CKGSB Finance Department Chair Henry Cao and students of the school’s MBA program highlighted how the program can provide world-class education to future business leaders from China, Asia and beyond, in a networking session hosted by CKGSB Americas.
CKGSB Americas hosted a networking session for CKGSB MBA students visiting New York as part of their US Module that included classes at Princeton University and Columbia University. The session included a presentation followed by a short lecture from Finance Professor and Department Chair Henry Cao on how the role of leveraged bets contributed to last year’s Chinese stock market tumble.
Professor Cao emphasized how CKGSB’s MBA program equip participants with in-depth understanding of global managerial practices and provide insights into China’s emerging economy. Most importantly, its unrivalled alumni network gives students an edge over other schools. “The school’s world-renowned alumni include more than 2,500 Chairmen and CEOs, running companies that comprise 20 percent of China’s most valuable brands,” said Professor
Cao.
CKGSB’s distinguished alumni include Jack Ma, Founder and Chairman of Alibaba Group, Fu Chengyu, Chairman of SINOPEC, China’s largest company by revenue and Li Dongsheng, Chairman and CEO of electronic company TCL.
The presentation also looked at how customized programs and more than 100 networking events with leading companies help MBA students advance their career in China. CKGSB gives students valuable hands-on training in the art of entrepreneurship with its ‘Diversified Consulting Projects’, which take place over an intensive five weeks that focuses on strategic and operational issues. Aside from classroom instructions, students carry out advisory projects with their classmates in leading Chinese and international companies.
“Business is difficult to teach, because it is hands-on,” said Professor Cao. “It is difficult to teach someone through lectures, how to become an entrepreneur. You have to learn by doing it.”
Professor Cao also touched on the topics of CKGSB’s cutting-edge research centers and the CKGSB Case Center. With 14 specialized research centers, CKGSB leads global research on topics such as innovation, sustainability, globalization, entrepreneurship and emerging markets.
The Case Center has developed a portfolio of more than 300 business cases of Chinese and multinational companies operating in China. These cases cover issues such as branding, the Internet, financial markets, business model innovation, and the entry strategy of multinationals into China.
Professor Cao’s presentation also included a look at Cheung Kong Chuangchuang Community (CKCC), an entrepreneurial ecosystem co-sponsored by CKGSB and its alumni network. CKCC connects cooperative partners within the entrepreneurial ecosystem to better assist and support business innovators.
Two CKGSB MBA students, CiCi Liu and Sahil Chugani, attested to the program’s excellence.
Ms. Liu is a native of New Jersey who earned an undergraduate degree from Columbia and then worked for two years for IBM in New York. Seeking a more challenging career, she decided to focus on a future career in the Chinese market.
“Going to CKGSB was a really good platform for me to get to know the country better and also to build a network in China before I even moved here,” said Liu. “So far, (the MBA program) has really lived up to my expectations. I’ve met some amazing classmates. The professors are all very, very good. You definitely learn a lot. They have the Western educational background as well as the China insights. That’s what I was looking for. It’s been a great overall experience.”
Mr. Chugani, a native of the Canary Islands who studied in London, said he decided to go to China and CKGSB after working at Goldman Sachs for about four years and starting two unsuccessful start-up companies.
“Choosing CKGSB was easy,” he said. “I asked a few friends and their responses were pretty strong. They all said if you want to learn about start-ups, if you want to learn how to build a business, if you want to learn how to get things done the Chinese way, as far as business schools go, this is the one you should be looking at. The people teaching you are extremely knowledgeable about what is going on in China.”
