Nanyang Fellows | 20 Years of Nurturing...

Nanyang Fellows | 20 Years of Nurturing Leaders

Vision For The FutureThe Next WaveMessages from Current Cohort

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Opening MessageDean’s Message About NTU and NBSAbout the Programme

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Our StoryIn the BeginningDeveloping Global LeadersThen Till NowAwards and Accolades

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Our FellowsWho are They? Celebrating DiversityLessons Outside the Classroom

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ReflectionsLooking Back55

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Content

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OUR STORY AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Opening Message

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OPENING MESSAGE MESSAGE FROM DEAN

The programme benefits from the continued engagement of its

alumni.

Professor Robert (Bob) KennedyDean, Nanyang Business School5 May 2018

MESSAGEFROM DEAN

It is a great pleasure to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme with you today.

The programme was launched by then Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan in July 1998. At that time, Singapore was dealing with the fallout from the Asian financial crisis. Amidst the background of this volatility, Dr Tan stressed the “need for our people to learn continuously, adapt quickly to changing circumstances, and be creative in their approach to problem solving.”

Two decades on, Nanyang Business School and its Nanyang Fellows MBA continue to achieve their joint mission of graduating visionary global business leaders. The programme’s rigorous curriculum and emphasis on collaboration have helped develop resilient leaders across the region.

The programme benefits from the continued engagement of its alumni. These distinguished graduates visit classes, sponsor projects, serve as references for participants, and assist with networking and career progression.

As complexity and volatility continue to increase, the Nanyang Fellows MBA remains relevant and more necessary than ever.

I look forward to working with you in the future, and invite you to continue to engage with the programme. Thank you.

Message from Dean

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OPENING MESSAGE ABOUT NTU AND NBS

ABOUTNTU & NBS

About Nanyang Business School

Ranked as one of the world’s top-tier business schools, Nanyang Business School (NBS) is amongst the most established and comprehensive providers of business and management education in the Asia-Pacific.

Drawing on the strengths of NTU’s research-intensive approach, NBS provides enriching opportunities for interdisciplinary study. This approach is applied to undergraduate and graduate programmes, as well as non-degree executive courses, ensuring that graduates are able to thrive in today’s globalised world.

The school’s academic excellence and industry relevance is well recognised, and its MBA programme is regularly placed as one of Asia’s best. Additionally, NBS’s research has also received outstanding ratings in academic surveys, with several faculty members acknowledged as global leaders in the fields of accounting, finance and cultural intelligence.

NBS believes that responsible and culturally sensitive leadership in business and government is crucial to securing a sustainable future for a globalised world. Through teaching and research, NBS grooms culturally intelligent leaders who pursue lasting success that seeks not only economic profit, but also the interests of the community and environment.

About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) is a research-intensive public university with an enrolment of 33,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the colleges of Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, and Interdisciplinary Graduate School. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London. With more than 100 nationalities on campus and over 300 academic partners, NTU is a cosmopolitan international university that emphasises the benefits of global exposure. NTU is focused on driving new pedagogies in higher education, to facilitate effective learning in a digital age. Part of its strategy is the flipped classroom model of learning. The Hive is a ground-breaking learning facility in NTU that has been described by CNN as having redefined the traditional classroom.

A forerunner in innovative education initiatives, the University has spearheaded the Renaissance Engineering Programme, CN Yang Scholars Programme, and NTU University Scholars Programme. The multidisciplinary curriculum and guidance by top faculty ensure that high-achieving students are able to benefit through interdisciplinary and intensive research opportunities, overseas exposure, as well as dialogues with world-class scientists and industry leaders.

NTU was named Asia’s top university in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, and placed 11th in global university rankings. NTU was also ranked as the world’s best young university by QS for the past four years. Additionally, NTU leads the top Asian universities in normalised research citation impact (Clarivate Analytics’ InCites 2016) and was placed 35th among the world’s universities and first in Singapore by the 2017 Nature Index.

The University is also home to world-class autonomous institutes – the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering – and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N).

The main campus is frequently listed among the Top 15 most beautiful university campuses in the world, with 57 Green Mark-certified (equivalent to LEED-certified) buildings, of which 54 are certified Green Mark Platinum. NTU also has a campus in Novena, Singapore’s medical district.

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OPENING MESSAGE ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

ABOUTTHE PROGRAMME

The programme was launched in 1998 by Dr Tony Tan, then Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. Each year a small and select group of about 20 participants, from both private and public sectors across the continents, join the programme for a journey of profound and intense learning.

The learning begins in Singapore, and continues later on at three universities in the United States: The Wharton School in Philadelphia, Georgetown University in Washington DC and UC Berkeley in California.

During the first half of the programme, a key part of the learning takes place in a foreign country for the overseas Business Study Mission (BSM). The BSM provides the Fellows with an opportunity to bridge theory with practice through studying a specific topic or issue and conducting a case study in the selected country.

The programme also includes a series of Business Leadership Seminars where participants gain privileged insights from the experiences of top Asian and international CEOs, and business and government leaders through closed-door dialogues.

At the end of the challenging journey, Fellows are rewarded with a firm conceptual foundation and practical knowledge of business models which embrace the best of East and West business practices, sensitive to the cultural diversity of business dealings within a global environment.

Additionally, lasting friendships would have been forged with other bright and dynamic leaders, from both the developed and emerging economies.

The Nanyang Fellows MBA is a full-time one-year programme designed for exceptional mid-career executives destined for the pinnacle of leadership.

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Opening MessageOur Story

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OUR STORY IN THE BEGINNING

IN THEBEGINNING

The Nanyang Fellows MBA was launched on 29 July 1998, initiated by former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan.

Modelled after the MIT Sloan programme, the Nanyang Fellows MBA aims to position Singapore as the “Boston of the East”. Designed to develop high potential business and government leaders in Asia, the programme also intended to create and strengthen a network of individuals in senior levels of various sectors throughout Asia. The Nanyang Fellows MBA was funded through a generous donation of $12.5 million from the Singapore Totalisator Board, with matching funds from the Singapore government, bringing the total sum to $25 million. An endowment fund was set up to offer scholarships to deserving candidates from regional countries.

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OUR STORY DEVELOPING GLOBAL LEADERS

DEVELOPINGGLOBAL LEADERS

MESSAGE FROM DR. SIRIWAN CHUTIKAMOLTHAM

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It has been an honour for me to serve as the Academic Director of the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme, which has a clear strategy to develop global leaders for both the public and private sectors.

This programme has very unique programme participants, termed Fellows, who come from both government and business backgrounds. Their one year of studying together fulltime enables a good understanding of the interactions between the Government and the Business sectors.

The Fellows are carefully selected from a large pool of international candidates to form a small class size of about twenty each year. We have had Fellows from emerging economies such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam to far-away countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Russia. The selected participants are high achievers with about ten years of work experience, who want to prepare themselves for more challenging roles in their careers.

In my capacity as Academic Director, I work closely with the management team at the Nanyang Business School and the Fellows to ensure that the programme is academically rigorous, culturally sensitive, and experientially relevant to jobs of the future.

A lot of thought is put into getting the curriculum right: through monitoring learning outcomes, regular interactions with the Fellows both in and outside the classroom, and gathering feedback and suggestions from both the instructors and the Fellows.

Besides being rigorous, the programme also provides alternative ways to foster critical thinking. To achieve that, the Fellows take two study trips abroad. I often travel with them to observe their learning. In the first trimester, Fellows embark upon a Business Study Mission to a country facing important economic issues. They are given the opportunity to work with selected companies to help solve business challenges. Along the way, the Fellows also learn the history and culture of the country through local cuisine, music, performance, and sight-seeing. In the past few years, Missions have taken place in Ireland, Spain, Chile and Argentina.

In the last trimester of the programme, the Fellows spend one month at three prestigious universities in the US. They study Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of California, Berkeley, Finance at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and Business & Public Policy at Georgetown University. The intention is for the Fellows to immerse in the Western school of thought and way of life, to contrast against the Eastern thinking process and practice of Singapore.

Besides classroom learning, Fellows are encouraged to learn from practitioners through their own initiatives via the Business Leaders Seminar Series. They have opportunities to engage with speakers on topics they have keen interest in. In the recent past, some of the guest speakers included ambassadors of Ireland and Spain; successful entrepreneurs from Chile, and high-level executives from Singaporean companies.

To avoid the adage “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, Fellows are encouraged to have fun outside school. They have taken the opportunity to celebrate holidays such as Chinese New Year, Deepavali, and host parties for no occasion other than simply to let their hair down.

With the demanding academic programme, international study trips and other activities, past Fellows always comment how fast the year passes. At the end of their journey, each Fellow is rewarded with a firm conceptual foundation and practical knowledge of global business practices. They are also more sensitive to the cultural diversity of business dealings within a global environment.

The Fellows’ progress can ideally be summed up by what they have shared with me previously: the best return on investment of the programme was the personal transformation which expanded their life perspectives along with newfound knowledge to excel in their careers.

“I often think back to my times as a student, and wish that someone had paid this much attention to my schooling !

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Message from Academic Director

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OUR STORY THEN TILL NOW

THENTILL NOW

The 20 years of Nanyang Fellows MBA programme have seen 20 years of breakthroughs, progress, partnerships and pioneership. This year, we celebrate how far we’ve come; from having the nations of the globe step through our doors, to traversing the ends of the earth, and to building up top government and business leaders of the world stage.

THE BEGINNINGS

The Nanyang Fellows MBA programme was initiated by Dr Tony Tan, then Deputy Prime Minister, aiming to help develop Asia’s future business and government leaders through a curriculum specialised for public sector professionals. The programme was modelled after MIT’s Sloan Fellows programme. Professor John Webster was appointed as the first programme director.

SPONSORING REGIONAL PARTICIPANTS The Singapore government and Singapore Totalisator Board set up a $25 million endowment fund to sponsor regional participants interested in pursuing an Nanyang Fellows MBA programme.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION The Nanyang Fellows MBA programme was ranked Top 5 in Asia by Chief Executive China, a leading magazine for business management professionals.

PEOPLE-ORIENTED LEADERS

Nanyang Fellows MBA Class of 2004 organised a charity screening of The House of Sand and Fog, donating all ticket profits to The Straits Times Pocket Money Fund. They were the pioneering cohort of the Nanyang Heartware mission.

SINGAPORE CHINA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP

First recipients of the Singapore China Foundation Scholarship graduated.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF NANYANG FELLOWS

The Nanyang Fellows MBA programme celebrates its 20th anniversary.

EXPANDING COLLABORATIONS, ENHANCING CURRICULUM

As the second-oldest business school in the United States, the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley becomes the third overseas institution to partner with the Nanyang Fellows MBA. Fellows spend five weeks at UC Berkeley, The Wharton School, and MIT, as part of the US Residential Programme.

MAKING NEW CONNECTIONS

The McDonough School of Business at Geogetown University shapes the next generation of business innovators and leaders. Georgetown University, with its distinctive global programmes, replaces MIT in the US Residential Programme.

RECOGNISING TEACHING PROFESSORS The NBS Nanyang Fellows MBA Teacher of the Year award was set up in 2009 to recognise the efforts of professors who go the extra mile to nurture their students. Awardees have been selected from a world-class faculty teaching aspiring individuals with untapped potential. More than imparting knowledge, every faculty member shares their experiences with and inculcates crucial values in participants, ensuring that they are well-equipped to be effective leaders upon graduation.

IMPARTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

A Sustainability Development segment from MIT Sloan was introduced to the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme, pushing participants to be innovative in developing and sustaining businesses.

NEW HEIGHTS IN DIVERSITY

The Nanyang Fellows Class of 2011 broke the record by having participants from 13 nations. This also marked the programme having 30 nationalities in its alumni, building stronger relationships across nations. Today, with 38 nationalities across 6 continents, the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme continues to bring together outstanding professionals from diverse backgrounds, nurturing them and providing a platform for building networks across the globe.

A SINGAPORE-INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP

NBS put forth an initiative to collaborate with the Jakarta city government in a joint sponsorship of two senior officials attending the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme every year. This has since helped enhance relations between the two nations and facilitated opportunities for partnerships within a tight-knit network.

NEW PARTNER SCHOOL, NEW PERSPECTIVES

A new segment was added to the US Residential programme where participants get to attend classes at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and obtain cutting-edge knowledge from one more prestigious U.S. university.

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AWARDS ANDACCOLADESNanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award

MR CHU VIET CUONGChief Operating OfficerSovico Holdings

Class of 2001

From third world to first

Mr Chu Viet Cuong is the Chief Operating Officer of Sovico Holdings, a Vietnamese conglomerate with

assets in finance, aviation, hospitality and industry. An expert in banking and finance, Mr Chu has a Master’s Degree in International Business from Sussex University and an undergraduate degree in Economics.

Before joining Sovico Holdings, he held senior positions at Japanese trading firm Marubeni, ANZ Bank Vietnam, Prudential Assurance, and Dai A Bank. He was also the General Director of the joint-venture GPS between BNP Paribas and Prevoir Vietnam Life Insurance. A self-professed acolyte of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s late former prime minister, Mr Chu read Lee’s memoir on his role in transforming Singapore from a third-world backwater to a first-world economy. Similarly, as Vietnam transitions from being a centrally-planned system to a free-market economy, it too could benefit from Singapore’s experience, explains Mr Chu, a member of the Nanyang Fellows MBA Class of 2001.

When he was working in Singapore for two years at the Southeast Asian Strategy Institute, which Lee established, Mr Chu attended the lectures that Lee gave. He was impressed by Lee’s honesty and straight-talking manner, which upset some people, but also resulted in a strong following.

In his interactions with his staff, Mr Chu seeks to emulate Lee. “When I talk with my staff, I always say things in a straightforward manner,” he says. “Sometimes they are not very happy with me, but later on they understand we have challenges and difficulties. But we have to face and overcome them.”

In addition to being Sovico Holdings’ Chief Operating Officer, Mr Chu is also a Board Member of its subsidiaries, which includes Vietjet Air, HDBank, Bac Ha Hydropower, Ana Mandara Nha Trang, Furama Resort, and HD Saison.

He credits the Nanyang Fellows MBA with teaching him about business leadership, and valuable lessons which he has been applying to his work.

“We not only set business directions; we have to inspire our people, and we should create something new in terms of business,” he says.

Indeed, the programme has had a “great influence” on his life and work, and he feels fortunate that he was awarded a scholarship for the course. The experience convinced him that he would be able to effect positive change upon his return to Vietnam.

When Mr Chu joined Sovico Holdings 10 years ago, it had a team of about five people, but he was confident about achieving what he set out to do despite the hard slog. Last year, Sovico Holdings listed Vietjet Air and HD Bank on the stock market. According to Mr Chu, the former has a market value of about US$4 billion, while the latter has a market value of US$2 billion today.

In recognition of his contributions to improving Vietnam’s private sector, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present Mr Chu Viet Cuong with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

MR WEE SOON BENG PETER Director (Corporate Development & Emergency Preparedness)Civil Aviation Authority Of Singapore

Class of 2001

Labour of Love

Mr Wee is currently Director of Corporate

Development and Emergency Preparedness at the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

He firmly believes that good leadership is about caring for people, empowering them to deliver excellence, and fostering teamwork.

This staunch philosophy was honed through his Nanyang Fellows MBA experience in 2000.

Mr Wee credits the Nanyang Fellows MBA with broadening his perspective on business leadership, management and strategy. Through the programme, he was provided frameworks and tools from the corporate world as part of an arsenal to deliver outcomes.

After completion of the Nanyang Fellows MBA, Mr Wee, then appointed as Head of Air Manpower at the Republic of Singapore Air Force, led a project to enhance the roles of warrant officers and specialists. He worked with regimental sergeants major to empower senior enlisted personnel by moving them away from just drills and ceremonies. Instead, they were encouraged to take on more leadership and management roles. Towards that end, they were sent on courses and given new appointments under the initiative, which was enacted across the Air Force.

Following his appointment as the Singapore Armed Forces’ Head of Joint Manpower, Mr Wee coordinated the human resource policies of the three services. He worked with colleagues from the Army, Navy and Air Force in strategic HR planning to produce policies that balanced their Service’s different needs. He also later

co-chaired the committee responsible for the overhaul of the enterprise human resource system of the Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces. He also facilitated the accreditation of the pioneer batch of SAF HR practitioners under SHRI’s HR Accreditation framework.

After his retirement from the military in 2007, Mr Wee joined CAAS as its Director of Human Resource. One of his significant achievements was in leading the HR transition for the corporatisation of Changi Airport and the restructuring of CAAS in 2009. In 2013, Mr Wee was also recognised for his HR contributions to CAAS as “Leading HR Leader” at the Singapore HR Awards.

In 2015, Mr Wee received the prestigious May Day Plaque of Commendation (Gold) Award on behalf of CAAS, in view of its significant contributions to the Labour movement. CAAS was recognised for promoting strong labour-management relations, as well as supporting employees in the area of skills upgrading and welfare.

These include initiatives such as the re-employment of older workers, implementation of the Progressive Wage Model, undertaking workforce and job re-design to enable employees to stay relevant and promoting continuous upgrading and learning among employees.

For his trailblazing contributions in human resources, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present Mr Wee Soon Beng Peter with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

MR TUNG YUI FAI President, Defence Business ST Kinetics Class of 2002

Crossing over from the military to the business world

Mr Tung was awarded a postgraduate scholarship

after serving in the Singapore Armed Forces for approximately two decades. He chose to enroll in the Nanyang Fellows MBA after hearing laudatory feedback from previous Fellows.

He decided to embark upon the programme as it comprised both local and overseas components, and offered a different perspective to his everyday work. He found his interactions with his lecturers and classmates invaluable, and cited these as the most enriching part of the programme. The diverse environment of the programme allowed him to experience cultural differences, and ingrained in him the need to understand these differences.

After gaining his MBA, Mr Tung served in several senior positions before taking on the role of Chief of Staff (General Staff). In 2013, he retired after 33 years of service and later took on the civilian position of Director of National Service Affairs in the Ministry of Defence. In 2016, he moved on to join ST Kinetics as Senior Vice President, Defence Business Group. He became President, Defence Business Group in 2017.

Mr Tung notes the similarities between the military and the business world, and shares that planning, organising, and rallying the troops are also required in business to develop business strategies, implement corporate controls, and motivate employees.

He credits the Nanyang Fellows MBA in helping him recharge for his return to the military, and added that it gave him the chance to learn from the business world, as well as be more reflective.

Additionally, Mr Tung has actively been involved with SAFRA. He played many key roles and contributed significantly to SARFA over the years, and held positions including Chairman of the SAFRA-SAF Partnership Committee, Chairman of the 13th SAFRA Awards Selection Panel, and Chairman of the SAFRA Singapore Bay Run and Army Half Marathon Organising Committee. For his service, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Award (Gold) in 2017, the highest accolade among SAFRA Awards.

In recognition of Mr Tung Yui Fai’s contributions to both the military and business spheres, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present him with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

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MR WANG MINZHENGDirector-General of Office of Rural Work Leading Group of CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee

Director-General of Yunnan Agricultural Department

Class of 2004

Cultivating a better tomorrow

Mr Wang Minzheng is the Director-General of Yunnan’s Department of Agriculture and the Office of Rural Work Leading Group of the Communist Party of China Yunnan Provincial Committee. A member of the Communist Party of China since he was 18, Mr Wang was sent by the Party’s Organisation Department to pursue the Nanyang Fellows MBA in 2003. Mr Wang recalls his experience as “especially precious”, as he learned a lot from the “cutting-edge curriculum” of the programme, and its faculty of diverse nationalities. He cites the management and strategic theories of Jack Welch, Philip Kotler and Michael Porter as guides in his work as a Party official.

The programme’s collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Business, and its focus on interactive teaching and case studies enabled Wang to develop his research and analytical skills. Additionally, Mr Wang credits his stint at Nanyang Business School in helping improve his command of English. He shares that he has been reading reports in English, and watching English-language television shows since returning to China.

In his role, he has been seeking to lift his compatriots from poverty by cultivating the use of modern agricultural techniques. The department has helped many families become professional farmers, set up farming cooperatives, and aided them in accessing markets outside the province. Such efforts have addressed the long-standing failure of industrial development and agricultural support in alleviating poverty.

Today, Yunnan, which has a population of more than 30 million in agricultural areas, exports agricultural

products to 116 countries in Europe, North America, South Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including Singapore.

In 2008, one of the worst bouts of winter storms in decades struck Yunnan, making it impossible for impoverished mountain residents to access supplies of food and daily necessities.

The calamity taught Mr Wang, who was then Mayor of the province’s Zhaotong City with a population of more than 5 million, the importance of “overcoming one’s self-centred focus and weaknesses to care for others”. He worked closely with municipal government officials to aid the affected residents. Between 2008 and 2010, in the face of financial difficulties for the government, Mr Wang and other officials raised about 10 billion yuan (S$2 billion) to build 8 Class II roads to ease the transport needs of residents.

Outside of Yunnan, Mr Wang has also served as Secretary General of China’s National Atomic Energy Agency, a deputy of the National People’s Congress. In addition to his work as a Party official, Mr Wang, who has a doctorate in Economics, is a prolific writer. When working at State Planning Commission, he was the chief editor of works such as A Guide to the Utilization of Foreign Investment and Foreign Trade of P.R. China. When working at Yunnan Provincial Development and Planning Commission, he published A Guide to Build-Operate-Transfer Project Implementation, A Guide to Public-Private-Partnership Project Implementation and Study on the Road of Domestic Endogenous Industrialization. He was also the chief editor of An Exploration of Economic Issues, which was recognised as one of China’s top 10 economic journals and inducted into the Chinese Society’s Scientific Journals Highlights Archive.

Mr Wang wrote Mayor’s Economics when he was the mayor of Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province. During his tenure as the Secretary General of the China Atomic Energy Authority, he co-authored the Emergency Guide for Nuclear Accidents and translated and published a book named Nuclear Theory.

Reflecting on his career, Mr Wang says the question of “how to make this world better” is always on his mind.

“My life is finite while to do something valuable for the society is infinite” he says, adding that his answer to the question is “to remember responsibility and diligence and make yourself better first”.

In recognition of Mr Wang Minzheng’s contributions to the development of Yunnan, China, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present him with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

MR TAN KOK MING DESMONDChief Executive DirectorPeople’s Association

Class of 2008

Selfless commitment to public service

Mr Tan is the Chief Executive Director (CED) at People’s Association, having

assumed the role in 2017 after retiring from a 28-year career in the military. As CED, he oversees the promotion of racial harmony and social cohesion in Singapore, with the lofty aim of building and bridging communities towards achieving one people, one Singapore.

Mr Tan’s distinguished military career has seen him hold various key appointments in the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces. These include Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion Singapore Infantry Regiment, Commander of 3rd Singapore Infantry Brigade, Director of MINDEF Public Affairs, Chief Guards Officer, Director of Joint Operations and Chief of Staff of the General Staff (COS-GS).

When serving in the army, Mr Tan took an educational sabbatical at age 37 and enrolled in the Nanyang Fellows MBA. An engineer by training, he shared that the programme taught him about finance and economics, and “soft” skills such as leadership and human resource management.

These aspects proved useful as Mr Tan’s career progressed, particularly in his role as COS-GS, in managing budget and allocation of funds. After the completion of the Nanyang Fellows MBA, he faced a hectic nine months conducting full-troop exercises, organising the National Day Parade, and deploying to Afghanistan as the first commander of Singapore’s national contingent, which supported the coalition forces.

Mr Tan credits his years of leadership experience in the army, as well as the skills picked up from the programme as factors that helped him overcome these challenges.

Mr Tan was also heavily involved in multiple Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions such as the relief operations for Nepal earthquake, firefighting efforts in Chiangmai, as well as Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts for QZ 8501. He also supervised the SAF’s participation in the counter-ISIS coalition.

Mr Tan has been awarded the SAF 20-years Long Service Award, Command Appointment Award and the Public Administration Medal – Bronze (Military) in recognition of his dedication and professional conduct. In addition, for his contribution to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan as Singapore’s National Contingent Commander, Mr Tan was awarded the SAF Overseas Service Medal (Enhanced) and the NATO (ISAF) Medal.

Concurrently, Mr Tan holds the role of Director, Gardens by the Bay. He is also council member of the Charity Council, National Integration Council and Singapore Sports Council.

In recognition of his contributions to Singapore’s military and grassroots cohesion, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present Mr Tan Kok Ming Desmond with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

DR THET THET KHINEMember of Parliament, House of RepresentativeDirector, Golden Palace Gold and Jewellery, Jewel Collection Manufacturing Co. Ltd., United GP Development Co. Ltd.

Class of 2008

Voice for the Voiceless

Dr Thet Thet Khine is a female entrepreneur and a parliamentarian from the Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party.

Born in a town that was largely reliant on the mining and trading of gems, livelihoods were hit hard when the government of the Burma Socialist Programme Party seized power in a military coup and discouraged private enterprise. The Socialist government’s nationalisation of the economy, coupled with the nation’s isolation, resulted in the country’s dismal state.

Dr Thet Thet Khine graduated from medical school in 1993, but did not realise her dream of practicing Medicine as her husband’s parents encouraged the pair to become entrepreneurs instead. With start-up capital from her in-laws, Dr Thet Thet Khine and her husband set up a gold and gems business with two employees in 1994. They later moved into the manufacturing and wholesale of gems. Today they have approximately 700 people in their employment.

“What I learned along the way is that making your business a success is contributing to the society,” she says.

In 2004, Dr Thet Thet Khine attained an MBA from the Institute of Economics in Yangon. She later decided to pursue the Nanyang Fellows MBA in Singapore, hoping that a world class education would not only help further her business, but also teach her how to create positive social change.

Before joining politics, Dr Thet Thet Khine served as Vice President of the Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs’ Association and Joint Secretary General of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. In these roles, she focused on empowering women economically and providing microfinancing to small businesses.

Currently a member of the parliamentary Banks and Monetary Affairs Development Committee, Dr Thet Thet Khine is working towards inclusive and equitable economic development. She champions economic empowerment for women, SMEs, and microfinancing to small businesses.

Thanks to her efforts and those of her colleagues, approximately 200 microfinance firms have emerged in Myanmar. Dr Thet Thet Khine lauds this development as progress to the poor in Myanmar.

In recognition of her efforts in championing economic development in Myanmar, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present Dr Thet Thet Khine with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

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ERNIE WIDIANTY, RAHARDJOdr, M.Kes., MBA. Head of Risk, Quality and Safety Management DivisionPT Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta

Class of 2009

Moving millions daily

Dr Ernie Widianty Rahardjo is Head

of Risk, Quality and Safety Management Division at PT Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Jakarta. PT MRT Jakarta is the developer of the city’s first rail system, and Dr Rahardjo shares its lofty goal of easing the capital’s severe traffic congestion.

She was appointed to the role in 2014, and tasked with developing a system to manage corporate risk that includes identifying and assessing the risks involved in the construction of the metro network.

Prior to her foray into public transport, Dr Rahardjo graduated from medical school in 1999. While helping to transport a classmate to a hospital in South Jakarta, the ambulance they were in was caught in heavy traffic. It was then that she realised the importance of a robust transport system for the city.

In 2004, Dr Rahardjo joined the Jakarta Regional Development Planning Board, where she worked with international NGOs and agencies on healthcare and disaster management systems. This provided her with the opportunity to attend the United Nations’ World Urban Forum in Vancouver, which exposed her to the various aspects of city planning. Inspired by her experience, she then accepted an offer to join a team that was to prepare a feasibility study for PT MRT Jakarta.

Dr Rahardjo joined the Nanyang Fellows MBA in 2008, and credits the programme with helping her develop a can-do attitude, and the ability to analyse complex issues.

The programme also provided her with global references and examples for learning. Following the Nanyang Fellows MBA, she also embarked upon an executive leadership programme at the MIT Sloan School of Management in 2010.

Dr Rahardjo’s efforts at innovating within the public sector were recognised when PT MRT Jakarta was nominated for the public initiative category of the ASEAN Risk Awards in 2016.

Passionate about improving people’s lives, she hopes for the MRT system in Jakarta to achieve world-class operator standard once it is operational. In the long term, she wishes to help improve the local or national disaster response system in Indonesia with the approaches she learned in developing Enterprise Risk Management System.

In recognition of her contributions towards solving Jakarta’s public transport issues, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present Dr Ernie Widianty Rahardjo with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

MR TALGAT CHINIKEYEVEntrepreneur

Class of 2011

No success without risk

Hailing from Kazakhstan, Mr Chinikeyev is a self-employed entrepreneur and investor. The former Chairman

of KazMedTech, a state-linked supplier of medical equipment to healthcare organisations in Kazakhstan. He is involved with start-ups, invests in the hydrocarbons sector, and works closely with an animation studio.

Mr Chinikeyev began his career in 1994 after graduating from the Almaty Power Institute. He joined a petroleum trading firm as a commercial manager, before moving to PetroKazakhstan. There, he rose up the ranks and eventually became Chairman, JSC Alatautransgaz, a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to the city of Almaty, in 2002. In 2007, Mr Chinikeyev joined Unicorn IFC, an investment firm that operated in Kazakhstan’s stock market, as its Chairman.

In 2010, Mr Chinikeyev founded Interexim in Singapore, which traded energy commodities, worked with investment funds and private investors, and offered consulting services in the field of medical tourism. Prior to joining KazMedTech in 2015, Mr Chinikeyev was a director of KMGTrading, a Singapore-based subsidiary of KazMunayGas, a state-owned oil and gas company that traded oil and energy products in Asia.

Mr Chinikeyev embarked upon the Nanyang Fellows MBA in 2011. He cites “obtaining an international education in MBA at Nanyang Business School and becoming proficient in English in just one year” as one of the achievements he is proudest of.

He also credits the Nanyang Fellows MBA with broadening his worldview, allowing him to expand his perspectives and deepening his knowledge in various business models and real-world cases.

He shares that the multicultural environment of Nanyang Business School and Singapore influenced the way he looked at business problems, and the programme’s emphasis on collaboration and teamwork provided him with essential skills in leadership and communications.

Mr Chinikeyev firmly believes in creating an encouraging and dynamic environment for teamwork, where one can inspire individuals to achieve extraordinary things. An advocate of discovering the unexpected, he advises the younger generation to work on themselves, not waste time on the unnecessary, and to take more risks.

In recognition of his entrepreneurial drive and indefatigable spirit, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present Mr Talgat Chinikeyev with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

COLONEL GOH JERICAHead, Naval TrainingRepublic of Singapore Navy

Class of 2011

Charting the high seas

COL Goh Jerica is Singapore’s highest-ranking female naval officer, and the Head of the

Naval Training Department. She joined the Republic of Singapore Navy in 1993. During her career, COL Goh has been deployed to twice to the Gulf of Aden for counter-piracy operations. She became the first female Commanding Officer (CO) of RSS Supreme, the navy’s most advanced warship, in 2013. As CO of RSS Supreme, COL Goh took part in the search operations for Air Asia Flight QZ 8501 in December 2014.

COL Goh decided to pursue an MBA in 2010, with the aim of learning new skills outside the military.

With its focus on cultivating robust leadership and management skills, she saw the Nanyang Fellows MBA as the ideal choice for her career path.

The well-designed programme also provided Fellows with modules at the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, the programme also provided opportunities for Fellows to work on live consultancy projects, allowing participants to translate what they learnt to real situations.

COL Goh also experienced a highly diverse classroom environment, with course mates who came from Australia, Cambodia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. She found that their diverse cultural backgrounds and work experiences were beneficial to the learning process, with many different perspectives brought to the table. She remembers the time with her classmates with fondness, especially the bonds built through classroom discussions, group projects, and overseas study trips to Denmark and the US.

COL Goh credits the Nanyang Fellow MBA for exposure to many new concepts and ideas, which has remained useful today. In addition, she cites the importance of listening and understanding the context we are working within as well as being guided by core values. These traits have complemented the training she received in the Navy, allowing her to be a better leader.

In recognition of her contributions to the Singapore Navy, Nanyang Technological University is proud to present COL Goh Jerica with the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni Award.

Our Fellows

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AmericaAustraliaBangladeshMyanmarCambodiaChinaColombiaPhilippinesGermanyGreeceHungaryIndiaIndonesiaJamaicaJapanKazakhstanLaosMalaysiaMaldivesMauritiusMexico

397TOTAL ALUMNI

38COUNTRIES

NamibiaNigeriaNorth KoreaPakistanPapua New GuineaPeruPolandRussiaSingaporeSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSri LankaTaiwanThailandTurkeyUgandaVietnam

WHOARE THEY?

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OUR FELLOWS CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

CELEBRATINGDIVERSITY

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OUR STORY LESSONS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

LESSONS OUTSIDETHE CLASSROOM

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Reflections

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REFLECTIONS LOOKING BACK

Viva the Nanyang Fellows MBA Programme!

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LOOKINGBACK

The Nanyang Fellows MBA is a unique programme organised and sponsored by NTU’s Nanyang Business School. It has been an outstanding success right from the start, and distinguishes itself from other available courses.

The programme model is based on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, and at its inception, allowed Fellows to spend a month or two at MIT. Each class size is limited to no more than 20 Fellows per year, to ensure the development of close rapport between Faculty and Fellows.

Fellows are mostly mid-career senior executives in their late thirties and forties, and being more mature, we are able to have robust discussions on global economic issues such as the miraculous transformation of the Chinese economy and the counter-cyclical global measures against the Great Recession. The programme is international in character; not only do most Fellows hail from emerging and fast developing Asian countries, the curriculum also emphasises the best

of East and West business practices. There were numerous memorable moments. I taught a seminar course where each Fellow had to research, write and present his or her assigned term paper to the class for discussion. Some Fellows were rather timid in the beginning. However, all blossomed to become much more confident and participatory as the course developed, and I was thankful for their encouraging transformation.

As Faculty, I particularly enjoyed the agreed book review exchange with MIT Dean Professor Lester Thurow. He reviewed my book entitled Development and Underdevelopment. I in turn reviewed his book Head to Head: Which Nations Will Dominate the World?

Dean Thurow’s position was that Western Europe would be led by the House of Germany, while my prognostication was that the emerging Pax Pacifica would be led by USA and China. Our predictions were made in 1994, long before President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping came on to dominate the world stage. When

Dean Thurow came to Singapore to sign the NTU-MIT joint agreement, he remembered paying me US$25 in total for losing the token bet each year for five years on the real growth rate of Japan exceeding that of the USA at that period of time.

Each year, after the completion of the course, the Fellows would gather at my house for a celebratory dinner. These dinners become great bonding sessions where we all let our hair down, tell stories, and even break out in song. Professor Hooi Den Huan’s wife would sometimes favour us with her piano-playing skills in accompaniment to our singing and we always have a great time. Viva the Nanyang Fellows MBA Programme!

Professor Lim Chong YahEmeritus Professor of EconomicsSchool of Social SciencesNanyang Technological University, Singapore

Message from Professor Lim Chong Yah

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Vision for the Future

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VISION FOR THE FUTURE THE NEXT WAVE

Leaders must be sensitive to the nuances of different cultures...

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THE NEXTWAVE

Nanyang Fellows MBA programme marks its milestone of 20 years. While we celebrate the achievements, we continue to evolve and make necessary adjustments in curriculum and pedagogy to nurture our future leaders. I am often asked about the essential qualities that leaders require in order to succeed in the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world? The term was first used to describe global conditions arising from the Cold War, but it is no less apt today. Not only are there constantly changing challenges resulting from the shifting sands of politics and economies, the pace and frequency of these changes are also markedly intense. To thrive in these times, leaders must have the following traits:

1. Adaptability and ResilienceAgile and adaptable leaders are effective in any environment, and ready to respond to rapidly unfolding situations. Resilience is essential for leaders to maintain their clarity in turbulent circumstances and be better able to cope with change.

2. Foresight to Anticipate ChangesAnticipating change puts leaders ahead of the innovation curve, allowing them to attain necessary knowledge and skill sets in preparation of challenges. Additionally, this also allows for longer term focus, visionary thinking and the building of processes to mitigate difficult times.

3. Sensitivity to DiversityAs the world reaches new levels of interconnection, stakeholder networks also increase in complexity and size. Leaders must be sensitive to the nuances of different cultures and draw on the strengths of different experiences and viewpoints, which results in better decision-making.

I am proud to share that the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme strives to embody each Fellow with these traits. With its rigorous curricula and emphasis on real life problem solving, the programme equips Fellows with the necessary skills required for leadership roles in public and private sectors. Without a doubt, the Fellows will contribute to the transformational impact in the economy and larger society through their work in Singapore and beyond. Assoc. Prof Nilanjan Sen Associate Dean, Graduate Studies Nanyang Business School

Message from the Associate Dean

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VISION FOR THE FUTURE MESSAGES FROM CURRENT COHORT

CHEN SHIFENG

The backgrounds of the Nanyang Fellows are incredibly diverse. From my conversations with these talents from a variety of sectors in different countries, I have benefitted not just from the extension of my horizon, but also through the expansion of perspectives from diverse angles.

From my observation, this is an important area that that will certainly enhance my problem-solving capabilities.

GOH KAILING The Nanyang Fellows MBA has been a rewarding and enriching journey that mostly exceeded my expectations, ranging from the broad scope of curriculum, quality of Professors and robust discussions.

Personally, it was a brief respite from work and provided learning opportunities in many ways, depending on how much an individual wants to get out of the programme. Beyond the knowledge and skills acquired, I’m glad to take away memories that I will cherish for a lifetime.

MESSAGES FROMCURRENT COHORT

HARIKRISHNA TRICHIRAPALLY RAMACHANDRAN Each cohort is equipped with a unique combination of skill sets. Because this programme focuses on learning beyond the classroom, we are enriched by the Fellows’ diverse pool of culture and experience. All these not only help us build strong careers, but also kickstart our new phase as leaders.

HOW SHI MIN The Nanyang Fellows MBA has expanded my mental horizons, and inspired me to be a better leader. Being an effective leader starts with deeper self-awareness of our personal leadership style, and we are further equipped with wisdom and an appreciation of managing diverse teams.

To future Fellows: be prepared to be challenged and transformed for a lifetime through the programme.

HUAN YI LING, GLADYS The Nanyang Fellows MBA has been an enriching journey. Specifically, the Business Study Mission in Dublin and the residential programme in US were practical and valuable in an increasingly dynamic world.

I also enjoyed the insightful discussions with the Professors and my classmates from both the private and public sectors, which enabled me to learn from their diverse perspectives.

IDA BAGUS RIAN MAHARDHIKA

Being a part of the Nanyang Fellows (NF) MBA is my pride and honour. This programme also significantly supports the improvement of my capabilities, knowledge and quality. Over the past year, I have improved my understanding on strategy, marketing, finance, human resources, economics. On the other hand, NF also succeeded in preparing me as a leader in the future through equipping me with skills of leadership, Innovation, negotiation, and change management. I believe that Fellows will get better opportunities and career enhancements after completing this programme.

To be honest, it is not easy to start this journey, as we have to prepare ourselves well to contribute to class or team. For me, this trip is not just grades, score or graduation. It is about value, because everything will be useless if the knowledge does not benefit ourselves, the company and civilisation.

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VISION FOR THE FUTURE MESSAGES FROM CURRENT COHORT

JAN KENNETH E. BOLANTE

The unique blend of public and private sector perspectives from a cohort of diverse national, cultural, and industry backgrounds provides a distinct learning experience that stimulates conversations through the lens of both business and public policies. As a civil servant, this dual lens is critical not only to understand the complex interactions between governments and businesses, but also in applying business insights to public administration.

KONIALIDIS NICOLAS The alumnus body of the Nanyang Fellows MBA is a miniature version of Singapore. It is intellectually rigorous, welcoming to foreigners, personally agreeable, loyal to its own while demanding of every individual’s competence and sustained effort.

I witnessed for over a year a complex reality that defies many stereotypes, the subtle fabric of Singapore’s rich identity but above all, of its unity.Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, writes that a man’s character is his fate. It may be that the Republic’s fate is in great part intertwined with the collective character of the Fellows.

SHI FENGXIA After working for nearly ten years, I finally took the courage to quit my job and join the Nanyang Fellows MBA. I missed my working days and achievements in my career when I was immersed in the course. However, I know I will miss the days spent in the programme much more when I am back at work.

For me, the programme not only brings knowledge, exposure to diversified cultures and insights of business environments with the most amazing cohort, it also provides me a safe environment of sharing and listening, self-reflection and self-development.

SIN SOKVISAL

The Nanyang Fellows MBA remains a relevant choice because It is a unique programme specifically designed for mid-career executives. The programme not only focuses on hard skills like business development, but also soft skills such as leadership. In addition, the Business Study Mission and US residential programme offers Fellows practical experience on an international platform. Understanding insights behind government policies, corporate decision making, and the intersection between both allows Fellows the chance to upgrade their skills to decision-making levels.

SYED ASIM SHAMIM

The relevance of the Nanyang Fellows MBA lies in the quality of its content and design. Being full time, it provides high value to mid-career managers with added dimensions to an excellent career break: Fellows benefit from refined information, exposure to diverse participants, and up-to-date facilities. The overall experience enriches skills managers need for the second innings of their career.

My advice to new Fellows would be to enjoy the experience of high-level engagement and interactive discussions, to reflect on the powerful lessons which may come from both inside and outside of class. The programme also provides unique opportunities of self-awareness, polishing and matching up of one’s abilities to the current and forthcoming challenges.

TAN CHEE SENG The Nanyang Fellows MBA has certainly inspired and empowered us to embark on this lifelong journey of becoming a better and more effective leader, one who can nurture and develop individuals to reach their full potential, as well as to build great teams and organisations.

We had the opportunity to learn from our fellow classmates, who are a group of highly motivated and talented senior executives with varied work experiences. Based on our experiences in the Nanyang Fellows MBA, I am sure that past and future generations of Fellows will be able to make a significant impact to the development of our respective countries and Asia in the 21st century.

THEODORE LOY TOM The Nanyang Fellows MBA has given me an in-depth look into the future of Asia. As many ASEAN economies start to grow their middle class in the next 20 years, the skills and network from this programme will be irreplaceable. A year in the programme is an investment for life!

TRAN THI HONG VAN The Nanyang Fellows MBA creates opportunities for mid-managers to improve upon their working experience. After completing the programme, I am confident that the lessons learnt will enhance my strategies and tactics in goal setting, negotiations and finance, to better support my work in the future.

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