Strategic thinking and scenario planning: How my MBA gave me the skills for career success

Sponsored by Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) 

An MBA programme continues to be the most effective way to level-up your professional career, gaining crucial new skills and developing your professional network.  

Choosing a business school with a global alumni network and a programme designed to maximise personal development will ensure you’re getting the most return on investment from your MBA experience. 

To learn more about the impact of an MBA degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) we spoke to alum Abhinav Singh Bhal, who graduated from the MBA programme in 2019. 

Abhinav now works for Asian Football’s premier competitions at Asia Football Group (formerly Football Marketing Asia) as Vice President, Media Partnerships and Marketing & Digital, having been involved in the sports media industry since 2007. 

Why did the MBA programme at CUHK appeal to you?  

Being one of the oldest programmes in Asia, the MBA programme at CUHK provided a solid foundation and a large alumni network which most other programmes were unable to provide.  

As well as the curriculum, studying on campus in the vibrant city of Hong Kong increased its charm. 

Were there any particular skills or areas of knowledge you were hoping to develop over the course of your studies?  

Coming into CUHK’s MBA programme, I was particularly looking to sharpen my strategic thinking capability. CUHK’s curriculum provided the right blend of theoretical and practical learning to develop my skills. 

How has the MBA programme at CUHK impacted your career journey?  

CUHK’s MBA programme provided me with the stepping stone into a larger sports Asian market wherein I could leverage the large alumni network to make the right connections for relevant discussions and learning.  

The curriculum also included a bespoke sports business course which expanded my knowledge base of the industry, helping me in connecting the dots between different business verticals. 

What are the benefits of studying an MBA at a school with a global alumni network? 

Thanks to the CUHK alumni presence across the globe, I’ve managed to stay connected with the alumni group in Singapore and have attended a couple of CUHK alumni events. 

What impact did your MBA have on finding professional opportunities within sports media and marketing? 

While CUHK’s global alumni network helped me make relevant connections, the programme’s career cell also helped with crafting my story, sharpening my applications, and establishing industry connections which were critical to finding the right opportunities in the market. 

Before your MBA, you had a background in technology. How does your background in tech benefit you in your current role? 

CUHK’s MBA programme helped expand my horizons by adding the required theoretical business knowledge which I was lacking. My first role post-MBA took me on the finance side of sports business which was only possible due to the learnings in the MBA programme.  

Technology is an integral part of modern business, including sports. Thus, my knowledge of technology and business has put me in good stead in the sports industry since graduating. 

Can you give examples where you have directly used skills you learned over the course of the MBA programme within your career?  

At Asia Football Group, I lead two teams. One manages media broadcasters’ commercial life cycle, while the other focuses on sponsors’ marketing activities and the company’s digital and CRM efforts.  

My roles involve quite a lot of strategy planning for which I lean on my learnings from the MBA programme’s strategy course.  

Another key aspect which I derive from my MBA learning is scenario planning, which revolves around prediction, financial estimations and project planning. Here again, the learnings from the MBA programme are useful. 

What are some of your remaining short-term and long-term career goals?  

My current short-term goals are to leverage all the learnings from the MBA programme and couple it with post-MBA work experience to become a thought leader in sports media and marketing. 

With great strides in the sports industry in the recent years, the opportunity is rife to expand my knowledge portfolio for career progression.