Executive MBA Learning expedition in Hong Kong and Shenzhen | EDHEC Business School
A week in Hong Kong and Shenzhen offered EDHEC Executive MBA participants a direct view of how strategy, innovation and execution take shape in two closely connected yet contrasting business environments.
The learning expedition forms a core part of the Executive MBA experience. It is designed to expose participants to different economic, regulatory and cultural contexts, combining academic framing with company visits and in-depth exchanges on the ground. This year’s destination focused on Southern China, with five intensive days across Hong Kong and Shenzhen, aligned with the programme’s emphasis on global perspective and applied strategic
thinking.
Hong Kong: Understanding the environment and the rules of the game
Hong Kong provided the starting point. Discussions focused on market structure, regulation and the conditions that shape how business is conducted across finance, infrastructure, logistics and environmental services. As Executive MBA Programme Director Véronique Carresse explained, the week was designed to connect context with practice. “Hong Kong offered a strong sense of the broader environnent, what the market looks like right now, how business gets done, and how regulation shapes the ecosystem.”
Participants met with institutional actors, corporates and innovation hubs, including Cyberport and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks. These visits highlighted mature digital and AI ecosystems, supported by public policy and robust infrastructure.
For Carresse, the quality of engagement was central to the week’s success.
“The depth of the discussions reflected your sharp thinking, the quality of your questions and the way you connected ideas across sessions.”
Shenzhen: execution speed and scale
The second part of the expedition shifted the focus to Shenzhen. Conversations centred on execution, platform models and ecosystem integration, particularly in AI-driven environments. Meetings with major technology players illustrated how ideas move rapidly from concept to deployment.
EMBA participant Ronalds Vitols, a Senior Associate at KPMG Law Firm, summarised one of the key insights.
“Shenzhen and the Tencent ecosystem show what execution speed, integration, and ecosystem thinking mean in practice.”
The super-app model, discussed during company visits, provided a concrete illustration of strategy translated into large-scale, everyday usage.
“A good reminder that strategy is rarely about being the fastest everywhere - it is about understanding where and when you are most valuable,” he concluded.
A collective learning experience
Beyond individual company cases, the learning expedition encouraged participants to connect observations across sectors and geographies. The experience fed directly into the programme’s objective of strengthening strategic analysis and critical thinking in a global context.
“Side by side, these cities tell a powerful story,” says EMBA participant Christine Walsh, Global Managing Director at
Vinci Technologies, about the contrast between the two cities.
“Hong Kong operates as a global connector, shaped by openness, international finance, and long-established business frameworks. Shenzhen moves at a different pace, defined by rapid innovation, execution, and a constant push from idea to scale. Together, they offer a clear view of how strategy, technology, and ambition translate into real-world impact.”
Fellow EMBA Participant Benjamin Faguer, a healthtech data services professional, found that the trip also highlighted the role of public policy and incentives.
“What surprised me most was how aggressively Hong Kong is using subsidy programs to attract innovation from all over the world, and how that connects with the broader tech engine of the Greater Bay Area and Shenzhen.”
Learning expeditions within the EDHEC Executive MBA Programme
Global business trips are a structured element of the EDHEC Executive MBA. They combine preparatory academic work, on-site company visits and collective reflection, enabling participants to analyse different business models and strategic choices in real time. Destinations evolve each year to reflect changing global dynamics and emerging areas of strategic importance
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