One last graduation!

Art! We dug deep into our sub-conscious and painted...  

Graduation procession 

Awaiting our diplomas

Cha-ching! Howie Chan, MBA

Savoring the spotlight

Doing my best for my class (IMD MBA 2011)

No more IMD responsibilities... for now

With my Japanese advertising guru and main actor - Takashi

Rali, Hannes, yours truly and Alison

The boys having some fun with the props

Singapore connection - Andrew Wong

The "Before" picture... 

There you have it! We are on our way to the next thing. We will be celebrating the holiday season with both our families: Christmas, New Years and Chinese New Year.

Graduation Speech

Check out the speech on Vimeo!

IMD - Graduation speech from Howie Chan on Vimeo.

Graduation Ceremony Speaker

It's official! I will be the graduation speaker for the class of 2011 IMD MBA on December 2nd. May my creative juices start flowing!

Feel free to give me some ideas as well. Cheers!

A hilarious yet thoughtful speech by Conan O'Brien

IMDeception - Private showing

To commemorate the year, I have put together a short film that spoofs different movies with an IMD spin.

South Africa - Discovery Expedition

It has been almost a month since I last blogged! I must say, the break was so good, I long for it again... Anyway, things are now better and more human than the first six months. We actually plan our schedule and we can get to bed at a decent time. Even though it is better, the stress of finding a job and client presentations for ICPs take on a different dynamic. More on that later!

South Africa... where should I start? It was a fantastic experience. I was in a group of four: Pasha, Michael,  Kingshuk and I. We spent our time working with a company that makes accessories for 4x4 vehicles. You know the documentary with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman in Long Way Around and Long Way Down? This company outfitted the support team which made their expedition possible. In addition, they outfit modern day explorers like Kingsley Holgate that brings mosquito nets, reading glasses, you name it, to different parts of Africa. The company is FullOutput and their leading brand is AfricanOutback Products. Adolf the entrepreneur is an absolute amazing guy that came from Germany more than 40 years ago. Working with this company was just great, Adolf was inspirational and spent a lot of time with us, even bringing us to a Rhino and Lion park as well as the Cradle of Human Kind.

The factory workers and his staff were absolutely great and very hospitable. They would chat with us and tell us their life stories without hesitation. We were also fed like we were eating our last meal when we were there. Homemade meals and all! I must say, the challenges of high youth unemployment, lack of high skilled workers and spillover from the apartheid regime makes it a complex system to operate in, and especially to grow and sustain a business for the long term. We learned a tremendous lot and I would say a truly amazing experience.

The rest of the trip was spent at a Pilanesberg National Park, where we did safari hikes and tours. It was stunning and it is safe to say that I will definitely be returning with Alison. No more zoos... ever.

Front: Pasha,  Back from left: Kingshuk, Michael (in our daily van ride)

Kingshuk ready for safari

demonstrating the ostrich wing!

Pasha and I just chilling in a vehicle

Being fed... constantly

Michael is just a workaholic! Well and a sweet-aholic

dried worms anyone? (it was crunchy and salty...)

Tribal dance

At the cradle of human kind

just after a good meal of steak

brothers rubbing horns

protecting the herd!

Cheese to temple

Team Gruyere has transformed to Team MonX! Here is a clip from our outdoor exercise, where we worked as a team and reflected on our behaviors individually and as a group.

It was an amazing end to a long and tiring day. We went back into the dungeons after the exercises and spent the rest of the night reflecting and discussing how roles and group dynamics were represented.

Cheers team!

IMD students and the White Horse Pub

Yesterday night, we met up with a bunch of 2011 MBA students at the white horse pub, which is a located down the street. How convenient! It's literally a stone's throw away. We met up and exchanged travelling stories as well as the logistics of acquiring internet access, mobile phones, registration...

It was a great feeling that we are not alone and everyone of us is in the same boat: anticipating the year, excited to start the program and some more jet lagged than others. After an hour or two at the pub, the owner came over with two bottles of champagne and two trays of glasses. It was on the house and he wished us a great year ahead as well as a happy new year. Considering the price of drinks in Lausanne, it was a really nice gift! The sudden appearance of champagne delayed fondue and sleeping plans for some students. Who could pass up on some free booze!

I am convinced the white horse will be a frequent drinking hole for us... cheers!

the white horse pub

What business school cannot teach you

During the Thanksgiving holidays last week, I visited my wife's Grandmother Millie in Chicago. At a young age of 93 years, she is witty, very much mobile and plays a mean game of Scrabble. Throughout the couple of days, I find myself practicing my note taking skills as I scribble down quotes and meaningful advice as she doles them out at random times. Here are the best ones:

Grandma says:

Personal Development

- "laugh out loud and laugh often"(as she points to a plaque on the wall) "that's the secret to long life!"

Facing Adversity

- "live your life one day at a time, and be flexible when things happen"

Strategy

- "do what the kids tell you to do" (she gestures to my mother in-law) "until they are gone" (she grins)

Profit through ethics

- "I follow the angel in my heart"(she points to her chest) "and the devil in my head" (pointing to her head with a cheeky smile)

and my favorite advice she has for an MBA student like myself:

Prioritization and time management

-"less loving and more studying!"

We will miss her dearly and I expect during the tough times throughout the year, I WILL remember her kind words of wisdom.

We love you Grams!

Grandma Millie and Alison

Getting used to homework

As I continue to work on my pre-MBA assignments, I cannot help but feel lucky as I have not days but weeks to read the assigned books and complete the 15 page essay. This privilege will no doubt disappear when school starts in Jan. Meanwhile, I am slowly getting used to the idea of no free time and in preparation for this, I will continue to take things easy until school starts. It will be interesting to see how ridiculous hours are going to be, but I have a feeling I'm going to have an extraordinary amount of fun while facing 5-6 hours of sleep a night. This is what I say now anyway...

2.5 books to go, 12 more pages to write!

entering the portal

Last week, just before I flew to New Orleans for some seafood and jazz, I received a notice for the portal being available. This is the much anticipated IMD portal for the 2011 students! I was selected to do a beta test for the login and soon after, it was populated with all sorts of information. Needless to say I went straight to the housing section and forwarded the list of apartments to alison. My excitement level spiked again as I saw a renewed list of future classmates and where we would spend the year in Lausanne. We picked an apartment that is 5 min walking distance to the school and had a bedroom separated from the living area.

After reserving the place online, I immediately felt something was amiss when a confirmation window showed a different apartment! Ahhh! We were deftly afraid that the apartment will be taken. The IMD admin staff and the relocation personnel were extremely helpful and very responsive to help solve the issue. After a few days of back and forth, I think we settled the issue... well, hopefully. There is still much to do for preparations for the trips ahead and the big move.

On Ave d'Ouchy