Inaugural UCLA-NUS Executive MBA commencement ceremony in LA

The first intake of participants in the UCLA–NUS Executive MBA program graduated in a glittering commencement ceremony on August 27 at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, USA.

Fifteen months ago, this inaugural class brought together 18 participants from around the world, with strongest representation from the United States and Asia. Mostly senior managers and key decision makers from diverse industries, these high-fliers devoted two weeks once every three months to formal classes. These six two-week sessions (over 15 months) met in three different business hubs - Singapore, Los Angeles and Shanghai, and brought out the best in the participants as they matched the pace and rigour of the programme. Even lunchtime was an occasion for learning.

All the hard work translated to pride and joy and a strong sense of personal and professional accomplishment at the commencement ceremony. The participants particularly expressed their delight about the global nature and rigour of programme, as well as the quality of professors and fellow-participants. (For details of the UCLA-NUS Executive MBA program, please visit www.ucla.nus.edu.)

In their commencement addresseses, Professor Bruce Willison, dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management, and Associate Professor Jochen Wirtz, Academic Co-Director of the UCLA-NUS Executive MBA Program at NUS Business School, expressed their immense pride in the accomplishment of this newest group of Executive MBAs. Dean Willison conferred the degrees on the graduates.

The class chose Mr Lai Chong Meng as the valedictorian to speak on their behalf. To read more about him, click here.

At the ceremony, the brand-new alumni of the schools gave away two Teaching Excellence Awards to Associate Professor Kulwant Singh from NUS and Professor Christopher Tang from UCLA.

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Careers opportunities and challenges in Singapore's finance sector

The Saw Centre for Financial Studies and The Institute of Banking and Finance are presenting a series of three talks by industry veterans on the challenges and career opportunities offered by the rapidly expanding financial services sector in Singapore. The organisers hope to help students understand the requirements of the industry and prepare themselves adequately for a career in finance upon graduation.

The first talk of the series, “Singapore’s Fund Management Industry and Career Prospects”, was held on 31 August and warmly received by the students, with a full-house audience.

Mr Andrew Kwek, Executive Director of the Investment Management Association of Singapore, talked about the various factors that have fueled the growth of the fund management sector. These include high domestic saving rate and the introduction of new products. The growth offers many entry-level positions that fresh graduates can pursue. The audience particularly liked Mr Kwek's witty presentation and practical tips on job search.

The other talks covered careers in banking (Mr Terry Lee, Executive Director of ACI Singapore - The Financial Markets Association on 7 September) and wealth management (Mr Henk de Glint, Deputy Managing Director on 14 September). Watch this space for updates on these talks.

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Investment experts share perspectives on personal finance

From the academic world
Mr John Allen Paulos, Professor of Mathematics from Temple University in the US and the author of several bestsellers, including A mathematician plays the stock market, was invited to speak to the NUS community on 12 August.

Prof Paulos delineated how mathematics can help us understand the vagaries of the stock market. He gave an engaging presentation, using real life scenarios to examine the paradoxes associated with the market. He also illustrated his intriguing analysis of investor psychology with his own misadventure with the now defunct WorldCom, a company that became synonymous with fraud in the late 1990s.

The Department of Decision Sciences and Saw Centre for Financial Studies of NUS Business School organised the talk with the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science. More than 300 staff, students, alumni and members of the public attended the talk.

From the corporate world
In another talk organised by the Saw Centre for Financial Studies, Mr Tay Han Chong, Head of Investments, Treasury and Asset Products for Global Consumer Banking at Citibank, Singapore, spoke to an audience of 110 from the NUS community.

Mr Tay spoke on the results of a recent Citibank study on the emotions behind investing, and how having different psychological biases affect investment decisions. Singapore investors were found to be more risk-averse due to unfamiliarity with assessing and managing risk.

Mr Tay also highlighted the need to review various investment instruments as a portfolio rather than as individual instruments. He underlined the importance of starting a regular savings and investment plan early in life.

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A prelude to NUS Business School 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner

NUS Business School will be celebrating its 40th anniversary with a gala dinner at Meritus Mandarin on 5 November. This will be an evening of nostalgia and networking as faculty members, staff, alumni and corporate partners meet to celebrate this significant milestone of the School.

To commemorate the celebration, the School will publish a 172-page book entitled: Developing Business Leaders For The Global Marketplace, Commemorating 40 Years of Business Education.

The hard-cover book is well-illustrated, containing exclusive interviews with prominent alumni, outstanding students, faculty and staff reminiscing the “good old days”, and sharing their aspirations for the School.

For further information about the gala dinner, please check out the website, www.bschool.nus.edu/bizdinner/.

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Dean meets International Resource Panel Patron

Dean Professor Christopher Earley hosted a dinner on 27 August to thank the Patron of the NUS Business School International Resource Panel (IRP), Tan Sri Frank Tsao, for his support of the School.

Among the guests present were IRP Chairman Mr Peter Tay, alumni Mr Wong Ah Long and Mr Yeo Keng Joon. Vice-deans, Associate Professors Prem Shamdasani, Quek Ser Aik and Trevor Wilkins were also present.

The NUS Business School International Resource Panel acts as a special advisory panel for the School's development as the leading business school in Asia. It supports the School’s growth by garnering industry feedback, establishing key networks and bringing in financial and other resources.

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Visitors from abroad

Indonesia

On 16 August, a group of 35 faculty members from the Economic Faculty of Airlangga University, Indonesia, visited NUS Business School. The team was led by its dean Professor Budiman Chr. The Corporate Development Office hosted the visitors with a presentation and briefing on the structure and development of the School. The visit ended with a campus tour and exchange of corporate souvenirs.

Bangladesh

A group of 30 business students from the American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB) Educational Group (Business), and their coordinator of Student Affairs Assistant Professor Ehsan Ahmed visited NUS Business School on 2 September. The visitors wanted to learn more about the School’s MBA programmes and student life.

Ms Chua Nan Sze, Marketing and Admissions Manager for the MBA Programs Office, gave an engaging and informative presentation on the School’s various MBA programmes. Nikhil Kochbar, head of the MBA Club, and his club members were also present to mingle with and give the visitors a glimpse of MBA student life at NUS.
Based in the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, AIUB is committed to excellence and innovation in computer-based education, discovery and application of knowledge through research and creative activities.

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