Hi, I’m Vi, a Vietnamese student in the IMD MBA Class of 2025. I’m enjoying my time at IMD tremendously, and am glad I decided to uproot my life in Asia and come across the world to Switzerland to join this program and grow as a person.
A little about myself: I was born in a small town in Vietnam where my parents worked tirelessly as teachers and farmers to support our family. From them, I inherited resilience and an entrepreneurial spirit, despite cultural expectations that often limited women’s roles. After earning my degree in economics from Foreign Trade University, I joined Japan Tobacco International through its Asia-Pacific Management Trainee program, which brought me to Malaysia and Taiwan. These experiences broadened my horizons and exposed me to international business practices.
My journey has not been without challenges – discrimination, work-life imbalance, and personal struggles with a long illness. These experiences shaped my decision to pursue the IMD MBA: I wanted to refine my leadership, broaden my global perspective, and gain the tools to drive meaningful, sustainable impact. I brought with me over six years of experience in marketing across Asia, eager to both contribute and learn from my peers.
Key takeaways from my journey at IMD so far:
- Leadership is about people: leading with empathy is critical. You become a better colleague and leader by understanding people’s backgrounds, motivations, and pain points.
- Conflict, when constructive and aligned to a shared goal, can strengthen teams and improve performance.
- For someone with a pure marketing background, diving into other areas such as finance, accounting, and supply chain has been challenging, fun, and intellectually rewarding.
- The cohort experience has been exceptional. We support each other, cheer each other on, and grow together. Beyond the classroom, we explore Switzerland, Singapore, and Europe as a group, deepening learning and friendships.
Looking ahead, I hope to continue sharpening my business acumen, refining both soft and hard skills, and developing lifelong friendships. By the end of the year, I want to become a better colleague, person, and leader, and I will carry these lessons forward well beyond graduation, building a more fulfilling personal and professional life even into old age.
The IMD MBA Merit Scholarship and its impact
As a candidate from a developing country, living and studying in Switzerland once felt like a distant dream. IMD’s values, especially its focus on personal development through the Leadership stream, truly resonated with me, so I applied. I was fortunate enough to receive a substantial scholarship, without which it would not have been possible for me to attend. This award enabled me to step out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and embrace this transformative journey. I am deeply grateful, and I am working tirelessly to make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
