EMBA leads student to Disneyland
Although Frederick Chan had a decent career in marketing for a number of years, he was keen to enhance his prospects. Enrolling in the EMBA at the Richard Ivey School of Business last year was the turning point and, as a result, he was recruited as director of marketing for Hong Kong business at Hong Kong Disneyland last May.
'Taking an EMBA course provided me with opportunities to challenge my status quo, my usual ways of thinking and mode of working. Even more importantly, I was not just learning in a classroom setting from a professor, but from a group of senior executives from various sectors and disciplines. That's eye-opening,' he said.
The course broadened his perspectives and helped him to resolve complicated business issues much more quickly.
'Ivey's Cross-Enterprise Leadership approach means that more than 80 per cent of our classes are done with case discussions. With real-life cases, professors' guidance and contributions from all classmates, I learned how to apply what I learned to real-life situations instantly. At this time of worldwide financial crisis, things change fast and executives have to act fast,' he said.
During an economic slump, the biggest challenge for a marketer is to deal with uncertainties that affect consumer spending, Mr Chan said.
As a marketing director, it is crucial to realise the right time to invest in a product.
'Increasing or decreasing marketing spending depends on the life stage of your brand or product as well as the brand owner's financial situation. My belief is that during tough times a brand should maintain, if not enhance, its contacts and bonds with its customers because, when good times return, customers will definitely be more loyal to that brand.'
