Fon Phusitkanchana

Fun fact about yourself?

A few years ago I set up a Tuk Tuk-powered animal rescue service in my hometown in Northwestern Thailand. If you’re unaware, a Tuk Tuk is a motorised three-wheeled rickshaw and a popular mode of transport in Thailand.

Our Tuk Tuks help sick and needy street dogs by transporting them to animal hospitals for urgent care. To the best of my knowledge it is Thailand’s (and possibly the world’s) only Tuk Tuk-powered animal ambulance service!

What led you to decide to pursue an EMBA, and why did you choose INSEAD in particular?

I embarked upon this journey because I felt that I was at a pivotal point in my career where, as I looked ahead, the stakes felt a lot higher than what they’d previously been.

After a decade working in Europe I knew the time had come to plan a transition back to Asia to focus on our family’s portfolio of companies and to find new opportunities for diversification, growth, and social impact.

I wanted a programme that could help me to grow my capabilities as an executive and as a leader, that shared a global perspective that mirrored my life across Europe and Asia, and could provide a safe and fertile environment for me to workshop my opportunities and ideas with really smart people.

INSEAD really did tick all three boxes.

Could you describe your experience so far? The classes, the curriculum, your fellow participants, the professors?

The area that’s probably had the most profound effect on me so far has been my interactions with my fellow GEMBA'24 classmates. I’ve found talented and driven people from all corners of the Earth who are on the same journey of self-improvement as I am.

I’ve had the honour of receiving some amazing coaching from people who have worked through so many professional experiences (as well as given out some coaching of my own). I definitely feel my empathetic leadership growing with each working group I get the opportunity to participate in.

Has the EMBA helped you in your career so far?  

Without a doubt.

The benefit of attending INSEAD whilst still working on live projects is that I’ve been able to immediately apply some of the frameworks we’ve been taught in class.

In recent strategy brainstorms with my team, I found myself to be a far more effective leader, shifting away from my regular role as the generator of ideas, towards a more “framing & facilitating” role which helped develop a fantastic list of creative and diverse opportunities.

When I found myself confronting objections with the phrase “What conditions would we need to believe in order for this opportunity to hold true”… I knew that the lessons from our Strategy module were sinking in!

Could you tell us more about the Leadership Development Programme experience?

So far LDP has been a frank, confronting, and remarkably transformative experience. It’s rare to have such a vivid mirror held up for you to stare into, and to get to confront not only how you perceive yourself, but also how your most intimate confidants perceive you.

My sessions with my amazing LDP group have also pushed me to check my ego at the door and mindfully embrace my authentic self on my journey to become a better leader.

What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing an INSEAD Masters programme?

Be super clear about your “why”. Having absolute clarity in this not only helps motivate yourself when you’re juggling study/work/family/health, but it also serves as a very useful magnet for finding people who are on a similar journey.

Beyond the knowledge and the lessons you’ll receive from INSEAD, finding “your people” will be one of the greatest benefits you’ll walk away with from this course.