At CEIBS, the Global EMBA programme unites world-class professors and senior industry practitioners to equip students with the knowledge and perspective needed to lead. Yet what truly sets GEMBA apart is the power of its community – every student and alumni brings a unique career story that enriches the learning experience and strengthens the programme as a platform for lasting professional growth.

This spirit of shared learning and mutual support is the driving force behind GEMBA Impact. At its inaugural event, three alumni took the stage to reflect on how the programme shaped their careers. Their stories share a common thread: GEMBA builds the self-awareness to identify where you want to go, and the capabilities to get there.

Theresa Cai: from local strategist to global leader

Why did I choose CEIBS, and GEMBA specifically? In short, I was looking for a breakthrough moment in my career. In 2018, I had 10 years’ experience in finance with major MNCs like PWC, Cargill, Cabot and GE. My peers called me “Miss Table”, due to my familiarity with finance matters. Still, I felt lost, unsure if I wanted to continue in finance or do something different.

That lack of self-awareness prompted my decision to take on GEMBA. I studied, debated, reflected and stretched myself alongside 100 extremely smart classmates from 21 different nationalities, all with diverse backgrounds and invaluable lessons of their own to share.

If you want to transition in your career, you must understand yourself deeply – that is what my classmates, professors and coaches helped me to do. The opening leadership module was an eye-opening moment, where I finally understood that although I was trained to work with logic and numbers, my passion is working with people.

Simon Zhang: a journey of insight and influence

There’s a Chinese saying; “When you reach 40, you should have no doubts.” In reality, doubts don’t magically disappear when you hit middle age. If anything, they increase; you are making critical business decisions almost daily, and everyone is relying on you.

When you have doubts, school is a great place to find answers. I knew I wanted to be in a learning environment with like-minded people who wanted to solve their own doubts and find answers to complex challenges that define modern business. I met “my people” in the GEMBA programme, people with whom I could learn, grow and find purpose. Our class slogan was: “Forward and Further” – which is something I felt applied to my entire time at CEIBS. We drove each other to go forward together, and to go further together.

GEMBA teaches you countless lessons during the two-year programme, but these are my three main takeaways that have impacted my career and daily work practices during my studies and since graduation.

From directing to reflecting

My job is to make decisions but at CEIBS I finally had time to reflect. To be a good leader you must truly listen. Don’t lose patience in dialogue; give your team the chance to express what they truly feel. They are the ones on the frontline and their insights can drive better decision making, so listen to them fully and reflect on what they say.

From managing to leading

One experiential learning session from GEMBA involved some intense rowing sessions. Everyone was rowing hard but they couldn’t see the direction the boat was headed. Only the leader could see, the one who wasn’t rowing at all. As a leader, you see the direction for your company, but you rely on your people to get you there. So, trust them, empower them, and find ways to channel their knowledge and skill.

From taking to giving

From the outset, the GEMBA Programme’s Director, Professor Bala Ramasamy said: “Please leave your CVs and resumes outside of the classroom; in here, we’re not trying to impress one another, we’re trying to guide each other.” This message of responsible leadership, of giving rather than taking, stuck with me throughout our studies. Whenever we give to others, whether it’s through ESG initiatives, knowledge sharing, or anything else motivated by a desire for progress, we deliver better outcomes for everyone, including better business outcomes.

Kay Uwe Geithner: the quest for purposeful leadership

As a leader, you have the ability but also the responsibility to drive positive change through business. That is the first thing I think of when I think about GEMBA. I’m German, and a well-trodden path for Germans is to become an engineer and work for a big company, Siemens in my case. I followed this social expectation but then I looked at the top leadership and asked myself if I really wanted to do their job in 5-10 years’ time. The answer was “no”.

So, I quit. I was only 24 at the time but I moved to China to explore an entirely different career path and set of life experiences. Over the following 17 years I helped build factories all over China, aided European companies enter the China market, led merger integrations and global procurement projects in China and Europe, and repeatedly challenged myself to take on new roles and responsibilities.

Ultimately, change is good. It’s good to live and work in different countries. It’s good to try new roles and workplaces, because this is how you build your understanding of the world and your ability to affect positive change within it.

GEMBA was essential in helping me navigate these various transitions. It taught me that today’s world needs leaders who lead with purpose. This is the core of what leadership means. GEMBA helps its students and alumni understand that business is more than balance sheets and maximising shareholder returns – it is about balancing progress with purpose.

Perhaps you want to be an entrepreneur, to start a social enterprise, or drive specific changes in your current organisation. CEIBS GEMBA is the ideal platform to give you the confidence and capability to do just that.