Class Bios

Claudio Almeida joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience primarily in the cement industry at Votorantim, Brazil’s largest non-financial private company. He was the Sales Coordinator leading a team of six salespeople whose role was to enhance key sales in volume and revenue. Claudio initiated a commercial operation in Minas Gerais for Votorantim where he increased volume sales by 32% and developed new markets and long-term customers. In 2014, he joined the revenue management team at Votorantim’s headquarters in Sao Paulo. There, he managed demand-planning and reduced forecast errors from 10% to 3%. As the Business Intelligence Manager, Claudio managed $800 million in sales, developed tactical and operational action plans and led a team of 11 analysts. Claudio majored in Business Administration at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Claudio plans to continue his career in sales and marketing in consumer goods.

Renata Auler joins the IBEAR MBA Program after 11 years of work experience in one of the largest independent investment management firms in Brazil, Gávea Investimentos. Renata managed teams and projects within and outside of the company, overseeing the life cycle of a private equity fund from the fundraising process to divestments. Renata participated in two successful fundraising campaign that resulted in $3 billion of committed capital. She implemented a new internal accounting system that improved the quality and speed of data analysis and she led the process of semiannual valuation of portfolio companies. Renata holds a Bachelor’s degree, with honors, in Business Administration from Faculdade de Economia e Finanças IBMEC and graduate specialization in Corporate Finance from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Renata intends to continue her career in the private equity industry.

Pedro Bastos joins IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience working at the Odebrecht Multinational Construction Corporation. Pedro worked as a marine infrastructure specialist, successfully leading multifunctional groups through different and complex and multimillion dollar’s projects around the world. Completed projects include outfalls in Brazil and in the Dominican Republic, breakwaters in the Dominican Republic and in Brazil; shipyard for submarines in Brazil, and in Angola, a marine facility designed to support a refinery. During his 10 years at Odebrecht, Pedro sharpened his critical business skills in leadership, cost and schedule control, project and risk management, contractual administration and complex problem solving. Pedro was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, where he graduated as a civil engineer in 2008 from Federal University of Bahia. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Pedro intends to expand his knowledge of business management and learn how to handle complex corporate challenges. 

Paulo Cahen joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 13 years of experience in the Brazilian financial market. Paulo worked first at HSBC Global Banking and Market Department until 2016, when Bradesco acquired the HSBC Brazilian operation. At HSBC, he started trading Brazilian Real against major currencies for large multinationals clients and interacting with HSBC major HUBs in Asia, Europe and North America.  At Bradesco, he successfully dealt with the challenge of selling a local brand to global clients: showing the bank’s capabilities and the advantages of having a Brazilian bank as a partner for FX spot transactions. Before starting at HSBC, Paulo worked for Itau Bank in the economic research department and the treasury sales department. Paulo graduated with his bachelor’s in economics from the University of Sao Paulo. He sees the IBEAR MBA program as an opportunity to become a global business leader.

Túlio Canto joins the IBEAR MBA program with six years of experience at Andrade Gutierrez S.A, one of the largest construction companies in Brazil. Túlio began his career as a planning engineer before his promotion to planning coordinator of a hydroelectric power plant. The plant’s construction was one of Brazil’s largest infrastructure projects built in the last ten years, with over 3.5 million m³ of concrete launching. Following this assignment, Túlio joined a global program based on the principles of LEAN Construction. He standardized best practices in construction management in thermoelectric, airports, highways and monorail projects in Brazil, Angola and Ghana. Túlio holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad Federal de Santa Catarina, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Universidad do Estado de Santa Catarina and is a certified Project Management Professional. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Túlio intends to leverage his career in project management in the construction industry.

Maria Ferreira joins the IBEAR MBA Program after 16 years of working as a marketing manager and planner in advertising agencies. She supervised creative marketing teams and advertising campaigns for clients in pharmaceuticals, education, retail, NGO's, and infrastructure. Maria led the marketing efforts for Rio de Janeiro International Airport for the last four years. She coordinated the launch of a new departures and arrivals area and was the project manager of the airport's wayfinding and the marketing plan for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Maria’s team has won awards for best branding projects and best marketing plans. She holds Bachelor degrees in Advertising from Pontifícia Universidade Católica, Minas Gerais and in Business from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. She completed a post-graduation program in Strategic Communication from PUC MG. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Maria intends to continue in marketing in a senior leadership position at a multinational company.

Elias Godoy joins the IBEAR MBA Program with more than 20 years of experience in finance, holding senior executive positions at companies in the technology, energy, telecommunications, and service industries. As the CFO in Brazil of American Tower Corp.–one of the world’s largest providers of wireless communications infrastructure, he grew sales by 400%, including M&A activity of several billion dollars, debt restructuring, and financing at low rates in local currency from the Brazilian Development Bank. Prior to American Tower Corp., he led the turnaround of the Brazilian branch Grundfos, a leading pump manufacturer, by restructuring departments, revising the portfolio of products, and implementing new policies of sales and inventories. Elias worked for Siemens and General Electric as a Business Unit Controller. Elias earned his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Elias plans to continue his career in finance in a senior regional role.

Diego Marafon joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 14 years of experience at Softplan, one of the largest IT firms in Brazil. Softplan primarily develops software for the Brazilian government. As an Innovation Advisor at Softplan, Diego established corporate partnerships with global firms and fledgling startups. Prior to this role, Diego worked as a Research and Development Manager for six years, developing frameworks that defined company-wide standards and technologies. Diego earned his Computer Science degree from the Federal University of Santa Catarina State. He also earned a specialization in Software Engineering from Centro Universitario Tupy - Sociesc. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Diego intends to continue his career in a senior leadership position in the software development industry that looks into tracking technology trends and improving people’s lives.

Javier López joins the IBEAR MBA Program with eight years of professional experience in financial services. Javier began his career at the International Bank of Chile as a sales trader, offering services to companies of different sizes and sectors. Javier was later hired by BCI Stock Broker, a subsidiary of Banco de Credito e Inversiones de Chile. He started as Junior Sales Trader and was promoted to Senior Trader.  After 4 years, he assumed the leadership of the Retail Sales Desk, in charge of one of the main budgets of the company. Javier later took on the position of Head of Strategic Projects. Javier holds a Business Degree from Universidad Gabriela Mistral, Chile and a Masters in Financial Management from Universidad Adolfo Ibáňez Chile. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Javier intends to continue in financial services in greater leadership roles.

Steve Chen joins the IBEAR MBA program with 15 years of experience in a variety of roles including research and development, manufacturing, customer service, software engineering, telecommunications and semiconductor development. Steve was the Engineering Manager of NetScout Systems in Shanghai where he managed software quality assurance. Steve led the software engineering team for Tektronix, Genband, and UTStarcom.  Steve holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and Economics and a Master’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering from Fudan University. He is also a certified Project Management Professional by PMI. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Steve intends to further his career in the technology industry.

Phoebe Guo joins the IBEAR MBA program with over 10 years of work experience as an external consultant and in-house advisor in the following fields: contract compliance, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), due diligence, fraud and compliance investigations. Phoebe earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Economics at the University of International Business and Economics located in Beijing. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, her aspirations include leadership positions in compliance and investigation in the technology, finance, and pharmaceutical industries.

Alice Huang joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 12 years of working at Huawei Technologies in product development and management, sales and marking. She started her career as a software engineer in China. She worked four years in Latin America and two years in Europe. As a product manager and sales leader in Peru, she led the team to explore new markets and build long partnerships with customers. She advanced as the Account Manager in Germany, where she managed the negotiation of global purchase projects. In her last role as the Marketing Manager in HQ, she defined the marketing strategy, generated best-in-class marketing contents, and launched several big campaigns and events. Alice majored in Information Management & Systems at Beijing Information and Technology Institute and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Administration. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, she intends to remain in the technology industry, specifically in market strategy, business development, and technology investment.

Jevon Sun joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 15 years of experience at fortune 500 multinationals such as Siemens, SKF and Philips Lighting, specializing in training and project management. In Philips Lighting, Jevon worked as lighting systems trainer for Asia and Europe for five years, designing global training programs, delivering training to customers, and facilitating business transformation from product selling to systems selling. As Integral Project Manager for Asia, Jevon led cross-functional project teams to develop and launch new luminaire products and lighting systems. In the global project of HealWell system, Jevon leveraged the resources across various markets and developed the innovative HealWell system that opened a niche hospital market. Jevon holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Mechatronics from Chongqing University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Jevon intends to expand his role to the business development in tech industry.

Miranda Wu joins the IBEAR MBA Program with seven years of experience working in the UTV & ATV wholesale industry. Her company controls Hisun Motors’ UTV & ATV wholesale and has established over 40 dealerships throughout the Western U.S.  Hisun Motors’ total sales volume ranks seventh in the U.S. market. In her role as founder and CEO, Miranda executes all aspects of the company’s operation and management, including budget planning, making competitive salary structures, and participating in the SEMA Show in Las Vegas as an exhibitor. The company also collaborates with its parent company, Xinle Group in China, to find promising investments in technology and in the culture industry. Miranda earned a B.S. in Economics & Trade from Jiangsu University in China and an M.S. in HR Management from Azusa Pacific University in California. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Miranda intends to expand her projects in the real estate and culture industry of various countries.

Imroj Ahmed joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 12 years of rich experience in global card payment consulting. His focus was on clearing and settlement applications. Imroj brings a profound knowledge of test planning, strategy, leadership and service delivery.  Prior to IBEAR, Imroj worked as Project Leader at RS Software India. He guided a diverse global team, achieving several milestones though his career there. As Project Leader, Imroj gained priceless experience in point-of-sale, eCommerce and other modes of Visa payment applications. Additionally, he implemented tokenization and debit card projects for Visa Inc. to improve security measures. Imroj holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from West Bengal University of Technology, India. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Imroj wants to pursue a career in product management and strategy consulting in the technology industry.

Waseem Khadeer joins the IBEA MBA program with 10 years of work experience in several Fortune 500, technology companies including Oracle and IBM.  He has extensive knowledge in the solution consulting space across multiple industries such as financial services, government, manufacturing, IT and ITES, pharmaceutical, energy and utilities, transportation, aerospace and research. In addition to solution consulting, Waseem has contributed to marketing, networking and business development efforts, and achieving regional goals in the process. Waseem has received awards for his outstanding technical achievements, and for going above and beyond his responsibilities to lead innovative strategies that have proven to be very successful. Waseem graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Osmania University, and a post-graduate diploma in Cyber Law from National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR).

Rajesh CS Nair joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience in the Indian Navy, where he served as a commissioned officer in the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Throughout his naval career, Rajesh has executed numerous complex projects, carried out military operations, trained newly recruited combatants, and managed human resources. Rajesh has been Commanding Officer of an Indian Navy warship.  His last appointment as an officer-in-charge of a decommissioned warship entrusted him with the additional responsibilities of logistics and supply chain management. An alumnus of the Indian Naval Academy, Rajesh holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Mahatma Gandhi University in Electronics, a Master of Science degree in Information Technology from Punjab Technical University, and a Post Graduate diploma in International Humanitarian Law from National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR).

Sudha Nedukanjirathingal joins the IBEAR MBA Program after 11 years of advisory and management consulting experience with PwC and KPMG. She specializes in planning, execution and delivery of large-scale consulting assignments for the government and public sector. At PwC, Sudha played a key role in finalizing a transformative $50 million healthcare management system for the largest urban body in India. She also advised the local government on a health insurance plan that covers more than 20 million Indian citizens. At KPMG, she led the implementation of the largest sanitation program for a city with 1.5 million residents. The city earned an award for its waste management practices under her direction. Sudha holds a B. Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and an MBA from India. She is a Certified Information System Auditor. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Sudha intends to leverage her experiences to accelerate her career to leadership roles that allow here to make a difference in the quality of people’s lives.

Parth Pandya joins the IBEAR MBA program with 10 years of experience in engineering and service delivery in diverse working environments ranging from a start-up to India’s largest conglomerate. As Head of Operations at Tata BSS, Parth was instrumental in growing the account from $1 million to $14 million through strategic management and operational effectiveness. He is a registered coordinator and implementation leader through COPC. Parth led the team responsible for COPC Certification for Tata BSS. Parth has worked as Account Relationship Manager in the U.S. responsible for strengthening the strategic relationships with and growing the company’s largest international account.  Prior to joining the IBEAR MBA Program, Parth led automation implementation at Tata BSS, where he brought the cost of operations down by 48%. Parth has a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics from SRM University, India. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Parth intends to pursue global opportunities.

Aman Sehgal joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience in the IT and telecommunications industry in various roles. She began her career in business development in central government agencies for open source software development and IT infrastructure. After an award-winning stint in the department, she transitioned to international marketing in pursuit of new challenges. There, she built alliances and led strategic planning for over 80 global channel partners and resellers across the U.S., Europe and Asia. Amandeep also increased the number of channel partners by 15% and sales by 40% to $20 million. She has experience in markets across different geographies with solution selling and marketing for products ranging from software development, cloud services, infrastructure and datacenters to telecom products like SMS gateways, IOT and M2M.

Gaurav Sharma joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 14 years of diversified experience in marketing, technology consulting, software implementation, product development and business process re-engineering. As Project Manager, Gaurav has spearheaded technology transformation initiatives for large global banks and insurance companies. Having lived in multiple cities across India, each with its unique language and culture, he counts working with diverse points of views and managing cross-cultural nuances as two of his core strengths. Gaurav earned his Bachelor of Commerce with honors from University of Delhi, India, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from T.A. Pai Management Institute, India. He also holds certifications in Project Management (PMP) and Business Analysis (CBAP). Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Gaurav intends to pursue a career in Fin-Tech Product Management or Technology Consulting to accelerate his career progression to senior leadership roles.

Nitin Sharma joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 12 years of professional experience. In a prior role, Nitin joined Keane Inc. (now NTT Data), and moved to Los Angeles to assist Toyota Motor Sales with the integration of its new manufacturing plant in Woodstock, Canada. He led an initiative for Toyota to identify vehicles coming in for regular repairs, which helped Toyota boost its customer satisfaction. Nitin joined Headstrong (now Genpact Headstrong Capital Markets) as a technology consultant. Nitin managed Genpact’s engagement with one of the largest investment banks in the world. He was responsible for business development, customer relations and technology delivery. The total size of his portfolio exceeded $8 million and consisted of a global team of 120 consultants involved in various digital technology initiatives. Nitin completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from MDU Rohtak. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Nitin wants to join a global technology-consulting firm, leading its digital technology consulting practice.

Binoy Valson joins the IBEAR MBA program with over 14 years of experience in software services across various business domains. Binoy has experience in a variety of IT roles beginning as a software developer and progressing towards business analysis and project management. At Infosys Limited, Binoy managed software development, legacy modernization, and technology transformation projects for various clients in telecommunications, banking, mortgage lending, retail and aerospace manufacturing. Binoy has also gained experience in process optimization, CMMI and software quality control. Binoy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from India. He is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from Project Management Institute. Binoy also holds a Certificate in Software Product Management from University of Washington. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Binoy intends to pursue a career in product management, technology strategy and operations with the goal of helping global organizations make accurate decisions in employing technology for their business operations.

Yuko Furukawa joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 18 years of experience working at Mizuho Bank Ltd. (MHBK). Yuko is the head relationship manager for three large Japanese regional bank groups for the last three years, providing new investment plans for these bank groups with asset allocation and investment timing suggestions. Yuko spent four years at Mizuho Capital Markets UK (MCMUK) as the chief sales representative in charge of the banking portfolio departments of MHBK. Yuko also led the project to establish a collaborative framework for EU corporate clients with integration of the sales forces in MCMUK and MHBK. She was a chief short-term bond dealer in the Japanese market for three years and supported the credit trading office in selecting corporate issuers and investment timing after the financial crisis. She holds a Bachelor`s degree in Law from Waseda University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Yuko intends to expand Mizuho Financial Group`s investment business by attracting large global investors.

Yoshi Isawa joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 15 years of IT experience. Yoshi has worked globally throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas for NTT Group, one of the largest global IT and telecommunication service providers. As a Group Collaboration Manager, Yoshi spent the past year and a half at everis Spain, an NTT DATA's operating company that runs businesses in Europe and the Americas. Previously, Yoshi worked for NTT Communications in Japan and its subsidiary in Australia in a number of technical roles. Yoshi holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Engineering (Physics) from Yokohama National University in Japan. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Yoshi intends to pursue a leadership role in product development for a large multinational organization in the IT industry.

Michikazu Matsumoto joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 12 years of work experience at Hitachi Ltd., where he specialized in IT systems for the Japanese government. Michikazu started his career as an IT engineer analyzing and optimizing customers’ operations and IT systems. He introduced HR strategies into a large-scale department that included new organizational structures, practical skills, and career paths for engineers. He also was a project manager developing public systems, setting system scope, and implementation. Michikazu assessed the current system in use and reported improvement points of the operational risks of the emerging government’s e-social systems. Michikazu earned his Master’s degree in Information Science from Nara Institute of Science and Technology. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he plans to become a consultant for governments of emerging countries, supporting them with IT and financial expertise.

Hiroki Nakamura joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience as a business lawyer at Nishimura & Asahi, the largest law firm in Japan. He specializes in business turnaround, business restructuring, insolvency, banking, financing and M&A. Hiroki primarily advised debtor companies facing financial or business difficulties. Hiroki sponsored applicants interested in purchasing a debtor’s business and creditors aspiring to maximize the collection of their claims and to secure continuity. Hiroki’s experience span a variety of industries that include public transportation, entertainment, biotechnology, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality. He holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Waseda University, a Juris Doctor from Chuo Law School, and a Master of Law from USC Gould School of Law, where he was the 2018 commencement class speaker. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Hiroki intends to continue his career as a business lawyer and expand his role in cross-border transactions, particularly cross-border restructuring and M&A in the Asia-Pacific region.

Yu Oguri joins the IBEAR MBA Program with over 13 years of experience in professional marketing services. Yu worked for Dentsu Inc., a leading Japanese advertising agency, and led various projects for clients ranging from start-ups to multinational enterprises. Yu guided his clients by producing diverse projects that included global branding, framework building, corporate vision development, digital transformation, and new business scheme creation. Yu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Tokyo. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to create new marketing services to support the global expansion of Japanese businesses.

Shinichi Okubo joins the IBEAR MBA Program from Suntory Spirits Limited, one of the leading whisky production companies in the world. Shinichi boasts four years of diversified experience as a researcher, spirit market analyst, and brand manager. Since 2013, he led various projects, including a $50 million investment plan, and a global marketing plan of Japanese whisky. Shinichi holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Science degrees in Food Science and Biochemistry from Kyoto University in Japan. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to leverage his experience to expand Suntory’s international business.

Yo Sakagawa joins the IBEAR MBA Program with five years of experience working in the corporate research and development division of the Terumo Corporation. Yo specializes in the development and evaluation of early-stage medical devices and global management, having led the medical device evaluation center for two years, and developing new test methods for evaluating the biocompatibility of medical devices. He also directed the Medtech design team, created to develop medical devices through a systematic need-based approach called “Bio design.” Yo also led the CTO office, where he managed global research and development. He holds a B.S. in Animal Science and M.S. in Veterinary Medical Science from University of Florida. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to introduce a business scheme to his company that will enable early-stage sales of medical devices, particularly for devices that do not fit into current business models and to create a system for Terumo to sell new medical devices.

Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi joins the IBEAR MBA Program from MUFG Bank, Ltd., a leading Japanese commercial bank with expanding international growth. His 18 years of work experience includes various types of long-term lending, such as home loans to individual customers, loans to local recycling businesses, and financing for multibillion-dollar natural resource exploration projects. He worked with the Japanese Ministry of Finance, where he led research and analysis on the global economy and monetary policies. In his role as Director of the Corporate Planning Division, he is responsible for managing the amount of risk-weighted assets of the bank, keeping its capital ratio in a desirable range. Tsuyoshi holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Tokyo. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to create initiatives that promote lending to businesses that contribute to sustainability, such as waste recycling, renewable energies, and elderly care facilities.

Ryo Yamamoto joins the IBEAR MBA Program from Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd., a leading insurance company based in Japan. He joined the company in 2007 and has 11 years of diversified experience in marketing, risk management consulting, and underwriting international insurance accounts. In his role as Deputy Manager in the Chemical Industry Department, he engages in marketing and designing global liability insurance programs to international clients. Ryo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Waseda University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to leverage his MBA experience to expand the insurance industry.

Takeru Yamamoto joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 12 years of experience at All Nippon Airways (ANA), with a focus on aircraft maintenance and training. Over the past three years, Takeru developed the maintenance training for Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp.’s regional jet (MRJ) program as a project manager. His other responsibilities include spearheading a global cross-functional team, coordinating with other airlines and government authorities to clarify regulations and establishing the development schedule. Takeru holds a JCAB aircraft maintenance license for Boeing 777 and a Bachelor of Engineering in Aerospace Engineering from Tokyo Metropolitan University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to leverage his MBA experience to manage and expand ANA’s global business.

Yui Yonemura joins the IBEAR MBA Program as Deputy Manager at JFE Steel Corporation, the second largest integrated steel maker in Japan, with 9 years of experience in the steel industry. Yui is responsible for export sales of special high-quality steel products used by the container industry in the manufacturing of cans, lids and closures for the food and beverage industry. Yui tripled sales to Europe from 2015-16 by focusing on strategic market needs. She negotiated and won the bid for an exclusive contract with the largest African producer of crown caps, a product used for the closures of glass bottles. She improved the profitability of her business with Mexico by changing their transport method from container to bulk, cutting freight costs by $2 million. Yui holds a Bachelor’s degree in Policy Management from Keio University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Yui will continue to develop JFE Steel's global business.

Kyoungjong Bae joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience with Korean Air specializing in the planning of network routes and global alliances with other airlines. Most recently, Kyoungjong recently oversaw the launch of a Joint Venture between Korean Air and Delta Airlines that is expected to increase profits by $200 million. Prior to this, Kyoungjong managed the performance of trans-pacific routes by optimizing schedule, aircraft and sales strategy. He has also worked on a global process reengineering team, improving the execution of cross-divisional projects such as airport lounge operations, and in both the New York and Seoul sales offices. Kyoungjong holds a B.S. in Industrial Management Engineering from Pohang University of Science and Technology. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Kyoungjong intends to expand his role to include global business development and corporate management.

Nathan Cho joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 12 years of experience at Korean Air, with diverse experience in both public relations and the company’s highly strategic cargo business. Nathan began his career as a Freighter Load Master, where he was responsible for the operation of Korean Air’s cargo fleet, then moved to Korean Air’s cargo business planning division where he was responsible for freighter scheduling. After spending one year in Korean Air’s Headquarters in Los Angeles, Nathan moved to the public relations department and oversaw Korean Air’s overseas communications. Nathan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Korea University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he will return to Korean Air.

Jong Woog Han joins the IBEAR MBA Program with eight years of experience in the IT and real estate industries. He spent the past three years managing Bluehill65, a real estate development and leasing firm. Prior to joining Bluehill65, he spent over five years working as an engineer for Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display, where he specialized in inspecting technology internalization, LCD quality and test process improvement. Jong Woog worked on the Samsung Electronics yield enhancement team, optimizing LCD automatic optical inspection software and machines to reduce error detection problems. Jong Woog also worked on the Samsung Display innovation team where he developed a high-resolution automatic inspection system for TFT-LCD and designed the LCD repair monitoring process. Jong Woog holds a B.S. in Applied Chemical Engineering from Hanyang University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Jong Woog plans to expand his family business and launch a new business of his own.

Daesung Hong joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 11 years of experience in the human resources division of S-OIL, a Korean oil and energy company with annual sales exceeding $15 billion, where he specializes in talent and officer HR management. Daesung has implemented and enhanced systems including officer incentivization, employee job grading, worker compensation and recruitment. Daesung has also had responsibility for general HR management including recruitment, placement, promotion, transfer, retirement, labor union affairs, and salary and welfare operation. He has participated in a variety of internal consulting projects on optimal labor calculation, job analysis and leadership development with global HR consulting firms. Daesung holds a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Business Administration from Hanyang University in Seoul. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Daesung intends to expand his role to the business strategy and global marketing areas at S-OIL.

Mincheol Kim joins the IBEAR MBA Program with diverse experience in the finance, trading, and high-technology industries. He started his career as an associate in the Accounting & Finance Division of Mitsui & Co. Korea, and then became an assistant manager responsible for raw materials trading in the Mineral & Metal Resources Division. In this capacity, he led the first copper concentrate-blending project in Korea in collaboration with overseas and domestic partners. Mincheol then joined his family business, a leading power module manufacturer, as a manager on the New Business Planning Team. He led the company’s successful entry into the electric bicycle business and contributed to developing the company’s e-bicycle brand. Mincheol earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Mincheol plans to return to his family business and lead the New Business Planning Team.

Nouel Kim joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 14 years of experience as a business and marketing strategist at LG Electronics focusing on the company’s TV business. She started her career on the TV Sales and Marketing Planning Team, where she was responsible for market analysis and reporting. Nouel then joined the In-Store Management Task Force with responsibility for implementing internal audits, restructuring organizations at overseas subsidiaries, and establishing monitoring systems for retail stores globally. With expertise in strategic planning and marketing intelligence, and an intricate familiarity with the nuances of the TV industry, Nouel most recently oversaw the Task Force Team for global business enforcement of LG OLED TVs in the global market. Nouel graduated from Ewha Woman’s University in Korea with a B.A. in Business Administration and a minor in Electronic Commerce. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Nouel intends to continue contributing to the TV division of LG Electronics, transitioning from sales and marketing to product planning.

Yong Joon Kim joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 11 years of experience in the home appliances division of LG Electronics. He started his career in the engineering design department as an assistant for the Kimchi refrigerator project which generated $60 million sales in one year. As a Product Planning Manager in the refrigerator division, he was helped develop the most competitive product concepts in the African, Indian, Korean and American markets. Most recently, he delivered LG’s smart refrigerator concept at CES Las Vegas, one of the largest and most globally recognized home appliance exhibitions in the world, and received the 2018 CES Innovation Award. Yong Joon has B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Pusan National University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he intends to continue his contributions to the marketing and sales divisions of LG Electronics.

DH Lee joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 15 years of experience with LG Electronics Inc., one of the world’s leading consumer electronics companies. As a senior manager, DH is actively involved in setting long-term strategic plans to develop new business opportunities in emerging technologies such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence and big data. These efforts will result in concrete and feasible technology strategies built on LG’s core capabilities. Prior to this, DH led a Content and Service Development project in Moscow from planning to implementation. In the midst of a highly competitive market for connected smart TVs, he identified key content providers to form strategic partnerships. DH holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Seoul National University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, he will return to LG Electronics and intends to expand his role in new business development.

Haedong Lee joins the IBEAR MBA Program with more than 10 years of experience in asset management as a Fund Product Manager at KB Asset Management. His most recent responsibilities include analyzing market trends, developing fund ideas, and researching regulatory requirements concerning investment products. Haedong has worked on the launches of both onshore and offshore domiciled funds that include investments in specialized assets such as derivatives, alternative investments, and traditional equities and bonds. He also has experience dealing with investment strategies including the Fourth Industrial Revolution & Environment and Social & Governance (ESG) investment products. Haedong graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a B.A. in Economics. He also holds the Certified Investment Manager (CIM) certification. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Haedong plans to pursue his next steps within the asset management industry. He seeks to contribute to this industry goal by leading global investment opportunities and creating product strategies that are competitive in the international market.

Emily Park joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 10 years of experience in the IT industry. She spent the last five years spearheading global business development and marketing management for the ecommerce division of SK Planet. In this role, she managed marketing campaigns and expanded operations globally while building strategic partnerships in Turkey, China and Thailand. Emily has strong interpersonal skills and a multicultural mindset which allow her to foster collaborative team cultures in an international setting. Emily holds a B.A. in Business Administration and Chinese Culture from Sogang University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Emily intends to switch gears and pursue a career in the consulting industry focusing on strategy with an emphasis on big data.

Daniel Yang joins the IBEAR MBA Program with more than nine years of experience in the global capital markets. As a manager, he traded a variety of bonds and currencies, from government bonds to corporate bonds, and was primarily responsible for analysis and investment in rapidly growing emerging markets including Brazil, Russia and Mexico. Daniel started his career at Samsung Securities, a subsidiary of Samsung Group, and was responsible for sourcing a wide variety of global bonds to meet the diverse needs of his customers. His efforts contributed to Samsung Securities becoming Korea’s top ranked securities asset management firm. After moving to KB Securities, Daniel focused on corporate bonds issued by global companies such as Apple and Microsoft or foreign financial institutions. He was responsible for global macroeconomic analysis, report publishing and private banker education. Daniel holds a B.A. in library and information science, with minors in economics and business administration, from Yonsei University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Min intends to expand his role in the capital markets from global bond expert to global investment banking expert.

Carol Chen joins the IBEAR MBA Program with twelve years of experience in sales at Nobel Biocare Co. LTD, one of the world’s leading dental implant companies. Carol was a sales manager and worked to expand market share and create customer satisfaction in the dental field. In her recent role, she led a sales team and distributors to align marketing strategies with company goals. Carol’s job duties included establishing sales objectives, forecasting and developing annual sales quotas, projecting expected sales volume, and motivating the sales team to meet KPI targets. Carol holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Shih Chien University in Taiwan.  Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, she intends to pursue a career in marketing management in the medical field.

Ted Hsieh joins the IBEAR MBA Program with 11 years of experience in the international trading business, specializing in infrastructure-related equipment. Ted possesses a breadth of work experience in East Asia. As a sales manager, Ted tackled new methods to contribute to company turnover. He also negotiated an international alliance between vendors and competitors. Additionally, Ted pioneered applications that reversed a negative sales trend and optimized the agency reporting system.
Ted also led various product launches, whose functions range from semiconductors to waste treatment, domestically and in new territories like Singapore. Ted holds a Bachelor’s degree in Japanese Language and Literature from National Chen-Chi University in Taiwan. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Ted intends to pursue a career of international strategy development in the manufacturing field.

Jenny Tseng joins the IBEAR MBA Program with more than seven years of experience in IP marketing and project management in various entertainment areas. Her passion for entertainment compelled her to pursue a career in Tokyo at BANDAI CO., the number one toy company in Japan. Jenny began as a domestic product manager who oversaw merchandise progress and product concepts. She transitioned to an International IP Brand Strategist who managed product, media, and budget strategies for China, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Jenny grew up in Taiwan but graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.A. in Design. Throughout her career, Jenny cooperated with several Asian countries’ media and distributors, experiencing various kinds of Asian cultures and markets. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Jenny intends to pursue her career in the entertainment industry on a global stage to experience a different market and culture.

Kaiya Yu joins the IBEAR MBA program with seven years of experience in the luxury goods industry with a focus on product assortment and buying strategy.  In her most recent role as a merchandising executive in Christian Dior, she oversaw its women’s fashion market in Taiwan. She was responsible for market performance and sales campaigns. Kaiya has five years of retail operation and merchandising experience with Hermès Taiwan. On behalf of Hermès Taiwan, she attended buying trips to Paris where she outlined Taiwan’s market trends, devised merchandising plans, and assigned product allocations based on sales analysis and budget. In addition to her career, Kaiya has a passion for snowboarding and is a certified instructor with Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors. Kaiya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic Language and Literature from National Cheng Chi University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, she plans to pursue higher managerial positions within the luxury goods industry.

LaToya I. Allen joins the IBEAR MBA program with more than 10 years of experience in Human Resources, including strategy, change management, talent and performance management, coaching, compliance, operations and sustainability. As the Assistant Director of Personnel, HR Development for the City of Cambridge, LaToya served as an advisor to senior management for organizational effectiveness, HR systems, leadership development and performance management for 3000+ employees citywide. She has worked in various industries in the private and public sector. In the last 15 years, LaToya has led startup companies and departments through periods of substantial growth and transition, including the design of CLI, a tool used to proactively hire, coach, develop and retain globally diverse leaders. LaToya graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Leadership and a minor in Organizational Development. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, LaToya intends to pursue a career as a Global Human Resources leader.

Anderson Bryant joins the IBEAR MBA Program with over ten years of professional experience across several fields. Anderson worked in Palm Springs as an Extraction Manager for Southern Desert Management, the parent company of several major cannabis and cannabis-extract production firms based in the Coachella Valley. Anderson spent the previous five years in the entertainment industry working as a freelance photographer and cameraman throughout the world, most recently documenting the Syrian Civil War for DirecTV. Anderson is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who achieved the rank of sergeant, and served as a linguist in Marine Corps Intelligence for five years. Anderson holds a B.A. in International Security & Conflict Resolution from San Diego State University. English, Spanish, Portuguese and Korean are his working languages. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Anderson intends to return to Southern Desert Management to work in the company’s newly formed International Operations department.

Brandon Charif joins the IBEAR MBA Program with over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing and operations. Brandon began his career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and rapidly progressed to oversee one of the largest territories in the U.S., with over 40 employees and $30 million in assets. Brandon is a co-founder of Honk and one of the first five employees at Purple Services, leading several successful investment rounds. He has implemented successful operational initiatives designed to increase revenue, decrease costs and improve efficiencies. He also contributes to product development for startups—designing products from concept to market. He founded the Iksplorer Group to help clients grow their businesses utilizing the latest digital marketing experiences and traditional outbound campaigns. He holds a B.S. in Management with an Economics minor from Tulane University, New Orleans. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Brandon plans to work in a strategic role as a management consultant.

Lee Dreyfuss joins the IBEAR MBA program with 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Lee began his career at Creative Artists Agency. Lee was working for top talent agents creating and presenting pitch decks, developing working relationships with casting directors, producers, filmmakers and studio executives, and conducting research for all licensing projects. Following CAA, he worked for a mega-producer at Imagine Entertainment, researching and reporting results for various projects. While at Imagine, Lee started his own production company, Fat Larry Productions, which develops, acquires and finances film and television projects. As CEO, producer and owner, Lee is responsible for negotiating the optioning of Intellectual Property and scripts or developing acquired IP from their inception to their finished product. Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Society with a Minor in Marketing from American University, School of Public Affairs, in Washington DC. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Lee intends to pursue a career in marketing.

Jason Klug joins the IBEAR MBA Program with more than seven years of professional experience. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Jason joined local advertising agency Amber Communications in 2011 as the first non-Chinese citizen in the company and worked alongside the CEO and key management to grow the agency from 30 people to more than 200 staff members between the Beijing and Shanghai offices.  As Account Director, he managed accounts for some of the agency’s biggest global clients, including LVMH, Danone and Adidas. Managing the Coca-Cola accounts for the agency, Jason more than tripled billings by leading successful pitches and expanding the service offering to existing brands. Jason also led the effort to attract a strategic buyer for the agency that ultimately led to the purchase of the agency by the Chinese advertising conglomerate LEO Digital Network. Jason holds a B.A. in Advertising from the Pennsylvania State University. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Jason plans to pursue a career in international marketing.

Corina Lam joins the IBEAR MBA Program with six years of commercial real estate banking experience with KeyBank, a Cleveland based regional bank. At KeyBank, Corina completed rotations in Portfolio Analytics, the Income Property Group and the Multi-Family Commercial Mortgage Group within the bank’s commercial real estate division. Her strengths in risk management and credit analysis led to a portfolio management role in the Income Property Group. As Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager, Corina managed a loan portfolio with over $300MM in commitments and underwrote over $400MM in loans secured by real estate assets (Multi-Family, Office, Industrial and Retail), equity pledges and cash flow. Corina holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Corina intends to continue her career in banking with a focus on international finance and strategic growth.

Su Szczerba joins the IBEAR MBA Program with experience as an internal consumer insights and market research consultant at Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Su directed cross-functional teams responsible for the design and implementation of initiatives throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. She developed and managed Hyatt's largest global insights platform, a $2.5 million program designed to serve as a key success indicator across the company. Su has also designed real-time data strategies to maximize online and offline household data for marketing re-targeting, media purchasing, and ad-hoc brand research. From these diverse experiences, Su has developed a robust set of competencies in marketing technology sourcing, vendor relationship management and consumer understanding. She is a proud recipient of Hyatt’s Global CMO award, given to those who exemplify Hyatt’s mission of “caring for people so they can be their best.” Su holds a B.A. in International Development with a focus on Urban Planning from UCLA and a Professional Certification in Integrated Marketing from the University of Chicago Graham School. Upon completion of the IBEAR MBA Program, Su intends to expand her role into marketing strategy with a focus on experiential marketing.