Jenni Zhao is the Sydney-based Executive Director and General Manager of the University of Sydney Centre in China, located in Shanghai’s Xuhui District, and an Executive MBA alumna from Cohort 13, graduating in December 2025. In her current role, Jenni leads work that supports the University’s China strategy across alumni engagement, student employability, university liaison services, and relationships with government, industry and university partners.

Before the Executive MBA, Jenni had spent almost seven years as the University’s financial controller. She had built her career in accounting after studying environmental engineering, but a long-planned next step did not eventuate.

“I lost a little in the direction of my career at that point,” she says.

For a time, Jenni considered staying where she was. With two children and a demanding career, remaining in a familiar role seemed practical. But as her children became more independent, their own plans prompted a different response.

“They’re growing up, they’re shaping their own dreams, their own plan, and I actually got inspired by them.”

The Executive MBA gave Jenni room to test what might come next. Its intensive format also helped her family adjust to periods when she was away, giving her a clearer sense of what study, work and family life could look like in practice.

“Everybody could cope with that very well, and it made me realise that maybe I could do this ongoing,” she says.

A defining moment came during the program’s Paris module. After meeting alumni who had built international careers, Jenni heard University of Sydney Business School Dean, Professor Leisa Sargent speak about the uncertainty of the future in the world of AI, and the ability to shape its direction through knowledge.

The message landed at the right time.

Soon after returning from France, a colleague forwarded Jenni a job advertisement for the University of Sydney Centre in China. At first, she did not think the role was for her. Then she asked herself: “Why not?”

The position meant leaving accounting and taking on unfamiliar responsibilities across management, marketing, HR, technology, procurement and facilities. It also placed her at the centre of significant Australia-China engagement. The Centre’s opening brought together University leadership, Australian government representatives, Chinese education stakeholders and industry partners, reflecting the role it plays in connecting students, alumni and partners across both countries.

Jenni’s mindset has changed with the role. Where she once sought an immediate solution, she now begins with the larger purpose.

“The Executive MBA changed how I react to problems,” she says. “I’m less reactive now. I used to want to come up with a solution straight away.”

Consulting projects, her cohort and strategic frameworks helped build that perspective. Learning alongside leaders in marketing and the not-for-profit sector showed her how audience, purpose and communication can change the quality of a decision.

For Jenni, the value of the Executive MBA was not a guaranteed job title. It was the confidence to see that her future did not have to be limited by her past.

To people considering the Executive MBA, Jenni’s advice is simple:

“I would suggest just do it. Otherwise, you’ll keep on wondering and never know what could be.”

The University of Sydney Business School Executive MBA is an 18-month program delivered through immersive modules across five countries. With fewer than 10 weeks away from work, students gain hands-on experience identifying and analysing complex challenges, working with senior peers, and developing innovative solutions. Within 12 months of graduating, 60 per cent of students receive a promotion, and 34 per cent receive a salary increase.

Considering an Executive MBA but unsure how it fits with your work, family and next career move? Explore how the University of Sydney Business School Executive MBA is designed for experienced leaders ready to step beyond a familiar path.

Header image: Professor Massimo Garbuio, Executive MBA colleague Philippa Durant, Professor Patrick Medley, Professor Leisa Sargent and Jenni Zhao in Paris.