Melissa Zhang
Melissa Zhang

I am a talented professional with more than 10 years of experience in the Financial Industry. I grew up in Yunnan Province, Kunming City, China, and I am multilingual, enthusiastic, resilient, and versatile.

I graduated from Yunnan University with a degree in Japanese Language and Literature & Japan Economic and Culture Research. I now work for Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management as the Vice President of the Sales & Marketing Department. To date, I would say that my biggest career accomplishment is establishing an investment discretionary account with a sizable amount & participating in the launch of SMDAM: Hong Kong’s first Domiciled Japan Equity fund.

I’ve worked at SMDAM for nearly 7 years, and as a senior investment professional, I usually work at a fast pace, juggling work with my personal life. Although the work environment is relatively stable, I still face many challenges in my daily work. I believe the MBA programme will enlighten me and help me find more approaches to pursuing a positive view of my career path.

 

I applied for the Part-time HKU MBA Programme when I was working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, my business trips and private travelling has been suspended for almost 3 years. The changes of the working lifestyle allowed me to consider how to enhance my business skills and expand my network going forward. There is an old English saying: “Make hay while the sun shines.” I took advantage of the new flexibilities of working at home and decided to start my MBA journey at HKU Business School.

 

Most MBA aspirants will tell you that an MBA provides opportunity for a higher salary and better career progression. However, an MBA is far more than that for me. First, I expect to change my vision and perspective as a professional in the financial industry. If my vision becomes wider and more positive, it is not only good for my performance but essential on a professional front. Second, I am eager to have a detailed knowledge of business management and try my best to get the knack of handling the business within two years of completing my studies. And finally, I hope to expand my network. Although my work experience and career has given me many opportunities, an MBA could nourish and diversify my network beyond the financial industry.