Alex Shan Bai: Pursuing innovation and sustainability

What led you to take the Cambridge MBA?

I visited Cambridge twice in the past and always thought it would be great to study here. After a few years working I started considering an MBA and Cambridge came up again so it went straight into one of my top choices. The other things that really attracted me about the MBA are the short duration, the smaller cohort, and the entrepreneurial and practical focus. 

Describe the biggest accomplishment in your career so far?

I would say my biggest accomplishment was winning the CIBSE ANZ Young Engineer of the Year Award in 2022. This award is given each year to one engineer in Australia and New Zealand, in recognition of their career to date as well as thought leadership and is the best recognition for young engineers in our industry. 

Two years before I got the award, I took a leap of faith from my traditional engineering consulting role into a much lower paying role at a startup, as I was craving more exposure to technology and disruption opportunities in the construction industry. The risk paid off and I am now a product manager at a fast-growing startup trying to disrupt traditional construction and make buildings more sustainable at a scale, which I couldn’t have imagined before. 

Getting the award was a signal for me to keep taking risks and pushing the boundaries of our industry when it comes to technology adoption and digital transformation. 

How do you feel about being awarded your scholarship?

I am very humbled to be awarded this scholarship, especially considering how talented and accomplished all the applicants are every year. 

It takes away some of the financial pressure and will allow me to better focus on making the most out of the next 12 months. 

What do you want to get out of the MBA most of all in the next year?

I want to broaden my career perspective. I know what I would be doing in 12 months if I didn’t do the MBA but now, I’m not 100% sure anymore and I like that feeling (at least right now). 

I want to absorb from my peers, from the companies we will be working with, and from the lecturers to gain a broader perspective that I can apply to my own career and make better decisions moving forward. 

Where do you see your MBA journey taking you in your future career?

I don’t really know where the MBA will take me in the long term and that’s the beauty of it, but I know it will take me to a ‘better place’ than I would be without it. 

The learnings from the MBA will help guide the direction of my career, but I definitely see myself in a role where I can make a big contribution to the climate change challenge we are currently facing.

What does Cambridge mean to you?

Cambridge to me means both tradition and innovation. The tradition of a great school which will help me strengthen the foundation of my business knowledge, and the drive for innovation that is required to make a big impact in my professional career. 

Something that few people may know about you…

I turn every trip I take into a travel video for my future self. 

I realised I struggle to remember the trips I took when I was younger so for the past 12 years I’ve made and uploaded over 40 videos for 80-year-old me to watch one day.