Students from many countries study for an MBA abroad in order to diversify their careers after working for a number of years in their home countries. Two students from China chose a different path, however, by working in more challenging markets – Kenya and Iran – before pursuing MBA studies at Cambridge Judge Business School.
Ru Hao, who previously studied in Beijing and the Belgian city of Leuven, worked in agricultural development in Kenya. Zhao Liu, previously a student in Beijing and Wuhan, worked at Chinese-state-owned energy company SINOPEC in Iran. Read this Q&A with them to learn why they chose their respective paths.
Why did you choose to work in a developing country?
Ru: In 2012 – with colleagues from East Africa, Europe and China – I co-founded Mechanical Solutions in Kenya. The company assisted local government agencies in accessing Chinese foreign aid investment. I think that economic and political cooperation between China and East Africa provides many opportunities for investment in infrastructure. Before going to Kenya, I was with the United Nations in Vienna. I made contacts within Kenya and saw an opportunity to build a company there. It was a multinational team, which was also highly rewarding.
Zhao: I worked as a legal manager at SINOPEC (an oil and gas company, and the largest state-owned company in China) and was one of the first employees at its branch in Iran, established in 2008.
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