The confidence I gained at INSEAD gave me the self-belief to accept and succeed in a general management role in a new country and industry shortly after graduation.
Lucien Ong
What milestones or achievements have defined your career since graduating from INSEAD, and how has the MBA contributed to these successes?
Since graduating from INSEAD in 2017, I’ve worked in various leadership roles for a global industrial conglomerate, including heading Group M&A activities and running a business unit in the Philippines.
At the end of 2024, I made the decision to leave formal employment to pursue entrepreneurship, and I will be running an investment firm that acquires and operates SMEs in Southeast Asia.
How have the skills and knowledge acquired during the MBA programme changed the way you approach business challenges, solve problems and make decisions today?
The INSEAD MBA is technically rigorous and emotionally intense. The programme coursework puts you through high-stakes case studies with incomplete information and tight deadlines, often in group settings, and you are forced to become comfortable with your ability to lead and make informed decisions in unfamiliar situations.
In my own case, the confidence I gained at INSEAD gave me the self-belief to accept and succeed in a general management role in a new country and industry shortly after graduation.
How have the connections you made at INSEAD shaped your professional or personal life?
When I relocated to the Philippines for work, I did not personally know anyone. I was invited to join a Christmas gathering organised by the Philippines National Alumni Association, and from that moment developed genuine friendships with fellow alumni.
Over the three years I was based in the Philippines, I became actively involved with local alumni activities, and a particular highlight was to be invited onto the live morning show by a leading television network to talk about the local CSR efforts that INSEAD does in the Philippines.
In one sentence, how would you summarise your personal value/ROI of the INSEAD MBA?
Attending INSEAD has allowed me to discover true confidence in my perspectives and abilities, and I take this confidence to make bold and informed decisions in advancing my career going forward.
