Phonvithkrid Lertsiriamorn
Programme: Full-time MBA (2019)
Nationality: Thai
Pre-MBA: Financial Analyst, M&A, Central Group of Companies, Bangkok, Thailand
Post-MBA: Senior Manager, Corporate Finance, PwC, Bangkok, Thailand
Current industry: Corporate Finance
Transition made: Function
“I’d worked in M&A for years but wanted to accelerate my career. The Bayes’ one-year MBA was my shortcut – giving me technical and soft skills, and the confidence to grow.”
A career built on finance, and a decision to accelerate it
After four years working in investment banking and M&A, first at a boutique firm in Thailand and then in the M&A team of a major conglomerate with connections to London, Phonvithkrid Lertsiriamorn knew he was ready for the next step. The question was how to get there.
He had already built solid technical foundations in corporate finance, but he wanted something more: the broader perspective, the leadership skills, and the diverse network that come from studying alongside driven professionals from across industries and cultures. An MBA felt like the right vehicle. And for Phonvithkrid, the one-year Full-time MBA at Bayes Business School stood out clearly from the alternatives.
“I was looking for a one-year programme, predominantly based in the UK,” he explains. “And I also secured the High-Potential financial award, which made Bayes the obvious choice. On top of that, the reputation of the programme spoke for itself.”
London, diversity, and the power of working with different people
Phonvithkrid had lived abroad before, including a high school exchange year in the US and a university semester there, so London wasn’t a culture shock. What it was, though, was an opportunity. Group projects, industry collaborations, seminars, and networking events all formed part of a year that he describes as genuinely transformative, not because of what was taught in the classroom, but because of the people he worked alongside.
“In real life you need to work with people from different backgrounds and different perspectives,” he says. “Some people might not agree with you. The MBA illustrates that reality, and gives you the tools to navigate it.”
Because Phonvithkrid was already working in finance before the MBA, he wasn’t looking to change direction. The technical knowledge on the programme reinforced and deepened what he already knew. But it was the soft skills — teamwork, leadership, the ability to manage people and situations — that he credits with making the real difference to his career.
“I came from a business background, so I wasn’t switching direction the way some classmates were,” he explains. “For me, it was less about the technical knowledge and more about the soft skills: how to work collaboratively, how to see the bigger picture, how to lead.”
Back in Bangkok leading a team of over 10
After completing the MBA, Phonvithkrid returned to Thailand and re-joined the world of corporate finance, but at a meaningfully higher level. Today, he works as a Senior Manager in corporate finance, overseeing a team of over 10 people and managing multiple project workstreams at any one time.
It’s a role that demands everything the MBA gave him. As a junior, his work was largely technical. Now, managing people and expectations, aligning a team, and helping others grow their own careers has become as central to his daily work as any financial model. He finds it challenging and deliberately so.
“Managing people is harder than technical work,” he admits. “But if you want to grow in your career, you can’t win things alone. You need your team, and you need the support of the people around you.”
He is intentional about creating an environment where his team can thrive; organising dinners and activities outside of work, building relationships that go beyond the office. He recognises this as part of leadership, not a distraction from it.
‘Always learning’ in every direction
One of Bayes’ defining principles is a commitment to lifelong learning, and it’s one that resonates strongly with Phonvithkrid. For him, learning isn’t confined to a classroom or a curriculum. It happens in the boardroom, in new technology, in the kitchen.
“Learning can come from many angles,” he reflects. “I’ve tried cooking new things with my team, done activities I’d never done before. These things help you bond, help you grow. Learning is part of the journey in everything we do.”
He is equally clear-eyed about the professional implications of standing still. In Thailand, as elsewhere, he has watched colleagues struggle to keep pace as AI and new tools reshape the way business is done. For Phonvithkrid, adaptation isn’t optional — it’s the job.
Reflecting on his MBA years later, he finds that its value has only grown. “You probably won’t realise what you’ve gained during the programme itself,” he says. “But three or four years on, you find yourself in situations and you think: I’ve been here before. I know how to handle this. And you realise you got more out of it than you even knew.”
Advice for anyone considering the Bayes MBA
Phonvithkrid’s message to anyone weighing up whether to apply is straightforward: if you are looking for diversity, want to step up in your career, and believe that continuous learning matters, the Bayes MBA gives you the platform to do all three.
“Think of it as a shortcut,” he says. “A chapter where you absorb lessons that will carry you through the rest of your career. The goal is important, but so is the journey to get there.”