Nicha was drawn to Singapore as a key financial hub within Asia. To help boost her career, she found a top MBA where she could level up her skillset, refresh her business knowledge, gain valuable networking opportunities, and embark on her dream career path.
BusinessBecause caught up with Nicha to learn about how she secured a spot at Singapore Management University’s MBA and the experience she gained there that has led to her current position at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Searching for the next career step
From Bangkok, Thailand, Nicha (pictured) received a full scholarship to study in Japan for her Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA).
After graduating, she worked for a Japanese company in Bangkok as an executive trader in non-ferrous products and metal.
“I did learn a lot from that project in terms of investment, project management, and coordination and people management between teams, as well as on the investor side,” Nicha explains.
Despite gaining valuable experience, Nicha felt the business world had moved fast in the four years since she graduated and decided an advanced degree was imperative to succeeding in Asia’s finance world.
“I wanted to refresh my knowledge and learn new skills,” she says. “I wanted to understand digital disruption, sustainability, or digital transformation, which I didn't have an opportunity to learn during my bachelor's degree,” she says.
She was drawn away from her life in Japan to move to Singapore because of the strength of the business sector and ample career opportunities available.
“Singapore is a financial hub for Southeast Asia. Most companies without a local presence in Southeast Asia will be managing their Southeast Asia divisions out of Singapore.”
Finding the right MBA program
Once she had decided on Singapore for her business education, one business school stood out to Nicha: Singapore Management University (SMU).
There were several factors that attracted Nicha to the SMU program, particularly the length of the program–11 months– the internship system, and the nighttime classes.
“You can do an internship during the daytime from nine to five and then you start your MBA class from 7:30pm,” she explains.
For Nicha, having the opportunity to try out companies and environments before committing to a job was a major advantage.
“I could try something new but didn’t have to commit to a full-time job,” she says.
Nicha was also keen to develop her network and global understanding within the diverse MBA class. SMU’s MBA cohort comprises 63% international students with 26 nationalities represented.
“Along with professors, I gained experience from my classmates who came from different backgrounds, industries, and countries as well. We had a good mix in our class,” she says.
The MBA matched well with Nicha’s career goals, as students gain a competitive edge in the digital economy while learning about Data Science (including Basic R and Python Programming), and gaining cutting-edge skills through core modules such as Leading Digital Transformation and Business Analytics.
Nicha also found herself buidling her confidence while developing soft skills such as communication, time management, and presentation abilities.
One lesson she found particularly pertinent was managing people with diverging opinions and backgrounds, she explains.
“I did learn a lot about negotiation, navigating diversity, managing people with different personalities and backgrounds.
“I think soft skills make you work more efficiently and also develop your personal branding in the workplace.”
Launching a global career at S&P Global Markets Intelligence
Nicha was supported throughout the MBA by the career development team through networking events and personalized career support.
“It’s very hands on. We got assigned to one advisor and had a lot of time for one on ones.” She says. “They spent time understanding your skill set, what you would like to do, what to improve, and what career might fit you after you graduate from SMU.”
Two months after graduating from SMU in November 2018, Nicha joined the financial service company S&P Global Markets Intelligence, as an associate director in business development.
The role requires her to provide financial and ESG data, research, news, and analytical tools to stakeholders. She works with institutional investors, investment and commercial banks, investment advisors and wealth managers, corporations, and academia in Thailand.
Nicha points to two aspects that make S&P Global a great fit for her. First is the job scope, as she manages most of the Southeast Asia region out of Singapore. This allows her to utilize her knowledge of Southeast Asia and bring her Thai experience into the company.
“There's barriers in terms of working culture, business culture, and definitely language,” she explains. “I can help the company expand through my language, my technical financial product knowledge, and also my network that I already established in Thailand.”
The network she has made have also been equally important. The woman who interviewed her during recruitment struck an immediate connection and still reports to her five years later.
Nicha’s time at SMU allowed her to develop her network and skillset so she could thrive in her current role and progress through S&P Global.
“The whole overall experience and development, I just felt super refreshed. I really appreciate that I decided on the SMU MBA. It was the right decision for me.”
