I manage and direct all brands marketing/commercial plans/P&L for Bacardi Korea. I also lead on the regional/global reporting and communications, and represent the Korean market as Head of Marketing.  

Studying for an MBA was on my dream bucket-list! It also fitted in well with my family’s plans. My husband had a chance to study in the UK via a government sponsorship, so I thought this would be the perfect time to study for an MBA.  I also believed that an MBA would benefit my career development. 

I choose to study at the University of Birmingham as I found that Birmingham is the most industry focused location compared to any other city in the United Kingdom. Many of my British colleagues in Diageo kindly recommended The University of Birmingham. The Business School has a great reputation and a very well organised curriculum. Working for a British global company, I came to understand that the heritage and cultural asset based on educational philosophy is most important when choosing a place of study. 

What was the highlight of your MBA experience?

I would like to say that it was a real luxury to do something for myself.  That was the real value of my time studying for an MBA.  After working for 9 years and caring for 2 small children, I was happy to spend my time exploring textbooks and working on business cases!  

What are your fondest memories of your time at Birmingham?

I would say that my fondest memories involved my cohort.  We had a great time during the course: Christmas Parties, Business simulation trip, international consultancy project in Hungary, and the Deloitte consultancy project. The best memory is the international consultancy project where I got to spend 7 days with classmates in Hungary.  It was fun and was a great opportunity to work on real company issues and provided a business solution. 

How did studying for an MBA Challenge you?

It was a challenge to manage multiple tasks (included 2 kids and family) within a limited time.  It was not easy, but I’m proud of myself.  I had to learn to manage my time effectively, which meant studying and working on my assignments/dissertations during the evening, once my children had gone to bed.  

Have you grown as a person since coming to Birmingham University?

I’ve certainly grown as a person. From a personal development perspective, I have trained myself to manage multi-tasks with limited time and resources. Furthermore, I have learned how to collaborate with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives.  

How would you describe the Birmingham MBA Experience in 3 words?

A true gift – and – time for me!