Mentor: DENG Sanhong, Senior Manager, CEIBS Alumni Relations Department
Student: WU Jun; ZHANG Zhehua

I am DENG Sanhong, one of CEIBS MBA99 Alumni. Having been engaged in the management consulting industry for a decade upon graduation, I joined the CEIBS Alumni Relations Department half a year ago.

“Therefore when he learns, one knows his own deficiencies; when he teaches, he knows the difficulties of learning. After he knows his deficiencies, one is able to turn round and examine himself; after he knows the difficulties, he is able to stimulate himself to effort. Hence it is said, ‘Teaching and learning help each other.’” –Record on the Subject of the Education of the Book of Rites

The above quote conjures up memories of my participation in the MBA Mentoring Programme 2006 and “Teaching and learning help each other”, in particular, aptly describes my impression on the Mentoring Programme. Therefore, after returning to CEIBS, I signed up for the MBA Mentoring Programme 2012.

Investment banking and consulting have long been two popular industries that appeal to CEIBS MBA graduates. After my personal information as a mentor was released, I have received many applications lodged by CEIBS students. In the first round of enrollment, I picked up WU Jun as my first mentee. A graduate from the National University of Defense Technology, he had gone through arduous training at a grassroots troop. With a high GMAT score, Mr. WU was a recipient of the CEIBS Excellence Scholarship. Besides, he was keen on rock-climbing and electronic sports. In the consulting industry, we tended to pay more attention to applicants with a particular background. It was my hope that under my guidance, he would be able to establish himself as a professional manager through the MBA Programme. My second mentee, however, was selected by chance. When I was chairing an event on CEIBS campus, Mr. ZHANG Zhehua went up to me, making a self-introduction and imploring me to enroll him as my mentee. With a stint overseas and a strong marketing background, he was a successful professional manager, mature and experienced in social intercourse. He hoped that venturing into the consulting industry would pave a way for his future career development or family business succession. On the one hand, I was deeply impressed by his courage, confidence and sincerity; on the other hand, in my opinion, complementary in character and experiences, he and WU Jun would likely strike sparks off each other during my mentoring. Later on, facts confirmed my earlier judgment.

At the first supper with my mentees, I briefed them on the consulting industry so that they could arrive at a broad understanding about the consultation and the way consultants dealt with their projects. By taking the Mentoring Programme as a consulting project, we set a target, schedule (frequency of meeting) and tasks on each stage before strictly following the project plan. After our meeting, we used to draft a memo. Over the past half year, we have combed through the consulting industry, from the hard side (operational mechanism, prevailing consulting tools and interview skills for consultancies) to the soft side (networking with the industry insiders and others; dos and don’ts for getting along with others). Their remarkable learning capability and rapid progress have filled me with comfort and pride. My mentoring, however, was not a one-way street. They taught me how to make use of microblog and Wechat, and compared notes with me over how social networks like Facebook and mobile Internet platforms upended the young generation’s lifestyle. Besides, their pastimes, like marathon, electronic sports and rock-climbing, opened up new horizons for me. I would like to extend my thanks to my mentees for their dedication to the Mentoring Programme as the mentoring process was quite a pleasant journey.

It has been 12 years since I graduated from CEIBS in April 2001. CEIBS MBA students have developed a global vision. On this occasion, I would like to extend my gratitude to the MBA Department. As one of CEIBS MBA alumni, I am confident about the bright career prospect for MBA graduates and proud of my contribution to my alma mater. It is my sincere hope that more CEIBS alumni will sign up for the MBA Mentoring Programme to share life experience with young students and draw inspiration from their vibrant life to keep abreast of the times.