Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
What does it look like to uproot your life, move to the other side of the world, and then — while managing a demanding consulting career across Asia — quietly become someone you didn't expect to be? That's the story of Miriam Daucher '26, and it starts not with a grand plan, but with a simple bet: give it two years and see what happens. Three years later, Miriam has no plans to leave Singapore. She works across Asia for Mercer, holds a psychology degree she never quite left behind, and — shortly after enrolling in the #2-ranked UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA program — was tapped by her new boss for a complete 180° role working alongside Mercer's CEO for Asia.
In this episode of Drive Time, host Praveen Gangaraju '26 sits down with his UCLA-NUS classmate for a wide-ranging conversation about navigating uncertainty, working across cultures, and what it really means to belong somewhere new. Miriam reflects on her journey from Germany to Singapore, from psychology to the C-suite, and from self-described perfectionist to someone who is — in her own words — "a lot more chill than I used to be." Whether you're considering a global executive MBA, navigating a career pivot, or simply curious what it looks like to just go for it, this one's for you.
0:00 Meet Miriam Daucher '26
1:15 Singapore vs. Germany: Life, Weather & Food
3:28 Working Across Cultures
5:04 Adapting to Life in Asia
8:11 Moving to Singapore & Finding Belonging
11:22 The Executive MBA Experience
13:58 Managing Time, Work & Study
16:05 Career Impact and Return on Investment
19:05 How AI Is Shaping Work
23:03 Personal Growth Through the Program
25:15 Quick-Fire Questions: Favorite Classes, Professors & Cohort Memories
29:59 A Bear Hug for a Classmate
31:08 Advice for Future Executive MBA Students
About Drive Time
Drive Time is the UCLA Anderson podcast featuring long-form interviews with students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Our goal is to share success through conversations that offer insight, perspective, and an inside look at how to maximize the MBA experience — across the Fully Employed MBA, the Executive MBA, and the UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA programs.
New episodes: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtXj799QgfhRCelHw2i7cqkq5vbHhMLlY
Learn more about UCLA Anderson: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/
Learn more about the UCLA-NUS Global EMBA: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/global-executive-mba
Follow Miriam Daucher
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/miriamdaucher
Mercer: mercer.com
#UCLAAnderson #UCLANUS #GlobalEMBA #ExecutiveMBA #DriveTimePodcast #LeadingFromAsia #WomenInBusiness #AIAtWork #CrossCulturalLeadership #CareerGrowth #SingaporeLife #ConsultingLife #CareerPivot #PsychologyToBusinesss #Entrepreneurship
What does it look like to uproot your life, move to the other side of the world, and then — while managing a demanding consulting career across Asia — quietly become someone you didn't expect to be? That's the story of Miriam Daucher '26, and it starts not with a grand plan, but with a simple bet: give it two years and see what happens. Three years later, Miriam has no plans to leave Singapore. She works across Asia for Mercer, holds a psychology degree she never quite left behind, and — shortly after enrolling in the #2-ranked UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA program — was tapped by her new boss for a complete 180° role working alongside Mercer's CEO for Asia.
In this episode of Drive Time, host Praveen Gangaraju '26 sits down with his UCLA-NUS classmate for a wide-ranging conversation about navigating uncertainty, working across cultures, and what it really means to belong somewhere new. Miriam reflects on her journey from Germany to Singapore, from psychology to the C-suite, and from self-described perfectionist to someone who is — in her own words — "a lot more chill than I used to be." Whether you're considering a global executive MBA, navigating a career pivot, or simply curious what it looks like to just go for it, this one's for you.
0:00 Meet Miriam Daucher '26
1:15 Singapore vs. Germany: Life, Weather & Food
3:28 Working Across Cultures
5:04 Adapting to Life in Asia
8:11 Moving to Singapore & Finding Belonging
11:22 The Executive MBA Experience
13:58 Managing Time, Work & Study
16:05 Career Impact and Return on Investment
19:05 How AI Is Shaping Work
23:03 Personal Growth Through the Program
25:15 Quick-Fire Questions: Favorite Classes, Professors & Cohort Memories
29:59 A Bear Hug for a Classmate
31:08 Advice for Future Executive MBA Students
About Drive Time
Drive Time is the UCLA Anderson podcast featuring long-form interviews with students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Our goal is to share success through conversations that offer insight, perspective, and an inside look at how to maximize the MBA experience — across the Fully Employed MBA, the Executive MBA, and the UCLA-NUS Global Executive MBA programs.
New episodes: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtXj799QgfhRCelHw2i7cqkq5vbHhMLlY
Learn more about UCLA Anderson: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/
Learn more about the UCLA-NUS Global EMBA: https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/degrees/global-executive-mba
Follow Miriam Daucher
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/miriamdaucher
Mercer: mercer.com
#UCLAAnderson #UCLANUS #GlobalEMBA #ExecutiveMBA #DriveTimePodcast #LeadingFromAsia #WomenInBusiness #AIAtWork #CrossCulturalLeadership #CareerGrowth #SingaporeLife #ConsultingLife #CareerPivot #PsychologyToBusinesss #Entrepreneurship
