The Tsinghua-INSEAD Executive MBA (TIEMBA) Class of 2022 started their first module recently from all over the world – on campus and online. We caught up with a few of them to find out what inspired them to embark on the programme amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and what dreams they have for the future.
Camille O'Sullivan
American
Head of Business Risk, Asia Pacific at T. Rowe Price
Singapore
Follow Camille's TIEMBA Journey
Based in Singapore since 2016, Camille is responsible for enterprise risk management in Asia Pacific for T. Rowe Price, a globally diversified investment management firm. She has over 15 years of industry experience in both New York City and Singapore.
"The TIEMBA programme was exactly what I was looking for, which was a blend of INSEAD’s Global Executive MBA and the Tsinghua University experience”, shares Camille.
“In my current role, I cover Asia Pacific as a regional head, and I need to become more informed of how business is conducted in China.
Doing business in China is unlike other places and I look forward to broadening my understanding and cultural aptitude through interactions with my classmates and professors, as well as learning Mandarin!”
Another key selling point for Camille was the fact that the dual degree programme grants access to two alumni networks, along with the diversity amongst her classmates.
If anything, the global pandemic further solidified her resolve on embarking on the TIEMBA this year. “I took stock of why I had applied to INSEAD and Tsinghua in the first place, and I assessed my personal goals of obtaining an EMBA. Sure, the school experience will be different for now, but now is an amazing time to broaden my academic horizons and meet new people while we are all dealing with the backdrop of a global pandemic.”
As for her TIEMBA classmates, Camille is full of praise. “We are all such different people, but seem to share an inimitable passion and energy. I am looking forward to learning from them all!”, she says.
Martin Hu
Chinese
Head of Strategy and Project Management at Bayer Crop Science
China
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Martin leads the overall Project Management for Greater China Commercial Operations at Bayer Crop Science, and joins the TIEMBA with more than 11 years of work experience.
He sees himself as “a global citizen from a central Chinese village” with aspirations to explore the bigger world – “bigger than the village I grew up in, bigger than the city I lived in during my middle school years, bigger than Beijing where I pursued my undergraduate education, and bigger than Kansas State where I completed my Master’s studies.”
After contemplating what kind of Executive MBA to enroll in for more than three years, finally he felt that the time was ripe.
“The world is full of uncertainties”, Martin says. “The only constant is to be able to learn and get enlightened with knowledge. Amidst the COVID-19 situation, I have more faith than ever that investing in professional education is the best investment to combat all these uncertainties.”
He chose the TIEMBA programme for the dual experience studying in two top institutions, as well as the dream he has to build his own brand. Through TIEMBA, Martin aspires to further sharpen his leadership skills in the digital era, and challenge his personal, professional and intellectual growth.
Renata Santos
Brazilian
Accounting Manager at Vale Minerals China Ltd.
China
Follow Renata's TIEMBA Journey
Renata is currently responsible for the accounting and tax compliance activities of a Chinese subsidiary of one of the biggest mining companies in the world. Previously, she had spent more than 15 years working at accounting firms Ernst & Young and PwC.
“When I heard about the TIEMBA programme for the first time, I had no doubts that this would be the next step in my career,” says Renata. She aims to further her capabilities in risk management by gaining in-depth knowledge and a more strategic perspective to develop her leadership and communication skills, and building a more global network.
When the pandemic hit the world, Renata admits that her first thought was to abandon all her objectives for the year, due to the uncertainty about the future.
But upon further reflection, she decided to move forward with her application. “The quarantine has restricted our freedom of movement. However, it could not prevent us from achieving our dreams or learning new things!”, she says.
“All of us in the TIEMBA'22 class should be proud of ourselves for this great achievement in quite an exceptional year.”
Florian Loloum
French
Head of Sales & Marketing at Top Capital Group
Singapore
Florian joins the TIEMBA with 18 years of work experience in Asia, having been based in Shanghai, Hong Kong and am now in Singapore. Over the course of his career, he has held business development positions in a variety of industries such as market research, healthcare, media and now real estate. In addition, he also had four entrepreneurial stints.
“As a senior director for a fast-growing global real estate development company, I face a much more complex environment now, compared to when I first started my career,” Florian shares.
“I am required to tackle challenges and make strategic recommendations to the board —influencing decisions that have an impact on the future of the business in a context of an overall transformation of the industry.”
With these thoughts in mind, Florian decided to embark on an Executive MBA.
He chose the TIEMBA for its mix of strong academics, the ability to apply new knowledge in real-life and the diversity of classmates in the cohort.
“I am eager to share my past successes and failures with my classmates, and open up on the challenges I face in my company today, including how we are tackling the impact of COVID-19”, he says. “I am equally curious to understand different views from my peers on alternative business practices, thought processes and experiences to broaden my knowledge of business administration from various functional and market perspectives.”
About the Class
The Tsinghua-INSEAD Executive MBA Class of 2022 consist of 44 participants from 15 different nationalities, with an average age of 39 years and 15 years of work experience. Women make up 30% of the cohort.
