Elvin Chua

IMD Business School

“Highly driven individual aspiring to lead with empathy and leave a positive impact on society.”

Hometown: Singapore

Fun Fact About Yourself: I once worked as a technician and flight line crew for an F16 fighter squadron in the Republic of Singapore Air Force as part of my mandatory military service.

Undergraduate School and Major: University of Oxford – MSc in Radiation Biology; Imperial College London – BSc (Hons) in Chemistry

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: DSO National Laboratories, Senior Manager (Technology Strategy & Planning)

What has been the best part of being in a small class with this group of classmates, known for their talent and versatility? The best part of being in a small class has been how everyone is able to connect with one another on a deeper level, and this has really helped to build that strong sense of camaraderie we have as a cohort.

Aside from classmates, what part of IMD’s MBA programming led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? What made IMD’s MBA stand out for me was its unique focus on leadership development. Not only does the leadership stream equip us with the skillset required to become an effective leader, it also provides us with the opportunity to truly reflect on our core values as individuals through the personal development elective (PDE), where we receive 20 one-to-one sessions with a psychoanalyst over the course of the MBA.

IMD is known for academic rigor. What is one strategy you used that would help a future IMD MBA better adapt to the workload early on? One strategy that I used to adapt to the intense workload was to adopt a growth mindset, where I constantly remind myself that it is only through challenges and hard times will I continue to grow and improve. After all, IMD offers a safe environment where one can afford to fail and learn from the process without any repercussions.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: One notable achievement in my career was working directly with the Deputy CEO to strengthen our organization’s ecosystem of partners by establishing over 20 new partnerships with VC firms, R&D agencies, and deep tech start-ups.

Describe your biggest accomplishment at IMD so far: My biggest accomplishment at IMD so far would have to be winning the Markstrat simulation exercise with my teammates, as part of our Marketing core module. What made the accomplishment even more gratifying was the team showed a high level of care for one another while daring to challenge one another’s views in a respectful manner.

Where is your favorite hang-out in Lausanne? Why do you (and your classmates) gravitate there? My favorite hang-out in Lausanne is down by the Geneva Lake at Ouchy. The lakeside promenade draws the class to it because the calmness and serenity of the lakefront offers us some respite from the intense curriculum of the IMD MBA.

What do you hope to do after graduation? Coming from a non-business background, I hope to continue my growth in strategy development post-MBA by joining a leading strategy consulting firm. My long-term goal is to assume a leadership position in a large multinational corporation, where I hope to leverage my experiences and knowledge to drive holistic organizational transformations.

What has been your best memory at IMD thus far? My best memory at IMD thus far would have to be the MBA discovery expedition to Silicon Valley in June, where we had the opportunity to learn about the history of the valley, how its ecosystem has been so successful with nurturing technology start-ups, and the latest innovations in sustainability. The discovery expeditions are an integral part of the IMD MBA learning experience, and I am excited to embark on my next trip to Buenos Aires in September!