EMC Alumni Feature: Magd Lh

Originally from Texas, Magd Lh has lived in eight countries and travelled to over a hundred. Prior to joining Emerging Markets Consulting (EMC), she completed a master’s degree in Moral, Political, and Legal Philosophy from the University of St Andrews in Scotland  and a dual bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Ethics, Politics, & Economics from Yale University in the USA.

She was always intrigued by Southeast Asia because of her interest in the post conflict development of Cambodia’s private sector. Moving to Cambodia to work with EMC was an easy decision and during her time she worked in Myanmar, Bangladesh, and the Maldives in addition to Cambodia.  

Magd’s favorite project was mapping the complex political economy of Kayan State, Myanmar, to help guide USAID investment and engagement strategy in the south-east region. Reflecting on her experience, she said “I learned a lot from and enjoyed all my projects, but if I had to pick <a least favorite>, my project on sustainable and renewable energy in the Maldives for the World Bank was stressful as it took place during the 2018 coup!”  The people and culture in EMC made her time in EMC most enjoyable and the meritocratic culture allowed everyone to grow and assume responsibility based on their abilities and interests. She added, “invaluable professional opportunities wouldn’t have been possible were it not for the people in the firm”. 

Magd loved Cambodia’s rich traditional Khmer culture and fresh fruits from street vendors across the city. During the weekends, she enjoyed kitesurfing in Kampot. However, the tropical heat was a challenge – “EMC’s air conditioning was always on full blast, which meant I was always either very warm or very cold!” 

After EMC, Magd worked with Facebook in their international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, as a Cambodian specialist. Today, she is enrolled in the Juris Doctorate degree program at Harvard Law School. Concerning her time in EMC, she said, “EMC helped me identify my areas of interest, provided rich and compelling professional experience, and enabled me to do all of that while living in a new and exciting country. I will always be grateful for my time there.”