Angie Duong, Washington University Olin’s MBA Class of 2028
Age: 43
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam / Houston, TX
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University, Bachelor of Commerce, graduated with Distinction
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Over 15 years in CPG marketing in Vietnam at Unilever, Beiersdorf, Vinamilk (Vietnam’s #1 dairy company), Suntory PepsiCo, and Masan Group, building and scaling multimillion-dollar brands across personal care, nutrition, and beverage. Most recently, Operations Manager at FACE FOUNDRIÉ (Bonaire Holdings) in Houston, TX.
Why did you make the decision to attend business school? Why now?
I spent over 15 years building brands in Vietnam, scaling Vinamilk’s liquid milk business 4x to about $1B and leading the soft drinks marketing team at Suntory PepsiCo through the ambiguity of COVID. When I moved to the US and ran operations for FACE FOUNDRIÉ, a wellness franchise, I saw how fast the consumer playbook is changing. Digital, e-commerce, social commerce, and AI-driven marketing now decide who wins. I wanted to build those skills formally and pair them with my P&L experience, and an MBA was the most direct way to reset my career in the US market. The timing made sense because I have the experience to contribute in class, and I’m ready to take on the next chapter.
Why did you choose Washington University Olin? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
The STEM-designated Product & Brand Management concentration fit exactly what I wanted to build. Olin’s collaborative, tight-knit community reflects the way I have always led: mentoring younger colleagues, empowering their growth, and celebrating their success as much as my own. The Forté Fellowship also showed me the school was invested in women like me making a career pivot.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2028?
I’ve been the person who owns the P&L and leads the team to drive growth and defend market leadership, at multinationals, at Vietnam’s largest local companies, and at a small business in the US. That range gives me a practical, operator view that I enjoy sharing in case discussions and study teams.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself that didn’t get included on your application:
I’ve been a licensed esthetician for 8 years with hundreds of 5-star Google reviews. Who else in the MBA class can do business analytics and skin analysis ☺
Post-MBA career interests:
Brand management in CPG, especially nutrition, dairy, beauty, and wellness.
Advice for Current Prospective Applicants:
–What is one thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
Identify what you truly love and are passionate about. Talk to current students and alumni early. Those conversations helped me picture myself at Olin and made my “why this school” answer specific and honest.
–What is one thing you would change or do differently?
Start earlier. I would give myself more time to reflect on my story before writing a single essay, rather than shaping it while I was drafting.
–What is one part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I wouldn’t skip anything. Every step, from researching schools to talking with students and writing my essays, helped me get clearer on why I wanted an MBA and what I wanted from it. What kept me going was treating the process like a project from day one: a clear plan, a fixed schedule, small weekly targets, and my family reminding me why I was doing it.
What is your initial impression of the WashU Olin students/culture/community?
Collaborative and generous. Second-years and the career center have gone out of their way to help me prepare for interviews, and classmates share leads instead of competing for them. It feels like a community that wants everyone to land well.
What student organizations have you joined/are you hoping to join and why?
I’m Director of Marketing and Communications for the Olin Supply Chain & Operations Club and a Corporate Ambassador for the Boeing Center for Supply Chain Innovation. Supply chain was always the partner that made my launches possible, so I want to understand it from the inside. I’m also an active member of Olin Women in Business, where I can share my experience and learn from others.
What is one thing you have learned about WashU Olin that has surprised you?
How quickly recruiting starts. Within my first six weeks I was at national conferences and in final-round interviews for summer internships. Olin prepares you to hit the ground running from day one.
What is one thing you are most excited about in your first year?
Landing a summer internship that lets me test my experience in the US consumer market and growing alongside a class with such a wide range of backgrounds.
