Conn Li (Part-Time Bi-Weekly MBA 2024) joined the HKUST MBA with more than a decade of leadership in the elevator industry, managing teams of over 100 and overseeing regional operations. From the outside, his career appeared stable. Yet a quiet question had begun to surface. 

I was busy, but I didn’t feel I was progressing as much as I wanted.

The MBA became a deliberate reset, not for immediate advancement, but to rebuild his learning curve and explore a long-held interest in entrepreneurship. 

Returning to the Classroom with Intention 

Choosing HKUST was as much about environment as it was about academics. Being in Hong Kong placed him close to global markets while staying connected to China’s industrial network. More importantly, it gave him the space to step back into learning.

The environment mattered. Studying full days on campus, away from the rhythms of work, allowed me to re-enter a learning mindset after years in management.

Learning alongside professors and peers brought a renewed sense of curiosity, prompting him to rethink familiar assumptions and approach decisions with greater clarity.

Turning Learning into Action 

During the program, he co-founded a business exporting Chinese elevator components and software to overseas markets. Classroom insights quickly translated into real decisions. 

The MBA pushed me to question whether I was choosing what was easy, or what was right in the long run.

Training in accounting, analytics, and customer experience shaped how he approached pricing and operations. A core course on responsible leadership left a lasting mark.

It made me more willing to do difficult but correct things.

That mindset continues to guide how he builds, especially when faced with trade-offs.

Expanding Perspective Through Exchange 

His exchanges in Brazil and Poland added another dimension to his journey. Rather than choosing familiar destinations, Conn stepped into markets that aligned with his business ambitions.

For what I’m building, Brazil is an important market. Being there helped me see how culture and local dynamics shape business in ways that cannot be understood from a distance.

With clearer direction and a broader market lens, Conn is turning insight into action, growing his venture beyond familiar ground. Surrounded by a community that shares the same drive to build and explore, he moves forward with confidence, supported by trusted connections and a network that continues to open doors across markets and opportunities.

During the program, he co-founded a venture exporting Chinese elevator components and software to overseas markets, using classroom insights to shape pricing, operations, and strategy in real time.

Learning extended beyond the classroom through exchanges in Brazil and Poland, where he gained a deeper understanding of how local dynamics influence business across markets. 

A Community That Runs Together    

Beyond coursework, Conn found strong momentum within the MBA community. With many classmates exploring entrepreneurship, conversations naturally moved from case discussions to real business challenges. That shared context offered both reassurance and momentum.  

Even outside academics, connection played a role. Joining an MBA student-led ‘Gobi Club’ running group added another dimension, reinforcing how shared effort and teamwork help individuals go further. 

Reflecting his intense journey  

As he nears graduation, Conn sees the MBA not as a pause in a successful career, but as a deliberate turning point, one that sharpened his long-term thinking, broadened his perspective, and continues to influence how he leads and builds.