Javier Silvera (MBA ’07)

Cox MBA Establishes Successful International Career Thanks to Inspiration from the Global Leadership Program

For Javier Silvera (MBA ’07), the Cox Global Leadership Program provided a life-changing glimpse into what it would be like to live and work in a foreign country, inspiring him to pursue an international business opportunity two years later.

Sponsored by American Airlines, the GLP provides all first-year Cox MBAs the opportunity to experience international business first-hand.  As a required part of the curriculum, students travel to Asia, India and Europe to meet with business executives and government representatives, where they learn first-hand the history, political climate, economy, culture and business etiquette of the various countries.

The Cox School’s international connections were one of the most important factors in Silvera’s decision when choosing a business school. For his GLP experience, Silvera eagerly traveled to Taipei, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai.

One of Silvera’s favorite GLP experiences was visiting the Port of Hong Kong, which provided an eye opening experience about the size and scope of Asia economies.

Growing up in Panama City, close to the Panama Canal, he was well aware of the importance of global trade and the role China plays in the shipping industry.  He had also spent years reading about the growing importance of the Asian economies and how China was the world’s manufacturing factory.

“It’s never the same studying or hearing about something as it is to see it with one’s own eyes,” he said.  “The significant size of the port was an indication of the emerging influence of the China and the rest of Asia.”

In Shanghai, just before his group was scheduled to return to Dallas, Silvera made a life-changing decision.

“We were walking around the Bund Area when I thought to myself, two weeks just hasn’t been enough – I would return to China,” he said.  “I went on to complete a 12-week exchange program with China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai, and I still felt it wasn’t enough.  I now wanted to work in China.  Two years later, I find myself living and working in Hong Kong.  It all started with my GLP trip at SMU.”

Today, Silvera is with the regional business planning and analysis office for Citibank’s Asia operations.

“I had thought about working in Asia, but it wasn’t until I travelled the region that I learned enough about the culture and customs to seriously consider it for myself,” said Silvera. “My international experiences, both with the GLP and subsequent study abroad programs gave me the knowledge and confidence to pursue the international assignment I have today.”