Bernice Wang

Bernice Wang, SIM-University of Birmingham alumna, has always been intrigued about other cultures. Her interest led her to pursue the International Business degree programme where she seized the opportunity to intern overseas in China. With a deeper cultural understanding of businesses gained from her stint, it helped her progress in her career as a Commercial Sales Manager at Stats Perform today.

26 Mar 2020

3 mins

Cultivating Connections Across Regions

What do you do as a Commercial Sales Manager at Stats Perform?

We are a sports technology company that distributes sports content and solutions with presence in many regions. As a Commercial Sales Manager, I manage and develop client relationships to deliver revenue and drive growth in the China market.

What excites you most about your job?

The challenges of the job and the thought of executing a piece of work from scratch to completion excites me. In addition, because my job allows me to meet lots of different people, the possibility of gaining new knowledge and perspective in our interaction gets me excited. There is this saying that travel makes you richer. I think people, too. You will never know what simple conversations you strike with anyone that may inspire or change your life.

Why did you choose to pursue the International Business Programme with SIM-University of Birmingham?

I chose the University for its reputation and programme offerings. The modules offered by the programme included the ins and outs of international management, and also allowed overseas exposure through the optional overseas Industrial Placement Programme. These could fulfill what I was looking for in my university education, as I was keen on understanding various business cultures and diversity in workplaces.

Tell us about your industrial placement experience at Pivot Marketing in Shanghai, China. How has it helped you launch your career?

I believe my stint at Pivot Marketing was a stepping-stone to my current role. If not for the option to pursue an overseas internship, I would not have had the opportunity to interact with suppliers and clients at Pivot Marketing. It provided me a deeper insight into business practices and culture in China. The knowledge gained through the programme and the practical experience has been beneficial to me as I progressed to my current role today.

What is the greatest takeaway from your SIM Experience?

Making a group of friends that I am still in close contact with up until today.

Any tips to excel in the corporate world?

Be open to learning and stay humble. Never stop seeking challenges and personal growth. Keep going no matter how tough it gets because it is through our experience and resilience that we become the person we aspire to be.

Who is your hero and why?

My grandmother. I look up to her for her independence and humility. Many years back she used to sell cardboard boxes to pass time and earn some income. As the older generation grew up weathering hardships, the concept of money is very important to her. She was the one who imparted the values of being thrifty and humble, and these values kept me grounded in all that I sought and achieved in my life journey so far. These values are easy to lose sight of in this day and age as we grow to be more self-sufficient.

#SIM-UoBGraduate #GlobalHero

Click here to learn more about the programmes awarded by University of Birmingham.