Paola Perversi-Karlsson is an MBA grad at the forefront of fast fashion.Based in H&M’s global production offices in Hong Kong, she’s working with colleagues in her native Italy, Sweden and Shanghai to make the fashion giant’s business processes faster, cheaper and more sustainable.
With a background in beauty, Paola is not your typical MBA grad. After quitting her job in Italy, she relocated thousands of miles across the world to study at Hong Kong’s CUHK Business School, choosing Asia over the US and Europe for her MBA.
Her aim: to take the career leap, to try something different, and to build a distinctive professional profile which would help her stand out from the crowd.
At CUHK, she was co-president of the women in business club, organizing events to inspire students promote the role of women in business in Asia. Now, she’s a prominent female figure at one of the world’s top fashion firms, exploring areas of business that she’s never explored before. It’s a mission accomplished.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA in Hong Kong?
I felt a bit stuck in my career. I wanted to explore something new and challenge myself.
I could have picked the US, but to get better opportunities for the future I wanted something different. Asia would spice up my profile.
Why did you choose to study at CUHK in particular?
The history of the school; it’s the first MBA in Hong Kong. And it has a strong focus on China. CUHK is international, but you have a concentration in China studies, case studies on Chinese model companies and Chinese finance.
In terms of my background, CUHK was extremely open. And they had some classes in luxury management which were super-interesting.
What advice do you have for MBA applicants looking to do the same?
Hong Kong is an amazing, very multicultural city. But prepare for a cultural shock; not only in the city, but also in the school. CUHK has both international professors and Chinese professors, with different teaching methods.
Coming from Italy, where at university you just study from and read a book and that’s it, I was not used to participating in class discussions. You need to try to speak during classes, go to all the networking events and meet new people.
Why did you get involved in the women in business club at CUHK?
I wanted to inspire students, to change something or at least understand more.
As a woman in Italy, it’s not very common to leave a permanent job when you’re 30 and decide to go and study. Usually, you’re married, you have kids, and that’s it! Coming from a country where women are not in the higher levels of companies, I wanted to understand the experiences of others.
Tell me something about working at H&M that most people wouldn’t know.
At H&M, more than 50% of the management positions are covered by women. It’s a very flat organization; you don’t grow in levels, you grow horizontally and you can explore different areas.
It’s very Swedish; we work till 5:30/6pm, then we go out. We’re colleagues, but we’re also friends.
What does H&M look for in its job applicants?
You need to show that you are a humble person, that you’re ready to learn new things, and that you’re not afraid to challenge yourself and do something that you’ve never done before.
How has an MBA helped you in your career?
When I joined I thought I was very open-minded, but I soon understood that I was not! We always see from our perspective, and I had the Italian perspective.
At CUHK, I really widened my mindset. And it’s helping a lot; at H&M I work with teams in China and Sweden, so I’m trying to manage the cultural differences between the two.
Student Reviews
One of a kind
I studied Bioinformatics at CUHK last year. It was the only Master's degree in Hong Kong in this field. This program developed my analytical skills and equipped me to be a Bioinformatician in a very practical way.
I enjoyed my year here and met classmates from different parts of the world. If you are thinking to enhance your profile, this degree program would be a good option.
general education courses, unique college system, large campus
The university facilitates multi-dimension and interdisciplinary learning. In social science faculty, we need to choose courses as our faculty package from other departments (architecture, psychology, sociology, etc.) to learn more than our major required courses. We are also required to finish general education courses, which aid our critical thinking and humanistic sensibilities. I do recommend the social science broad-based program, and the professors I met so far are all responsible and erudite.
LLM
The faculty of law is relatively new. You do not need to have a LLB to pursue a LLM, which is special. The taught programme is great for mature students who want to obtain legal knowledge.
CUHK has good teaching staff too.
Amazing Campus and Great Educational Environment
Not only is CUHK's main campus breathtaking, it provides for a good educational environment for students. The university is well-equipped with modern and up-to-date facilities to help students with their study. We have 8 libraries in total around the campus; one for media, one for architectural studies, the medical library and the law library. The Professors are always helpful and are happy to talk to students when needed.
Moreover, the college system within the university brings forth the uniqueness of CUHK. Each student belongs to a different college, and in that students are able to meet different peoples from different countries and students from different faculties.
I think CUHK provides for a well-rounded university life for all students.
exthrillating
One of the most down to earth places in HK. A great opportunity to learn and embody the local culture. Also had one the most beautiful campus in Hong Kong up on the hillside. Glad to have graduated here.
Innovative and Supportive
My university provided me with all the support I needed, and encouraged me to be up to date with all the new developments in the world. They also provided me with the incentive to excel at what I do, and they take much pride in my achievements. I have had a very rewarding university experience.
Small, New But Friendly Law School
To being with, I think the campus of CUHK is the best and the biggest in Hong Kong, with fresh air and trees everywhere.
I am an undergraduate Law student at CUHK and I think the teaching here is great, with very friendly and nice professors and the new Lee Shau Kee Building.
In terms of the courses offered by CUHK, as one of the largest universities in Hong Kong, CUHK is an all-rounded university, offering a wide range of courses to students. Students may take the introductory courses of discipline other than their own major, or even declare a minor.
For law electives, due to the small amount of intake, the variety of law electives are not that huge. However, the Faculty is offering some international programmes, which can be treated as law electives, but at the same time, provide us with an opportunity to travel and know more about the legal system of another country.
The career support from the Faculty of Law is also amazing. The Faculty will organise CV Sessions and talks on how to get an internship from law firms or mini-pupillage from barrister's chambers. Each student will also have a Distinguished Professional Mentor, which is a current legal profession, providing us with practical advices and updates of the legal field.
Finally, from my personal experience, I think the students in CUHK are friendly and genuine. As Law students, competition is inevitable for grades, GPAs, vacation schemes and training contract. However, I think the competition in CUHK Law School is a positive one, in a sense that help us grow together, instead of fighting with each other no matter what. That is the biggest reason why I am having a very good time here in CUHK Law School.
A place to explore your interests
As a law graduate from CUHK (both undergrad and post-grad), I realise that I had many opportunities to explore my areas of interests (legal and non-legal both). The faculty/university requires us to take a certain number of non-law electives, and offers a plethora of courses to choose from. Personally, I took 3 modules in Korean --I can't say it's made me highly proficient, but it's definitely given me a good foundation (I can walk into a Korean restaurant and confidently order food, at the very least). The fact that language courses are offered also provides students who are more financially constrained an opportunity to learn a language without having to shell out a premium for a decent language course. On top of that, we have a range of law electives as well. I know of classmates who have developed lasting interest in different areas of law because of the electives they took in school. The two electives that I would say have changed me is (i) mooting and (ii) family law. I think my experience in an international commercial arbitration moot competition has helped tremendously in formulating legal arguments and legal writing. On the other hand, taking a family law elective has made me very interested in the family law practice, especially in terms of child rights. For these experiences which I have gained, I'm grateful for the opportunities provided by the school.
One main issue most students I know have is with the way our GPA is calculated and the lack of transparency in terms of how the honours system works. As our GPA is marked on a curve. it's highly unrepresentative of what we have achieved as individuals. Given that our GPA is the only criteria that is looked at when we apply for the compulsory post-graduate law course (mandatory should we want to practise law and/or be trainees in Hong Kong), it will put our own students at a distinct disadvantage when we compete for limited spaces with students from schools where GPA is not on a bell curve.
Valuable time in CUHK
I like the learning environment and people at CUHK. Surrounded by hills and Tolo Harbour, CUHK provides a balance between nature and hustle. You can always escape from the busy study life and meet your friend around the big campus for different activities.
