Meet Toronto Rotman’s MBA Class Of 2020

Cayman Heng

University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

A hobbyist e-commerce entrepreneur who is also a vegetarian foodie.”

Hometown: Singapore

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have visited what was dubbed the world’s northernmost McDonald’s outlet in Rovaniemi, Finland. It is located near the Arctic Circle.

Undergraduate School and Major: Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University – Bachelor of Business with major in Banking & Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Royal Dutch Shell – Business Development Analyst

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far:I was tasked to lead the strategic review of an aspect of the company’s business, which was performing poorly and make recommendations on how to turn the business around. High logistics costs rendered the business uncompetitive and the business could cease unless the issue was addressed. Through several rounds of negotiations with our logistic partners, my team was eventually able to secure significant cost reductions under a newly-negotiated contract. This enabled the business to continue and provided a foundation for the business to grow its sales volume. I was also commended by the General Manager for the work that I delivered.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? Diverse! Even before the program began, I met up with some of my MBA classmates who are based in the same city as I am. What struck me the most was that despite all of us being based in Singapore, I am the only Singaporean and everyone else is of different nationalities. Besides that, all of us held different roles and worked in various industries.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key factor that led you to choose this program for your full-time MBA and why was it so important to you? Rotman was a clear choice for me because of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL). I have been privileged to be awarded the CDL Fellowship which puts me at the heart of action of technology ventures. As part of the program, I will have the opportunity to work with venture founders and learn how to manage a technology business. Being a strong believer of experiential learning, the program is a perfect fit for me to explore my interest in technology.

What club or activity are you looking most forward to in business school? I am looking forward to joining the Business Design Club. Business Design is an interesting approach to problem-solving with a strong focus on end-users. It has very practical applications across different roles and industries and I am keen to develop my skills in this area through club activities.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? There were a few considerations which prompted me to make the move. First, I have always aspired to live and work abroad. After evaluating my options, I decided that pursuing an MBA overseas is the quickest way for me to realize my aspiration at this point in my career. Second, having been working for the past four years, I have gained a good clarity on my strengths and career interests. Hence, I felt that it is an opportune time for me to leverage on the MBA program to embark on my ideal career.

How did you decide if an MBA was worth the investment? My role as Business Development Analyst requires me to build financial models to determine the Net Present Value (NPV) of investment projects. Naturally, I did exactly the same when it came to deciding whether an MBA was worth the investment. Thankfully, my projections indicated a positive NPV! Financials aside, there were also intangible aspects that I considered. To me, an MBA offers me the opportunity to broaden my perspective and launch my career overseas, which is something that I have always aspired. Hence, I decided that it was worth the investment.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? Rotman was the only Canadian MBA program that I applied to.

How did you determine your fit at various schools? I considered the school’s reputation, culture, and location when deciding which school was the best fit for me. I have a personal preference to study in Canada, as it is a great country with high quality of life. This helped me to narrow down my options considerably. Within Canada, I then researched on which are the schools that have the strongest reputation among employers.

Apart from business school rankings and employment reports, I found that it was very useful to attend MBA fairs and events to speak with the admissions teams and students. Doing so enabled me to gain valuable insights into the school’s culture, which would not have been possible if I only relied on internet sources.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I got into a road accident and the thought of death flashed through my mind at that point in time. The incident was a defining moment for me as it shaped my outlook on life. I realized how short and unpredictable life can be. This taught me to cherish my loved ones more and not take things for granted. I am grateful to be alive and have the opportunity to experience what life has to offer.

What do you plan to do after you graduate? Coming from a business development background, I would like to pursue a career where I can continue to deepen my commercial acumen. My ideal role would be one that empowers me to lead projects or manage products and make a contribution to the company’s bottom-line.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I see myself assuming greater responsibilities in my career and becoming a business leader with direct Profit & Loss (P&L) accountabilities.

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