Interviews with alumnae: Winnie Tuang

2 minute read
Winnie Tuang

My post-MBA journey has seen me join Revolut in the role of Senior Manager of Strategy and Operations, as part of the Singapore office.

Before commencing my MBA, I worked for several consulting firms specialising in financial services. I found the experience invaluable and enriching but decided to pursue an MBA to gain deeper industry knowledge and pivot my career path from an advisory capacity to one where I could get my hands dirty. I wanted a career opportunity that would allow me to make a greater personal impact and see through my projects and initiatives end-to-end.

I chose to join Revolut when it was establishing its presence in Singapore. I had the opportunity to be a part of its launch last October, and developed product features, processes, and controls that catered to Singapore customers and regulatory requirements. 

Working for a scaling company in hyper-growth mode can be really exciting but daunting at the same time. The work is rewarding but, often, one has to contend with ambiguity, nebulous structures, changes, and an intense workload. Working in Revolut has helped push me out of my comfort zone.

My advice for current and incoming MBA candidates is to start thinking about your post-MBA career early. Try to pin down a potential geography, industry, and function as soon as you can. Book a consultation with the Careers team. I had my first conversation with Sean Thomey, from the Careers team, in August 2018 before I started my MBA. His first piece of advice to me was to come into the MBA with a top ten list of companies that I would like to target. I duly made my list and it helped keep my job search focused, yet nimble.

Taking the right courses can help. I focused on finance, strategy, and operations-related electives. Some of these electives – Corporate Turnaround, Global Strategy, and Lean Six Sigma – turned out to be my favourite courses and highly applicable in my day to day.

Networking can be helpful, especially if you want to enter a new industry or geography. Before the MBA, I co-organised a Singapore Pre-MBA Trek with peers from Saïd Business School and Cambridge Judge. Not only did the trek yield useful connections with industry experts, the organising committee became a valuable part of my MBA network, both personally and professionally.

The Oxford MBA has been a highlight of my life and career; I am sure that many of you feel the same, despite these unprecedented changes. To summarise, if you’re looking to join the MBA or are completing your MBA, have a game plan, talk to everyone from Careers to colleagues, and enjoy every moment.

Best of luck!