What inspired or motivated you to pursue work abroad? Was this always your plan?
Before my MBA, I was working in Boston. However, I had a chance to do a short-term assignment in Hong Kong with Bain & Company. During my assignment, I worked on assignments in South Korea and Thailand and realized the value of appreciating different cultures. This convinced me that it would be exciting to pursue a longer-term career in Asia. I chose UCLA Anderson for my MBA because of its connections with Asia.
Can you speak a little bit about your career and how it has progressed since graduating from UCLA?
After graduation, I moved to Hong Kong and was a consultant for several years before joining HKUST to work with MBA students on career development. I then returned to Bain and worked in Beijing, followed by Shanghai. I led Bain's Organization practice in Asia and also pursued my interests in management education by working on training and coaching programs. In 2022, I returned to HK and re-joined HKUST to lead the MBA programs with a mission of "developing leaders in Asia for the world."
What do you think are the most important components of educating students to be culturally competent global citizens, no matter their major?
An appreciation for diversity, valuing humility, and a willingness to ask questions and listen. The world is too complex for us to learn everything we need to know during school. However, through different classes and challenging students, schools can help students recognize the importance of learning from others and the importance of respecting different viewpoints. It's also important to develop a mindset of 'We're all in this together.'