Thought leadership series 2: training & development
3 former deans to teach for the new Nanyang MBA
Meet Professor Hong, Professor Neo and Professor Wee who will impart their extensive Asian expertise and leadership skills to incoming cohort for the Nanyang MBA.
A
s Asia emerges as the most influential market in the world, more companies come to Asia to explore the growth opportunities, learn about the business practices in the region and most importantly look for talents. The new Nanyang MBA curriculum recently launched by NTU’s Nanyang Business School heeds the call for MBA talents who will go through a more relevant and intensive MBA program that is more Asia centric and puts special emphasis on leadership. With many MBA programs in the market to choose from, aside from an innovative curriculum, top faculty is equally important to bring that learning experience to a higher level. Under the new Nanyang MBA program, incoming students will learn from these expert leaders who all have impressive track record and immense experience as well as knowledge and expertise in the Asian business landscape. Having three former deans teach in this MBA program shows how Nanyang is dead serious in making this MBA program the program of choice, even by employers. A unique learning experience According to Professor Neo Boon Siong, the new Nanyang MBA provides a unique learning experience where students are challenged and taught to apply concepts and principles to real-life business situations, guided by experienced faculty who has deep expertise and industrial experience. “It is more tightly coordinated, enabling students to complete the same rigorous education in a shorter time frame. Nanyang Business School has a repertoire of Asian cases that will be used and a greater emphasis on managing in emerging markets,” says Prof Neo. The new 12-month MBA program is intensive and focused in a cost effective manner without compromising depth and rigor, according to Professor Hong Hai who spent more than 20 year in business before heading for the academia as dean at NTU’s Nanyang Business School. Nanyang MBA has the most internationally diverse group of professors with deep and
Hong Hai, Neo Boon Siong, and Wee Chow Hou, Professors from NTU abiding interest in Asia and an amazing diversity of students from around the world that makes an exciting environment for learning to be leaders in Asia. Professor Wee Chow Hou will teach his ‘signature’ and popular strategy courses such as Sung Zi Bing Fa, the Chinese “Art of War” as applied to business. “We will challenge them to think more creatively and analytically – skills that are even more critically needed for higher level appointment- leadership.” Imparting their leadership skills and Asian expertise With their extensive knowledge and experience in Asia’s corporate world, how do these three esteemed professors plan to impart their expertise to the students? Prof Neo, whose experience includes advising large leading firms like IBM, Microsoft, DBS, OCBC and SIA and also that of the public sector, has seen the needs and demands of these sectors. “I will be bringing my experience into the classroom by sharing insights and examples
“Under the new Nanyang MBA program, incoming students will learn from these expert leaders who all have impressive track record and experience.”
of how concepts and principles are actually implemented in the real business world – the subtle approaches, nuanced adaptations and contextual sensitivities critical to developing intelligent skills necessary in a more complex and dynamic environment.” As such, he reckons that the new MBA curriculum equips the students with thoughtful yet pragmatic approaches and practical solutions to achieve strategic business outcomes by internalizing the principles of leadership. On the other hand, Prof Wee, with his western training combined with an indepth knowledge of Asia , says he intends to make his students look deeply at issues and problems differently, with an Asian focus. Such integration of the best of the east and west in management knowledge and expertise, he adds, is where he can provide the most value-add to the learning experience of the MBA students. As a former CEO and having worked in major firms, Prof Hong Hai concludes that Nanyang MBA’s focus on leadership and Asia means that employers will find that Nanyang’s MBA graduates can hit the ground running early, highly confident in an environment they have become familiar with through their exposure to issues and cases in Asia and equipped with competencies that will carry them to leadership positions as they progress in their careers. SINGAPORE BUSINESS REVIEW | JANUARY 2013 39