Nicholas Lai
Nicholas Lai

I was raised in Hong Kong before moving to Australia. I returned to Hong Kong about four years ago after working as a solicitor in Sydney, Australia for several years where I specialised in mortgage finance. I have since transitioned into a senior management role at a smart manufacturing solutions provider.  My work typically takes me to various cities within Greater China and Asia-Pacific but since the pandemic I have had to isolate for every work trip and this has built up a physical and mental toll leaving me feeling that I needed to make a change.

I enlisted into the MBA programme with a fairly open mind. I was simply hoping to build connections with like-minded friends whilst receiving a world-class, China-focused education. I believe the HKU MBA experience is going to help me reach my potential and to prosper in an Asian business environment.

I really wanted to experience the learning environment in Asia with a focus on furnishing my business skillset.  HKU’s number one ranking was very appealing and talking to the HKU MBA team convinced me to make the leap. As a local kid growing up, studying at the nearby St. Paul’s Co-Educational College, receiving an HKU education was always at the back of my mind. After moving to Hong Kong and switching industries I felt that my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from Australia were inadequate for Asia’s dynamic business culture.

I have found that the experience of returning to school and learning alongside diverse peers has been most rewarding.  I am glad I took the advanced negotiation course as I believe that what I have learned from Dr Grace Xie is going to transfer into practical usage throughout the rest of my career.

I also have had the opportunity to volunteer at the HKU MBA Entrepreneurship Club which has been great for network building. The support network for full time students has been helpful as well and my career coach, Ms. Karen Kwan, has helped me realign my career goals. My mentor, Ms Edith Shih, has generously shared her extensive experiences in legal and corporate governance and I am grateful for her friendship.