Meet The MBA Class of 2022: Aihe Chen, UC Davis Graduate School of Management

Aihe Chen

UC Davis Graduate School of Management

“An energetic woman mostly proud of her innate ability to enlighten others.”

Hometown: Shanghai, China

Fun Fact About Yourself: I live-streamed as a key opinion leader/influencer to promote Unilever beauty products on China’s biggest shopping and social media platforms, Taobao and Tmall.

Undergraduate School and Major: Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, International Economics and Trade

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Unilever, Senior Financial Analyst

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of the MBA curriculum or activities that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? While all MBA programs teach analytical and problem-solving skills, those skills are entrenched only when applied in a certain context. What I value most at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management is its distinctive approach—the IMPACT curriculum—that integrates theories with real-world practice. We team up on a strategic consulting project for a client company and present compelling solutions to top executives. Through in-classroom live case studies and the hands-on 10-week capstone consulting project, I’ll gain valuable insights and develop skills to solve key business issues. UC Davis’ four Industry Immersions also are attractive. I can integrate my experience in both the CPG industry and 3D-printing to work in teams to develop solutions to problems posed each week by executives.

What quality best describes your MBA classmates and why? Encouraged, inclusive, and respectful. All my MBA classmates are brilliant and talented professionally and academically. Their personalities and charm impresses me immensely. Due to the pandemic restrictions, our cohort embarks on an MBA journey even without meeting in-person. However, the VUCA did not make us retreat. We have demonstrated extraordinary resilience and flexibility facing the challenges. I’m stoked to see how swiftly we’ve transitioned ourselves to this environment. Also, as a minority, I deeply appreciate the universal respect and inclusion from my classmates and the entire UC Davis community.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: As an entrepreneurial co-founder and finance head at my 3D printing startup, I developed a finance team from scratch, designed Standard Operation Procedures, and established our own SAP system that greatly facilitated operations in terms of reporting and forecasting. This is the professional achievement that I am most proud.

What has been the biggest surprise in your first three months of business school? I was emotionally overwhelmed by how jam-packed my schedule was – even heavier than my full-time job – with case readings, presentations, team projects and internship preparation. But everything has been working out perfectly, especially with such supportive UC Davis faculty and program managers. My career development mentor continuously reached out to me for insightful career counseling. I’m excited that I already have an offer to intern this summer at Intel. I admire the collective success that UC Davis fosters.

What led you to pursue an MBA at this point in your career? With my financial planning and analysis expertise in the CPG industry and entrepreneurial experience in 3D printing, my ultimate goal is to advance my career in the tech industry. To thrive in the demanding tech arena, I must further hone my technical and managerial skills. I’m more attuned to tech industry trends to develop a more creative, visionary mindset while pursuing an MBA. What’s more, UC Davis’ location and connections with the Silicon Valley tech ecosystem are a great benefit. I am looking forward to continuing to grow my business acumen and tap into the university’s extensive network in the San Francisco Bay Area.

What other MBA programs did you apply to? UCLA Anderson School of Management, Boston University Questrom School of Business, University of Rochester Simon Business School

What do you see yourself doing ten years from now? In 10 years, I would expect to serve as the CFO in an emerging company while leading positive contributions to the welfare of the society and sustainability of the environment.

DON’T MISS: Meet The UC Davis Graduate School of Management MBA Class of 2022

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