Hi everyone!
My name is Jordan He and I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and I am currently pursuing a dual degree with an MSc in International Business & CEMS Master’s in International Management (CEMS) at the Ivey Business School in London, Canada. Prior to Ivey, I completed a Bachelor of Economics degree at Western University. Simultaneously, I was a professional video gamer and North American team captain for the video game Crossfire. The gaming opportunity was a wonderful gateway for me to travel around the globe and gain valuable leadership insights. It was also one of the main reasons I chose to do the CEMS program at Ivey.
The CEMS program is a unique experience that is geared for individuals who are poised for international careers. I spent four months at Ivey, two months working in India for a New York based fintech company called Synechron, four months at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in Denmark, and most recently four months at the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School (UCD) in Ireland. As my enjoyable and stimulating CEMS experience comes to an end, I wanted to share my key experiences throughout the past sixteen months, and how I was personally and professionally transformed by it.
Why I Chose CEMS:
One of the main reasons I was attracted to the CEMS program was the opportunity to learn more about the European markets, and that is exactly why I chose to do my exchanges at CBS and UCD. I realized that I had traveled to various countries, but I did not fully understand the operations and idiosyncrasies of the business environments in Europe. This was an opportunity that I could not have overlooked.
It was also imperative for the continuation of my studies that I would choose program that had an emphasis on practical education. At the time of application, I was unsure about my career path and knew CEMS would provide clarity into the path. The opportunity to combine CEMS with Ivey made it an easy choice. The case-based method is something I have always believed in and valued, and the opportunity to merge this with my international experience has been fulfilling. Furthermore, I knew I wanted to study amongst motivated individuals with global aspirations that would in turn inspire me.
TERM 1 CBS:
My exchange semester at CBS started with a one-week intensive block seminar led by lead researcher Steen Vallentin. The block titled Sustainability Transformations from CSR to Global Goals was an enlightening experience that focused on how sustainability is a necessity for all modern corporations. The event hosted wonderful industry guest speakers from KPMG and Coloplast providing diverse outlooks to the discussion. Each of the 33 CEMS schools have their respective block seminars, some of which are more theoretical while others are more practical. These exciting opening events emphasize and reveal the interactive nature of the program.
Every CEMS school has the mandatory Global Strategic Management course in the first term. This was my favorite course during my CEMS journey. Each and every week, we would have a different outstanding lecturer or practitioners, who were experts in their fields, lead the class discussions. This was the moment I really understood why CEMS is such a remarkable program. Sitting next to me were 50 students from across the globe; almost every student representing a different nationality. Being one of the two North American students in the room, I was very shocked to realize how different all of perspectives were on various topics. This allowed me to further develop my understanding of the vast cultural differences in Europe and in the world. To capitalize on this opportunity and learn from my colleagues, I decided to run as head of student relations, allowing me to further develop and establish bonds between the individuals in the cohort.
Another special aspect of CEMS is the relationship the program has with their corporate partners. The partners are consistently engaged with recruitment and networking, through exclusive events and mentorship. Throughout the semester, we also had opportunities to attend skill seminars, company visits, and networking events. My favorite events included the Dublin Tech Tour, the Carlsberg Company visit, and a three day consulting conference in Warsaw, Poland that attracted companies such as Bain & Company and AT Kearney, and lastly the Budapest Career Forum.
The Budapest Career Forum was an extraordinary event that attracted over a thousand CEMS students and hundreds of representatives from over 44 corporate partners, including Google, Facebook, McKinsey & Company, P&G, Coca Cola, and many more! It was the greatest career forum I have ever attended, and it really showed me that whatever career path you decide to pursue CEMS will provide the opportunity for you to succeed. Throughout the CEMS experience, you will be consistently engaged with alumni, and I believe the network CEMS provides is truly second to none.
TERM 2 UCD:
In my last semester at UCD, I was fortunately selected to undertake the role as class Vice President. One of the most incredible aspects of CEMS - is the opportunity to contribute to the community, however you want to. It an amazing experience that is dependent on the different passions of the individuals in your cohort and students are able to create brand new events and activities. For example, the large-scale conferences that are hosted every year including, but not limited to, the Nordic Forum in Northern Europe, the V4 in Eastern Europe, the DACH forum in Western Europe, and the Marenosturum in Istanbul, Turkey. Furthermore, having the opportunity to travel to multiple countries in Europe has allowed me to connect with CEMS students from other schools, and this experience provided a further inimitable connection to the global community.
Another unforgettable experience was the Responsible Global Leadership Seminar that was an integral part of the curriculum. The topic for the UCD students during my year revolved around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). We had an impeccable lineup of speakers, including Jane Ann Mckenna (Head of Mission, Medicens San Frontieres), Tara McCarthy (CEO of Board Bia), Pat O’ Doherty (CEO of ESB), Dominic McSorley (CEO of Concern), and many more. This real world and eye opening event allowed our CEMS cohort to interact personally interact with these accomplished individuals and to foster of a discussion of change.
In the last term of the CEMS program, each student must participate in the Business Project Course, another unique learning experience. Students are placed into groups from within their cohort, and throughout the semester, are tasked with engaging with the client. Ultimately, the teams must develop final recommendations for the senior managers, which in many cases are used for real world applications. We had the pleasure to choose from companies such as Ernst & Young (EY), Microsoft, Deloitte, Henkel, Danone, and more. I could have not been more delighted to have been chosen to work with EY and their Transaction Advisory Services team. This task and client has enhanced my understanding of the financial services industry, while I am sure that my work has produced a long-lasting and profound influence on the company.
Where I hope to take it:
It is bittersweet that my CEMS studies have now come to an end, but I believe that the CEMS journey has only just begun. During the program, I was exposed to an abundant of corporate partners from a plethora of different industries. More importantly, I am thankful for the opportunity to meet so many interesting and inspiring individuals. I am happy to call them my friends and I look forward seeing how their futures blossoms. I cannot wait to contribute to the CEMS community as I launch my career, and I am certain that the lessons I learned during these past sixteen months will allow me to have a positive impact on society as a whole.
After speaking with hundreds of CEMSies across the globe, I truly believe that the CEMS experience is what you make of it. If you are willing to broaden your perspectives and you are genuinely interested in an international career, then CEMS will be an unforgettable experience. It will not be easy, but it will be worth it.
Thanks for reading and I hope you gained some valuable insights into the CEMS program! If you have any questions about Ivey or the program, please feel free to reach out to:
E: jhe.msc2020@ivey.ca
L: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanhe/