HKUST MBA Superconnector

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Learn. Innovate. Lead. #1 MBA Program in Asia-Pacific (Bloomberg Businessweek) Follow us on Medium #HKUSTMBA HKUST MBA - 767460

2d ago

Why people work, and why it matters for how you lead

Every few months, someone declares the career ladder dead. James Root disagrees. Walk into any big firm in Hong Kong, he says, and you will still find job grades and promotion tracks everywhere. What has changed is who wants to climb. James is the author of The Archetype Effect and teaches The Secret Life of Organizations in our MBA program. On our Super Connector podcast, he tells Associate Dean Stephen Shih that people come to work for very different reasons. Some want the next promotion. Some want something new every few years. Some want steady work and a team they trust. Most companies still manage them all the same way. So the future is not one path. It is ladders for people who want ladders, and more flexible routes for people who don’t. That raises a question worth asking before your MBA: which one are you? And when you lead a team, which ones are they? AI will change how work gets done. People still make the final call, and knowing what drives them is how you lead. Tune in to hear James’s insights on how professionals can stay ahead in an AI-driven landscape. [Listen to the full episode]
Oct 9

Bridging science and business: Prof. Thian Chew on healthcare innovation

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Healthcare is full of specialists. What the industry truly lacks, according to 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐰, is leaders who can effectively bridge the gap between scientific innovation and commercial reality. As CEO of Invion, a life sciences firm developing novel cancer treatments and instructor of the HKUST MBA elective 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦: 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, Thian helps students without a medical background navigate the business of healthcare.In the latest episode of the 𝐇𝐊𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐁𝐀 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭, Thian joins Associate Dean 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐡 to explore Asia’s expanding influence in drug development, the economic forces driving high drug prices, and Hong Kong’s strategic position in healthcare innovation. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 From emailing 3,000 alumni to break into private equity with zero finance experience, to working at Goldman Sachs and later becoming a biotech CEO, his story is a masterclass in resilience and career pivots.His practical advice on handling rejection and positioning transferable skills is valuable for ambitious professionals in any sector. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰
Jul 27

A conversation with Dean Anseel: people, AI, and charting a course for our School

Dean Frederik Anseel sits down with Prof. Stephen Shih for a wide-ranging conversation, and it starts where he believes everything in business starts: with people. He shares his priorities and direction for the Business School, and what his first months taught him about leading a large organization through change. From there, the conversation turns to AI and the future of work, and why Hong Kong sits at the intersection of two forces reshaping business: China's innovation ecosystem and the rapid advance of AI. Why the companies getting real value from AI are the ones investing in their people, not just the tools. Why we trust a human driver who makes a fatal mistake more than a self-driving car that makes far fewer. Why career forecasts are almost always wrong, and what he believes is worth building instead. And for every student and applicant, he offers one habit to master: knowing when to take the stairs, and when to take the elevator.
Jul 6

What still matters in investing when AI can do the analysis

Most people assume investing rewards the sharpest mind in the room. Leonie Foong, CEO of Overlook, built her career on the opposite idea, that what lasts is something rarer, and far harder to learn. In a world buried in news, alerts and live prediction markets, she keeps her Bloomberg terminal switched off for most of the day. Not because she's behind, but because she worked out that the edge isn't reacting faster than everyone else. It's the discipline not to react at all. Sometimes, she says, doing nothing is the discipline. In her podcast conversation with Prof. Stephen Shih (Associate Dean of HKUST MBA Programs), she explains what separates the investors who last from those who burn out, why temperament beats intellect, and the one thing she urges students to invest in that has nothing to do with markets. Hear the full conversation now.
May 28

How AI is rewriting the rules of consumer psychology – what role for reason and feelings?

What if the biggest shift in marketing is more than targeting efficiency, but a quieter change in how people decide, trust, and connect? In this HKUST MBA Superconnector podcast, Prof. Stephen Shih, Associate Dean of MBA Programs, sits down with Prof. Jiewen Hong, Head of the Department of Marketing at HKUST Business School, for a conversation that goes beyond the obvious. Together, they explore the subtle forces shaping consumer behavior today, revealing how emotions, perceptions and context can quietly guide the choices people make. Drawing on both academic rigor and real-world experience across Beijing, the US, and Hong Kong, Prof. Hong offers thoughtful perspectives on questions that matter to marketers and business leaders alike. When do people rely on reason, and when do they follow instinct? How do these patterns shape what effective marketing looks like in a world that is becoming more personal, more digital, and more unpredictable? She also reflects on the role of artificial intelligence, suggesting that the next shift is not just technological, but deeply human, raising important questions about trust, autonomy and the experience of choice. Tune in for ideas that feel timely, practical, and surprisingly human. In an AI-driven era, the strongest advantage may still lie in human judgement and curiosity. Click the links: About Prof. Jiewen HongExplore Her Research Insights
Jan 27

The Hidden Cost of Platforms, Prof. Meng's Bold Solution

Ever met someone whose electric energy pulls you right in? 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐙𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐥𝐢 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐠 delivers just that, a restless explorer bridging academia, tech giants like Tencent and JD, and consulting, always chasing fresh challenges. In this HKUST MBA podcast, Associate Dean Prof. Stephen Shih uncovers her journey: from Tencent to leading HKUST's Center for Technology and Business Ecosystems. Her vivid examples, from TikTok creators to Uber drivers, ask us to think differently. Curiosity fueled her path, including co-authoring the pioneering “Internet Plus” reports that shaped China's digital economy. They dive into her award-winning Harvard Business Review China article challenging platform giants amid rising AI risks. Explore her "co-benefit ecosystems" blueprint that turns tech dominance into shared wins. Tune in for her straight-shooting advice on the dangers of big tech—and how tech can be a force for good.
12/29/2025

Building the Future with AI: Leadership, Strategy & Lifelong Learning

Leaders today can no longer bank on a “safe” linear career; AI, shorter business lifecycles and global competition are rewriting the rules.In this podcast, 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐃𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐠 , 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐚, 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐓𝐑 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐇𝐊𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐁𝐀 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐲 , shares how his own journey shifted from a planned corporate path into six startups and the frontlines of AI. He explains why AI is a general-purpose technology that touches every industry, why the real bottleneck is human culture rather than tech, and why risk appetite and lifelong learning now matter more than perfect planning.Through his three MBA courses on AI innovation, digital transformation, and the “10X Entrepreneur,” he helps professionals see how East and West are evolving differently, question old assumptions, and turn AI tools and AI agents into powerful allies that boost their results instead of threats to their jobs.Hear how East-West innovation paths are diverging—and why HKUST MBA equips you to lead in the era of AI.
11/21/2025

Bain’s Keith Bevans on the Future of Consulting in the Age of AI

In this episode of the HKUST MBA podcast, Prof. Stephen Shih, Associate Dean of the HKUST MBA, sits down with Keith Bevans—Partner and Executive Vice President, Global Head of Consultant Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Center of Excellence at Bain & Company—for a candid conversation that examines what’s changing—and what’s staying the same—in the world of consulting.Keith, a Bain veteran with over two decades of experience, shares his journey from engineering graduate to strategic leader at one of the world’s top consulting firms. The conversation dives into the most pressing big picture questions facing the industry today: Will AI replace consultants? How is Bain helping clients rethink strategy and operations in the age of AI? What kind of talent is Bain looking for in a tech-driven world?𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐁𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬Keith also answers questions on the MBA recruiting process at Bain and introduces 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐧, Bain’s pre-MBA education program for incoming first-year MBA students. Organized by Bain’s recruiting team, the program runs throughout the summer before MBA programs begin. It’s a unique opportunity to engage with Bain’s people, culture, and work before stepping into the MBA journey. We encourage incoming HKUST MBA students curious about consulting to check out this program and get a head start on learning about different careers. Whether you're exploring a career in consulting or curious about how AI is reshaping the industry, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

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Learn. Innovate. Lead. #1 MBA Program in Asia-Pacific (Bloomberg Businessweek) Follow us on Medium #HKUSTMBA HKUST MBA - 767460

Creator

HKUST MBA
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

15
Rating

Clean
Show Website

HKUST MBA Superconnector

HKUST MBA Superconnector

Episodes

Why people work, and why it matters for how you lead

Bridging science and business: Prof. Thian Chew on healthcare innovation

A conversation with Dean Anseel: people, AI, and charting a course for our School

What still matters in investing when AI can do the analysis

How AI is rewriting the rules of consumer psychology – what role for reason and feelings?

The Hidden Cost of Platforms, Prof. Meng's Bold Solution

Building the Future with AI: Leadership, Strategy & Lifelong Learning

Bain’s Keith Bevans on the Future of Consulting in the Age of AI

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