Raymond Xiang Zheng

Alliance Manchester Business School

“Curious, ambitious, and resilient—always seeking challenges, embracing growth, and pushing boundaries in life.”

Hometown: Tieling, China

Fun fact about yourself: Won third place in a hot chili-eating competition in Beijing

Undergraduate School and Degree: North China University of Technology, Civil Engineering

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? British Embassy Beijing, Senior Trade and Investment Officer

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? Eli Lilly, UK

Where will you be working after graduation? Eli Lilly, cMBA Programme

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: Student Council President, shortlisted for Venture Future Awards.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am proud to be elected as the Student Council President for the MBA Class 2025. Leading a team of seven, I focused on creating an inclusive and supportive community where every classmate could thrive, make lifelong connections, and maximise their MBA experience.

I introduced several key initiatives to foster academic, professional, and personal growth. I launched the Student Council Award Scheme to encourage active contributions to the class and strategically allocated Student Council funding to support the class participating in MBA competitions across the UK and internationally. I worked with the VP of Academics and school faculty to enhance the MBA curriculum by sharing class feedback. I collaborated with the VP of Social to create events celebrating our diverse student body, ensuring that classmates developed a deeper understanding of different cultures, which is an essential skill for their future international careers.

I worked with the VP of Career to organize a student-led MBA career event, providing access to industry professionals and helping classmates explore career paths and gain industry insights.

I also prioritised well-being and sustainability, I worked with the VP of Wellbeing to organise initiatives like class sports activities and Well-being Donut Day. And I hosted a football tournament against LBS, Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh Business School.

This experience was truly transformative for me. It strengthened my leadership, teamwork, and strategic thinking skills while providing a unique opportunity to work with peers from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. More importantly, it reinforced my belief in the power of community, collaboration, and inclusion.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? While working at the British Embassy Beijing, I organized a series of London Stock Exchange Roadshows to promote London as a capital-raising and business destination. I successfully attracted Zhejiang Yongtai to the UK, which raised $70 million through UK-China Stock Connect, sending a strong signal to the market that London is a preferred listing destination over other international markets. This was the first-ever Shenzhen Stock Exchange-listed company to issue Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) through UK-China Stock Connect, marking a significant step in enhancing UK-China financial services connectivity. This achievement strengthened ties between UK-China economy-to-economy and the business-to-business connection, which would create further opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.

Why did you choose this business school? I was particularly drawn to the ‘learning by doing’ approach of my business school’s MBA programme, which incorporates three real-life consultancy projects. This structure provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in tackling real-world business challenges, allowing me to apply MBA knowledge in practical settings.

What was your favorite course as an MBA? My favourite MBA course was Strategy & Competition, taught by Reza Salehnejad. The course was highly engaging and interactive. You simply wouldn’t want to miss a class.

What made this course stand out was its comprehensive approach to strategy, blending theoretical foundations with real-world applications. The first part introduced fundamental corporate and industry-level strategy themes, linking them to industrial organisation and organisational economics. It covered corporate development strategies, organisational design, competition strategies, sources of corporate failure, and corporate restructuring. The second part moved beyond general strategy concepts, focusing on industry-specific strategies and how market characteristics shape successful business decisions. His selection of up-to-date business cases constantly challenges our thinking, ensuring that we apply concepts to real-world scenarios.

What made his class even more valuable was the conversational atmosphere. He brings his own personality and unique perspective into the classroom, making the learning experience truly engaging. He not only teaches strategy but also shares life experiences and personal lessons he has learned throughout his career, making the course far more than just an academic exercise. His insights always gave me practical wisdom that will be invaluable in our careers.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? My favourite MBA event was the three-day trip to the Lake District at the very start of the MBA. This trip was designed around team activities led by mentors, not only helping us get to know each other quickly and build friendships, but also providing a unique opportunity to reflect on our personal journeys and what we hoped to gain from the MBA.

This experience shaped our class culture early on, fostering strong connections and a sense of community. Through challenging team-building activities, we explored what makes a high-performing team and how to collaborate effectively. This experience became a valuable foundation for working with my future MBA project teams, shaping the way I approach teamwork and leadership. Some activities even pushed us out of our comfort zones, reinforcing the importance of resilience and adaptability, which are both essential qualities for our MBA journey. A few activities promoted inclusion, diversity, and cultural exchange; it allowed students to share their backgrounds and perspectives, strengthening the diversity and inclusion that makes the MBA experience so valuable. Beyond teamwork, the retreat encouraged deep personal reflection, prompting us to consider our MBA charter, our goals, and the broader purpose of this MBA experience.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back on my MBA experience, one thing I would do differently is dropping my CFA Level II exam during the first term. Instead, I would’ve used that time to explore entrepreneurship earlier and network more with PhD and Master’s students in fields aligned with my interests.

Coming from a non-finance background, balancing both CFA studies and an MBA was extremely challenging. While the CFA provided valuable financial knowledge, I now realize that I could have gained even more by immersing myself in MBA competitions, entrepreneurship initiatives, or personal projects. I eventually began exploring entrepreneurship in the third term and was shortlisted for the Venture Future Awards with my business idea. This experience made me realize that being an MBA student is the perfect time to focus on your business idea, as it provides access to resources, mentorship, and a strong support network while allowing room for experimentation.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The business school ‘learning by doing’ is a core part of the MBA experience.

The three real-life consultancy projects run alongside main courses, making the programme super busy but highly practical. This setup helps students prepare for senior roles, teaching them how to manage priorities, make trade-offs, and improve soft skills like time management and negotiation.

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Strategy & Competition, taught by Reza Salehnejad

In the Strategy & Competition course, we explored how AI tools like ChatGPT can be used in business strategy. We were encouraged to generate business ideas using AI and compare them with traditional brainstorming methods, which gave us valuable insights into how AI enhances creativity and problem-solving. To further support our learning, we were also encouraged to use AI for report writing, and Reza Salehnejad recorded additional videos on coding to help us develop practical skills.

Beyond coursework, AMBS integrates AI projects into its three real-life consultancy projects. Those projects allow students to work on consulting for AI firms, helping the students understand the industry trend and business challenges.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Very difficult to answer! I have learned so much from my peers. But if I had to choose one, I would say Fancy Yao Fan. She made a bold decision to leave a stable, well-respected job and step out of her comfort zone to pursue an MBA, despite her parents believing she should stay in her previous organisation.

At the start of the programme, she faced challenges since she had never worked in an English-speaking environment. She was initially quiet in group discussions and didn’t know how to contribute. However, over time, she pushed herself to speak up, contribute ideas, and step into leadership roles. Now, she has grown into a confident team leader, actively leading a project team in delivering a consulting project for a UK-listed firm on its business development strategy. Her MBA journey shows stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing challenges leads to real growth and transformation.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? First, I want to multiple countries to deepen my understanding of global markets, diverse business environments, and cross-cultural leadership. Exposure to different regions will help me build a strong international network and develop the skills needed to navigate complex business challenges on a global scale.

Second, my goal is to become a CEO or start my own business in the long term. I want to apply my leadership, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills to drive business growth and innovation. Whether leading an organisation or building a company from the ground up, I aim to create meaningful impact, foster innovation, and shape the future of business.

What made Raymond such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2025?

“As the President of the class-elected Student Council for the Full-Time MBA Program, Raymond has demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and a collaborative spirit that have significantly benefited his class and the programme. He dedicates several hours per week for council work and continually strives to contribute more to the class, acting as a voice for his classmates and liaising with colleagues across teams.

His proactive and courteous manner means that he is a pleasure to work with and I am pleased to have been able to work with him in his Class President role. In collaboration with two classmates Raymond generated a new business idea that was entered into the Venture Further Awards, by the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC). Raymond held a pivotal role in brainstorming and refining the initial business concept for PurFetch, an integrated online platform for pet owners and service & product providers. PurFetch was named one of the Top 4 finalists in the services category at the Venture Future Award 2024, hosted by the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre at The University of Manchester.

Raymond is an excellent ambassador for the MBA programme, supporting our Admissions Team to talk with applications about his programme experiences and answer their questions. He also secured a competitive Sales and Marketing Internship with Lilly UK, a Fortune 500 global healthcare leader. Performing consistently well across our MBA Citizenship Scheme, Raymond was the overall winner in two categories: ‘Demonstrating a reflective, positive, can-do attitude’ and ‘Thinking of and working with others’, and he came second in the category of ‘Making a better programme and a better world.’ As the Citizenship Scheme results are solely determined by classmates’ points allocations, it is testament to his standing in the class that he performed so strongly.”

Naomi Blackwell
MBA Assistant Director

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