Chau Vu

Ivey Business School at Western University

“A firm believer in hard work and determination; a global cosmos, who has lived and worked in various countries.”

Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam

Fun Fact About Yourself: I have run two half marathons and am thinking about training for a triathlon in the near future.

Undergraduate School and Major: Illinois Wesleyan University, Accounting Degree

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: XLE Group, Director of Operations

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest achievement is successfully contributing to launching the VBA (Vietnam Basketball Association), the first-ever professional Vietnamese Basketball Association. This project was placed upon my shoulder while I was in the middle of revamping the XLE Group’s internal control system. It came as a real challenge, given its very tight deadlines and budget. Nevertheless, my team and I were determined to deliver because we wholeheartedly believed in the value that the project will bring to our community. We worked collectively and tirelessly through many late nights to accomplish the mission. I am humbled and grateful that through this project I was able to turn a challenge into an opportunity to learn and grow as a leader and a person. I’m proud that I have been able to inspire, motivate, and retain my entire team to persevere through a period seemingly insurmountable at first.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at Ivey so far: I have only been here for three months, but the amount of knowledge and human connections I have acquired so far is tremendous. The case teaching method is truly beneficial as it really helps me broaden my perspectives and deepen my understanding of the complexity of business and its fundamental value to humanity.

What quality best describes the MBA classmates you’ve met so far and why? They are intelligent, hard-working, and cooperative. I experience such qualities every day in class where my classmates come well-prepared to make meaningful contributions to classroom discussions through their own experience and analytical ability. This is also shown through my learning teams, where everybody is not only supporting one another to accomplish the tasks at hand but also challenging others to become a better version of ourselves. My classmates are also generous with their time and always go the extra mile to ensure everyone in the class understand a difficult concept and prepare well for the exams by holding tutoring and review sessions.

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? The key factor that led me to choose Ivey MBA program is Ivey’s strong career management. Before applying to Ivey, I spoke to several current students and alumni, who all spoke very highly of the Ivey’s career management and how much they have benefited from such great services. Career management was involved from the very beginning of my Ivey’s journey. I have myself experienced the high level of professionalism and commitment to high standards during the admission interview process with career management.

 What club or activity have you enjoyed the most at Ivey so far? So far, I’m most impressed with the Women in Management club because of the level of support that the club is providing to my fellow female MBA classmates and me. From hosting social networking events to holding workshops with inspiring speakers, every activity is aiming at empowering and inspiring women in business. It’s true that together, we can go far.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? As I helped XLE group with its transition into a large company with multiple stakeholders and complex business models, I found my professional calling: helping companies set a solid foundation and ethical business mindset to drive their growth journey to the next level. I also realized that the higher I go up in my career, the more it is required of me to have broad overall business knowledge. An MBA will help me continue to live my passion and thrive. I will be able to broaden my perspectives in other areas beyond my current knowledge and build on my problem-solving toolkits and leadership skills. I hope to be able to create positive changes for the global business community. I strongly believe that an MBA is the right launchpad for my career.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? I’m only interested in a one -year MBA program. Therefore I also applied to several other one-year MBA programs.

 How did you determine your fit at various schools? For me, getting an MBA is getting an experience that will transform me both professionally and personally. Therefore, there are three things that help me decide which program is most suitable to me and my career goals: The high reputation in teaching quality, the strong alumni network, and the overall culture that fosters diversity and inclusion. Before making my decision to apply to any of the schools, I always made sure that I attended its information sessions and talked to current students or alumni; doing so certainly helped me to determine whether I am the right fit for the program and vice versa.

What was your defining moment and how did it shape who you are? I want to refer to my experience with launching the VBA and the moment when VBA was successfully launched and announced to the public. In that moment, my team and I all broke out into tears and jumped wildly like kids. That’s because we were delivering something unprecedented to benefit kids, athletes, and basketball enthusiasts in my country. That was the moment when I felt a strong sense of purpose: a commitment to give as much to the community as possible. VBA truly shapes the youth of Vietnam, building personality and changing the lives of many young adults through sport. VBA is now an excellent entertainment platform for families to gather on the weekends and one of the most-watched and followed events in Vietnam. VBA also gives me a strong sense of personal fulfillment and I know that if I want to change lives, I must continue my journey of learning.

Where do you see yourself in five years? In five years, I see myself as a successful alum of the Ivey Business School, who will give back to Ivey and contribute to the global business community as much as the current Ivey alumni are doing right now. Whatever I do, I will do it wholeheartedly with the right knowledge and skillsets that I have earned throughout the years.