Pursuing a DBA to Seize Career Opportunities and Rise as an Industry Leader

Full Article in Chinese

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
• Vice President of Seres Group

In recent years, China's electric vehicle industry has emerged on the international stage. Dr Kang Bo, formerly a senior executive at a renowned European automobile company, identified market opportunities with his forward-thinking vision. Around the same time, he chose to pursue a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), focusing his doctoral thesis on the innovative diffusion of autonomous driving. This academic pursuit led him to join Seres Group, a company centered on new energy vehicles, four years ago. He has since become a key driver in marketing the brand of electric vehicles, successfully overturning the entrenched market perception that "smart cars aren't luxurious, and luxury cars aren't smart."

As one of the current leaders in the NEV sector, Dr Kang Bo, who entered the automotive industry 30 years ago, recalls that his career path began with an internship at a German joint venture in China. His interest in the industry grew, and after transitioning to a sales position, he continuously deepened his expertise, accumulating frontline and management experience. By 2010, he joined a prestigious German automotive company and was later assigned to work at its headquarters in Germany. During this period, he had the opportunity to collaborate with top-tier global companies, witness international strategic planning, and develop a rich management mindset while broadening his international perspective.

"Initially, I considered further studies in Germany, but following a strong recommendation from a professor, I ultimately chose CityUHK and even from Germany to Hong Kong specifically to attend," Dr Kang explains. Reflecting on the period just before joining Seres Group, he was already a senior executive but felt the need to further strengthen his professional credentials, which motivated him to pursue a DBA. Around the same time, a professor from his master's program visited Germany and strongly recommended CityUHK for its rigorous academic standards and excellent performance in various world university rankings, solidifying his decision to study in Hong Kong.

He adds that, as a result, during the initial phase of his studies, he frequently commuted between Germany and Hong Kong. Every Thursday after work in Germany, he would head straight to the airport, fly to Hong Kong, meet with his supervisor and attend classes over the weekend, then take an overnight flight back to Germany in time for work on Monday. This intercontinental study routine only ended a year later when the German company transferred him back to Beijing to serve as Vice President of Aftersales for China. Nevertheless, this experience taught him the importance of perseverance and focus, and how to utilize time and resources more effectively.

"CityUHK's academic atmosphere, and even the subsequent interviews, left a deep impression on me. At that time, the Head of the Department of Information Systems at CityUHK was willing to be my DBA supervisor and supported my choice of an innovative topic, which allowed me to achieve research outcomes applicable to my work environment." Dr Kang describes this educational decision as laying a solid foundation for his subsequent exploration of the intelligent NEV sector.

"This DBA experience directly propelled me into the NEV industry and led me to join Seres Group. In 2023, when the 'AITO' smart-driving model, co-designed by Seres and Huawei, was launched, I specifically applied the five core elements of innovation diffusion theory—relative advantage, compatibility, observability, trialability, and complexity—to conduct a comprehensive analysis of autonomous driving throughout the new car's promotional process." He emphasizes that based on his doctoral thesis findings, de-risking perception plays a decisive role in the diffusion of disruptive innovations. Promoting compliant advanced driver-assistance systems helps enhance road safety, and this strategy was ultimately widely accepted by the target customer base. For this reason, he remains deeply grateful for his doctoral journey at CityUHK, which not only facilitated his career transformation but also provided crucial support at a pivotal moment.

（Published at 26 February 2026）