Developing agile, future-ready business leaders

After completing his post-graduate studies in Family Medicine in 2019, Dr Gary Kang knew he was well-prepared for the clinician aspects of his role as a clinician-administrator at SingHealth Polyclinics.

However, the administrative component of his position presented a challenge. As a senior management leader, he bore the responsibility of aligning the polyclinics with SingHealth’s strategic vision.

“I realised that my years of medical training hadn’t equipped me with the skills needed to excel in the ‘business’ side of medicine,” he reflected. “How could I formulate strategies, whether in times of crisis or peace, while considering financial, operational and marketing demands?”

Driven by the belief that a Master of Business Administration programme would expedite his learning and foster his business acumen and leadership abilities, Dr Kang enrolled in the 13-month-long Nanyang Executive MBA (EMBA) at Nanyang Business School (NBS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, that same year.

With a sharp focus on technology and innovation, the Nanyang EMBA is the second-ranked EMBA programme in Asia, according to the QS Global Executive MBA Rankings 2023. Participants undergo six dynamic segments designed to support career flexibility, while experiencing comprehensive leadership development and learning aimed at accelerating personal and professional growth.

GAINING STRATEGIC INSIGHTS FROM PEERS AND LEADERS

Dr Kang was drawn to the Nanyang EMBA’s unique curriculum, which offers exposure to three prestigious universities in one transformative programme.

He attended several modules at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, where he immersed himself in modules centred on leadership, technological innovation and the future of work.

The other overseas segment of the Nanyang EMBA, taking place at the Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management in Beijing, provides key insights into China’s business environment along with a deeper understanding of technological advances and contemporary management from an Asian perspective. 

Together with NTU’s in-house modules on cultural intelligence, this East-West combination of curricula and viewpoints offers participants valuable opportunities to learn from the world’s largest economies and explore cutting-edge strategies in business, leadership and digital transformation through a global lens.

Just as Dr Kang sought to widen his perspectives through the international component of the Nanyang EMBA, Ms Yvaine Zhang Yun – who is currently pursuing a Nanyang Professional MBA (PMBA) at NBS – was eager to broaden her career horizons through continued education.

After eight years as a nurse and two years as a marketing specialist, Ms Zhang transitioned into the medical device industry as a sales professional in 2017. However, she knew that acquiring deeper knowledge in business management and strategic planning would go a long way to boosting her career.

The busy mother of two boys, aged seven and nine, chose NBS partly for the 18-month, part-time, alternate-weekend format of the Nanyang PMBA, which was designed to accelerate the development of high-potential leaders like herself with minimal disruption.

“The full-day weekend lessons allow me to temporarily set aside my roles as a mother and professional to fully embrace the student experience,” she said.

The Nanyang PMBA aims to shape skilled specialists into T-shaped leaders – those with strong domain expertise and the collaborative finesse necessary to guide and inspire in the modern workplace.

The Nanyang PMBA is also the first in Asia to introduce the International Trading Track. Backed by industry leaders and Enterprise Singapore, the programme aims to holistically train seasoned professionals in commodity and wholesale trade to become adept leaders, capable of navigating diverse markets and cultures. Participants will go on an overseas study segment at the University of Geneva and visit the World Trade Organisation and United Nations to learn about managing risks and opportunities in a dynamic global trading landscape.

Ms Zhang, who chose the General Track for her Nanyang PMBA, highlighted modules covering operations, strategy, finance and board dynamics as particularly enriching. Her learning experience was enhanced by high-level executives who co-facilitated some modules and offered invaluable insights into organisational governance and talent management.

“The C-suite executives gave me a profound understanding of board-level thinking,” Ms Zhang remarked. “The advice I received from them has been pivotal in my professional journey.”

Through her studies, Ms Zhang gained a deeper appreciation of technology as a potent business tool and developed skills and strategies imperative for spearheading digital transformation. She added that she has learnt to integrate technology more seamlessly into her workflow, bolstering her skill set as both a specialist and leader.

She also found her learning experience enriched by classmates hailing from diverse backgrounds and industries: “The curriculum encourages us to engage and learn from one another. Our conversations help me to expand my knowledge beyond what we cover in class.”

Dr Kang concurred: “The true value of the Nanyang EMBA, beyond academic knowledge, lies in the rich discussions candidates have with one another inside and outside the classroom. Even today, I continue to have meaningful conversations with many of my classmates, discussing the business challenges we encounter in our roles.”

TRANSFORMING THEIR ABILITIES AND THEIR CAREERS

During his time at NBS, Dr Kang had access to personalised one-on-one coaching sessions and practical leadership workshops.

Said Dr Kang: “My coach was adept at eliciting leadership-related reflections from me, helping me examine my mindset, evaluate options and become more receptive to all possibilities. I developed a higher level of self-awareness and acquired capabilities that have enhanced my ability to navigate my career and leadership duties.”

Starting in 2022, such coaching sessions and workshops have underpinned the Strategic Career Management programme, which is intended to provide Nanyang EMBA candidates with a holistic overview of their careers, personal aspirations and individual strengths.   

Ms Zhang, too, has experienced a boost in confidence through the Nanyang PMBA programme, which blends lectures with study trips, case studies, hands-on industry projects and simulations.

“The simulations allow us to learn through firsthand experiences,” she shared. “In the negotiations module, our class was divided into teams and we engaged in role-playing scenarios. This exercise enabled us to apply and practise negotiation concepts.”

As she advances through the Nanyang PMBA, Ms Zhang shares her discovery that personal and professional growth are integral to the learning process.

“We all have an obligation and the right to grow as individuals,” she said. “The Nanyang PMBA journey offers substantial career benefits – but the most rewarding aspect is the transformation of who we become on this journey.”

Since graduating from the Nanyang EMBA in 2020, Dr Kang has harnessed the skills acquired from his degree programme to implement a crucial telemedicine initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience has bolstered his confidence in making decisions within the complex healthcare landscape.

“In public healthcare, we constantly strive for financial sustainability and equitable access,” he explained. “To achieve this balance, good leadership is paramount. I am fortunate that the Nanyang EMBA places a strong focus on leadership mastery alongside business strategy. Whether it involves evaluating existing services or creating new ones, I now approach them with a more critical mindset, guided by my medical training and my insights from the Nanyang EMBA.”

Discover more about the Nanyang Executive MBA programme and the Nanyang Professional MBA programme to explore the transformative opportunities they offer.