This article was first published in The Business Times

MY journey began when I was invited last July to apply to lead Ivy League university Princeton’s student run Business Today’s 36th International Conference in New York City. Business Today was started by Steve Forbes, the famous CEO and editor of Forbes magazine, with two other Princeton University students in 1968 and is America’s top student run publication.

As the largest undergraduate executive forum in the United States, the three day conference last November attracted 70 senior executives and 160 selected international students. The year’s theme was “New Rules of the Game”, focusing on the changing international business landscape.

This was an opportunity not to be missed given its informative nature, networking opportunities and international exposure. My travel to the US and food and lodging in New York City were sponsored by State Farm Insurance, the world’s largest mutual property and casualty insurance firm. Gloria Ong, a final year Bachelor of Accountancy student at Nanyang Business School, and I were fortunate to be chosen to represent Singapore at this conference.

Many aspects of the Business Today conference left indelible memories for me. The keynote speeches by notable business figures like Steve Forbes and SAP’s Bill McDermott were stimulating. I was especially impressed by the speech by Mr Forbes in which he shared his views on the recent economic crisis. He showed strong business acumen and a great sense of humour in his suggestions of economic stimulus measures for the United States. His speech was particularly relevant as it contributed additional insights to the ongoing classroom discussions on the economic crisis I had back in Nanyang Business School.

During the keynote speech sessions, the participants enjoyed meals with the top executives. This allowed us to get to know them in a more informal setting and learn about the best practices in their industries. The conversations revolved around the conference theme.

One of the executives emphasised the need for businesses to constantly reinvent themselves to remain competitive in the changing business environment. He observed how businesses, with strong domestic markets in the West, are increasingly looking at the East for growth opportunities. I feel that with the emergence of this new world order, the demand for individuals who have a strong understanding of Asian markets and are conversant in Asian languages will continue to increase.

The conference included small group executive seminars with senior corporate officers from large corporations like Yahoo!, Liz Claiborne and NBC News. The executives shared with us their career decisions and memorable career defining incidents as well as mistakes in their professional careers. I gained insights on career development and leadership lessons which cannot be gathered from reading textbooks. As for the choice of the first job, many of the executives encouraged us to choose a career based on the exposure rather than on salary as the job which provides valuable exposure in early years lays a solid foundation for future career success. This advice was definitely useful to graduating students like myself.

There were also panel discussions on current issues such as the United States healthcare reforms and the financial implications of the Dodd Frank Act. The expert panelists offered stimulating insights into these issues as they engaged in captivating debate. I was amazed at the diversity of opinion and the level of engagement during the discussions.

Other exciting components of the conference included visits to New York corporate headquarters of multinational firms like Morgan Stanley, Mitsubishi International Corp and Godiva, and a case study competition where participants were randomly placed into small teams to solve real world problems under the guidance of executives.

My greatest takeaway were the friendships which I forged with participants from over 30 countries. It was remarkable how the participants from leading educational institutions could connect with each other despite their diverse backgrounds. There was an inclusive and open environment which encouraged sharing. Through informal chats with the other participants, I developed a better understanding of their countries, their cultures and education systems. I also took the opportunity to tell them interesting stories about Singapore.

I also took the opportunity to tour New York City and visit some of its notable tourist spots like Times Square, Rockefeller Center and Central Park. Meeting up with friends studying in New York City and celebrating Thanksgiving with them drew a fruitful and wholesome closure to my trip before I returned to Singapore.

All in all, the conference broadened my horizons and provided an enriching experience interacting with the participants and executives. The humility of the executives and their willingness to share their knowledge and wisdom with undergraduate participants were memorable. Missing a week of lessons back in Singapore was definitely worth it in exchange for the friendships and lessons that could last a lifetime.