As the new leader of joint venture Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities, Jing Qian was responsible for building a successful local franchise for a global firm. After a career spent immersed in finance, she knew she needed to invest in her management skills in order to excel as CEO. As she sought outside training, Jing found the ideal executive education opportunity in her own backyard: our Senior Executive Leadership Program—China (SELPCH). While on the HBS campus for the program's fourth module, Jing shared how SELPCH strengthened her business acumen and leadership skills—equipping her to help her organization remain competitive in a global marketplace.
Why did you choose to attend SELPCH?
It was kind of a coincidence. I was having lunch with a staff at Harvard Center in Shanghai, who used to be my client, and he mentioned the program. It caught my attention because I hadn't been in school for two decades, as I entered the investment banking industry right after college. But after hearing about SELPCH, I started thinking that it might be time to go back to school.
What were your biggest takeaways from the program?
In addition to learning a lot of new strategies, SELPCH helped me brush up on areas like financial modeling, which I hadn't touched in a decade. Even when we were discussing a topic I was familiar with, the faculty helped me to think deeper and find opportunities for improvement.
The program's leadership development component was especially helpful. I'm now in a management role, which is very different from what I've done in the past. In investment banking, you're seldom taught to manage people—rather, you're put in the role and they see how it goes. Consequently, SELPCH was very timely for me.
How did the four-module format impact your experience?
It was very convenient. I was able to plan my work around each session, which allowed me to focus on the coursework when I was in class. The sessions in Shanghai were extremely accessible for me, since the city's Harvard Center is just two blocks from my office!
What was it like coming to the HBS campus for two modules?
While learning in Shanghai was convenient, we all loved being at Harvard. The campus environment really helps you get away from the noise of work and concentrate on the program.
Was there a moment in the program that stood out to you?
It's hard to choose one memorable moment, because there were so many. We learned a lot, shared a lot, and even spent time outside of class hanging out with our fellow participants. There were a lot of enjoyable moments.
What advice would you give to other leaders who are considering SELPCH?
Someone recently asked me if I thought he should attend. I told him that if he's thinking about taking on a leadership role, it would be very useful to attend SELPCH right before or after stepping into that role. If you want to climb up the ladder and take on a more senior leadership role, this is the program for you.
I loved SELPCH. For senior executives, time is one of our most limited resources. I'm glad I made the decision to invest mine in attending this program.