After graduating from an MBA in Hong Kong, Jeffrey Ng used the leadership skills he learned to develop his career in the fintech hubs of Hong Kong and mainland China
For Jeffrey Ng, an MBA was always on the cards. After beginning his career as a management consultant, he used the degree to develop his managerial prowess, and advance in the burgeoning realm of fintech.
After graduating from a bachelor’s degree in computing and management, Jeffrey began his professional life with GE Capital and PwC. After a few years’ experience, though, he left the organization to expand his knowledge of the wider business world.
“An MBA was the next logical step if I wanted to advance within the finance and tech industry,” he explains.
At the time, Jeffrey was living in Hong Kong, and wanted to take advantage of the strong financial market in greater China.
Since Hong Kong is a gateway to China, he was keen to stay in the area, and began to research local schools. This search soon led him to the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).
“I chose CUHK due to the breadth of its business programs,” he says. “I also liked the school’s rich roots in incorporating humanity, which is the foundation of good management.”
This, along with its strong alumni network in finance drew Jeffrey to the school. In fact, financial services is the top career path for CUHK MBA graduates.
The program’s flexible schedule, which allows students to complete it over 12 to 48 months, added to its appeal. This allowed Jeffrey to study while working with his new employer, BNP Paribas.
Launching a career in fintech
Undertaking such a broad MBA program was not without its challenges, Jeffrey recalls.
He found subjects like derivatives very technically challenging at first, but with support from peers and professors, he was able to succeed. At CUHK, he recalls, students had easy access to their professors beyond class hours.
Throughout the learning process, the supportive community at CUHK helped Jeffrey continue his development—both professionally and personally.
At the start of the program, he and his cohort took part in an outward bound experience, which was great for bonding with his peers.
“The experience also led me to the hobby of hiking,” he adds.
Today, Jeffrey can keep in touch with his former peers, as part of a 40,000 alumni network that stretches across 44 countries. Alumni work in diverse sectors like consulting, technology, manufacturing, and finance.
"The alumni network is especially strong in finance, which gives me a rich understanding in banking," Jeffrey notes. One alumni connection—a managing director at BNP at the time—proved especially helpful, by opening up the world of corporate banking, and the skills it requires to succeed.
"Knowing how people actually made decisions in the real world helped a great deal when applying AI in banking, for instance," he explains.
"I [also] learned how to manage sales from him [this alumni], which has come in useful for my role running a sales organization at OneConnect," he reflects.
Jeffrey’s MBA also helped cement his interest in China’s finance industry, through various courses and experiences. Among the most valuable were the networking opportunities on offer.
On the CUHK program, around 18% of students have a finance or financial services background, helping them build strong international connections in the sector.
As well as networking and taking fintech classes, Jeffrey had the chance to compete in a stock pitching competition. This involved presenting an investment idea to a team of judges.
“Although I didn’t win, the process allowed me to practice applying my data mining skills to equity valuation,” he recalls.
From classroom to boardroom
Jeffrey recently left his job as the head of fintech solutions at a virtual bank in Hong Kong. He is moving to the Greater China Region of McKinsey and Company, where he will continue to focus on leveraging Fintech and digital for strategy execution.
He has also taken up the chairman position of the Data Analytics Group, Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia (IFTA) to enhance the qualifications of the industry via the CFT program.
The skills he developed during the MBA continue to be applicable, he reports.
In fact, Jeffrey credits CUHK with catalyzing his career development. Being accepted onto the program prompted his former employer, BNP Paribas, to offer him an analyst role.
“I was considered for a role as part of the client marketing team for corporate and institutional banking,” he explains. “The bank supported me to study part-time, since I could contribute what I learned on the program to my team’s knowledge.”
This knowledge, and Jeffrey’s hard work, helped him advance with the company, reaching the role of Greater China Head of the department in less than a decade.
Building a career in Greater China
Studying in Hong Kong gave Jeffrey access to China—the world's fintech leader. In 2018, the country's fintech market was worth $25.5 billion, and growth looks set to continue.
In Hong Kong itself, fintech growth is also strong, with a digital payments market that is expanding by around 10% each year.
"Hong Kong is the home of wholesale banking and Shenzhen is the center of B2C fintech,” Jeffrey adds.
To other finance professionals hoping to build a career related to China, Jeffrey recommends studying in Hong Kong like he did.
Understanding Hong Kong’s international banking system lays a solid foundation for a fintech career in China, thanks to its ties and physical proximity to the mainland.
CUHK also helps its international students build this understanding through courses like China in the Global Economy, and through career treks to Shanghai and Shenzhen, where they can connect with potential employers in China.
Along with this exposure to China, the foundational strategy courses Jeffrey studied equipped him with the business fundamentals he needed to advance his career in the country.
“My role at OneConnect involved sales and product development, and I often relied on the strategic management skills I developed at CUHK,” he comments.
CUHK students can also build on this foundational knowledge, through specialized electives like Managing Innovation and Technology, or FinTech Analytics.
For his part, Jeffrey is confident that the skills and connections his MBA helped him build will continue to serve him well in this role and beyond.
"A few fellow classmates have become my close counsels, and we now support each other in our careers and lives," he adds.
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.
Student
Verified
19/11/2021
On Campus
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.
Student
Verified
28/10/2017
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.
Student
Verified
20/10/2017
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.
Student
Verified
17/10/2017
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.
Student
Verified
5/10/2017
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.
Student
Verified
2/10/2017
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.
Student
Verified
30/09/2017
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.
Student
Verified
27/06/2022
On Campus
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.
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Wednesday 30th September 2020, 13.32 (UTC)
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