Anu Hodge

HKU Business School, University of Hong Kong

“A high-energy people person that is a trustworthy team mate & true to her word!”

Hometown: Sydney, Australia

Fun fact about yourself: I am an Australian, with Indian heritage, born in Philippines and now living in Hong Kong.

Undergraduate School and Degree: University of Sydney, Bachelor Economics

Where was the last place you worked before enrolling in business school? Marketing Manager, Amazon Australia (based in Sydney Australia)

Where did you intern during the summer of 2024? I interned at the School of Parenting spending my summer with my daughter, who teaches me something every day!

Where will you be working after graduation? Senior Marketing Leadership within FMCG Industry

Community Work and Leadership Roles in Business School: As a proactive leader and committee member of the Marketing & FMCG Club within my MBA community, I have been instrumental in advocating for the development and sharing of marketing expertise among our 50+ members. I drove the creation of the club by drafting the original business proposal, recruiting members, creating essential documents, and facilitating events featuring prominent industry leaders, as well as supporting committee team members. To ensure ongoing engagement, I utilized efficient communication tools such as WhatsApp to disseminate information about key events within the club.

Which academic or extracurricular achievement are you most proud of during business school? I am really proud to have continued my volunteer leadership role with an Australian-based charity not only whilst completing my MBA but also remotely from Hong Kong. I was able to leverage many of the real-life examples and challenges within the volunteer organisation into the business school as case studies in multiple courses. This added further breadth and depth for my classmates through sharing these unique perspectives akin to volunteer work, where resources are scarce but impact is high.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career? I have really made myself known for handling the tough projects in companies. Whilst at Nestlé, I took a new product that was lagging in traction, and completely reinvented it within 6 months. I created a team of experts and empowered them to lead their functions to create a new better tasting product that delivered more profit. I then also trained sales team, and co-sold with our business development team to create a $3 million category in 2 years for a B2B product. This was a defining moment in my career, as it was truly agile, cross-functional & led to some major milestones in categories where Nestlé had always struggled.

Why did you choose this business school? Many schools had impressive rankings and subjects, but the standout feature for HKU Business School was the flexibility to study full time. I was in a unique position when I first moved to Hong Kong, with time on my hands before searching within the job market. The Full time MBA has allowed me to focus solely on completing the program without having to work and then study part time. As a parent, this has been invaluable as programs with part time, plus work plus family commitments would not let me get the most out of an MBA program. There are also additional elements that are unique to the Full-time course, such as learning and development workshops in soft skills, networking events, mentors, coaches, and career services. which has been so beneficial for someone who is new to the Hong Kong market. All these aspects of the HKU MBA Full time program has given me a strong foundation, and the confidence to establish a future career in the Hong Kong market.

Who was your favorite MBA professor? This is such a difficult question as so many of the professors were truly amazing. In fact, this was my greatest learning at HKU business school – the caliber of the professors exceeded my expectations. Prof Zhu taught me to get outside of my comfort zone with learning to use Chat GPT to create R coding. Prof Tang expanded my view of the post covid world with compelling narratives around China & USA. I really learned so much about China and its rich history. Prof An & Prof Chen took complicated topics like web 3 and blockchain and made sense of it all in a 4-day block course. Prof Lumineau taught me new strategy frameworks beyond those I have used myself in the last 15 years of working, and he also made me realize that I have been misusing some of them! I thoroughly enjoyed my Mandarin course with Prof Ni, that was practical, relatable and really, really fun. I have previously tried to help my child with homeschooling during covid in her Chinese homework, and found it so overwhelming. In just ten classes with professor Ni, I feel that she has provided my such a solid understanding and appreciation of the basics that I am actually excited to continue learning Mandarin!

What was your favorite course as an MBA? Business Ethics was a standout course for me. It challenged me continuously to test my biases and hold a mirror to my own leadership behaviour. It made me uncomfortable through the case studies that were difficult to read but so highly relevant to the world we live in. Prof Bishop had a contagious passion in the subject and it forced me to think hard about who I choose to be in both my personal and professional life with the actions I take. It was unlike any other course I had taken in my lifetime and I like that it challenged the status quo in a very open and frank manner with healthy debate amongst classmates in tricky case studies.

What was your favorite MBA event or tradition at your business school? Our initial orientation in the first week of the HKU programs had a full day of events at outward bound in Sai Kung. I really enjoyed this event, as it brought out the best in team work from all our classmates. I witnessed so many amazing skills and lateral thinking from the group, like one student memorizing a sequence of 13 cards – when most of us failed to remember even half of that. The camaraderie was really good, with everyone supporting each other and having so much fun. I also got to see a beautiful part of Hong Kong, and there was a good mix of physical challenges and mental games too. It set the scene for a fabulous first semester to follow.

Looking back over your MBA experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently and why? Looking back over my MBA experience, I honestly don’t believe I would do anything differently. At one point, I did consider whether I should have undertaken the Executive MBA, but the format of the full-time MBA was truly beneficial to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the courses and core modules. The professors were of high caliber and extremely inspiring, offering many thought-provoking narratives. I learned both soft and hard skills, and I appreciated the diversity of perspectives among my cohort. Although there were many personal sacrifices, particularly with my time for family or travel, I have no regrets.

What is the biggest myth about your school? The biggest myth about my school is that an MBA is solely about studying and grades. In reality, there is a core focus on soft skills such as networking. Getting to know your classmates, attending industry events, and building professional relationships are all integral parts of the experience. There is also significant emphasis on other soft skills, with learning and development modules covering public speaking, health and well-being, and workshops focused on developing high-performing teams. There were over 50 hours dedicated to professional learning across a variety of these topics with trainers and industry experts. It was a true luxury to have the time to focus on developing a more holistic set of skills to support my leadership journey, even at a more mature stage of my career.

What movie or television show best reflects the realities of business and what did you learn from it? A combination of Mad Men and House of Lies best reflects the realities of business for me. Mad Men teaches me the art of creativity and the importance of thinking about things differently to derive solutions. For example, there was Don rethinking the tobacco restrictions around what is it not (e.g. cancer causing/unhealthy) into repositioning the product as what it is (“It’s Toasted”). I am particularly inspired by Peggy’s resilience in earning respect in an industry dominated by men. Both of these themes are timeless issues that still apply today.

On the other hand, House of Lies pushes the boundaries of how far one is willing to go to achieve their goals and how to shape the world around you to get what you need. While I am not as Machiavellian as the lead character, the core lesson stands: don’t be at the whim of the environment around you, but instead use your power to develop the environment to suit your values. The key, of course, is to use that power for good instead of evil!

What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What insights did you gain from using AI? Our Data Analytics course required me to use AI instead of traditional tools like Excel for analysis. This experience taught me to be resilient and adapt quickly by adjusting the prompts I use to get the desired output from AI. It encouraged me to research better ways to incorporate AI into my regular work. I have used AI to proofread and edit my work, as well as to research unfamiliar topics. This has helped me be more efficient with administrative tasks, allowing me to spend more time on analysis and the creative communication of ideas. I have found that AI complements my skills rather than replacing them. A key learning is to be accountable for the output – in many cases AI can change my narrative so making sure I use AI to enhance my work (but not create it) is crucial to retain my independent thought and tone of voice. The time saved with AI can now be reinvested into adding more value to tasks or projects, which is truly empowering.

Which MBA classmate do you most admire? Cherry Gu, Amber Nan & Maud Ma – mums who have made huge sacrifices but have such a high work ethic and high quality of work. I admire parents pursuing an MBA for several reasons.

First, it is no small feat to balance the demands of parenthood with the rigorous academic and networking requirements of an MBA program. It demonstrates a high level of dedication, time management, and resilience. These parents often have to juggle family responsibilities, work commitments, and their studies, showcasing their exceptional multitasking abilities.

Second, pursuing an MBA as a parent sets a powerful example for their children. It teaches the value of lifelong learning, perseverance, and striving for personal and professional growth. Seeing their parents achieve such a significant milestone can inspire children to set high goals for themselves and understand the importance of education and hard work.

Third, parents who undertake an MBA bring a unique perspective to the program. Their experiences in managing a household, raising children, and balancing various responsibilities add a rich layer of insight and maturity to classroom discussions and group projects. This diversity of thought enriches the learning experience for everyone involved.

Lastly, parents who undertake an MBA tend to work very efficiently due to their need to manage multiple responsibilities. They often produce high-quality work because they know how to prioritize tasks and make the most of their time.

What are the top two items on your professional bucket list?

The top two items on my professional bucket list are working in Europe and obtaining a director-level role.

First, working in Europe would provide me with invaluable international experience, exposing me to diverse cultures, business practices, and perspectives. Having moved from Sydney, Australia to Hong Kong, I have learned how easy it is to relocate to a different country when you have the right support, and I have seen firsthand how beneficial such a move can be for the development of my entire family. This opportunity in Europe would not only enhance my professional growth but also broaden my understanding of global markets.

Second, obtaining a director-level role is a significant career milestone for me. It represents a culmination of my skills, experience, and leadership abilities, allowing me to make a substantial impact within an organization. Achieving this role would enable me to drive strategic initiatives, mentor emerging leaders, and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success. I also want to focus on sponsoring & developing female talent & other DEI subgroups to achieve more in their careers as well. Leaders should develop other leaders, and advocate for more diversity within leadership.

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

“Anu is a valuable member of the MBA family. Despite her immense experience in the marketing field, she is humble and is willing to take advices from both the career team and the programme team. She participates in the Marketing and FMCG Club and took the lead in organizing many activities for MBA students. I fully support this nomination.”

Ms. Josephine CHAN
Executive Director of MBA Programmes

DON’T MISS: MBAS TO WATCH: CLASS OF 2025

 

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