Duke Tam
I consider myself a global citizen, always on the road and passionate about learning new things, especially in new environments. Currently, I work for a family office in Dubai, and I’m also a Venture Fellow at Headline, a global venture capital firm. A fun fact about me is that I joined the Shaolin monks in Henan, China for a month as part of a journey of self-discovery before enrolling at IE University!
"We’re just about to finish term one, but I have already been able to learn so much about sustainability in my work."
A global citizen with an eye on sustainability and economic development
German by birth, Duke Tam is proud of his Vietnamese heritage. The well-traveled student has lived in many different countries around the world: Switzerland, Singapore, Liechtenstein and the United Arab Emirates, as well as his native country. So it’s probably no surprise that he’s always had an interest in global affairs and their international context. And that it played a big part in his choice of IE University for his Executive Master in International Development.
Speaking to Duke, it’s clear that he made his decision only after careful deliberation. The program appealed to him for a wide range of reasons, but he describes IE University’s worldwide prestige as “a compelling factor.” He saw it as proof of the institution’s top-notch qualities and the promise of a solid foundation for his studies.
Specifically, the joint development of the program content with the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC)—and the involvement of UN professionals in its teaching—offered what Duke says is “a unique opportunity for a comprehensive understanding of international dynamics and sustainable development.”
Though the program focuses primarily on international development, it carries the same emphasis on entrepreneurship that characterizes every academic offering at IE University. And for somebody like Duke, who was exposed to the flourishing startup ecosystem in Berlin early on, this was a key consideration. He still keeps an eye on young, fast-growing economies like Singapore and Dubai, so he knew joining the Executive Master in International Development would help him “understand the mechanisms that drive the success of these formerly developing economies in the hope of gaining insights that could potentially benefit currently developing countries.”
“To be taught by the United Nations System Staff College—and to work with other UN professionals—offered a unique opportunity for a comprehensive understanding of international dynamics and sustainable development.”
Lastly, the program’s hybrid nature, with sessions in Madrid and New York as well as online, aligned with his need for a well-rounded educational experience. It also gave Duke further opportunities to immerse himself in different settings and cultures, something that would solidify his grasp of global dynamics from a broad range of perspectives.
His stint in the program so far certainly hasn’t disappointed—Duke says he’s learned a lot about sustainability in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, for example. He’s already applying this knowledge directly in his venture capital work, incorporating sustainable aspects into the ROI rather than solely focusing on economic returns. What’s more, he sees many potential use cases for data analytics and natural language processing to certain due diligence processes, such as when analyzing business models or balance sheets.
As for his experience outside the classroom, Duke is thrilled with the network he’s building. “The beautiful thing about IE University,” he says, “is that you can meet so many interesting, diverse personalities here. In my cohort, a majority work for UN entities such as UNICEF or UN Saudi Arabia, but there are also people from private sector companies like Meta or Airbus.” He even mentions that, if you spend enough time mingling with the IE Community, you might bump into some celebrities!
So, what’s his advice for anybody considering following him into the Executive Master in International Development? Duke urges students to bond with their cohort and professors at every opportunity and to make full use of “all the other resources IE University offers, such as coaching, software, literature, mentorship and events.” But his biggest takeaway is that, while the program is rigorous and demanding, it is certainly worthwhile.
For a long time, Duke’s goal has been to work in multilateral bodies such as the UN. He hopes the program’s practical insight into the inner workings of the UN system will equip him for such roles, or prepare him for private sector success. Overall, he’s ready to leverage his learnings to make more informed and responsible investment decisions, blending environmental and social considerations into his overall approach to capital and aligning the twin aims of sustainable development and financial success for a winning strategy.
In the longer term, Duke finds inspiration in his parents’ roots in Vietnam. He aims to combine his expertise in venture capital with a sophisticated understanding of sustainability to identify and promote new business opportunities that will spur the country’s development. With his ambition—and the skills and knowledge he’s gaining in the program—we have no doubt he’ll succeed.
