Nguyen Quang Huy shared a powerful story of management mindset transformation through his two years with MBA Talent. This wasn’t just an educational journey – it was a complete professional evolution preparing him for the next stage of his career.
Despite advancing in your career and achieving success, what made you decide to “pause” and pursue MBA Talent?
It was actually a calculated decision. After three years in my role, I noticed my learning curve starting to flatten, even as I continued to receive promotions and recognition. I was hungry for a broader perspective—both for my career and personal life.
After weighing the options between studying abroad and local programs, I chose MBA Talent because it allowed me to continue learning while staying current in my industry and, most importantly, remaining active in the market. I spent considerable time researching the faculty, curriculum, and speaking with alumni to ensure the program would truly meet my expectations.
After two years of real experience, what aspects exceeded your initial expectations of an MBA program?
I was fortunate that all my goals were met, with some aspects even surpassing my expectations. Take Professor Howard Nicholas’s Economics for Business course, for example – the knowledge went far beyond academic theory, giving me a foundation to explore deeper on my own.
For instance, when I read that the Federal Reserve is holding interest rates high, I can now understand its impact on domestic business conditions, local interest rate trends, and specific effects on purchasing power in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. It’s even helped me make better personal financial decisions. Beyond that, the network of quality relationships with senior classmates has proven to be an invaluable asset.
MBA Talent is renowned for involving industry experts. Which expert’s case challenge left the strongest impression on you?
I was particularly impressed by the case study led by Dang Nguyen Truong Tai, Investment Director at Daiichi Life Vietnam Fund Management. Beyond my main role, I’m deeply interested in personal investment. The perspective of someone managing a large-scale investment portfolio like Tai was incredibly practical. His advice about accumulating quality stocks or fund certificates with a long-term view significantly shifted my thinking.
This mindset helped me understand that if the market experiences short-term volatility, it won’t overly impact my overall portfolio, and if things go well, it’s a well-deserved reward. This lesson was both fascinating and highly applicable to my personal situation.
If you had to assess your transformation through your supervisor’s eyes, how do you think they would evaluate the “post-MBA Huy”?
My supervisor has noticed a clear shift in my problem-solving approach: it’s become more multi-dimensional and more business-supportive. Previously, I might have viewed issues primarily through a Supply Chain lens. Now, the solutions I propose align with the company’s overall objectives, breaking down silo mentality. I have a much deeper understanding of how departments interact and how business strategy impacts each function. My readiness for bigger challenges has increased significantly.
From Demand Planning Manager to C-Level is a long journey. What role does the MBA degree play in this path?
I’ve always been passionate about business and aspire to reach C-Level. However, I’m realistic in recognizing that with only six years of experience, while C-Level positions typically require 15+ years, I have a way to go.
MBA Talent has been the solid “foundation brick” helping me chart the right course early on. It’s helped me identify gaps in knowledge, experience, and leadership capabilities that I need to fill. More importantly, through the program’s network, I can find quality mentors and coaches to close that gap as efficiently as possible.
What advice would you give to young professionals considering this journey?
Be proactive in your research and set extremely clear goals before starting. Combining a part-time program with full-time work creates enormous pressure. Without specific objectives to guide what you need to extract from each course, it’s easy to become discouraged. Your initial goals will be the motivation that helps you balance life, work, and studies through the challenging periods.
Looking back on his two-year journey, Huy summarizes his experience in two key phrases: “Transformation” and “Worth trying.” A journey that not only upgraded his knowledge but also completely shifted the mindset of a manager.
MBA Talent is a comprehensive training program designed to cultivate talented C-level executives. The program combines the strong academic foundation of Western Sydney University and the ISB.IEI Institute, with real-world business cases developed by the PSO Institute, empowers students to skillfully apply modern leadership knowledge to complex business scenarios.
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