Sophie Yang

Ivey Business School at Western University

“A neuroscientist, a banker, an AI-empowered health innovator, curious to know what’s next.”

Hometown: Shanghai, China

Fun Fact About Yourself: I achieved Level 10 (highest level) in guzheng in my second year of junior high school.

Undergraduate School and Major:
University of Toronto – Honours BSc, Neuroscience and Nutrition
Imperial College London – Masters of Translational Neuroscience

Most Recent Employer and Job Title:
Financial Advisor/Manager Delegate at RBC;
Design & Sales Lead, Guoyi Huake Medical Technology Group CO., LTD. Tianjin, China (Part-time)

How has the case method enriched your learning? The case method has sharpened how I think and how I act. The beauty of case‑based learning is that it turns school into real life; there are no right or wrong answers to the question. We practice judgment, not just recall. We are forced to take a stand, make our decisions, get grilled by smart peers, and leave with sharper instincts and empathy for perspectives that we hadn’t considered. Within my learning team, we share our insights, debrief what landed, and surface blind spots. That process of analyzing, deciding, debating, and reflecting all mirrors projects of a real product, where time is tight, stakeholders diverge, and there’s no “answer key” – only better hypotheses and faster iterations.

Aside from classmates and cases, what part of the school’s MBA programming led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Aside from the people and the case room, what truly pulled me to Ivey was its built‑in coaching and action‑learning cycle. We formed learning‑teams, each with 6-7 people. We huddled during the 24‑hour reports, split analytics and writing, cross‑checked each other’s logic, and iterated right up to submission. “Learning team” became “family”, where everyone is a leader, not a commander. We held space for each other’s low points, and created memories I’ll carry long after graduation. That combination of structured growth and genuine, hard‑earned camaraderie made Ivey the one and only.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: My biggest career win was hosting an international gene‑therapy symposium at Stockholm’s Nobel Forum this year, and in Shanghai last year 2024. We recruited renowned speakers from all over the world, ranging from neurotology scientists to senior consultants in the field. As a sales lead at Guoyi, we I delivered live demonstrations to more than hundreds of ENT (ear, nose, throat) department Otolaryngology specialists, showcasing how our AI integration is reshaping everyday rehabilitation practice and building a pipeline of qualified international leads. Beyond the headline numbers, we aligned strong personalities, turned jargon into action, and delivered outcomes on a global stage.

Describe your biggest accomplishment as an MBA student so far: Coming in with a neuroscience background, my biggest win has been proving I can sprint up a totally different mountain. In a few intense months, I moved from fMRI neuroimaging and p‑values to income statements, DCFs, supply chains, and strategy…learning the language of business the night before I had to defend my decision the second day during class. I leaned hard on my learning team during 24‑Hour Reports, identifying the accounting problems, and figuring out the regression models by sunrise. Finishing the core with confidence, and actually enjoying it, demonstrating that curiosity and discipline travel well across domains. That pivot is the accomplishment I’m proudest of so far.

What has been your most memorable experience as an Ivey MBA thus far? Hands down, the most memorable moment was our very first learning‑team coaching session. Six people who did not know each other, sitting in a breakout room that has the best view at Ivey, trying to come out with some cute drawings that tell the stories outside our resumes: They ranged from our childhood, grandpa stories, the effort that we put to make us who we are today, and those wins that we are proud of. We laughed, cried a little, and set ground rules for how we’d show up for one another. That day became the template for everything after: the 24‑Hour Report sprints, midnight Excel triage, and celebratory patio nachos at Barney’s. Somewhere between swapping models and life advice, classmates became family. The psychological safety we built in those hours let me take bigger risks in class, ask for help sooner, and give feedback with courage and care.

Where is your favorite hang-out in London (Ontario)? Why do you (or your classmates) gravitate there? Definitely Barney’s. It’s close enough to campus to wander over after our report or a heavy week. It has a big patio, where the whole team can grab a table. Service is fast and prices are student‑friendly, and staff there know who we are – everything just makes London feel smaller and warmer. Thursdays often have live music; we hold drinks in our hand and it easily turns into a mini‑celebration. It’s where we toast tiny wins, and the hang-outs every Friday just bring us closer and make this year unforgettable.

What do you hope to do after graduation (at this point)? At this point I want to work as a healthcare consultant, helping hospitals, payers, and biotech innovators use data and digital tools to redesign care pathways. I want to bridge between clinicians, regulators, and product teams so that we can turn data into scalable solutions that improve access and outcomes. Longer term, I hope to open my own coffee shop. It will be a small shop where it can create a community space that blends great beans and happiness together. Different industries but same goal: create experiences that make people’s lives a little better.

DON’T MISS: MEET IVEY’S MBA CLASS OF 2026

© Copyright 2026 Poets & Quants. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished, rewritten or otherwise distributed without written permission. To reprint or license this article or any content from Poets & Quants, please submit your request HERE.