* The SOP is meant to a stream of text without sectional headings, but here in the interest of understanding, we are highlighting the various sections.

In 2019, while managing a digital marketing campaign for Alibaba’s expansion into Southeast Asia, I saw an entire market’s response shift in real-time. Our campaign—designed with cultural nuance and data-backed creativity—sparked a 22% increase in monthly active users within two quarters. It was the moment I truly grasped the power of strategic marketing on a global scale. Now, as I seek to transition into a leadership role shaping global brand strategy in the tech industry, I am eager to elevate my thinking and execution through the MBA program at Harvard Business School.

My professional journey began with a solid foundation in business fundamentals at Peking University, where I majored in Business Administration. As a student, I led a student consulting initiative that helped a local SME pivot to e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic. That project—while small in scale—reinforced my belief in data-led, people-centric marketing. My coursework in consumer behavior, managerial accounting, and digital strategy provided the analytical lens, while my extracurricular work with Enactus deepened my interest in inclusive, global entrepreneurship.

Joining Alibaba as a Marketing Analyst was a dream realized. I began by working on domestic campaigns for Tmall, but quickly earned a spot on the Globalization Team. There, I collaborated with teams across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam to design integrated marketing campaigns for product launches. One of my proudest achievements was leading a localization project for AliExpress, which involved tailoring value propositions to regional cultures. I led A/B testing initiatives, deployed market analytics platforms like Adobe Analytics and Tableau, and coordinated across time zones and departments. These experiences not only sharpened my marketing acumen but also revealed gaps in my leadership toolkit—particularly in stakeholder management, international strategy, and long-term brand building.

The MBA at Harvard is not just a prestigious stepping stone—it is a transformative environment. HBS’s case-method pedagogy is especially attractive to me because it mirrors the complexity of real-world business decisions, something I already encounter regularly. I’m excited about courses such as “Competing with Social Networks” and “Reimagining Capitalism,” which align with my growing interest in ethical marketing and digital trust. Moreover, being a part of the Tech Club and the Asia Business Club at HBS would provide peer exchange that is as valuable as classroom learning.

What distinguishes HBS for me is its emphasis on leadership that drives meaningful impact. I am drawn to the school’s culture of introspection and service, reflected in programs like FIELD and the Leadership & Corporate Accountability module. I want to explore how global tech companies can balance rapid innovation with social responsibility—particularly as data privacy, misinformation, and algorithmic bias become central marketing concerns.

Post-MBA, I envision myself joining the global brand strategy team at a leading tech firm like Google or ByteDance, crafting marketing narratives that resonate across cultures. In the long term, my ambition is to return to China and build a strategic consultancy that helps emerging tech startups develop ethical, scalable brand strategies for international markets. I want to be a bridge between East and West—between innovation and empathy.

What I bring to HBS is a multicultural, data-informed, and user-obsessed perspective, combined with the humility of someone constantly learning. I have worked in fast-paced, cross-cultural teams and understand how to balance analytics with creative storytelling. I am eager to contribute to the HBS community by sharing insights from China’s tech innovation scene, and to grow by learning from my peers’ diverse global experiences.

Harvard, for me, is not just about the brand—it is about the community, the learning experience, and the values it represents. I am confident that HBS will equip me with the frameworks, relationships, and resilience to become not just a successful global marketer, but a thoughtful and responsible leader in the digital age.