How to Get the Best Out of the CBS Trek

The International Exchange Programme enables HKU MBA students to study and stay at a variety of institutions such as Columbia Business School (CBS). A student exchange programme in New York is your chance to live life as a New Yorker in the world’s most exciting city. Here, we meet with Charlotte Guan, HKU MBA Class of 2022, a distinguished MBA student, who has maximised her study in New York through various activities.

HKU MBA: Thank you for joining our interview Charlotte. Can you please introduce yourself briefly?

Charlotte Guan: I worked in Hong Kong for 3 years after acquiring a bachelor’s degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. My role was that of an intrapreneur, turning ideas of the CEO into actual innovations and actions within the organisation. My area of work expertise is sales and marketing, investor relations, and IPO management. I was responsible for expanding the business in 3 major cities: Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in the Greater Bay Area. I grew up in a circle full of entrepreneurs, so I actively organised events to bridge the gap between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese entrepreneurs. To this end, I have led members of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs to Guangzhou, Foshan, Meizhou and Jiangmen, to learn more about the local entrepreneurial environment and supportive policies available for Hong Kong start-ups. I have also arranged for officials from the Hezhou, Zhongshan and Guangzhou governments to visit Hong Kong, taking our entrepreneurial partnership to a new realm and attaining mutual prosperity. It is for these reasons I feel I am an entrepreneur at heart.

HKU MBA: What was the main motivation to choose an exchange programme at Columbia Business School?

Charlotte Guan: The MBA’s roots lie in the US. I have some friends studying for their MBAs at CBS and they told me that CBS offers more than 200 elective courses and 100 student clubs. Given the depth of its MBA programme, I was set on joining the CBS programme when I applied for the HKU MBA programme.

HKU MBA: Congratulations on finally completing the entire course. How was your general experience in studying at CBS?

Charlotte Guan: It has been an amazing journey. Most of the classes that I took were for EMBA students. EMBA students generally have more work experience compared with MBA students, so I learned a lot from them during projects. Everyone comes from a different background, and that diversity of ideas makes us better. My classmates hailed from almost every sector: tech, consulting, media, healthcare and finance. It was like a Model United Nations with everyone representing their own country-specific perspective. It was truly an enlightening experience, and I learned a lot from classmates.

HKU MBA: Out of all the classes you’ve taken, which was the most helpful and memorable for you?

Charlotte Guan: The class led by Professor Sandra Matz. This course was very hands-on and experiential. It was extremely practical, and we were put into groups for real negotiation practice 3-4 times a day. Also, the given cases were very interesting and highly relevant to our daily lives and modern business world. After every negotiation, your peers shared constructive comments to help you improve your negotiation skills. I highly recommend this class to those who want to sharpen their negotiation skills.

HKU MBA: Besides academic areas, I understand you’ve been involved in various extracurricular activities. Can you give us some examples of activities?

Charlotte Guan: Indeed, I enjoy attending and organising events. I assisted in organising the 2022 14th Annual Columbia China Business Conference. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of China’s rapidly evolving business and economic environment, and to provide a platform for dialogue on key opportunities and challenges associated with doing business in China. Leveraging my networks in Hong Kong and mainland China, I helped invite 8 of the 20 speakers, and successfully secured sponsorship from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office. Our conference achieved 1,639,101 views and more than 2.500.000 exposures by August 10th 2022.

I sometimes host casual lunch meetups as a space for innovators, entrepreneurs and crypto-curious to discuss all things about Web3 and blockchain. Participants can connect and make friends with others that are interested in NFTs, crypto, decentralisation and blockchain technology.

Additionally, I was one of 1,500 competitors from across the US to join the Dragon Boat competition, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. With 12 members of the team, I participated in the weekly practice at the boat house for 2 months.  I invited HKU and CBS MBA friends to join the event, where we all competed for the first time as part of HKTDC. Through rigorous practice, our team placed 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Lastly, I supported the HKU MBA office in organising a dinner for MBA and EMBA alumni in New York. Thanks to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council New York Office, we were able to utilise their office venue as a complimentary condition.

HKU MBA: You’ve successfully completed the MBA degree. What is your plan now?     

Charlotte Guan: I would like to act as a super connector to promote and strengthen the economic links between Hong Kong, Mainland China and the US. I want to provide support to Chinese businesses interested in investing in the US and vice versa.

It’s fair to say that most countries stereotype others. In the US, I’ve witnessed many myths and misconceptions about Hong Kong and Mainland China, so I really hope to remove all these misconceptions because they are generally unhelpful and misleading.

HKU MBA: What would be your advice for those who will join the CBS track?

Charlotte Guan: One piece of advice is to step out of your comfort zone and enter your growth zone. Connecting with people from different backgrounds and perspectives can diversify your professional network. The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions. I encourage you to train yourself as a new leader and influence others.