GEMBA Residential Workshop was held in Shanghai from 12^th to 20^th September. Apart from the two Residential Workshops: “Managing Global Operations and Strategic Marketing” given by Professor Dominic Medway and Professor Alistair Brandon-Jones, “Economics of Strategy” given by Professor Reza Salehnejad, the GEMBA programme in Shanghai also include a Masterclass given by Mary Boyd, Director of The Economist Group, a visit to GKN SDS factory, CEO panel discussion and GEMBA+ Dinner at Shanghai Yacht Club.



The GEMBA workshops are highly challenging and require lots of hard work. Although the students had to study almost 12 hours everyday to fully intake information from the workshop, complete group discussion and presentation, but everyone had great time and walked away feeling fulfilled and learned.



GEMBA+Day was on 17th September which highlighted GEMBA students’ experience in Shanghai. In the morning, the students visited GKN SDS factory which was a successful case study for the GEMBA students to learn business model of JV between a British company and a local Chinese company. It is also a unique opportunity for the students to have first-hand experience to understand factory level operation and management, supply chain and logistics, strength of a JV as well as challenges they face.



In the afternoon, we have invited Andrew Moss, President of GKN China to talk to students about GKN’s strategy in China and his advice of doing business in China. After that, he was joined by William Yu, Senior VP, Allegion Plc & President of Allegion Asia Pacific and Patrick Pun, Chairman & CEO, NCG for a CEO panel discissoon. It was a very interactive panel which doesn’t involve any lectures, students could ask any questions they want, including those CEOs’ career path, their key steps to today’s position, their company’s biggest challenge, how they deal with crisis and emergency or even how they balance their work and family. We aim to give students opportunity to ask the business leaders how they got to their current position, to prepare our students to become business leaders of tomorrow.



The GEMBA+ Dinner was held at the Shanghai Yacht Club with fabulous view of the Huangpu river, and was highlight of the GEMBA in Shanghai. Served with fine Chinese food, champion and wine, the students were joined by MBS senior alumni, Chinese business elites, as well as top representatives from British organisations such as British Chamber and British Council. “It was such a great opportunity to meet those Chinese business leaders and to learn about their business, and to know more about China from who actually live and work here. Everything is just fascinating.” said by one of the GEMBA students. The students all enjoyed the 12 courses Chinese food and the hospitality.