Turning Ambition into Achievement
Determined to leave home and go on a career adventure, Mridul Bhat, Jimmy (Full-time MBA, Class of 2019) aspired to take a leap not only professionally, but also geographically. CUHK MBA was a springboard for Jimmy to pursue a career abroad and the programme let him venture out into the world in a way he would never expect, and he has not looked back since.
Starting an Exciting New Chapter
Jimmy had always wanted to work abroad and he believed that doing an MBA overseas could be a stepping stone, but the big question was, where should he go?
“With my strong background in the Technology and Financial Services sector, I wanted to pursue my MBA in one of the top three financial hubs – New York, London, and Hong Kong,” Jimmy recalls. He took a wide range of factors into account, including visa, salary, tax, etc, but Hong Kong has that special X factor. Hong Kong, albeit a small region, struck him as a highly cosmopolitan city and also a gateway to China. Its economic connection with China and its “East meets West” culture has given Hong Kong an edge over the other two cities.
“When comparing different business schools in Hong Kong, CUHK instantly stood out from the rest for being the longest established MBA programmes in Asia offering concentrations in Finance and Technology, Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” Jimmy says. He had the opportunity to meet a few MBA alumni who gave him advice on studying in CUHK and that further convinced him to join this tight-knit community. Jimmy was also awarded the CUHK MBA Excellence Scholarship, and from there, he embarked on his MBA journey.
A Global Learning Experience
Jimmy was amazed by how his MBA classmates constituted an international mix of diverse talents, coming from all corners of the world. “MBA was filled with learning opportunities not only limited to building up skills and knowledge from courses, but also stimulating discussions and evening study groups with my peers. I fondly remember our MBA visits to CUHK Shenzhen(China) campus and the offices of Alibaba, Huawei, and Tencent. It broadened my global business acumen as I gained a deeper understanding of the ways to do business in China.”
Jimmy shares an experience that boosted his confidence when he was the President of the MBA Technology Club. “We collaborated with some FinTech companies in Hong Kong, utilising the connections within our alumni network. I connected with the former General Manager of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong, Mr. Syed Musheer Ahmed, and the former Head of FinTech of Invest HK, Mr. Charles d’Haussy. We planned an event within just a few weeks for the HK FinTech Week 2017. To my surprise, over 200 professionals registered for the event and over 130 showed up. I couldn’t believe I took such a bold step to organise a huge event in a short time. I’m grateful for the support from classmates and alumni to run this event, through which our bond grew stronger.”
He also went on exchange at London Business School and this global business experience was an eye-opener for him. “My summer internship at DBS Bank in Innovation & Ecosystems Department played an equally important part in my MBA journey and gave me a new perspective on how to handle my career in the future.” Jimmy recounts.
Settling Down in Hong Kong
After his MBA, Jimmy quickly landed a job as a Management Consultant at Capco Consulting, a global management, and technology consultancy dedicated to the financial services industries. He attributes his success to the alumni network. “CUHK MBA alumni and the relationships I had built with the FinTech community via the FinTech Association of Hong Kong helped me immensely. I got a couple of job offers before graduating. MBA shaped my personal and professional life in so many aspects and looking back, I think I’ve made the best decision coming to CUHK.”