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Imperial College Business School supports a variety of student-led Business School Clubs that aim to bring together both MBA and MSc students with shared interests, values, career aspirations and backgrounds. There are currently 16 different Careers Clubs at the Business School spanning a wide range of interests. The Careers Clubs provide students opportunities to expand their network, gain valuable industry insights, and build links with employers.
There are six regional Business Clubs for students to develop their networks and gain industry knowledge about that global region. The six regions are Africa, Asia, Continental Europe, India, Latin America, and North America. Our second IB Career Club of the Month is one of those regional business clubs, the Asia Business Club! Candidate Experience Manager Ollie Waite sat down with President Gloria Guo and Vice President Sunny Gui to discuss the club, its mission statement, and what inspired them to join.
Ollie: Thank you, both for joining me to discuss all things Asia Business Club. You are the first of the regional Business Clubs to be featured. Could you tell us about the Asia Business Club and what your aim is?
Asia Business Club: We aim to provide networking opportunities and career resources for students who are interested in business topics and career opportunities both in Asia and the UK. Our events help students develop their network with alumni and business leaders in the Asia-UK market. For anyone interested in pursuing a career in Asia, our events will provide you with a better understanding of the job market, culture, and business practices in Asia. For Asian students who are interested in continuing their development in the UK, our events will be designed to help you better identify your opportunities and establish useful connections.
Ollie: Good to know that it works both ways for those Asian students looking to develop a career in the UK as well as students looking to develop connections in the Asian job market! What kind of activities or events has the Asia Business Club organised so far?
Asia Business Club: We have run a variety of activities. We participated in the Business School Club Fair and hosted a Welcoming Party at the beginning of the first term to welcome our new members. In November 2021 and January 2022, we organised a Panel Discussion and a Fireside Chat, targeting students who showed interest in consulting and asset management. More recently, we held a 'Women in Business Panel' where we invited Asian female professionals to discuss topics like workplace diversity and inclusion. We also visited international auction house Bonhams to learn about the growing market for art in Asia.
In terms of digital activities, our club has started a podcast series “Connect Pod” on Spotify, in which we interview Asian alumni from Imperial on their professional careers and working experiences. To date, there are five episodes released and more is expected to come! Our club also updates industry newsletters regularly on our social media accounts, and an Asian Culture Series was posted in February to celebrate Lunar New Year and to raise students’ awareness of Asian Culture.
Ollie: I will definitely give that podcast a listen and share it with our incoming 2022-23 class. I love that you’ve used different forms of media to keep your members updated! You must have a strong team behind you to put all of these things in motion, who makes up the Asia Business Club Committee?
Asia Business Club: The 2021-22 Asia Business Club Committee is made up of:
President: Gloria Guo (MSc Finance)
Vice President: Sunny Gui (MSc Management)
Secretary: Kylie But (MSc International Health Management)
Treasurer: Antony Lui (MSc Finance & Accounting)
PR Director: Caroline Meng (MSc International Management)
Events and Logistics Directors: Abby Chang (MSc International Management), Sophia Sun (MSc Management)
Marketing and Communications Director: Juliet Chan (MSc Strategic Marketing), Jindi Yin (MSc Strategic Marketing), Youngwoo Oh (MSc Management)
Head of Finance: Victor Lui (MSc Strategic Marketing)
Head of Healthcare: Yueyin Wang (MSc International Health Management)
Head of FMCG: Jade Yang (MSc International Management)
Head of Consulting: Yiqi Zhang (MSc Financial Technology)
Ollie: Very diverse in terms of your academic backgrounds! I also like that you are utilising people's knowledge and skillsets. What would you say is your proudest achievement as a club so far?
Asia Business Club: Our proudest achievement so far is the fact that we have successfully invited lots of high-profile alumni to be guest speakers for our events and podcasts. We constantly listen to our members’ needs and organise events according to their desired industries and job functions. We are also very proud that we are innovating and expanding from just having events to also creating newsletters and podcasts to generate greater value for our members.
"It's great to oversee the whole process, from idea, to brainstorm, and then organising. To hear positive feedback after events is so rewarding as it can take over a month to make them happen, there are lot's of moving parts. You get to do this whilst also making friends and hearing interesting stories!"
Ollie: I agree that they are definitely things to be proud of! Listening to your members is so important and it’s great that you are so adaptable to cater to their needs as best as possible. Thinking on more of a personal level, what would you say you have gained from being a member of the club?
Asia Business Club: As a member of the club, we have the privilege to connect with experienced alumni and get useful recruitment and career advice from industry experts. There were also guest speakers sharing their own workplace experiences in the West as Asian people, which allows our members to better understand how to pursue a career in a different market. Apart from that, we also get to strengthen our industry knowledge from regular industry newsletters and stay on top of trends.
"The club has expanded my network and introduced me to the more technical side of the finance and consulting industry which has given me a lot of perspective. I'd also like to highlight that the club isn't just for students from Asia, it's also for anyone who has an interest in Asia and wants to explore what the market is like."
Ollie: I’m glad that you’ve been able to hear some first-hand accounts of people’s experiences that can be so valuable. You never know who you may work with in the future so making these connections too is so important. What does Asia Business Club have planned for the rest of the academic year?
Asia Business Club: For the rest of the academic year, we plan to continue sharing industry newsletters regularly and releasing more podcast episodes. We are looking to host a networking event and coffee chat and then something for our farewell party towards the end of the year!
Ollie: Many more exciting things to come then! As you know, we do include these features in our admitted student’s newsletters. What would you say to a future student considering joining one of the IB Careers clubs?
Asia Business Club: We highly encourage all future students to join IB Careers Clubs. It is an effective way in broadening your professional network, and there are opportunities to meet like-minded students. The Career Clubs at Imperial Business School are very diverse, they cater to different industries and sectors with a huge variety of events. Most of the clubs also gather useful information regarding industry news and job openings, which helps you strengthen your commercial awareness. You can be sure to gain something no matter which club you choose to join, it’s also a nice to break up the work and have a balanced Imperial life!
Follow the Asia Business Club on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. The Asia Business Club is not just a place for those from Asia, but also for anyone interested in businesses to and from Asia. Don’t hesitate to reach out for more information! You can contact them via ibasiabusinessclub@imperial.ac.uk if you have any questions.
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