“We have about 110 alumni on our SMU-UBS Chat Group,” says Jeremy Chan (MAF 2003), Director (Management Support – Process Quality Specialist Lead) at UBS Singapore.
“But if you look at the email list…it is closer to 200,” adds Fenny Ho (BBM 2004), Associate Director (Client Advisor), also at the same financial institution.
For an organisation that employs about 3000 staff, 200 SMU alumni in UBS is but a drop in a pond. But while the number might be not be sizeable, the effort to engage the few individuals has been deliberate and purposeful, building a support system for cohorts of SMU alumni that join the financial institution.
When the pioneer graduates from SMU like Jeremy and Fenny joined the banking and finance industry, they were a handful of bright, aspiring individuals, blazing new paths for cohorts to follow. Jeremy joined UBS in 2006, while Fenny started out at Citibank before moving to UBS 6 years ago. Both have established themselves in the industry and are seen as the ‘seniors’ where SMU alumni are concerned, especially at UBS.
But how did the SMU alumni community grow at UBS? How did it all start?
Both Jeremy and Fenny were unequivocal in attributing its genesis to one other SMU alumnus from the pioneer batch of undergraduates, Leonard Lim (BBM 2004).
Apparently, Leonard (who has since left UBS) was instrumental in kick-starting a process of gathering SMU alumni at UBS, making every effort to bring subsequent batches that joined the financial institution together. As the numbers grew, and UBS offices multiplied across the island, Leonard “arrowed” younger alumni to organise quarterly get-togethers, bringing SMU alumni working in UBS at different locations to evening drinks and light refreshments/dinner.
“He (Leonard) had a vision of connecting UBS colleagues from SMU…with the aim of introducing the DNA and culture of the organisation to the younger alumni,” Jeremy reminisces. At these gatherings, non-SMU alumni UBS staff were often also invited so that they could meet with the SMU alumni and be part of the process of sharing and introducing the culture of UBS. In turn, the UBS staff (some of whom held senior positions within the financial institution) got to know more SMU alumni and appreciated the quality of SMU graduates.
Leonard himself, according to Jeremy, had invited his own boss to one of these events so as to introduce SMU alumni within UBS. “It worked both ways,” Fenny added. “UBS staff got to know more about SMU graduates and over the years, a distinct SMU DNA emerged and feedback from the ground about SMU graduates has been positive, generally!”
When contacted and asked what motivated him to start this initiative, Leonard said, “UBS is a good employer and a large organisation. New joiners may find it a challenge to navigate in this corporate jungle. The SMUBS (SMU-UBS) ‘club’ is a casual and friendly platform to shortcut this process and be part of an excellent network.
What binds us is the unique SMU identity. In these informal gatherings, everyone pays for their own drinks, and come because they wish to chill out with fellow-alumni and have a good laugh!” It was his way of mixing the fun of working at UBS with the need to build strong relationships within a professional network.
UBS has fair employment practices and so does not only seek graduates from any one or university or institution. There are no special favours to hire SMU graduates. But it does its fair share to help workers gain sustainable skills for the future. For example, UBS recently rolled out SUPER – or Singapore UBS Programme for Employability and Resilience – to support job seekers during the coronavirus pandemic. SMU graduates and alumni are encouraged to apply, and if successful, can rest assured that there is an alumni community waiting to help them settle in to the culture and ethos of UBS, connect them with other aspects of the business, and grow in their time there.
“On occasion, we will have an SMU intern join us who does not know anything about the UBS culture; but through the sharing by alumni at these gatherings, have joined us,” Fenny shared. Unfortunately, since December last year, the quarterly gatherings have had to stop because of circuit breaker measures. Leonard had also just moved on from UBS, although the legacy he has left behind – to organise UBS-SMU gatherings for the alumni and build the SMU community, remains an institution in itself.
“When UBS relocates to Penang Road at the end of the year, we will be so much closer to SMU. Perhaps our gatherings can take place on campus! I will surely come by myself once in a while,” Jeremy quips.
In their sharing, Fenny and Jeremy certainly come across as proud SMU alumni; and as pioneers together with the likes of Leonard, have their hearts well-placed to welcome and help their juniors find their footing and niche at UBS.