“All About Lifelong Learning” Hayden Chou’s Inspiring Journey with the EMBA
When Mr Hayden Chou completed the National University of Singapore Executive MBA (NUS EMBA) programme in August 2025, he reflected on what set the programme apart from his earlier academic experiences.
More than a decade ago, he completed his first MBA at National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan). “I finished my first MBA when I was 36 years old. It really helped me a lot,” he recalls. “At that time, I was just a middle-level manager. The programme delivered many practical management knowledge and skills, including finance, accounting, marketing, manufacturing and operations management.” However, as he climbed the career ladder, he felt he needed a more strategic and visionary outlook.
By contrast, he says of the NUS EMBA: “Of course, we still learn many finance, accounting, and operations management subjects, but we can learn or interpret those subjects in a very high-level or more strategic point of view. I would say that’s quite different.” The Taiwan-based alumna, who is leading the HR and Admin departments at Global Unichip Corporation (GUC), takes a moment out of his schedule to chat more about his experience.
An HR Leader Across Industries
Hayden brings over 20 years of HR experience, spanning the high-tech and manufacturing industries. His career has taken him through several Taiwanese high-tech companies such as Perfect Corp. (NYSE: PERF), Zyxel, GUC, and AUO, where he has driven global expansion and cultural transformation. He also served as Country HR Head at Bridgestone Taiwan, the world’s largest tyre and rubber products manufacturer.
These experiences sharpened his business acumen and reinforced his belief that HR is a strategic driver rather than merely a support function. “Maybe many people think that HR is a supporting function role. But I would say that HR is not only about “support”. HR is about creating a comprehensive business strategy and enhancing sustainable competitive advantages of an organisation. I would say it’s more like a strategic function.”
Why Choose NUS EMBA, and How It Benefits HR Professionals
For Hayden, who has been deeply involved in HR strategy, global operations, and ESG initiatives, the EMBA represented more than a credential. “I have been doing HR jobs for more than 20 years, and I consider myself a lifelong learner. So, I have to walk the talk. That is the reason I would like to join this programme.”
The seasoned HR professional had been aware of the NUS EMBA for some time before embarking on it. He first discovered the programme years earlier while researching leadership training for senior executives. “This programme is quite interesting for top management to broaden their horizon and learn something new outside of their current domain knowledge and expertise,” he explains.
Its tagline—Leading from Asia—stood out. “Many MBA or EMBA programmes are focused on different areas, but this programme is trying to lead us to have many different experiences across the entire Asia Pacific region. We travelled a lot and did many immersive learning experiences. Not just in the classroom, but we can also interact with real business leaders in different cities and countries. Which is quite impressive and helpful to me.”
Even as a seasoned HR executive, Hayden found the EMBA stretched his perspective and strengthened his cultural intelligence. “Through the journey, I found that I still have much, much to learn. I found that I myself became more open-minded to accept and to enjoy different countries’ cultures.”
Exposure to CEOs enhanced his communication skills: “Previously, I always tried to push myself to think and to act like a business leader, not only an HR leader,” he notes the change in himself: “However, after in-depth interactions with different countries, industries, CEOs, and even top-level business owners, I would say I am more confident in speaking with them.” Hayden credits the programme for giving him a better grasp of communicating with his own company board members, so that he can present his ideas effectively.
The EMBA also introduced fresh Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) perspectives, as many modules explored these topics. He says, “Many business owners think that ESG is just a marketing slogan. But I don’t think so. I think ESG and CSR concepts help you understand how to build a sustainable company, how to make your business everlasting and contribute to the entire society or entire world.” “Some people say that CSR – HR = PR, and I completely agree. From my experience, HR plays a highly contributive and strategic role in driving ESG and CSR initiatives, which create business value rather than mere public relations.”
Another key learning for Hayden was gaining exposure to the latest technological trend, AI. “Surprisingly, AI and its applications were widely mentioned and discussed across many different courses,” he says. “Learning about AI technologies and applying them throughout this EMBA journey has truly empowered me to become a more efficient and future-ready business leader.”
Learning from Peers and Projects
Mingling with the cohort left a deep mark. “I have many chances to co-work with different business leaders. Some are at the C-suite level, and some are middle- to high-level managers. All of them are very wonderful people. So, I could learn a lot from them, not only on a surface level. During some group projects and in-depth discussions, I could know the reasons behind their judgment, the rationales and their way of thinking, their logic, which is quite important to me.”
He shares two lighthearted reflections on his EMBA experience about group discussions.
“In our first core course on marketing strategy, because we don’t know each other so well, every time we do the online group meeting, we are so polite. We don’t want to make any dominant decisions, so we voted on everything. We want to respect everyone and talk a lot,” he chuckles at the memory. “But when we look back on this, after we know each other better, we laugh about it. Till today, our first group members still have very, very close friendship.”
The second experience Hayden wants to share is about learning AI and new technologies together with peers. “In the second segment of the program, we learned about some AI tools. A few classmates and I discussed which tools we should start exploring. One year later, during the fifth segment, I was grouped again with some of those same classmates for a group project. This time, I was amazed to see how everyone had become highly proficient with several AI tools. They not only greatly improved work efficiency, but also actively shared ideas and experiences on how to use these tools effectively in their own jobs,” he says. “This kind of learning from peers’ experience is truly exceptional. It’s something you can hardly gain anywhere else.”
Balancing Work, Study, and Family
Like many EMBA candidates, Hayden juggled a full-time career while studying for the EMBA. We asked him about his experience, and he says with a laugh, “Very, very difficult. The entire EMBA journey is kind of pushing yourself to break through your limitations.” He frequently travelled to and from Taiwan for work, as well as for classes in Singapore. The hardest part, he stresses, was not the travel but “how to balance, how to do the time management, to balance my work commitment and the EMBA commitment. And how to make time accompanying my family, while maintaining my personal health status.”
A typical routine involved working during the day and studying or attending group meetings in the evenings. “Even during the weekend, sometimes you just could not stop studying. You have to sacrifice some time for relaxation or recreation.” What kept him motivated were his daughters. “I have two teenage daughters. At a certain level, I have to be their role model. So nowadays, I can say that, hey, come on, your father is almost 50 years old. I’m still learning. You have no excuse not to study hard.”
Advice to Future Candidates
For those considering the same path, Hayden’s counsel is clear: “It’s an amazing, life-changing journey, but definitely not a decision you can make easily. If you truly want to invest in yourself, explore and grow out of your comfort zone, especially if you want to gain deep, hands-on business knowledge across the Asia-Pacific region, I would say the NUS EMBA is a very worthy investment for you.”
Ready to take the next step?
Like Hayden, you can expand your leadership perspective, grow through peer learning, and gain the confidence to navigate complex business challenges across Asia. Learn more about the NUS EMBA and discover how it can be your most valuable investment.
