Using data gathered directly from over 100 executive MBA students in Hong Kong, this article reveals the reasons why executives decide to pursue an MBA and highlights significant differences in motivations by gender, age, educational background, and working experience that have important implications for MBA course and program developers. [Copyright of Journal of Education for Business is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08832320009599021]