Interviews
Mr. Poh Kay-Ping, Deputy CEO, Poh Tiong Choon Logistics Limited, Graduating Class of 1989
1. What were the motivations behind your decision to pursue an MBA?
I needed to get some professional business skills and knowledge to compliment my Engineering background, so I decided to pursue an MBA.
2. How did you go about selecting the right business school for yourself?
I decided on the OCU MBA for several reasons: First, it was offered by a reputable institution, the Singapore Productivity Association, which gave a good image for the program. Second was that all the modules were taught by Professors from the USA definitely gave a more global perspective. Third, the modules were flexible and were conducted during a stretch of 10 days, which is good for busy executives, as we don’t have to commit time on a weekly basis.
3. Was doing an MBA everything you expected it to be?
Yes, it was beyond my expectations. The most important aspect was the Professors and their qualifications. Most of our professors were good at communicating the learning across.
4. What are the most important lessons that you got from this MBA?
The first would be the network that I’ve gained. Most of the students were working professionals from diverse backgrounds, so we had a good insight across industries in Singapore. The second would be the macro view presented by the professors. Since they are well traveled and have high exposure from meeting many people, what they shared became very valuable lessons for us. Our minds and views too were expanded by the end of the course.
5. Can you share some of your memorable experiences while studying this MBA?
The best experiences I remember from the MBA are the interactions with the professors themselves. We had 30 in our class and the professors related to us like friends. So we did not have the usual teacher-student distance between us. I would highlight Dr. Shafa as he is genuinely concerned for us, and we still keep in touch after all these years. This personal touch made the education all the more meaningful.
6. Do you have any advice for future MBA students?
I believe the Great Wall MBA will be a good investment, as OCU had many years of providing education for China market and China is a growing economic power in the world. It will be a great experience to integrate western technique into China culture and business environment
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Lawrence Goh, General Manager, Adgrow Business Consultants, Graduating Class of 1988
1. What were the motivations behind your decision to pursue an MBA?
I qualified as a Chartered Secretary in l971 when I became an Associate of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, UK. I was made a Fellow in l989. In the 80s I was working for an organisation, the largest in its industry in the region, for 8 years as the Finance & Administration Manager responsible for 6 departments. In the mid-80s (which was a bad time for me personally when my mother passed away), I undertook a Diploma in Sales & Marketing course. Completion of the Diploma programme set the momentum for me to go further, and I had also wanted to move out and up to general management. So, in l986, I decide to pursue an MBA programme.
2. How did you go about selecting the right business school for yourself?
In l986, there were only 4 MBA programmes; two from the local universities, l from SIM (Henley from UK) and OCU. I did not want to study full-time overseas or locally and wanted something different from the British system. I found the OCU MBA most suitable for me. Though it was off-campus and part-time, it was rigorous; in fact, I almost gave up during the first module. The timetable was flexible in that we attended classes after office hours on weekdays and on Saturday afternoons. I remembered staying behind after class with my group members to do a case or an assignment for presentation the next day. What was important was that the faculty members were from OCU itself and it was like doing the course in Oklahoma City but a lower and money-for-value cost. They made sure that the class was interactive, and in my case, there were more than 30 participants, mostly in their 30s and beyond and holding senior positions. That ensured a vigorous exchange of views, etc. Presentation in class was fun and made "real."
3. Was doing an MBA everything you expected it to be?
After completing the OCU MBA in l988, I did consider going further and doing a PhD. But I decided against it. Until that point in time, I had worked for local and foreign companies (but not an American MNC) and a statutory board. An opportunity came subsequently when I was one of two final candidates for the position of General Manager for an American MNC based in Singapore to market and distribute its products (industrial) in the Asia Pacific from Japan to New Zealand (excluding Australia where the company had a plant). Of course, I was selected as the Regional Managing Director, my immediate boss, who was one of the interviewers hinted about my having an MBA.
4. What are the most important lessons that you got from this MBA?
I had wanted to be my own boss one day and had in fact started to begin networking in the late 70s when I worked for a large Indonesian group. The MBA certainly came in very useful when I subsequently worked for the American MNC and currently in the business I am running. Though I am not an Accountant by training, my training as a Chartered Secretary and my experience working for a bank and dealing with financial institutions during my employment was helpful. My MBA was equally, if not, more useful.
5. Can you share some of your memorable experiences while studying this MBA?
Part of the answer is given in Q2. I enjoyed the class (cannot recall the subject) where we acted our role in case-study presentations. Points were given for play-acting and the OCU professor was really good.
Though not directly answering this question, I would like to say that about a dozen of us went for the commencement ceremoney in OCU in l988. We took the opportunity to visit Hawaii, California, the Grand Canyon before going to Oklahoma City. For me, the trip was most memorable, and I obviously took lots of photographs. I recommend that OCU MBA graduates should try to attend the commencement ceremony.
6. How has this MBA assisted you in your business dealings with China?
Yes, in some ways but probably indirectly. I make it a point to show my MBA on my business card, and I believe some people I deal with, whether in China or elsewhere, do take note. Some do ask me about my MBA.
In the case of China, my contacts was first made in the 90s, mainly through the former Trade Development Board (now IE Singapore) and an entity which was part of the TDB, Export Institute of Singapore. I first ventured into China in l995 when I did 2 projects. The first was with a manufacturing company in a town near Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, where I stayed for a week. My next foray was in a small city near Shanghai where I stayed for a few months, undertaking a project in the leisure industry. Though technical competence is important, I feel that who you know, not what you know, is more important, whether in China or elsewhere and whether in business or personal life. Over the last l0 years, I have visited China many times. The last visit saw me visiting 12 cities including 8 airports in 3 weeks but my next visit will last 2 weeks covering fewer cities. The cities/municipalities I usually visit are Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong Province (Qingdao, Jinan), Shanghai, Jiangsu Province (Kunshan, Suzhou, Wuxi), Zhejiang Province (Hangzhou, Ningbo) and Guangdong Province (Guangzhou and some neighbouring cities). I will look at the north eastern Provinces and some inner/western Provinces (eg Sichuan) in due course.
7. Do you have any advice for future MBA students?
There are now many MBA programmes available in Singapore from USA, UK, Australia, etc. I notice that some of the MBA students are fairly young compared to my time. To benefit more the MBA programme and to be able to contribute in class, I would suggest that potential students should first work for some years before embarking on such a programme. Preferably, they should have a basic degree or a professional qualification equivalent to a basic degree.
I believe that an American MBA is the better one. The 2 local universities (NUS, NTU), not to mention SMU, are now very much American-oriented in approach. The OCU MBA programme is worth serious consideration and with China playing such an important role in the economic and other spheres, the Great Wall MBA from OCU is certainly worth a second look.
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