China Construction Bank Senior Management Visit

23 May 2019

On Thursday, May 23rd PHBS UK warmly welcomed Mr YAN Aiming, the CEO of the China Construction Bank London (CCBL), and his senior management directors of the Bank to the Campus. Familiar faces got the chance to return to the Campus, now blooming with flowers and bathed in sunshine, and new visitors were able to get to know more about our CCB Executive students’ home of learning here in Oxfordshire.

This was a wonderful opportunity for the CCB Senior Management members to meet all our hard-working English teachers who spend so much time with our students ensuring they receive the best teaching possible. Heath Krobok, Louise Davis and Lynda Plenty are English teachers who work so closely with our CCB Executive students who were able to speak with various members of the CCB Management team. They were accompanied by Eric Smith, Director of the Business English Programme as well as Dr Carryn Yong who oversees the programme and is integral to the daily welfare of all our students.

After an intimate staff introduction in our Board Meeting Room, we moved over to the Conference Room where all our executive students were assembled to partake in a round-table discussion with the Senior CCB Management members. Mr Yang Aiming gave a rousing opening address that really drove home to our executive students how proud they are to have them representing China Construction Bank and serving as ambassadors for the organisation. Following this, Head of PHBS UK Campus, Professor Guy Liu gave a progress report on the programme and praised the students for their dedication to their progress and enthusiasm for extracurricular ventures. Professor Liu said that he was thoroughly enjoying seeing the students’ progression from the first day all the way until now, about a third of the way through the programme and that he cannot wait to see where they get to by the end of the programme.

Dr Carryn Yong also gave a progress report which covered both the social and cultural development aspects as well as the academic side of learning. The seminars which are coordinated by Dr Yong are an integral part of the executive students’ learning as it gives them the opportunities to put their English learning into action and in extremely applicable topics such as Fintech, AI and Managerial Economics. Dr Yong also referenced some of the individual, personal milestones some of our executive students have reached including navigating their way around the country without any support and being proactive in finding sporting groups and conversational opportunities to join. Mr Yang, the CCB Chairman, was intrigued to know that at all these seminar events our executives attended – how many times they asked questions. Many of our executives were very keen to share their stories of asking a variety of questions at events and why they found it important that they engaged with these speakers rather than just listening to them.

It was a great chance for the Chairman to interact with the students on a more individual level and find out what aspects of the course each student particularly enjoys and where they feel they have made the most progress. It was also a wonderful opportunity for our students to reflect on how far they have come and what their goals are going forward.

Following a period of free conversation between all involved in the round table talk Mr Yang Aiming gave a short summary and everyone headed to the Great Hall for Lunch. Janson had prepared a feast of a lunch and it was enjoyed by all, with some people even managing to get outside to eat to enjoy the glorious weather!

(Report by Zoë Toone. Edited by Guy Liu and Eric Smith. Photos by Zoë Toone)