Duong Doan
For many MBA candidates, the end goal is to make a transformation – using their MBA to facilitate a change in role, industry or location. That was the case for Duong Doan from Hanoi, Vietnam, when she was considering the next step in her career.
“The MBA gave me the skills I needed to transform my career”
“Before the MBA, I was still trying to figure out my long-term direction. I was uncertain about which path to follow but I was interested in consulting and thought an MBA would help. I saw that Bayes had a very strong Full-time MBA programme with a focus on consulting and gaining plenty of practical experience, which is what I wanted.”
“I had also considered the US for my MBA, but there the MBA takes two years, and I wanted a one-year programme which also offered strong industry connections.”
“I looked at other business schools in London, but Bayes stood out for the location, and because the programme is very hands-on. We got to work with several real-world companies and at times it didn’t feel like I was a student, it felt like I was working in London for multiple clients.”
Gaining a global perspective on business
“During the MBA, I also got to work with companies outside of the UK - taking international electives to Lisbon and Milan.”
“In Lisbon we did a consulting project with Savills International, the real estate company. We had one week to work with the client, identify the problem and suggest possible solutions. It was really intense, but I learned so much from working directly with the company.”
“For my Business Integration Project , I was helping a Danish company, Velux windows, with their expansion strategy into Vietnam. They wanted to enter the market but didn’t know where to start, who to talk to, and what product to bring. It was very rewarding to help them craft a strategy to expand into Vietnam. A lot of Danish companies are now investing in Vietnam, and I believe my experience on with Velux will be useful in the future.”
Duong’s MBA cohort also provided diverse insights from different countries and sectors.
“London is an international hub which attracts people from all over the world. I had classmates from America, Canada, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Myanmar, India and the Middle East. It gives you such a global perspective on business and how to work in a multicultural environment.”
Living and studying in London
“Life in London can be summarised as ‘work hard, play hard’. We were always incredibly busy, juggling study with exams and ongoing consulting projects. We had to multitask, but we could still squeeze some time for entertainment. I did some careful budgeting and saving before starting the MBA, which allowed me to cover my tuition, accommodation, and day-to-day expenses and really take advantage of living in London.”
“I enjoyed going to theatres and galleries – London has a lot to offer. The international food is great, and I think the city is very welcoming to international people. I’ve lived in the Netherlands and in New York, but I find London to be the most welcoming place. I made friends for life, and I still see my classmates often.”
Preparing for the AI-powered workplace
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world of work, and Duong was pleased to see it incorporated into the MBA programme.
“The Corporate Strategy module, led by Professor Charles Baden-Fuller , was a highlight. I remember that he talked about AI, and how if you give ChatGPT a prompt, it can give you a strategy. Whenever we would finish writing a strategy for a client, we’d go back to ChatGPT and see what ideas it would generate. If there was no difference between ChatGPT and what we had done, then it showed our strategy was not good enough. We needed to be adding extra value – and consider the human dimension and emotional intelligence that a machine cannot understand.”
AI was also referenced in the Mergers & Acquisitions module led by Professor Scott Moeller .
“He told us that we shouldn’t be afraid of AI, and that we need to see it as an assistant, not a competitor. He told us a story about how he was working in New York when computers were first introduced, and how industry was scared about them taking peoples’ jobs. There were protests and strikes. But can you imagine a world without computers now and everything we use them for? Scott showed us that we have to use new tools, not fear them.”
Outstanding careers support
MBA candidates benefit from tailored one-to-one coaching and careers advisory sessions which empower their leadership development.
“I got some very helpful advice and support from the Careers Service . There was the Careers Week which happened before the MBA started, where I learned a lot about presentation skills, and how to network. That is so important during the MBA and for your career. I actually got my job through networking – it wasn’t advertised online or elsewhere.”
“Bayes has an extensive MBA alumni network and people move into different industries. Whenever I need to understand a new sector, I go to LinkedIn and search for Bayes alumni to see if there’s anyone relevant who I can connect to. That’s another great thing about Bayes.”
Kick-starting a career in consulting
For her sixth-month Strategy Project, under the guidance of Professor Alessandro Giudici, Duong got the chance to work with Premier League Football Club, Nottingham Forest, advising them on their digital strategy.
“I’m not a huge sports fan, but I knew I had to learn about the industry to be able to serve my client. The club’s owner wanted us to define a strategy to increase their fan base – both digital and physical, so we had to design a strategy that integrated both the physical experience inside the stadium, and the digital experience online.”
Duong’s experience working with a Premier League club has been unexpectedly useful in her current role. After the MBA she returned to Vietnam and secured a job at FPT Software, the biggest tech company in the country. Duong works as a strategy consultant, specialising in supply chain digital transformation. One of FPT Software’s new clients is Chelsea Football Club.
“We recently signed a partnership with Chelsea to become their official global technical partner, helping them on their digital transformation journey.”
“We are going to help them explore new technology and AI tools that they can integrate into their business. When Chelsea came to Vietnam we hosted hackathons for them, which different teams and departments participated in. Then we presented our digital solutions to them which can be adopted for their global business strategy.”
“My project experience with Nottingham Forest was helpful, because I was more confident in my knowledge of the football industry. It paved the way for my work with Chelsea, which is something I never expected.”
Successfully navigating different business cultures
As well as headquarters in Vietnam, FPT Software has offices in Europe, North and South America and across Asia.
“I’m based at the headquarters in Hanoi, and my role covers the European and American regions, which means I work with different offices on other continents. My international experience in London has definitely helped when it comes to communication. There are big differences between business culture in Asia, Europe and North America, and my time at Bayes has helped navigate those differences.”
“I remember when we started the MBA, we were told to ‘trust the process’. I didn’t appreciate it at first, because it is a tough programme and you are working hard on different projects and studying. I didn’t realise the full potential of what I was learning until after the MBA and I was back in corporate life again. You look back on what you learned and connect the dots.”
“On the programme we were always talking about making the triple jump – in location, industry and position. While I returned to Vietnam after graduation, I successfully made two of those three jumps – moving into a new industry and a new function. That takes transformational skills and it’s something I have gained through the MBA. I’m very proud of what I have achieved so far, and I’m excited to see where my career develops in the years ahead, knowing I have my experience at Bayes to guide me.”