Duc Trinh

Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

“A global citizen with a strong belief in the value of diversity and collaboration.”

Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam

Fun Fact About Yourself: Canada is my 4th country of residence after Vietnam, the US, and Singapore.

Undergraduate School and Major: Colby-Sawyer College, Concentration in Accounting and Finance

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Shutterstock – Manager, Finance Operations

Integrative thinking is one of the cornerstones of the Rotman MBA experience. What does integrative thinking mean to you and how have you been able to apply it thus far? To me, integrative thinking means approaching problems from a multidimensional perspective. The keywords here are “approaching” and “multidimensional”. Classes at Rotman are blended so well together that sometimes I no longer see the border between them, whether it be management, finance, or marketing. My classmates and I learn to apply what we have learned thus far across all courses in our daily case-based discussions. The best part is I am learning from my classmates as well along the way. Looking back, I realize I no longer rush to solve problems without sufficient planning and designing.

What has been your favorite part of Toronto so far? What has made it such a great place to earn an MBA? Toronto is truly the most diverse and multi-cultural city that I have lived in. My favorite part is there is no single cuisine that I have not been able to find in Toronto. If you are looking for an experience, Toronto is a perfect blend of city life and natural beauty. If you are a career switcher, Toronto is known for its innovative tech startups as well as its Bay Street.

Aside from your classmates and location, what was the key part of the Rotman MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? I believe the future of businesses relies on how well they can capture the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In today’s increasingly diverse business environment, collaboration is not always easy. As an advocate of diversity, I chose Rotman because of its Self-Development Lab, an extremely helpful resource for me to sharpen my skills to present myself, collaborate with others, and manage conflicts. Those soft skills are crucial for me as I thrive in my future career.

What course, club or activity have you enjoyed the most so far at Rotman? I have been amazed and incredibly grateful for the immense resources provided throughout the events hosted by the Rotman Finance Association, where I have met people sharing the same passion. The club executives and my tutor helped me nurture my interest and navigate through the transition. It is such a supportive community that I am thankful to be a part of.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: In my last role, I relocated to Singapore to become the first and only representative of the finance team. I was terrified at first. In the end, I was able to develop and then optimize an end-to-end financial process for two newly established Asian markets. The process I built resulted from a lot of cross-functional and cross-geographical collaboration that I initiated internally.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: I have worked with 14 different classmates to compete in 6 different case competitions thus far. I am not trying to compete for quantity here, but instead, these activities all enrich my learning experience along my MBA journey. Throughout the competitions, I learned the unique background my teammates brought to the table and how they viewed problems from their unique perspectives.   

What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into the Rotman MBA program? The first and most challenging phase is to look within and ask yourself why you want an MBA. Give yourself ample time to think deeply about your motivation for the MBA. Your goal, once clearly determined, will guide you through the process and push you beyond your limits. Good luck!

DON’T MISS: MEET TORONTO ROTMAN’S MBA CLASS OF 2023