Qiang Fu (CEng MEng Hons, Imperial College London), INSEAD
Prior to starting his MBA studies at INSEAD, Qiang spent 8 years in BP’s Global Project Organisation. His most recent role was the Structural Lead Engineer responsible for the engineering assurance and delivery of the $6 billion Clair Ridge offshore platform, which he was involved in from the early design stage to the final handover. Qiang has worked with a number of world-class engineering and construction contractors in the oil and gas sector, during which he has lived in the UK, Holland, Norway, South Korea and offshore for extended periods of time. Prior to joining BP, Qiang graduated from Imperial College London with a First Class degree in Civil Engineering.
How did you learn about the SMF scholarship?
I heard about the SMF scholarship from a classmate at Imperial College; she had been previously been awarded a scholarship and encouraged me to apply. The Royal Academy of Engineering’s website has also been very helpful and I found a lot of detailed information which helped me greatly in my application.
What was the most rewarding part of applying for the SMF scholarship?
The application process gave me the opportunity to study the history and aspiration of the SMF programme, and I read many life stories of the current Fellows. They are a group of outstanding individuals with strong engineering and business skills, and their career paths provide me with a perfect guide and open opportunities for me that I would otherwise never have been aware of.
What does winning the scholarship mean to you?
Winning the SMF scholarship is a great honour for me. It is recognition of my professional commitment in engineering over the years and I am very proud of becoming a member of the SMF community. The scholarship will also allow me to take more risks in my MBA study and pursue an entrepreneurship career to further stretch and challenge myself, without worrying about the immediate financial burdens.
Other than your studies, what activities are you involved in at business school?
I will participate in club activities in the school, such as Energy Club and Entrepreneurship Club, where I will utilise my network and resources to help organise speaker events and company visits for the students who are interested in these industries. I will also participate in the Start-up Competition and test my ideas through business lenses and learn to pitch in front of potential investors.
How do you think your MBA skills will take you forward in your career?
There are three key skills I will learn from the MBA which I believe will be fundamental for a successful future leader. These are business skills, marketing skills and people skills. Business skills will validate ideas, marketing skills will make the business grow, and people skills will make this growth sustainable. I think these skills will be valuable additions to my engineering knowledge and will equip me well to tackle any challenges that I will face in the future.
