Ruibin Chen MBA '06

Managing Director, GIC

Ruibin Chen graduated from the Class of 2006. He currently serves as Managing Director at GIC, where he focuses on real estate investment and asset management in the Greater China region. Before joining GIC in 2019, Ruibin spent over a decade in capital market equity and bond offerings and cross-border asset acquisitions. Ruibin has actively engaged with Fuqua graduates and students, supporting alumni activities and contributing to the growth of the Duke community in China over the years.

What impact has your Fuqua experience had on your career/life?

Fuqua transformed my career and life. From a young construction engineering student to a career in banking and investment, Fuqua provided me not just the skills and knowledge but, more importantly, a mindset to keep moving forward and to always view obstacles as learning opportunities, which have underpinned my career over the past two decades.

Beyond my career, Fuqua is also where I met Tracy, my classmate from the Class of 2006. Together, we tackled accounting and finance puzzles, shared laughs, and survived the stress of exams—though she often outscored me! What began as a study team of two has since grown into a loving family of four.

Tracy and I are deeply grateful for our Fuqua experiences.

Professionally or personally, what are you excited about right now?

At work, China’s real estate investment sector is evolving after two decades of rapid growth. The complexity of rethinking old business models, identifying new trends, and finding long-term themes is challenging and exciting.  

At home, Tracy and I are trying to balance building a broad worldview and a forward-looking perspective with maintaining traditional values for our two sons. This is not an easy task, but we are working hard at it. 

What does Team Fuqua mean to you?

To me, Team Fuqua means the generous help I received from my ILE teammates and Fuqua classmates throughout my two years at the school, the updates about each other’s works and lives that we have maintained through emails and social media every year, and the delightful conversations I have always had with generations of alumni over the years. This sense of community has stayed strong with me even after nearly 20 years since graduation.

Suzanne N. Smith MBA '08 

Founder & CEO, Social Impact Architects/Adjunct Professor 

Suzanne Smith has a deep belief that everyone is a changemaker. As a serial social entrepreneur, she harnesses the power of nonprofits, foundations, socially responsible businesses, and emerging leaders to drive real, scalable impact in the social sector.

In 2009, Suzanne founded Social Impact Architects, a registered Benefit Corporation, to reshape the business of social change. Blending her Duke MBA know-how with two decades of experience as a nonprofit innovator, she serves as a consultant, advisor and thought partner to organizations nationwide. She is also an adjunct professor, teaching social entrepreneurship, CSR (corporate social responsibility), and ethical leadership at Pepperdine, SMU, UT Austin, and UT Arlington.

A highly sought-after public speaker at conferences across the country – including TEDx ("Everyone is a Changemaker") – Suzanne is recognized as a national thought leader in the social sector. She was honored with the national Next Generation Social Entrepreneur Award by the Social Enterprise Alliance for her contributions to the field.

She is also the author of Social TrendSpotter (@socialtrendspot), one of the sector's top blogs according to the Huffington Post. Her insights on social entrepreneurship and impact-driven leadership have been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, and other major media outlets. 

Suzanne holds an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, where she was selected as the CASE (Center for Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship) Scholar. She lives in Dallas with her husband, Captain Jamie Smith, a pilot with Southwest Airlines. Currently, she is working on her first book to help transform the nonprofit business model and reimagine the future of social impact.

What impact has your Fuqua experience had on your career/life?

Fuqua came at a pivotal moment in my career when I was questioning my purpose in the social sector – was I doing enough? Were we doing enough? I dove into the Daytime MBA program, and through the classes, teamwork, and extracurricular activities, I not only built a toolkit that I still use today (and now teach to other MBAs), but I also learned so much about myself. 

At Fuqua, I had the rare opportunity to connect with true luminaries in social entrepreneurship, including the late Greg Dees, Paul Bloom, Cathy Clark, Matt Nash, and Erin Worsham. I also had the privilege of exploring cutting-edge topics with professors who helped shape how I think and teach today: Dan Ariely, John Lynch, Sanyin Siang, and so many others! 

I walked away with a refreshed and elevated vision for how I could reshape the business of social change. I would not be where I am today without the friends, mentors, and professors at Fuqua. It was a game changer for me.

Professionally or personally, what are you excited about right now?

After I graduated in 2008, I built Social Impact Architects with one disruptive goal: to reimagine nonprofit consulting and thought leadership. After 15 years, my team and I have accomplished so much, helping thousands of nonprofits navigate the Great Recession, COVID, and economic downturns both directly, through our consulting and training, and indirectly through our blog, Social TrendSpotter.
 
Now, as I step into my next chapter – I am shifting my focus from being a "force for good" to being a "force multiplier," equipping everyone to become social impact architects. I’m most excited about my upcoming book (working title: Leapfrog) and our Executive Education initiatives, which will codify our step-by-step processes and empower changemakers to drive greater impact in their own communities. 

What does Team Fuqua mean to you?

Team Fuqua = a great sense of community. It means knowing that no matter where I am in my career or life, there is always someone – whether from my class year or another – just one e-mail or phone call away. And they’re often willing to respond within 24 hours. You can't beat that level of support, connection, and generosity!