Reaping successful gains
UNIVERSITY of Nottingham Malaysia recently hosted receptions for its alumni and current MBA students in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, bringing together graduates from business and other disciplines as well as industry professionals and university staff.
The university has hosted similar events in London, but this is the first time the networking series – dubbed Nottingham in the City – has been held outside the United Kingdom.
Nottingham in the City Kuala Lumpur was held at Bridge Bar in GTower and attended by students and alumni of the university, chief executive officers and managing directors of multinational corporations and local business organisations, and founders of start-ups.
The evening kicked off with an opening address by Prof Chew Ging Lee, dean of University of Nottingham Malaysia’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and Prof James Devlin, dean of Nottingham University Business School (NUBS). Prof Graham Kendall, provost, CEO and pro-vicechancellor of University of Nottingham Malaysia, was also present and welcomed attendees to the gathering.
The highlight of the event was “Conversations with Datuk Dr Geoffrey Tan”, a panel discussion moderated by NUBS Malaysia’s acting dean Dr Avvari V. Mohan. The dialogue covered current issues in branding, firm valuations and organisation development, featuring prominent Malaysian entrepreneur, Nottingham alumnus and founder and CEO of GM Capital Ltd Datuk Dr Geoffrey Tan.
For many alumni, it was an opportunity to reconnect and reminisce about their student days. According to Sherlyn Neoh, MBA alumna and channel and category development manager at Unilever Malaysia, “It was a fantastic evening of reunion and networking. I caught up with former coursemates and met many interesting and like-minded folks.”
Satpal Singh, MBA alumnus of NUBS Malaysia and legal counsel for AirAsia BIG, said, “It was an excellent opportunity to network with fellow alumni, especially with those who have now established themselves as successful entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. The panel session was insightful and fun, and I look forward to more such gatherings.”
MBA alumnus and Axiata Digital’s regional development director Ahmad Kashfi Alwi commented, “The event was a platform for the alumni to give back to the university.
“The alumni, which is a strong global network, opens up a wealth of partnership opportunities not only with the university but between captains of the business community as well. It is this network that makes the University of Nottingham a worldclass institution.”
Krishna Kodoth, MBA alumnus and general manager at Waters Corporation, said, “It was a great opportunity to have met and conversed with the best minds in the business world and gain broader perspectives, all that with a sense of pride knowing that we all share a common connection and value system – that of the University of Nottingham.”
Nottingham in the City Singapore was held at the City Campus of PSB Academy, the university’s partner institution in Singapore.
The gathering featured a lively panel discussion on innovations in business and business sustainability, featuring the founder of Big Tiny eco-friendly homes company Adrian Chia, The Economist publication director Scott Munday and Grab Singapore director Ee Ling See. The session was moderated by Dr Avvari V. Mohan.
University of Nottingham Malaysia offers foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate courses for its September intake.
For more information, e-mail study@nottingham.edu.my or visit www.nottingham.edu.my