Dogged desire: Laurie Hippman on why he chose HKU for his MBA

Veterinarian Laurie Hippman is determined to use his HKU MBA to go from order-taker to leader of the pack

Laurie Hippman took a degree in veterinary science at the University of Sydney and became a veterinarian after graduating. Eleven years ago, he got a job offer from the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to come to Hong Kong and be a vet here, which he quickly accepted.

After working at the SPCA for a decade, however, he decided that he was never going to be able to make the jump to management that he desired because he lacked the appropriate qualifications and knowledge. An MBA, he thought, was the key, so he enrolled on a full-time MBA course at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and will graduate later this year.

What prompted you to pursue an MBA?
In my job, I have gone as far as I want to go. I have worked at the SPCA for a decade, but no matter how long I am there, I will never go any higher and make management decisions, which frustrates me a little. I believe getting an MBA degree could help me get out of this situation and may even help me move up to a management level.

I also want to learn something new. I am actually interested in many different areas, such as world economics. I believe an MBA degree will help me broaden my knowledge of different fields.

Why did you choose HKU?
I chose HKU as it is probably the best, and the best known, university in this city.