Ian Oades, Warwick’s International Alumni Ambassador for China tells us about their 10,000-strong alumni group and large-scale events in China
Ian Oades is the Vice President of Finance and Head of Investor Relations at Joyou AG, based in China. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and has lived in China for 20 years. Ian holds an MBA from Warwick Business School (UK) and graduated in 2002. During his MBA he did an exchange semester at CEIBS in Shanghai.Today he works closely with the Chinese Law Society, appearing often as a guest speaker, and is considered an expert on mergers and acquisitions law.
Ian is also the author of a book published by CITIC Financial Publishing: IPO: A Guide for Chinese Companies Seeking International Capital.
With a strong presence on LinkedIn and Weibo (the Chinese answer to Twitter), Warwick Business School has a seriously impressive and accessible alumni network. One chapter, growing particularly fast, with approximately 10,000 alumni from Warwick Business School, is the Chinese Alumni Association.
What is the name of your club? What does it do?
The Warwick China Alumni Network – The aim is to provide networking opportunities between Warwick alumni and to build a stronger network across China. The idea is to build a platform that allows the alumni to meet each other.
What are the Association’s big initiatives this year?
We do events in Shanghai and Beijing every three months, we try to keep the events varied and interesting e.g. a bar mix-up at a 5* hotel bar in the cocktail lounge or something more formal with alumni guest speakers.
We recently set up a networking event between the alumni of different business schools – an inter-university event. We hosted one event in Beijing jointly with UK business schools such as Oxford SAID.
One of our events was focused on creativity in business and we had a guest speaker who discussed an interesting business model giving an example of how to use creativity in corporate culture.
We also engage with alumni and ambassadors from all around the world, they come and do honorary speeches for us! Usually our largest turnout events are when the academics and professors from Warwick come over to speak in China!
The numbers at these events can vary massively from between 30 and 300 people, but an average event would get a turnout of about 50 alumni. At the Inter-University alumni mixer event we had 350 people, 90 of those were ‘Warwick-ers’.
How many members do you have?
Warwick has 10,000 alumni currently in China…our Linkedin page has about 1,000 members & our Weibo has 1,000 members too!
We organise our events via an alumni mailing list, and we have multiple representatives across China who help organise the events in different cities. There’s about 10 of us in the core group organising the events, splitting into smaller groups to arrange each event.
Why and when (at what stage) would someone join the club?
Members can join while they’re currently studying or after they graduate. We have had people who were on exchange at a Chinese university during their MBA come along to do some networking at our events.
What is the biggest perk of running the club for you personally?
I get to meet a lot of interesting people and grow my personal network. I have made some very good friends through the Association.
How did the China Alumni Association begin?
I set up the China Alumni Association in 2009 – I approached the b-school with my idea to create a platform for connecting alumni in China. There was nothing-official going on in China and everyone was always waiting for something to happen.
What is or has been the biggest challenge for your club so far?
Spreading it outside Shanghai and Beijing. Generally the more educated people live in the big human populaces in China and so that’s where most of our events are concentrated, but there are really vibrant communities living in smaller cities. Eventually it will happen as China grows and the world spreads out more.
What are the most interesting trends you’re seeing in China today? Is there a particular industry that is growing?
Business education is flourishing here – there seem to be business schools popping up everywhere but the market is very saturated. People in China see more value in the MBA than they do in Europe and it is becoming a requirement to have an MBA in many career paths, sort of like a hygiene factor. 10 years ago an MBA was a ticket to a job, now it just keeps you in the running.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with the global b-school community?
Join the Linkedin or Weibo group and get involved! It’s easy to get hold of us, you can find us on the Warwick website and other universities are welcome to join and contribute!
Worth checking out…
If you liked this story you may also like this interview with Warwick Business School Alumni Association – Technology Professional Network on BusinessBecause.
Student Reviews
BSc Management with Marketing
I loved Warwick business school.
The staff is supportive, my academic tutor was key in my development throughout the 3 years and you have to meet with her/him every term. Most professors are helpful and would happily offer support if needed. You also have office hours and can contact professors by email and through the forum.
In general, WBS instills in you the willingness to learn and the resilience needed for you for whatever career you choose.
Very international community which broadens your horizon and makes you more open minded and self aware. You will most certainly make friends and memories for life. I recommend that you get outside of your comfort zone and try new activities with your friends!
WBS also has a great reputation and offers careers opportunities, and careers support throughout the degree.
There is the opportunity to do a year abroad to further develop on a personal level. I wasn’t able to do this due to Covid but I would have loved to do it during normal circumstances! Would definitely recommend this.
Although Warwick is not a city university, the campus vibe has a lot of advantages, especially at an undergraduate level. You are always around familiar faces, and in a student environment. Moreover, Birmingham is only 20 mins away from Leamington spa and London is only one hour away! Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway!
Life at Warwick Business School
Pursuing my master's degree at WBS has been a game-changer in my life. With high-quality education, interaction with students from across the world, amazing campus life and much more. I was able to learn about business, finance, project management and strategy all in one course: MSc in Management at WBS. Besides the top-notch education from the best professors, I also enjoyed being a part of fun societies and participating in fun activities such as scavenger hunts and so much more.
The school also organises many company visits and interactions which help students get a head start at finding a job. As my course came to an end, I also have a good full-time job placement in my hands.
Overall, my experience at WBS was a great one.
Outstanding
The Warwick Business School was like a dream come to life for me. The University ranking speaks for itself, from top-tier facilities to some of the best professors I had to honour to study with I fell in love with my course. Interactions with people from all over the world gave me a newfound confidence in myself.
Career prospects after graduating are endless due to the contacts of the universities and the success rate for previous students, it does open a lot of doors for students in various career fields. The campus life is quite good as well with a lot of student groups and clubs, and extra circular activities to engage students at all times. Loved my experience.
A good business school
It is a very cutting-edge, career-oriented business school, all courses are very practical, and the college does a very good job of career service. From the hardware and facilities to the staff, the student experience is at the core of the school and student satisfaction is taken very seriously. I understand that many universities in the UK are relatively traditional and can occasionally be rigid in terms of rules and regulations, and although WBS has a relatively short history, this makes it more innovative and dynamic, which is essential for a business school. The downside is that because it is on the outskirts of Coventry, it is a long bus ride to the city centre, not to mention the difference in experience from a big city like London.
Campus
The people, campus, staff. It’s a very enjoyable environment and it’s particularly good for learning and playing sports. The people there are extremely friendly and welcoming and it’s very easy to make friends
What I Like About Warwick
I’ve personally liked my experience at Warwick so far because of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet and how many opportunities we students are provided with to learn and grow.
Within Warwick, I’m part of the Business School, a learning haven comprised of well-structured modules and extremely helpful people
All in all, a great place to be :)
Campus Life
One thing that stood out for me was the campus life, you felt like part of a community. The social aspects of the student union and on-campus accommodation meant you can easily get together and enjoy with friends. Additionally, I felt the course provided a variety of subjects allowing me to enhance my knowledge, from Marketing to Law and Finance. Overall I would most definitely recommend this university to friends and family.
Excellence self catered
The campus is very welcoming and Modern. There are many opportunities at Warwick but it is up to the student how do they want to make the most out of it and the staff at the school will definitely helo as much as possible. The location and the ranking have been amazing.
Warwick business school
Warwick business school is one of the best universities around the globe with a solid base of economic and business studies. Moreover, students get a chance to study in a diverse and warm environment with professional stuff which tries to provide the best opportunities for career development. One of the memorable features of the university are great events which sometimes take a place in one of the landmarks of the London city, the Shard building.
BSc Management with Marketing
I loved Warwick business school.
The staff is supportive, my academic tutor was key in my development throughout the 3 years and you have to meet with her/him every term. Most professors are helpful and would happily offer support if needed. You also have office hours and can contact professors by email and through the forum.
In general, WBS instills in you the willingness to learn and the resilience needed for you for whatever career you choose.
Very international community which broadens your horizon and makes you more open minded and self aware. You will most certainly make friends and memories for life. I recommend that you get outside of your comfort zone and try new activities with your friends!
WBS also has a great reputation and offers careers opportunities, and careers support throughout the degree.
There is the opportunity to do a year abroad to further develop on a personal level. I wasn’t able to do this due to Covid but I would have loved to do it during normal circumstances! Would definitely recommend this.
Although Warwick is not a city university, the campus vibe has a lot of advantages, especially at an undergraduate level. You are always around familiar faces, and in a student environment. Moreover, Birmingham is only 20 mins away from Leamington spa and London is only one hour away! Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway!
Life at Warwick Business School
Pursuing my master's degree at WBS has been a game-changer in my life. With high-quality education, interaction with students from across the world, amazing campus life and much more. I was able to learn about business, finance, project management and strategy all in one course: MSc in Management at WBS. Besides the top-notch education from the best professors, I also enjoyed being a part of fun societies and participating in fun activities such as scavenger hunts and so much more.
The school also organises many company visits and interactions which help students get a head start at finding a job. As my course came to an end, I also have a good full-time job placement in my hands.
Overall, my experience at WBS was a great one.
Outstanding
The Warwick Business School was like a dream come to life for me. The University ranking speaks for itself, from top-tier facilities to some of the best professors I had to honour to study with I fell in love with my course. Interactions with people from all over the world gave me a newfound confidence in myself.
Career prospects after graduating are endless due to the contacts of the universities and the success rate for previous students, it does open a lot of doors for students in various career fields. The campus life is quite good as well with a lot of student groups and clubs, and extra circular activities to engage students at all times. Loved my experience.
A good business school
It is a very cutting-edge, career-oriented business school, all courses are very practical, and the college does a very good job of career service. From the hardware and facilities to the staff, the student experience is at the core of the school and student satisfaction is taken very seriously. I understand that many universities in the UK are relatively traditional and can occasionally be rigid in terms of rules and regulations, and although WBS has a relatively short history, this makes it more innovative and dynamic, which is essential for a business school. The downside is that because it is on the outskirts of Coventry, it is a long bus ride to the city centre, not to mention the difference in experience from a big city like London.
Campus
The people, campus, staff. It’s a very enjoyable environment and it’s particularly good for learning and playing sports. The people there are extremely friendly and welcoming and it’s very easy to make friends
What I Like About Warwick
I’ve personally liked my experience at Warwick so far because of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet and how many opportunities we students are provided with to learn and grow.
Within Warwick, I’m part of the Business School, a learning haven comprised of well-structured modules and extremely helpful people
All in all, a great place to be :)
Campus Life
One thing that stood out for me was the campus life, you felt like part of a community. The social aspects of the student union and on-campus accommodation meant you can easily get together and enjoy with friends. Additionally, I felt the course provided a variety of subjects allowing me to enhance my knowledge, from Marketing to Law and Finance. Overall I would most definitely recommend this university to friends and family.
Excellence self catered
The campus is very welcoming and Modern. There are many opportunities at Warwick but it is up to the student how do they want to make the most out of it and the staff at the school will definitely helo as much as possible. The location and the ranking have been amazing.
Warwick business school
Warwick business school is one of the best universities around the globe with a solid base of economic and business studies. Moreover, students get a chance to study in a diverse and warm environment with professional stuff which tries to provide the best opportunities for career development. One of the memorable features of the university are great events which sometimes take a place in one of the landmarks of the London city, the Shard building.
