The Ivey Business School (Ivey Asia) and The Women’s Foundation (TWF) announced the four winners for the inaugural TWF Ivey Executive MBA scholarships for outstanding women candidates. The scholarship program was launched in April 2013 to help build and promote a pipeline of women for senior executive and non-executive roles in Asia.

Ivey Asia is pleased to welcome Cora Hui, system development manager of BMO Financial Group; Elizabeth Li, business manager, vice president of J.P. Morgan; Janet Chung, platform development & strategy department of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd.; and Frances Wong, co-founder of Maze Atelier Ltd. to the Ivey Asia EMBA program commencing in August 2013.

When asked why the Ivey Asia program was a good fit for them, Janet Chung says “The EMBA program will help me develop a global mentality and acquire a general management perspective.” Cora Hui adds, “Ivey’s Case Study Method in a classroom filled with professionals from different industries can provide me with the exposure to handle a vast array of challenges. It will improve my readiness to face more complex problems in the future.”

Applying for the scholarship program was an easy decision for Elizabeth Li, “to continue developing my career, I felt I needed to hone my decision making and problem solving skills – the Ivey Asia program came to my attention at just the right moment.” For Frances Wong, “the EMBA program just makes sense; its Case Study Method is the perfect academic supplement to my professional background, allowing me to judge situations strategically, critically and globally at the same time.”

As we see more women rising up to senior executive positions around the world, more focus is being placed on Hong Kong’s sophisticated workforce and untapped pool of talented women and corporate executives. Currently only 25 per cent of the intake in Ivey Asia’s EMBA courses are women compared to 50 per cent for undergraduate courses. According to Su-Mei Thompson, CEO of The Women's Foundation, this scholarship program is part of TWF’s mission to challenge gender stereotypes and increase the number of women in decision-making and leadership positions.

“China is already experiencing a talent shortage at senior levels,” explained Dr. Janet De Silva, dean of Ivey Asia. “The Women’s Foundation Scholarship will play a crucial role in inspiring women to take advantage of executive education to advance their careers. Ultimately, it will increase the supply of suitable women candidates for C-suite positions. Through their education at Ivey Asia, these women will be able to accelerate their careers to more senior, complex roles and have the skills and knowledge to make effective decisions that stem beyond their prior work experience."