It was an evening of networking at the University Lounge where over 85 alumni, faculty, staff and corporate partners came together to witness the launch of the SMU Quantitative Finance Alumni Group (QFAG) on 3rd August 2017.
The QFAG is an affinity group comprising undergraduate and postgraduate alumni who have graduated with the Quantitative Finance (QF) major and the Master of Quantitative Finance (MQF) respectively. Graduates from these programmes are automatically part of the alumni group and no membership fees are required. The Group is established to provide a platform for networking, professional development and collaboration opportunities; and in so, build a wide and well-connected community of QF alumni amongst professionals in Singapore and Asia Pacific.
Vice President of the QFAG’s first Executive Committee and emcee Ng Kian Boon (MQF 2013) welcomed the crowd as he outlined the programme for the evening. Apart from the Group’s launch, special guests and esteemed speakers from the industry were invited for a speakers’ sharing session. Academic Director of MQF and Assistant Professor of Quantitative Finance (Practice) Teo Chyng Wen, Associate Professor of Quantitative Finance (Practice) Christopher Ting, and Chief Investment Officer and Head of Investment Product and Solutions at UOB Private Bank Dr Neo Teng Hwee engaged the audience and shared on “The Present and Future of Quantitative Finance”.
SMU Alumni Association (SMUAA) 8th Executive Committee member Jay See (BBM 2007, MWM 2013) and SMUAA Marketing Executive Josephine Wang welcomed the Group to the SMU Alumni Family and introduced the benefits of the Association’s membership.
President of QFAG Ray Yeo (BBM 2014) addressed the alumni and shared the inspiration and motivation behind establishing QFAG. The first motivation for Ray was to give back to SMU in gratitude for the QF major where he benefited substantially from. The second was his vision to bring all the QF undergraduate and postgraduate alumni together to network and collaborate. Both Ray and Kian Boon agreed that there would be a greater synergy in setting up a combined group instead of two for QF major alumni and MQF alumni respectively. Their vision became a reality; after 11 years of QF major and five years of the MQF programme, a group was officially launched for the SMU QF community.
OAR Director Associate Professor Low Aik Meng commended the committee especially Ray and Kian Boon for their enthusiasm and commitment in working together with OAR and SMUAA to set up the Group and plan the activities for the year ahead. QFAG members can look forward to the activities which may include networking or social events, talks or workshops or panel discussions with industry professionals, company visits, coaching and mentoring sessions, and campus outreach activities such as guest lectures and career talks.
Ray also revealed the Group’s logo which consists mainly of the SMU corporate colours of blue and gold. The translucent mathematical symbols in the background signifies the work done in the QF industry. The logo serves as an identity for the QF community.
In true blue Singaporean style, the invited speakers, QFAG Executive Committee, OAR Director and SMUAA representatives gave a Yam Seng toast to celebrate the launch of the Group. The launch of QFAG brings the total number of Alumni Groups in the SMU alumni community to 34.
View the SMU Alumni Facebook album for more photos from the event.
Contacts
Read more about the SMU Quantitative Finance Alumni Group and stay connected with the QF community via the QFAG Facebook Group or the QFAG LinkedIn Group.
About the SMU Alumni Groups
The SMU Alumni Groups are niche communities for alumni formed under the SMU Alumni Association (SMUAA) and supported by the Office of Alumni Relations (OAR). The groups are formed under school-based, interest-based, programme-based (or postgraduate) and affinity alumni groups. These individual alumni groups receive funding from SMUAA to conduct at least two engagement events a year. OAR will facilitate the establishment of new alumni groups, spearheaded by either alumni or faculty.