Cindy Ma

After graduating from the University of International Business and Economics with a double-major in Accounting and Law, I joined Deloitte Beijing Branch as an Auditor in the TMT industry. By performing annual audits and internal control audits for U.S. and Hong Kong listed and IPO companies, I started to understand how companies operate and how business activities influence their performance. More importantly, I witnessed the power of capital. It plays a crucial role in helping companies grow at different stages and in many ways. After Deloitte, I joined the financial institution Bohai International Trust Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of the HNA Group (a Global 500 | Fortune company). My most recent role as a Senior Trust Manager at Bohai allowed me to evaluate business opportunities, make investment decisions, manage risk for investors, and provide financial solutions for clients. I came to realize many challenges created by the ever-changing business climate for most companies cannot be addressed by financing alone. There is a lot more I should learn and delve into if I want to move forward. That’s why I decided to pursue an MBA.

After comparing different MBA programs, I felt Ivey’s Case-Method curriculum is most compatible with my learning style because I find the process of analyzing cases and coming up with solutions to be both enjoyable and informative. It allows me to properly equip myself with practical management knowledge and advanced business techniques in a real-world setting. High peer involvement in class and group discussions can also help me improve interpersonal communication skills. Moreover, the unique decision-making experience that comes along with analyzing cases in different courses with varying industry backgrounds allowed me to sharpen my business acumen.

Unlike someone with a clear goal in mind, I’m still exploring my interests and my career plans as a young professional. However, my open mind may also be the reason why I’m here. I’m willing to deal with uncertainties and embrace all kinds of challenges. No matter where we came from, what industry background we have, and what career path we will follow, Ivey sees great potential in each of us. I enjoy the time I spend at Ivey. I’m sharing my professional experience, discussing current issues, and exploring new ideas with my peers every day. It’s a great opportunity for us to build connection, broaden our horizons, and grow together. 

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown policy, after experiencing the Case-Method Learning in the classroom for just a short while, we had to move all the courses online and study remotely. I missed the in-person discussion environment, but the virtual learning experience works much better than I anticipated. Since it’s a tough situation for everyone, we’re very understanding and extra supportive of each other. We moved lots of activities online and created many different online sections for us to get connected and engaged. In addition, Ivey provided many resources to help us accommodate the online study and prepare us for future online interviews. Despite the difficulties, we’re optimistic and resilient. We even called ourselves “Ivey class of COVID-19” instead of “Ivey class of 2021” since it’s such a unique experience for us. I believe overcoming this obstacle has made us stronger and has allowed us to form very strong bonds that will last.