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Singapore, UCLA-NUS EMBA (Class of 2023/2024)

Yanglin Mok

Head of Technical and Scientific Solutions, APAC

Merck Life Science

Connections are at the heart of my EMBA experience

A chemical engineer by training, Yanglin Mok (Class ‘23/24) is always on the lookout for the next adventure. She worked as a researcher in the biopharmaceutical realm before joining Merck Life Science as an engineer.

“I wanted to see the private side of the business,” Yanglin says. It was a refreshing change – while the time horizon in a research project could span 10 to 20 years, in the commercial sector everything was about speed to market. “Our customers are large pharmaceutical companies and they might have a ready product that they want to scale. We would help them to look at how we quickly purify it to a level that is safe for patient use, scale it up, and apply that solution in today’s drugs and also for future therapies.”

She’s currently Merck Life Science’s Head of Technical and Scientific Solutions, APAC ex China, Director.

What’s next? “Perhaps entrepreneurship,” Yanglin teases.

Her interest was sparked by a professor who introduced her to the mindset of an entrepreneur and cognitive ambidexterity during the UCLA-NUS EMBA program. “I not only applied this to my current work – it also inspired me to think beyond my corporate career to other potential areas that I might be able to explore,” she explains.  

In this interview, Yanglin shares her EMBA journey, her greatest takeaways and what she gained beyond knowledge.

What made you decide to pursue an EMBA program?
Since I joined Merck Life Science many years ago, I’ve always worked in technical roles. But working in a big organization like this, you begin to realize that there are entire worlds out there, within the same company! From marketing to strategy and business, and more. I was very curious about what the other teams were doing.  

About seven years ago, I crossed paths with a colleague from the business development team and he shared with me his career experience. I thought that sounded interesting and in that conversation, he explained that an MBA degree is useful in his field of work. And that includes people like me, who came from a technical background. It can help me approach decision making from a business lens.

Following that, I had open dialogues with my management and expressed my hope that they could sponsor my education. After many tries, they agreed!  

How did you juggle work and EMBA, on top of your family commitments?
Of course, a lot of adjustments had to be made. The family side wasn’t a big issue because I’m not married, so it was fairly easy. But on the work front, I had colleagues who were very supportive and that gave me a peace of mind to focus on the EMBA.

Personally, something I learned was how to balance my energy output and that means understanding that it’s completely okay to delegate 100%. I entrusted things to my colleagues, so that I could really enjoy the segments and made sure my learnings could be applied back to my work. 

Personally, how have you benefited from networking? What are some connections you have made?
I believe that networking is a crucial part of an EMBA; in fact, 50% of my program takeaways are the connections built.

Hence, one of the critical factors when choosing a program was the mix of the participants. And that’s one reason why I chose UCLA-NUS EMBA; I wanted a blend of global and Asian participants which is similar to my work environment and would make my learnings directly applicable. I believe that Asia is definitely the growth engine going forward, but I also wanted to get the American mindset within the program. 

Importantly, I also trust the universities’ selection of candidates! That’s key to creating healthy and vibrant discussions within the course, which I have enjoyed.

Do you have any advice for people who want to get EMBA sponsorship from their companies?
Every company has different requirements. But the main thing is this: You need to be able to explain how this program can allow you to contribute back further to the company. In other words, you need to be clear about your “why”. Why do I need this EMBA? How will it benefit my long-term growth within the company and my career as a whole?

That being said, personally, I also made the decision that if I couldn’t get the support after multiple tries, I am willing to pay for the EMBA myself. Of course a sponsorship would be very beneficial financially, I believe that this is important for my career regardless.

What advice would you give potential EMBA candidates to help them make the most of the experience
Before signing up for an EMBA, be clear about your purpose; that’ll help you enjoy the journey because you know what you’re working towards. Then enter with an open mind and just make the most of it!

One thing I really liked about the UCLA-NUS EMBA program is that it has been designed to help us maximize learnings, through a format that enables us to apply our knowledge more efficiently. But one thing is for sure: it’s very intense. You are likely to be concurrently working and studying at the same time, and that gets pretty demanding. So strap in for the ride!