How The CUHK MBA Helped Me Launch Into A Finance Career In Hong Kong

Media Coverage by BusinessBecause:

International exposure, skill development and shaping a path of socially responsible business were Ellen Wang’s goals when she decided to pursue her MBA at CUHK Business School. What she’s learned since has helped further her career and now her aspirations are to use these skills to give back to society through meaningful business.

CUHK runs international exchange programs with partners in the US, Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific to give students the chance to expand their global networks and demonstrate their ability as global leaders.

For Ellen, it was the diversity of the CUHK MBA network— comprising of over 6,600 grads in 40 different countries—and the chance to spend a semester in the US—at the University of California, San Diego—which really stood out.

During her MBA, she also completed an internship with the American Global Fund, focused on Hong Kong and mainland China investment. Hong Kong hosts the global and regional headquarters of over 3,800 international companies. And the internship helped give Ellen the edge when securing a job in Hong Kong after completing her degree, as she became a vice president at financial advisory firm Kingsgold Capital.

Having previously worked as a regional finance controller in Shanghai, Ellen was able to gain knowledge of international markets and land a new job in a new location thanks to the CUHK MBA.

BusinessBecause caught up with Ellen to find out more.

How did the CUHK MBA help you launch a new career Hong Kong?

I worked for Carrier Corporation—a world leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration—while securing my visa for Hong Kong. They knew the value of the CUHK MBA program and gave me a platform to use it and benefit the company. I took on more responsibilities and challenges and had a chance to work directly with the executive management in mainland China.

Now, I’m the vice president at Kingsgold Capital, and use my MBA skills to evaluate different projects, meet with more business people from various industries and make investment suggestions and decisions.

I want to use my MBA to contribute back to my school and my country through socially responsible business. After building my network and gaining fresh perspectives, I’m keen to create a meaningful business models that provides people a better life experience.

How did you profit from your internship with the American Global Fund?

The internship was recommended by one of the best professors at CUHK Business School, Professor Wilton Chan. It was my first time working for a US fund and I gained a lot of technical skills and learned about project valuation.

This experience enhanced my understanding of capital markets and industry potential. I spent time on Hong Kong capital market research and evaluated industry potential from the perspective of electronic vehicles, e-commerce, fast moving consumer goods, and others. This made me more competitive when pursuing a financial advisory job in Hong Kong.

Why did you decide to pursue an MBA at CUHK?

I wanted to expand my horizons, gain a global perspective, and explore new career opportunities. The MBA program at CUHK Business School provides students with the opportunity to collaborate with multinational teams. This is excellent business training. I also felt the exchange programs would be a great chance to get inspiration about best business practices around the world.

What advice do you have for anyone considering an MBA?

Ask yourself if you’re losing passion for your current role, or if you desire to change your living environment or meet different kinds of people.

You also need to consider the location and the school campus. I strongly suggest not to follow other people or even the rankings too much. Instead, make sure you choose the MBA program which best matches your needs.

Media: BusinessBecause
Section: News/ MBA Hong Kong
Date published: Mar 7, 2018