MBA Alumni of the Week: Yoshi Mitsui

May 16, 2011 | admin 1

Every week TACT invites one Alumni to share his/her MBA experience and vision of Asia by answering TACT 5Y questions. This week we are pleased to welcome Yoshi Mitsui. Yoshi Mitsui is graduating from Melbourne Business School. To contact the MBA alumni of the week send a mail to contact@theasiacareertimes.com

Describe your road to an MBA?

Having been born in Japan and grown up in Sweden and Canada, I returned to Japan to do my bachelor’s degree in International Business at Sophia University.  Graduating one-year early, I joined the consulting arm of Deloitte, and later joined Globis Graduate School of Management, one of the largest business schools in Japan, in its International Division as one of the start-up members.  All together, I had seven years of experience in business development, marketing and consulting before I started my MBA at Melbourne Business School (MBS) in 2009.

What is your most valuable experience?

 

Getting international exposure has been one of my best experiences.  In 2009, when I received the acceptance letter from MBS, I left the company to volunteer as a simultaneous interpreter for Peace Boat, an international NGO, to join them in a global boat voyage to visit 16 countries in three months. While at MBS, I did an internship with a professor in Singapore and an exchange study at SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan.  On all occasions, I was fortunate enough to experience them together with my wife and now three-year old son.

What is the most important thing you have learned in your quest to obtaining an MBA?

“You’ve got to feel it, if you are going to learn E(Randy Komisar).   I learned this very important lesson in my final term in my MBA when I took ‘Entrepreneurship & New Venture Creation.’  Working together with my Australian, French and Indian teammates, we went through immense “entrepreneurial journeys E filled with failures (in a relatively safe environment).  By feeling and experiencing this journey, it has become an asset in my experience and one of the most memorable experiences in my MBA.

Your next steps

I am currently exploring entrepreneurial opportunities globally.  As part of it, I will be returning to Japan shortly to explore my business idea, as well as opportunities in Asia.

Your vision of Asia

My vision of Asia is for each country to realize its economic well-being, and as a region, to be united while fully respecting its Asian values, cultures and languages.  Most of all, however, I wish to see leaders emerging from Asia with great sensitivity and respect to the world, who have the mindset and capacity to tackle the global agenda.  It is my goal to be part of developing those leaders from Asia.

Interested by a better connection to asia? The Asia Career Times invites you to join www.gotactic.asia

 

MBA Alumnum of the Week: Felipe Wasserman

May 1, 2011 | admin

Every week TACT invites one Alumnun to share his/her MBA experience and vision of Asia by answering TACT 5Y questions. This week we are pleased to welcome Felipe Wasserman. Felipe is graduating in June from UCLA Anderson MBA after an Exchange at CEIBS. To contact the MBA alumnum of the week send a mail to contact@theasiacareertimes.com

Your road to MBA?

I did my BA degree at PUC University in Rio / Brazil. Upon graduating, I worked for 4 years at L’Oreal as product manager and almost 2 years in Avon as Latin America Manager. I always had the dream to do an MBA and in 2009 when I was accepted at UCLA Anderson I moved to Los Angeles.

Your best experience?

Professionally: When I was just 24 years old I was responsible for launching one the most important products at L’Oreal. I developed the new strategy and after I presented the plan for the whole sales team in the annual convention (more than 600 people) the sales forecast jumped from 6 million to 11 million units. Moreover we overcame the forecast and did more than 13 million in sales unit.

Academically: Moving to China to do an Exchange in CEIBS during the MBA. Even before I started my master I knew I wanted to have this experience in China. These 4 months studying in Asia really changed my life, I could understand the Chinese culture and what makes this country be the next economic leader.

Your most important learning?

A real leader knows how to adapt to different cultures and markets and need to accept and understand the role of culture in a globalized society. The world is becoming smaller and each time more integrated but people still follow their roots.

Your next steps

I am finishing my MBA in June and I am planning to go back to Brazil but I am open and searching for the best opportunity. In parallel, I am opening a startup related to social networks with some friends and researching opportunities in Marketing.

Your vision of Asia

Only those who actually had the great experience to live in China can actually understand it, just reading about it is not the same.

After my experience there, I have realized that the influence of China in the world already happened. China has been changing the way that the world does business and is giving a new perspective for Asian culture as a whole.

A long time ago, in ancient times, Asia had already been the most important continent, and then the power moved to Europe, moving in the last century to United States; however recently Asia is showing its majesty again setting new trends and standards.

Want to be a network pioneer? The Asia Career Times invites you to test GoTACTiC.Asia www.gotactic.asia and take the leadership to create a forum dedicated to talent in Asia or a group for your company or business school.

 

Alumnum of the Week: Tobias Gondrom

April 23, 2011 | admin

Every week TACT invites one Alumni to share his/her MBA experience and vision of Asia by answering TACT 5Y questions. This week we are pleased to welcome Tobias Gondrom from London Business School Executive MBA. To contact the MBA alumnum of the week send a mail to contact@theasiacareertimes.com

Your road to MBA:

When working for a global software company, I felt that leading in this context requires a deeper understanding of large scale cooperation and underlying excellent scientific frameworks as a foundation to further develop my management and leadership skills. So the MBA was a natural choice.

Your best experience:

Studying at the globally ranked #1 London Business School (according to Financial Times) with the brilliant peers from all over the world, offered a very rich experience and a huge pool of knowledge from many diverse backgrounds and businesses. Bringing these aspects together in one place and one classroom was the most stimulating experience and time in my life.
Your most important learning:

Working together with brilliant people in a diverse team with a shared vision, everything is possible and nothing is out of reach!
Your next steps:

After the MBA, I tried a different personal route and started my own company as a chief advisor in IT, software development and information security. But although a small company has its advantages, I miss to work in the context of a professional truly global environment and now plan to go back into a corporate career and relocate to Asia in the coming weeks.
Your vision for Asia:

Having seen so many different aspects of the development of countries in Asia first hand, I believe Asia has all the ingredients to be the future winner of globalization and has the great potential to lead the world into the 21 century.

Want to be a network pioneer? The Asia Career Times invites you to test GoTACTiC.Asia www.gotactic.asia and take the leadership to create a forum dedicated to jobs in Asia or a group for your company or business school alumni.

 

 

Alumnum of the week : Neel Augusthy

April 17, 2011 | admin 1

Every week TACT invites one Alumnum to share his/her MBA experience and vision of Asia by answering TACT 5Y questions. This week we are pleased to welcome Neel Augusthy  from London Business School:

Your road to MBA?

Born in India, grew up in Australia, setup shop in the UK did an MBA not because I wanted to become a banker but I knew where my gaps were in becoming a business leader

Your best experience?

In my two years post the MBA I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in two very different cultures (Philippines & China) and that has been a great learning experience

Your most important learning?

Have an end goal in mind and plan your path accordingly, you may change course but it’s important to know where you want to head in the first place

Your next steps?

I made the decision to move back to Asia post the MBA as I knew that as a business leader that is where the action is going to be for the foreseeable future.

Your vision of Asia?

Asia, has truly become the hub for companies and this is not going to change unless the economies in this region decide they don’t want to play in the world stage