MBA Connect
April 2016
 CUHK MBA

Connect Story

Andy Huang

General Manager at Kearns International, Thailand
(Full-time, Class of 2012)

I worked in a real estate and construction company before I joined CUHK. I advanced in the company from junior engineer to project manager and cost manager. I had opportunities to join some corporate operation improvement programs, such as Six Sigma and Balanced Scorecard. However, I felt that I was unable to advance from managing projects to managing corporates. I decided to pursue an MBA Program to develop my business acumen, broaden my financial and marketing knowledge and develop my professional network. 
Could you share with us your career movements after the MBA graduation?
Picture with clients and colleagues in Thailand
In 2012, I joined Kearns International as a senior project manager. Kearns is a medium-sized construction and project management company headquartered in the US. It has an office in Shanghai, where I first worked, but later the company also opened an office in Thailand and I was transferred there. I was promoted to Assistant General Manager in 2014 and General Manager in 2015 because I had project experience and I could manage corporate finance and accounting thanks to the CUHK MBA courses and my CFA qualification. This year we expanded to Myanmar and the Philippines.
Did the MBA fulfil your original career plan and goals?
Andy and Anita met through the CUHK MBA Elite Mentorship Program
Yes. I planned to do an MBA to equip myself with general management skills and financial acumen and be able to work globally, and I have achieved all that.

How did your classmates and/or professional network helped you to get where you are now?

I frequently ask my ex-classmates for advice, especially when it comes to things related to banking. And I still meet Anita, who was my mentor during my MBA studies, each year to discuss my current and future career development.
How is your working life in Thailand and do you find it easy/interesting to live abroad?

Working life in Thailand is exciting, especially since we are a foreign company and have people from more than 20 countries. While our company is based in Thailand, we also do businesses across Southeast Asia and globally. It’s not so easy to work with people from different countries. Each country’s culture is different.
What are your biggest challenges as a leader and how do you overcome them?

My biggest challenge as a leader is to get different stakeholders to go for the same objectives. Every case is different. For example, once the contract is signed, clients start worrying about the quality and schedule. Suppliers worry more about the cost, then schedule and finally quality. You have to know what’s at the bottom of the driving forces for each stakeholder, so that you can devise different strategies to align them.
What do you do to further develop yourself in the field?

For me the emphasis now is on working with professional partners to develop new businesses in Myanmar. Our company started doing business there last year and business opportunities are getting better after the recent elections. We are also expanding to other geographical regions, such as South America and Africa, to meet new business opportunities.
Gala Dinner 2010 by CUHK MBA Alumni Association
Lastly, what advice would you give to those who are considering an MBA?

Before starting the program, consider carefully what you want to achieve by getting an MBA, and plan for it well. One year is not a long time, therefore you have to be clear about your career plan and goals even before starting the MBA. This will help you gain more from the courses, professors and classmates and advance your career after graduation.
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