About
Name: Kean Ng
Nationality: Malaysian
Programme: MBA 2018
Education: LLB, University of London, UK; BVC, Nottingham Law School, UK; MPhil Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge, UK
Current role: Senior Investment Officer, responsAbility Investments AG, Zurich and Bangkok
Pre-MBA role: Private Equity, STI Financial Group, Hong Kong
What stood out about the academic learning experience for you?
My favourite course was New Venture Finance by Robert Wardrop. Even though I came to the MBA with some venture capital experience under my belt, I was surprised that there were still elements of the course that were new to me!
Please tell us about the standout elements of the Cambridge experience or extra-curricular activities you had during your MBA
As the co-chair of PE/VC Special Interest Group (SIG), I was able to engage professionals across the broad spectrum of experts and investment professionals, including the CIO of IFC (part of the World Bank Group) and ex-MD of the Khazanah Nasional (SWF of Malaysia). The PE/VC SIG also collaborated with the Cambridge University PE/VC society to put together a series of speakers’ events which brought forth a practitioner’s perspective to the students interested in the world of PE/VC or investments more generally.
How would you describe the cohort of people in your class? What value did they bring to your MBA?
The cohort is very diverse both in terms of nationality and career/academic background. The collision of thought processes, styles and experience has created a dynamic and vibrant environment, challenging me to confront my weaknesses and improve upon other soft skills, such as negotiation, public-speaking and teamwork.
What aspect of the MBA learning/experience would you say you find most useful now in your professional life?
My favourite experience would be the Global Consulting Project and the Social Innovation Concentration. This allowed me to work with and gain invaluable experience with top-tier impact investment firms, such as Bridges Fund Management. These experiences were critical to helping me land a job months before the course finished.
How has the MBA influenced your career journey in general?
I targeted a move into impact investing/development finance when applying to the Asian Development Bank, and achieved just that post-MBA.
What would you say to others considering an MBA?
I had a strong leaning towards business schools within a broader university when choosing to do my MBA, and Cambridge really stood out. While Cambridge Judge undoubtedly has been an amazing launchpad for great careers and entrepreneurship, the university also presents a plethora of opportunities to network and ideate cross-disciplinarily.