Chak Pan Ivan Hui

University of Oxford, Saïd Business School

“A photographer, architecture geek and classical music lover who is obsessed with making things happen.”

Hometown: Hong Kong

Fun Fact About Yourself:  I love travelling to see buildings, especially modern architecture. I always touch buildings to feel the texture, details and craftsmanship. I also take pictures with angles that are hard to imagine.

Undergraduate School and Major:  University of Hong Kong, Real Estate and Construction

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: Founder of Camino Developments Company, a real estate consultancy which partners with real estate investors to create value through excellent project management.

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Oxford Saïd’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Oxford Saïd’s MBA emphasizes how business drives social changes for the good. It gives me inspiration on how I should position myself in a world where responsible business is becoming a must.

What course, club, or activity has been your favorite part of the Oxford Saïd MBA experience? Definitely the finance-focused electives and co-curricular. As I am looking to pivot into the finance sector after the MBA, the many finance-related courses, such as finance lab, asset management master class, and the hedge fund course have helped me build my knowledge in the industry and identify the interest and interactions of different market participants.

What is the most “Oxford” thing you have done so far as a full-time MBA student? Drink and dance in a black tie one night, and join an academic seminar about classical music in the morning right after.

Oxford is known as a place where world collides, be it in the classroom or the dining hall. What has been the most interesting interaction you’ve had so far as an Oxford MBA student? I met a Myanmarese social activist in a historical pub who escaped into the jungle for 6 months. His aspiration to help Myanmar develop into a better country reminds me to dream big.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Starting my own company, building my client portfolio, and gaining their trust in me for me to manage their projects in Hong Kong. I am now in the MBA and working on my projects to deliver $2m cost reduction in a total budget worth $19m through contract negotiation and value engineering exercises.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far? My biggest accomplishment is to get to know the talented people within and beyond the MBA class. I interact daily with Oxford students who come from all kinds of experiences. They are very willing to share their stories which open my eyes to different perspectives and parts of the world.

What has been the biggest epiphany you’ve gained about yourself or the world since you started your MBA program? My strengths and weakness in personality and how to optimize them. A professional executive coach inspired me to explore my own personality and understand its multi-facet traits. Even though some personal characteristics may look imperfect, you always find a way to make the best out of it. The opportunities and openness of the business school is the best ecosystem for you to cultivate, test, and optimize your character and habits so that you bring out the best of you for the next adventure.

DON’T MISS: MEET OXFORD SAÏD’S MBA CLASS OF 2023