“The UCLA – NUS programme enhanced my understanding of different cultures and provided a unique opportunity to have an “East meets West” experience and understand the thinking and decision-making processes of different cultures.”Ken Sansom President Experian, Asia Pacific COMPANY BACKGROUND Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian has four business lines: Credit Services, Decision Analytics, Marketing Services and Interactive Services.PROJECT TITLEMarket entry strategy for Experian Marketing Services in Asian countries.PROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe project analyzes and prioritizes countries to enter and provides market entry options in the Asia region for Experian Marketing Services to realize their Asia Pacific near and long-term growth objectives.

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“Trying to manage the complexities of managing a 24/7 global news operation, we are constantly having to adapt the way we are doing business. The team from the UCLA – NUS Executive MBA programme provided not only new insights, but also recommendations that we could actually implement. Working with such a diverse team of talented professionals was a real privilege.”Simon Sproule Corporate Vice President, Global Communications Nissan Motor Company, JapanCOMPANY BACKGROUND Nissan is present in all major global auto markets through selling a comprehensive range of cars, pickup trucks, SUVs and light commercial vehicles that sell under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. The company employs over 180,000 people worldwide.PROJECT TITLENissan Global Communications ProjectPROJECT DESCRIPTIONTo conduct discovery and analysis, and provide solid recommendations on content management practices for Nissan’s Global Communications Team. Nissan was seeking to achieve a better structured workflow for urgent news and releases as well as improvements in content quality and efficiency of global information sharing.

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“We were very impressed with the quality of the findings. The team did a great job in identifying the challenges and opportunities through their evaluation of Asia Pacific Live Action Film merchandising market by strategically using Hong Kong as a benchmark. They were very thorough and made interesting and thoughtful recommendations for Disney in this unique market. We certainly look forward to the next project with the UCLA – NUS EMBA students.”Eva Steortz Vice President, Boys/Live Action Film Franchise Management Disney Consumer Products California, USACOMPANY BACKGROUND The Walt Disney Company is a global leader in the film and entertainment industry. The film unit is classified into Animated and Live Action Film. Disney is a dominant player in the Animated Film market, with its well-known characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Snow White. More recently, Disney has been diversifying into Live Action Film with launches such as Chronicles of Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean.PROJECT TITLEWalt Disney Live Action Film Merchandising Opportunities in Hong KongPROJECT DESCRIPTIONTo analyze Hong Kong’s Live Action Film merchandising market and formulate the company’s future expansion strategy.

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“We were thoroughly impressed by the realistic approach and contributions from individuals of such differing background, yet finally coming to a common finding. The “practicum was practical” and we are adopting the interesting concept of dashboard control within our own management practices. My congratulations to the team!”Patrick Yong Group Chief Operating Officer Tai Kwong Yokohama Bhd, MalaysiaCOMPANY BACKGROUND Tai Kwong Yokohama Battery Industries Sdn Bhd (TKYBI) is a home-grown Malaysian company that manufactures and distributes automotive and motorcycle batteries. It is an OEM supplier to well-known vehicle brand names (Perodua, Bosch, Honda, etc.) and has 20-25% market share in domestic automotive battery market and 45% market share in the domestic OEM market. Despite the successes, TKYBI faces considerable challenges with fluctuating commodity prices, regulatory changes, and many competitors vying for market share within the same space.PROJECT TITLEOperations and Distribution Strategy for Tai Kwong YokohamaPROJECT DESCRIPTIONThe UCLA – NUS Management Practicum team, comprising members from non-battery industries, assessed the key aspects of financial benchmarking against competitors, manufacturing, and distribution efficiencies as part of an initiative to review the TKYBI operations and highlight areas of opportunities.

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“Working with the practicum team was a pleasure! They took the time to understand the nuances of our brand, strategies and goals. The team investigated and made several recommendations for new marketing opportunities as well as recommended three strategies for measuring ROI on our grassroots events. Both were very beneficial to Scion, where our resources are fairly limited. We feel confident in their recommendations due to the teams diverse backgrounds and experience and their holistic approach.”Adrian Si Scion Interactive Marketing Manager Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc.COMPANY BACKGROUND Scion, from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., was developed with a new generation of youthful buyers in mind. Scion’s mission is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level. The Scion brand features three ground-breaking models. The xD is an urban subcompact five-door, featuring a muscular stance and accentuated wheel flares. The xB, an urban utility vehicle, combines remarkable interior space with iconic styling. The tC sports coupe surprises the buyer with the convenience of a hatchback and the luxury of a standard all-glass panorama moonroof, complementing the usual wide array of features on all Scions.PROJECT TITLEA Systematic Approach on Promoting Products to Gen Y: A Marketing Study on ScionPROJECT DESCRIPTIONTo analyze and evaluate the present campaigns and marketing processes used by TMC in promoting Scion to Gen Y customers and to develop a marketing strategy that will promote Scion more effectively.

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“The team’s findings and recommendations were incisive and decidedly competitive. More importantly, the team has helped uncover new marketing perspectives that we were unaware of and which will be helpful to our cause, going forward.”Michael Lee Vice President, Marketing Systems & Services Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Singapore COMPANY BACKGROUND Banyan Tree Holdings (BTH) is a leading developer of luxury hotels and resorts with the majority of its properties located in Asia. Established in 1994, BTH currently owns 23 resorts and hotels, 65 spas, 65 retail galleries, and two golf courses. BTH has seven operating business segments: hotel investments, hotel residence sales, hotel management, spa operations, gallery operations, property sales, and design fees as well as others. The company’s primary business is development and ownership of hotels and resorts, centered on two award winning brands: Banyan Tree and Angsana.PROJECT TITLEDistribution Strategy for Banyan Tree Hotels and ResortsPROJECT DESCRIPTIONTo analyze Banyan Tree’s current distribution strategy and formulation of future strategies that will be in alignment with industry standards and trends in order to sustain Banyan Tree’s future growth plans to be a major player in the global marketplace.

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