Class of 2016

Chris Yap

Chris Yap joined the TRIUM Class of 2016 as a Programme Director (Executive Learning) for Novartis International AG where his remit includes Strategy Development and Execution, Corporate Governance, P&L Management and programme design and delivery. Two years later and Chris believes that his company will see significant progress in his intellectual and interpersonal capabilities and most importantly, his potential for growth. Chris is also a firm believer in the power of the TRIUM alliance.

An endorsement from TRIUM, backed by 3 global education powerhouses, is a huge boost to my credibility.

Chris describes the last 18 months as, “Intense, intriguing and inspirational!” With the support of his family, friends and colleagues, Chris has successfully managed to combine his responsibilities which take him around the world with his commitment to TRIUM. Discipline is an important factor, he states. “I had to be very harsh on my schedule and prioritize all my activities accordingly. Now that the programme is over, I have a lot of catching up with my friends to do.”

And the stand-out lecture?

Professor Aswath Damodaran’s lecture on Corporate Valuation was an eye-opener. His ability to take such a complex subject and made it so easy to comprehend was what that amazed me.

Chris’s other highlight was Professor Anindya Ghose’s session on Social Media and Digital Marketing. It is a field that just emerged over the last decade but is quickly becoming a subject that all business leaders cannot operate without.

Taking all his TRIUM acumen with him in the next few years Chris hopes to broaden his expertise in his field of human capital to encompass talent management and acquisition. These markets, he says, have huge economic growth potential and human capital development will result in economic development. As such Chris’s future plans are to head a forward looking organisation that would provide a platform to achieve this.

I am a firm believer of out-of-classroom learning experiences such as company visits and discussions amongst executives. Through such interactions, we hope participants will be able to identify with some of the theories and cases discussed in the classroom, and draw parallels to their own industry. Simultaneously, our Novartis leaders will also benefit from some fresh external perspectives.

“My aspiration is to provide a workforce in the emerging markets through access to high quality learning and developmental experiences.”

Even though Chris finished his TRIUM journey in Paris in February, he has followed in the footsteps of many of our alumni by continuing his involvement with the program. This week the Class of 2017 will visit the Novartis Shanghai campus.

The Novartis Shanghai campus is a symbol of our commitment towards the market, particularly important for a country like China. As such, this is an ideal platform for TRIUM participants to learn about MNCs operations in this country.