brings to someone as an individual, best strategies for promoting and implementing diversity in the workplace etc.
Today we sit down with part-time MBA graduate (class of 2005) Michelle Chan to talk about the future of virtual banks and FinTech. Michelle has over 20 years of strong experience in Telecom, FinTech, and Virtual Bank industries. She currently works as a Director of Marketing, Business Development & Innovation at Livi Bank, the largest virtual bank in Hong Kong.
We return to the HKU MBA Insights podcast with the 2nd episode featuring full-time alumnus, Musheer.
In the 1st episode we talked about Musheer’s MBA and career journey transitioning from investment management to FinTech. In today’s episode we will deep dive into the growth of FinTech Industry in Hong Kong and Asia as the ecosystem is growing rapidly.
In today's episode, we invite Syed Musheer Ahmed to talk about his career transformation from the Investing/Trading industry into FinTech.
Musheer is a full-time alumnus from the class of 2015. He is the founder & MD of Finstep Asia, and co-founder and board member of Fintech Association of Hong Kong.
In this 1st episode, he shares his insights and experiences about transforming one's career from financial services into FinTech and the skill-sets required for someone to build a career in this industry.
In today's episode, we invite Patricia Chen to talk about the role of a strategist within the financial services industry. Patricia is our alumna from the Part-time MBA Class of 2019 and currently working as a Head of Strategist in Hang Seng Qianhai Fund based in China.
She'll give insights on what the role of a strategist entails, strategy formulation, and how to develop a strategy within the China market.
In today's podcast episode, we discuss Effective Stakeholder Management with Amy Hau. Amy is our part-time alumna (Class of 2019) and has 10 years of experience within the finance industry across Hong Kong and Canada.
In today's episode, we meet with our part-time alumna Priscilla Chan from the class of 2005. She is Founder and Director of her own company, Speakers Connect and China Speakers Agency.
She will share with us her journey and how she has developed her career over time, giving advice to future women leaders.
In this episode of HKU MBA Insights, we meet with our 2011 full-time MBA alumnus William Akers.
With over 10 years of working background in financial data & information industry, he currently works at the boutique company called NetRoadShow as Head of APAC.
He shares with us his experiences about developing strategies for small-medium size companies in the region and the challenges he faces.
In this podcast episode, we are joined by Ada Kung, HKU MBA part-time graduate of 2020. She has over 10 years of experiences in corporate learning and career development in customer service industry. She will tell us about her insights and experiences in corporate training.
In Asia, the retail market has been garnering remarkable momentum in the recent years with steadily escalating demand due to improving purchasing power.
Billy Choy has extensive years of retail experiences in international brands like Levi’s (American jeanswear), AIGLE (French Rubber boots, apparel & downjacket), PUMA sportwear, and recently in ASICS (Japan sportswear).
He will He shares with us about his insights and experiences in diversified retail markets across Asia Pacific.
In this 1st episode we will cover the following: Retail Market dynamics and consumer insights, Commercial Strategy and challenges to win the market and Retail survival under "New Normal" era of COVID
In Asia, the retail market has been garnering remarkable momentum in the recent years with steadily escalating demand due to improving purchasing power.
Billy Choy has extensive years of retail experiences in international brands like Levi’s (American jeanswear), AIGLE (French Rubber boots, apparel & downjacket), PUMA sportwear, and recently in ASICS (Japan sportswear).
He shares with us about his insights and experiences in diversified retail markets across Asia Pacific.
In this 2nd episode we will cover the following: New Business Trend of E-Commerce and Omni-Channel and Sporting Goods Industry: Business Success and Competition