Theory to practice: Melody Wang

Melody attributes her decision to study two Masters degrees at the Melbourne Business School (MBS) to pure interest. Her enthusiasm about corporate management and supply chain management led her to study the Master of Enterprise, as she wanted a holistic understanding of an organisation. Her interest in supply chain management, however, lingered, consequently inspiring her to enrol in the Master of Supply Chain Management after the conclusion of her studies in Enterprise.

“I loved the challenge of learning such intensive, high-level content, actively collaborating with like-minded peers and participating in case discussions – my time at MBS shaped me to think like a leader.”

Melody now works at Toll, a leading logistics provider with a global network that spans more than fifty countries and covers strategic road, air, sea and rail routes. A key part of Melody’s work is improving Toll’s operational performance, including standardising DIFOT (deliver in full and on time) measurement and reporting.

“People in operations and finance used to work in silos and did not understand the impact they had on each other. Using my knowledge from studying at MBS and my commercial experience from working at KPMG, I proposed a new reporting structure and dashboard for finance and operations, which included presenting to key stakeholders such as the President and division General Managers, at Toll. By bridging the gap, both business areas will benefit from accurate, transparent analyses.”

Melody’s primary goal now is driving revenue for Toll, which will be achieved by setting up a one-stop supply chain between Australia and China. In the near future, she hopes to manage the operational and commercial aspects of the project.

"I am interested in facilitating international trade between Australia and Asia. I would like to go deeper into fast-growing Asian markets, like China, where there’s a growing demand for premium Australian products. I believe setting up a reliable and transparent supply chain is pivotal to maintaining the value of such products.”