Merging Data Science And Finance With An MSc In Financial Engineering

Merging Data Science And Finance With An MSc In Financial Engineering

by | Nov 11, 2024 | MSc Financial Engineering

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Merging Data Science And Finance With An MSc In Financial Engineering

At first glance, a career shift from biology to financial engineering may seem like the most significant jump you can imagine. But a passion for data analysis can’t be denied. Take Fang Kaixiang, for example, who transitioned from his biology undergrad major to the challenging world of financial engineering.

Professionals in financial engineering use mathematical techniques to solve economic problems. Now a newly-minted data scientist at Tencent, a major fintech company in China, Kaixiang is having the time of his life in a role that allows him to “blend [his] love for data analysis with real-world problem solving,” as he put it.

Kaixiang credits Nanyang Business School’s MSc Financial Engineering (MFE) programme with securing his future in this promising field. “The curriculum allowed me to explore both theoretical and practical aspects of financial engineering, which were invaluable when applying for positions in data science,” he told us.

How did the Nanyang MFE programme help him shift from biology to a fintech-based future – and how does it ensure his continued success in his chosen field? 

 

Passion and persistence

Kaixiang majored in applied biology at Zhejiang University, but the finance bug had already bitten him early on. “Something kept pulling me toward the world of finance,” he recalled.

Initially, he scratched this itch with a financial internship during his undergraduate studies. Later, he undertook an exchange programme at Cambridge University, where he worked on a finance and big data project. The MFE path made the most sense to Kaixiang. “Pursuing an MSc in Financial Engineering felt like a natural progression to achieve this,” he shared.

In particular, the programme’s balanced curriculum, which combines theoretical foundations with practical applications in quantitative finance, drew him in. “This balance ensures that we are not just learning abstract concepts, but are also fully equipped to handle the intricacies of modern financial markets,” he explained.

Additionally, the exchange programme with Carnegie Mellon University also piqued his interest. “This exposure to global perspectives and cutting-edge financial technologies makes Nanyang Business School’s MFE programme incredibly unique,” he explained. “I felt confident that it would provide the skills and insights I needed to pursue a successful career in finance.”

 

Overcoming challenges, gaining invaluable skills

As a springboard into high-technology finance, Nanyang Business School’s MFE programme demands an intensive focus on quantitative analysis and technological innovation. This degree of academic rigour can make any participant feel like they’ve just been thrown into the deep end of a pool.

“The coursework has continuously challenged me, but in the best possible way,” Kaixiang shared. “The curriculum is structured to build our knowledge gradually, yet it doesn’t shy away from pushing us into complex, real-world applications.”

Knowing the programme’s rigorous standards, Kaixiang did plenty of groundwork before diving in. “During my senior year of undergraduate studies, I immersed myself in additional course work, focusing on databases, C++, programming frameworks, and data mining,” he recalled.

Kaixiang also sought internships that exposed him to real-world financial engineering challenges. For instance, his time at Kuaishou Technology and Pixl Solutions gave him hands-on experience in investment banking, equity research, and the Internet sector.

“They gave me a well-rounded perspective on finance and technology, further enhancing my qualifications,” he explained.

 

The unique flexibility of the MFE programme

The MFE programme was flexible enough to allow Kaixiang to explore theoretical and practical aspects of financial engineering. The “practical” side of the field was driven home by the company finance course, which Kaixiang considers “one of the most impactful experiences so far.”

The module’s lessons opened Kaixiang’s eyes to the strategic side of corporate finance. Through hands-on case studies, he learnt how decisions made at the highest levels influence the valuation and trajectory of a business.

In the face of a crushing workload, Kaixiang powered through with a single-minded purpose: “It all starts with a deep sense of purpose and passion for what I do,” he explained.

Kaixiang drew from a deep wellspring of energy and focused on managing multiple responsibilities within and outside the programme. “My secret lies in effective time management and meticulous organisation,” he shared. “This helps me maintain a clear vision of what needs to be done and when, ensuring no task gets overlooked.”

 

A wealth of support from mentors and peers

Nanyang Business School offers a wealth of resources for MFE participants beyond the knowledge they’re gaining in classwork. Kaixiang appreciated the school’s career development resources, which provided guidance that has already proven beneficial as he prepares for the future.

Kaixiang also drew confidence from the support of his mentors and peers. “They provide invaluable advice and guidance that helps me navigate challenges more efficiently,” he shared. Despite their stature in their respective fields, the professors were approachable and willing “to engage in thoughtful discussions,” he added.

Kai Xiang with Classmates

He also bonded with his classmates, who were just as driven and passionate about finance as he was. “It’s rare to find a group of people who share your passion and are equally committed to success,” he shared.

 

How the MFE programme blazed a path to Tencent

Just two months into the MFE programme, Kaixiang has already mapped out his career for the foreseeable future. “I’ve recently secured a data scientist position at Tencent, within the fintech department, where I will be responsible for handling payment services and developing financial models,” he told us.

The new role makes the most of Kaixiang’s passions for technology and finance. “I’ll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge financial technologies, contribute to optimising payment systems, and build models that address real-world financial challenges,” he shared.

Kaixiang gladly credits the MFE programme for helping lay the groundwork for his new role. Its “blend of quantitative analysis, financial modelling, and data science aligned perfectly with the demands of fintech and quantitative trading roles,” he explained.

“Whether tackling a complex algorithm or analysing trends in user growth, the MFE programme has given me the foundation to bridge academic knowledge with practical applications seamlessly.”

 

Find out more about the MSc Financial Engineering programme here.

 

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From Financial Analysis To Risk Control: Making The Shift With MSc Accountancy’s Data Analytics Specialisation

From Financial Analysis To Risk Control: Making The Shift With MSc Accountancy’s Data Analytics Specialisation

by | Nov 7, 2024 | MSc Accountancy

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From Financial Analysis To Risk Control: Making The Shift With MSc Accountancy’s Data Analytics Specialisation

In a world filled with uncertainty, the demand for risk management professionals remains high.

Emerging technologies, such as automation and artificial intelligence (AI), help leading businesses manage and report enterprise risks. Effective use of data through data analytics also allows businesses to detect emerging threats early and act on them immediately.

Pan Miaoqi, a participant in Nanyang Business School’s (NBS) MSc Accountancy (MACC) programme, realised this during her tenure in one of the Big Four accounting firms. She shares her story of how her interest shifted from financial analysis to risk control and how enrolling in the MACC programme with a Data Analytics Specialisation prepares her for a career in risk management. 

 

Making the shift from financial analysis to risk control

Miaoqi worked as a Senior Accountant at Ernst & Young (EY) Hua Ming for three years. Here, she built a strong foundation in financial analysis, auditing publicly listed companies and foreign-invested enterprises.

Throughout her assurance work, she realised that financial data has more to offer beyond accuracy—it can surface valuable insights that enterprises can use to manage risks better.

“Although my auditing experience equipped me with solid financial skills and a strong sense of risk, I became increasingly interested in risk control, where I could play a more active role in identifying, managing, and resolving risks,” she shared. This motivated her to deepen her knowledge and enhance her abilities to interpret data more critically.

Learning of her growing interest in data analysis, several of Miaoqi’s former classmates from Nanjing University recommended the MACC programme at NBS. “They’ve already graduated and highlighted how this programme helped them seamlessly transition into their careers, both in Singapore and back in China,” she shared.

The MACC programme, especially its Data Analytics Specialisation, aligns perfectly with Miaoqi’s learning and career goals. “Data analytics is a key component of my future financial expertise. This will enhance my career prospects and help me gain deeper insights into financial data,” she shared.

 

Data analytics as a tool for greater risk control

As routine accounting tasks increasingly get automated with AI, accountants need a more decisive edge to compete with machines. Miaoqi’s expertise in data analytics will serve as a great differentiator.

“Data analytics will sharpen my data insights, a critical skill that sets me apart from peers relying solely on basic financial knowledge,” she explained. “If I pursue a career in risk control, my ability to explore and uncover issues within vast and complex financial data sets will be crucial. Data analytics will enable me to distil key issues quickly, enhancing efficiency.”

There’s also a growing demand for data analytics skills, as many international companies actively recruit professionals with these capabilities.

“While exploring career opportunities in China, I realised that many jobs, not just in finance, now require data analytics skills,” Miaoqi recalled. “This reflects both the current market demand and the direction of future developments, making it essential for staying competitive in the workforce.”

 

The MACC programme gives Miaoqi a comprehensive curriculum to dive deep into data analytics and machine learning for accounting. “The curriculum is well-structured, with each semester designed to progressively increase in difficulty, ensuring a smooth learning curve,” she shared. “The content is highly practical, which I find very beneficial.”

Pan Miaoqi's Headshot

 

The data analytics track, in particular, equips participants with future-ready knowledge of emerging technologies in an accounting landscape rapidly reshaped by technologies such as AI and automation.

So far, Miaoqi’s experience with the data analytics track has been both enriching and challenging. “Initially, the learning curve was steep as I familiarised myself with tools like Python, R, and SQL,” she recalled. “Understanding complex algorithms and data processing took time, but it became rewarding as I realised the power of transforming raw data into actionable insights.”

She’s also learning that data visualisation is vital to data analytics, especially when presenting data to the public. “Tools like Tableau and Power BI are crucial in presenting complex data to stakeholders more clearly, especially for those without a data science background,” she explained.

 

Fostering cultural dexterity and a global mindset

But it’s not just about crunching numbers and surfacing insights. Working with course mates from diverse backgrounds also helps Miaoqi develop her cross-cultural communication skills.

“I’ve had the pleasure of meeting course mates from diverse backgrounds. Through our shared learning experiences and participation in the school’s various activities, we’ve forged strong friendships. It’s been a rewarding journey so far,” she shared.

She is also continuously strengthening her knowledge and understanding of international accounting standards to meet the demands of multinational corporations better, whether in Singapore or back in China.

“With numerous multinational companies operating in China, many of which have international parent companies or subsidiaries, my understanding of various accounting standards and cross-cultural communication skills will be highly beneficial,” she shared.

Given Miaoqi’s global ambitions, the MACC programme gives her a solid foundation to boost her career in Singapore, China, and beyond. The programme shares close ties with international accounting bodies, allowing participants to earn globally recognised qualifications and fast-track their professional accountancy journey.

 

Ready to take on risk management

After completing the MACC programme, Miaoqi aims to work as a risk control analyst, where she can apply her analytical skills and knowledge of financial regulations to help businesses manage risk effectively. “As we continue exploring data analysis through advanced technology, we will all appreciate its efficiency and potential,” she said.

As she embarks on this new career path, she remains grateful to the faculty at NBS, who supported and encouraged her as she faced various challenges throughout the one-year full-time programme.

“I experienced moments of self-doubt regarding my ability to master this skill set, but their encouragement helped me feel more confident,” she recalled. “This positive reinforcement allowed me to try without the fear of making mistakes and motivated me to push beyond my limits.”

 

Find out more about the MSc in Accountancy programme here.

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From “Challenge Conqueror” To ASEAN Development Scholar: Phuong Nguyen Shares Her MACC Journey

From “Challenge Conqueror” To ASEAN Development Scholar: Phuong Nguyen Shares Her MACC Journey

by | Oct 30, 2024 | MSc Accountancy

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From “Challenge Conqueror” To ASEAN Development Scholar: Phuong Nguyen Shares Her MACC Journey

As a self-professed “challenge conqueror,” Phuong Nguyen was drawn to problem-solving from an early age. Growing up in Vietnam, she noticed many barriers to education and upskilling in the communities around her – and she aspired to make a difference.

“I grew up in an underprivileged background, but I’ve been fortunate to participate in many international competitions and events,” she shared. “I wanted to advance my skills in developed countries such as Singapore and use this knowledge to contribute to communities in Vietnam.”

One essential skill set that Phuong hoped to hone was accountancy. Having completed a Bachelor of Business Administration focusing on Finance, she sought an opportunity to further her interest in numbers. “I knew I wanted to pursue accounting as a career in the future,” she said.

The MSc Accountancy (MACC) programme at Nanyang Business School (NBS) presented such an opportunity, combining rigorous training with rich international experiences. Clinching the ASEAN Development Scholarship was the icing on the cake, offering her the financial freedom to pursue higher education and the tools to make an impact. 

 

Studying in Asia’s startup and financial hub

When choosing a MACC programme, Singapore was top of mind for Phuong. As a multicultural melting pot, Singapore was the perfect place to experience different cultures while staying close to home.

“Singapore is a financial hub in ASEAN where you can get to know a lot of investors, and there’s a vibrant startup community here. Besides, the country shares a robust economic relationship with Vietnam, with numerous investment opportunities arising from strategic partnership.” she added.

Discovering that NBS was ranked first in Asia for Accounting Research, Phuong was keen to learn from the school’s renowned faculty. She also saw that the programme’s Data Analytics specialisation would give her an edge in a data-driven world.

“During my internships at Big Four firms like PwC and EY-Parthenon, I realised that data-driven decision-making has become crucial. Being able to handle big data would be a huge bonus in securing a job,” she explained. “Data analytics skills are also highly applicable across industries. This versatility can open up diverse career opportunities for me.”

 

Unlocking new challenges, exploring new cultures

Phuong is now well into her first trimester at NBS and reveals that her classes have challenged her to solve problems in new ways.

“The MACC programme has a strong focus on case studies. We don’t just study the formulas to complete assignments – we also need to apply them to real-life problems,” she said. “It’s challenging, of course, but I feel rewarded at the end of the day because I’m learning a lot.”

Hard work feels easier with friends, and Phuong has already formed friendships with peers of diverse cultures – from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, China, India, and beyond.

“NBS held a Networking Day with lots of food and ice-cream, where we could eat and mingle with one another,” she recalled. “I made many friends there, not only from the MACC programme but also from other graduate programmes.”

Phuong also fondly remembers a Singapore tour organised by the NTU Graduate Students’ Association, which brought participants around some of the country’s top attractions. “We played games, flew kites, and saw Gardens by the Bay lit up at night,” she shared.

 

Team Building

 

Giving back to the community as an ASEAN Development Scholar

To support outstanding participants in their studies, NBS offers the ASEAN Development Scholarship to citizens of ASEAN member countries outside Singapore. Recipients of this scholarship receive a 40% or 100% waiver on tuition fees.

Having prepared intensively for six months to secure this scholarship, there’s no doubt that Phuong’s win was well-deserved. Her preparation included a thorough self-assessment to identify her strengths and career goals in line with the scholarship criteria.

“Different business schools look out for different qualities, so you must refine your application accordingly,” she advised. “For the ASEAN Development Scholarship, for example, I spent considerable time reflecting on my academic achievements, leadership experiences, and community involvement.”

Ultimately, Phuong believes her passion for community service helped her application to stand out from the crowd.

“Many people have asked whether my academic achievements or work experience helped me win the scholarship,” she shared. “I think that, above all, you need to be willing to contribute to your community. Whether it’s giving back to your home country, to NTU, or to ASEAN, you should leave a positive impact.”

One key way that Phuong is making an impact is through Internship Seeker – a Vietnamese internship platform. As co-founder of Internship Seeker, she is helping hundreds of students discover internship opportunities they might not otherwise have had access to.

“In Vietnam, we don’t have a lot of established channels to find internships, and many hires are based on personal referrals,” she explained. “My friends and I had the idea of building a public database to collate any internship news we heard about across different sectors.”

Now that she is an ASEAN Development Scholar, Phuong remains passionate about helping her peers learn more about opportunities at NBS. During her enrolment, she was introduced to Unibuddy – a platform for MSc participants to answer questions about their life at NBS – and decided to sign up as an ambassador.

“Anyone can reach out to me and learn more about applications, the scholarship process, or the school environment,” she said.

 

Gaining the skills to build new solutions

After she completes her MACC journey, Phuong plans to go into auditing at a Big Four firm – where she anticipates that her degree will set her on the right path.

“Studying at NBS gives me certain exemptions for professional qualifications, such as the Singapore Chartered Accountant Qualification,” she explained. “Having data analytics skills would also give me ‘shortcuts’ to solving problems because accountants have to work with a huge volume of data daily.”

However, once she has accumulated enough technical experience, Phuong dreams of starting a venture that draws on her newfound skills to improve lives in Vietnam.

“I’m passionate about education, and I want to bring back all my advanced knowledge and training to improve the future workforce of Vietnam,” she shared. “Right now, I’m honing different skill sets like accounting and data analytics to become more versatile so I can find new solutions that make an impact.”

 

Find out more about the MSc in Accountancy programme here.

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From Indonesia to Singapore: Five Invaluable Lessons from Nanyang MBA Alumni

From Indonesia to Singapore: Five Invaluable Lessons from Nanyang MBA Alumni

by | Oct 16, 2024 | Nanyang MBA

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From Indonesia to Singapore: Five Invaluable Lessons from Nanyang MBA Alumni

What do our Nanyang MBA alumni from Indonesia – Ashyari Sastrosubroto, Meta Pramasetio, and Steven Surja – all have in common?

All three share a willingness to break out of their respective comfort zones. They were also ready to do what it took to invest in themselves – by putting in the extra effort to realise the full potential of the career track they were pursuing. This pushed them to pursue a Nanyang MBA in Singapore, over a thousand kilometres away from home.

We asked Ashyari, Meta, and Steven about their Nanyang MBA experience. They shared five key takeaways from their time at Nanyang Business School (NBS), and their journey toward becoming innovative thinkers with a global perspective.

 

Surja Stanislaus Steven

“On the job” learning can only take you so far

At the very start of his consulting career, Steven hoped to gain a couple of years of hands-on experience to help him see “what it’s generally like working in the industry.” However, when the pandemic hit, Steven found himself with plenty of time to reconsider.

“I decided to start early in the hopes of accessing a higher-level network, gaining more opportunities in the market, and possibly relocating to Singapore,” he recalls.

It took Meta three years of working as an auditor to act on her “strong desire to embark on a new journey”. An MBA programme was the logical next step to help Meta go beyond her bachelor’s degree in accounting, to “gain a broader perspective and evaluate new opportunities.”

For his part, Ashyari found his engineering background to be less relevant as he got promoted to higher positions. His responsibilities became more managerial: “I was spending more time in a meeting room than on a project site,” he recalls. “As these new tasks demanded a new set of skills, taking up an MBA was a very natural decision.”

The right programme matters – so does the right location

One doesn’t need to go to Europe or the U.S. to pursue a world-class MBA. In fact, it may even be more strategic to choose a programme closer to home.

Meta’s decision to study at NBS, for example, was ”influenced by [her] desire to study and work in Singapore.” The MBA track in Banking and Finance also “aligned with [her] goal of pursuing a career in the financial services industry.”

Steven was attracted to Singapore due to its “reputation for good education and quality of life as well as career growth and prospects.” As for a specific programme, Steven chose the Nanyang MBA programme “because of how it ties together entrepreneurship and technology,” especially given the impact of technological advancements on the global economy at the time.

Ashyari felt that NBS’s location was more relevant to his Indonesia-centred career plans. He had spent time working in the Middle East, where his existing networks and work experience did not apply. “I wanted my MBA to provide not only relevant knowledge, but also relevant networks and other relevant learnings.”

 

Pramasetio Meta Yunita

The Nanyang MBA teaches you to be agile in a rapidly changing world

Though the intensity of the Nanyang MBA can be quite demanding, it was essential to these alumni’s growth. For one, it taught them to be active participants, to make their voices heard when and where it mattered.

“The case discussions can get pretty intense,” shares Steven. “If you don’t raise your hand, you never get a chance to speak. Everyone’s experiences and knowledge enriched the quality of their contributions.”

The Nanyang MBA also trained these alumni to think on their feet. For Meta, the intensity of concurrent assignments and team projects taught her to learn quickly and adapt beyond her previous expertise. “The final project was especially challenging, as it introduced me to new topics and required rapid adaptation,” she shares.

All in all, having experience in these kinds of intense environments helped these Nanyang MBA alumni adapt more quickly whenever disruptions arise, as with Ashyari’s internship experience.

“I learnt that business problems are naturally chaotic and ambiguous,” notes Ashyari, “and an MBA graduate should be able to put everything into place, in a way that is structured so that everyone can make sense of it. Acknowledging this helped me become more agile in my career.”

 

Sastrosubroto Mohamad Ashyar

The Nanyang MBA is a safe space to learn from one’s mistakes

Business leaders are often wary of trying new ideas, because mistakes can gravely affect the bottom line. The Nanyang Business School is the antidote to fear: “It’s a very safe space for people to make mistakes,” explains Ashyari.

This “safety net” helped push our Indonesian alumni to challenge their own capabilities. For Ashyari, this meant competing in the John Molson International Case Competition (JMCC), where the intensity of in-class case discussions and assignments came in handy.

“We were given a real-life case, and after hours of discussion, we presented our ideas,” he recalls. “The vibe was very competitive – definitely an experience that changed my life for the better.” 

 

An MBA gives a good ROI–if you make the most of your time

Though some MBAs can take up to five years to complete, ambitious professionals can choose to pursue the Nanyang MBA on a part-time or full-time basis, with the former taking two years and the latter taking one year to complete.

The one-year term was particularly appealing to Meta. “It was a one-year course, which would enable me to resume my career and progress more quickly compared to other programmes,” she explains.

Steven echoes this, pointing out: “The part-time programme would have taken me two years to complete. By contrast, taking the one-year programme meant I could return more quickly to the workforce, making it a good return on investment.”

That said, obtaining an MBA degree shouldn’t only be for the sake of adding it to one’s resume. Steven stresses that how you spend your time during the MBA will directly impact what you get out of it.

“It’s not just about getting the degree,” he says. “Be mindful about where you’re starting from, where you’re aiming to go, and how you’ll make the best use of this one year to grow.”

 

Conclusion: Priceless professional experiences

The invaluable skills, connections, and insights delivered by their experience in the Nanyang MBA prepared these three Indonesia alumni to level up in their respective industries.

Professionals in Indonesia hoping to pursue the Nanyang MBA would do well to take these alumni’s experiences to heart, whether you plan to take your learnings home to Indonesia or pursue career opportunities across the globe.

The Nanyang MBA is a full-time or part-time programme tailored to equip participants with the business skills they need to thrive in today’s rapidly changing digital world. The programme seeks to develop culturally adept and future-ready leaders that can quickly adapt and innovate in global environments.

Applications are currently open. We are also accepting scholarship applications. Click here to learn more.

 

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The Nanyang MBA is a flexible 12-month or 18-month programme designed to fuel your growth into a future-ready leader equipped with the skills needed to excel in a global, digital environment. The programme aims to develop impactful, culturally adept leaders who embrace the connection between business, technology, and innovation to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change.

 

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Building Networks For Success In Finance: Henry Johnson’s MFE Journey

Building Networks For Success In Finance: Henry Johnson’s MFE Journey

by | Oct 10, 2024 | MSc Financial Engineering

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Building Networks For Success In Finance: Henry Johnson’s MFE Journey

It’s often said that who you know is just as important as what you know. Having built a vibrant career for almost a decade – spanning from credit risk management to product development – Henry Johnson can attest to this.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about being in the right networks and having the right friends – particularly in finance,” he pointed out. “Having been in the industry for some years, I don’t find jobs by applying online. If I learn that certain companies are making strategic advancements or projects in areas I’m interested in, I build connections with the people in charge to help me explore further.”

So when Johnson decided to deepen his quantitative knowledge with an MSc in Financial Engineering (MFE) programme, he was also excited by the opportunity to connect with “some of the smartest talents in the quantitative field”.

“You don’t see many of them in the industry, because they typically end up working in the back office of financial institutions and never come out to socialise again,” he joked. Going back to school offered a rare chance to make friends with like-minded peers – and to introduce them to his industry connections in turn.

 

​The value of building a network in Singapore

Having travelled extensively throughout his career, Johnson sought out top MFE programmes all over the world to find the best fit for him. But Singapore’s growing importance as a global financial hub drew him in.

“Historically, Wall Street has been the epicentre of financial innovation and information,” he explained. “But now, as macroeconomic volatility rises across the world, Singapore’s role in bridging the East and West is more and more significant. I foresee Singapore becoming increasingly important in the global financial system, which makes establishing an industry network here highly valuable for me.”

The MFE programme at Nanyang Business School (NBS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) stood out to Johnson, as he already knew that it attracted talented participants from many countries. The curriculum’s rigour would also equip him with a solid foundation in quantitative skill sets.

“Throughout my career in finance, I had to learn a lot of concepts on the fly,” he recalled. “I was missing systematic training in mathematics and programming.”

Two months into the programme, Johnson admits that the load from his course has challenged his limits – but in an enjoyable way.

“Having been out of school for so long, I feel like I’m learning mathematics, statistics, and programming from scratch all over again,” he said. “But it’s been an enjoyable journey as I’m relearning things that I’ve picked up during my career in a more systematic and structured way.”

 

Bridging the gap between the classroom and the industry

For Johnson, however, classroom knowledge is just the start of the learning opportunities on offer at NTU. His knack for connecting with people has propelled him in his career – and he’s deeply passionate about helping his course mates do the same.

“I see a lot of value in making industry connections,” he explained. “I want to bring the network I have to my fellow participants, who are already knowledgeable and motivated and can become even more successful by connecting with the right people.”

With NTU’s diverse student clubs and support for student initiatives, Johnson has found rich opportunities to create connections between his peers and his industry friends.

Johnson Henry

Most recently, he successfully hosted a fireside chat on building a trading career together with Blockchain@NTU. The event brought together four of his industry friends, who spoke about their professional experiences in portfolio management, commodity markets, cryptocurrency, and more.

“Overall, it was very well-received. The students who attended felt that they learnt a lot more than they had at other career-related events,” Johnson shared. “It enabled them to discuss with experienced industry professionals in person, and receive personalised advice and guidance.”

On the flip side, his industry friends had the chance to connect with young talents and keep them in mind for future internships and job openings. “I think they just had a lot of fun gathering around and sharing their life experiences,” he added. “It gave me so much motivation to continue bridging between the industry and my fellow students.” 

 

​Empowered to innovate

For a go-getter like Johnson, being a part of the NTU community is making it easier to bring his many innovative ideas to life.

Last month, he attended the launch ceremony of the NTU Innovation Port – a new hub on campus for innovation and entrepreneurship. This one-stop centre offers a range of resources to support aspiring entrepreneurs, including an incubation facility for early-stage ventures, maker labs, and co-working spaces.

Having recently served as the Head of Ecosystem at Web3 startup Sending Labs, Johnson appreciates the value of such resources. “It’s easier for students to build our own projects and apply for grants along the way, as compared to when I was working in the industry,” he said. “These are the kind of things that make me feel happy to be part of the NTU community.”

In fact, Johnson already has the seed of an idea for his own project. Together with a couple of his course mates, he plans to build a Web3 wellness platform that incentivises users to care for their physical and mental health.

Tapping into his Web3 experience, Johnson aims to develop a tokenised reward system tied to real-life brand sponsorships. By completing certain tasks that improve their wellbeing, users can earn tokens and claim tangible perks such as drinks or sleeping aids.

“I travelled constantly for my previous job, and that left me burnt out,” he revealed. “Going back to school helped me relook at my priorities and become aware of the importance of physical and mental wellbeing. This inspired me to make wellness accessible and rewarding for everyone.”

 

Making an impact in Singapore’s financial network

Just two months into his MFE programme, it’s clear that Johnson has built a dynamic student life for himself beyond the classroom – and he already has more exciting plans in store.

In the months ahead, he’ll have his hands full with business development for an alternative investments symposium by the NTU Investment Interactive Club. This large-scale event will host various companies involved in tokenisation of real-world assets.

“I’m committed to continuously helping to bridge between the students and industry professionals,” Johnson said. “By helping others learn from what I do, I can create an impact on a larger scale.”

Juggling his studies with a vibrant student life is no easy feat, but Johnson shares that the secret lies in knowing one’s priorities. “Accept that you’ll always have a lot on your plate, regardless of your stage in life,” he advised. “Just focus on what you feel is most valuable to you.”

Ultimately, Johnson foresees that the networks he builds at NTU will make him more relevant in Singapore’s financial industry.

“Helping others gives me a boost of serotonin,” he joked. “But it will also help me integrate into the overall industry ecosystem. I’m building the network to place Singapore at the centre of the world’s financial and capital markets.” 

 

Find out more about the MSc Financial Engineering programme here.

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Creating Business Impact With Data: Justin Huang’s Journey From MSBA to TikTok

Creating Business Impact With Data: Justin Huang’s Journey From MSBA to TikTok

by | Oct 8, 2024 | MSc Business Analytics

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Creating Business Impact With Data: Justin Huang’s Journey From MSBA to TikTok

With over one billion active users across the world, TikTok runs on a sophisticated technical infrastructure behind the scenes. To support its ever-changing business and technical needs, it takes dedicated and motivated teams to collect operational data, draw out useful insights, and optimise the platform’s efficiency.

Justin Huang is one of them. With an MSc Business Analytics (MSBA) from Nanyang Business School (NBS) under his belt, he is now six months into his new role as a Cloud Infrastructure Site Reliability Engineer at TikTok.

We sat down with him to get a peek into his work, and how his MSBA helped to kickstart an exciting career at one of the world’s fastest-growing social media platforms.

 

From billions of data points to insights

As a Site Reliability Engineer, Justin helps to maintain the storage infrastructure that powers TikTok’s systems. Beyond day-to-day monitoring and troubleshooting of system performance, he’s responsible for leveraging data insights to optimise processes and manage costs.

“Every day, the system generates billions of data points, each capturing crucial information such as stability and system health. Effectively leveraging this operational data is important to identify opportunities for optimisation and uncover system risks,” he explained. “I utilised my programming expertise to develop functions for each feature, which were subsequently integrated into our system and rigorously tested to confirm their functionality.”

To turn vast amounts of data into insights, Justin draws on key skill sets learnt from his MSBA journey. His advanced programming classes equipped him with the programming know-how to build functions, while modules such as Storytelling Through Data Visualisation and Design Thinking & Technology Management prepared him to collect and interpret data from a comprehensive perspective.

As business needs change at lightning speed, big data tools are evolving just as quickly. This dynamic environment makes Justin’s role challenging, but it also inspires him to sharpen his problem-solving skills.

“TikTok’s working culture is fast-paced, but the supportive environment encourages us to share learning experiences,” he said. “I enjoy the problem-solving opportunities of my role, and I have endless chances to learn new techniques and technologies.”

 

Problem-solving with the power of data

Indeed, it was this passion for problem-solving that first kickstarted Justin’s MSBA journey. During his bachelor’s degree in Information and Computer Science, he had hands-on experience in basic data-driven projects and became fascinated by the power of data analytics to solve problems.

“Pursuing an MSc in Business Analytics felt like a natural progression for me,” he shared. “This would allow me to build on my existing skills and carve out a career where I could leverage data to create business impact.”

As an IT enthusiast, Justin was keen on a career in Singapore – a global hub for business and technology which could offer rich opportunities for growth. NBS’s MSBA programme stood out to him for its comprehensive curriculum, hands-on approach, and diverse alumni network.

“I liked the comprehensive curriculum that combined analytic techniques with strategic business planning,” he explained. “These are transferable skills in any industry, giving me a robust foundation to tackle complex business challenges.”

 

Unlocking a data-driven career

Justin’s MSBA experience proved to be a stepping stone for his career goals in more ways than one. Not only did it pave the way to his full-time position at TikTok, it also armed him with valuable skill sets for success in his role.

NBS’s Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO) and the MSBA alumni network supported Justin in securing his initial internship at TikTok Singapore as a Site Reliability Engineer Intern.

“Our programme career advisor, Timothy, encouraged my career aspirations and suggested opportunities in various industries,” he recalled.

His MSBA experience equipped him with the big data skill sets he needed to excel in his internship and beyond, including database optimisation techniques and the essentials of big data architecture. Most importantly, it sharpened his data-oriented mindset – enabling him to approach real-world problems in novel ways.

“A data-oriented mindset is crucial to my daily work,” Justin said. “It helps me to think quantitatively and critically, allowing me to provide insights and come up with practical solutions.”

Beyond technical skills, Justin gained a strong understanding of how data technology could drive business strategy and enhance business outcomes. This has helped him to take charge of critical business projects for TikTok and deliver impressive results.

In one memorable project, he contributed to a cross-team cloud infrastructure deployment project. As a technical project manager, he faced the challenge of coordinating teams spread across different time zones and scheduling technical tasks for maximum efficiency.

“My business analytics skills proved invaluable in standardising progress and task synchronisation,” Justin shared. “Using project management tools, I was able to visualise an effective schedule that kept us aligned with the project timeline, while reducing communication costs and enhancing coordination.”

This project proved to align with the industry’s best practices. “By collecting and visualising operational data on project progress and team performance, I digitalised the previous project and gained valuable insights for future projects,” he explained.

“High-quality data is the foundation for overall improvement. I hope I have helped the team to lay the groundwork for more efficient technical project management in the future.”

 

Closing the gap between technical and business skills

With new technologies rapidly reshaping the business world, every day brings new challenges and learnings in Justin’s role. “TikTok’s company motto, ‘Always Day 1’, resonates with me,” he said. “It reminds me of my journey from knowing so little about computer science to my current role.”

Whatever the challenge, Justin believes his MSBA journey has given him the confidence and tools to tackle it.

“My MSBA experience provided me with the courage to master both technical and business skills,” he summed up. “Even though I’m new, I’m confident I have the capability to understand work requirements, develop solutions to complex problems, and contribute meaningfully to my role.”

Find out more about our MSBA programme here.

 

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From Career Advancement to Practical Life Lessons: Vietnam Alumni Share Their Nanyang MBA Takeaways

From Career Advancement to Practical Life Lessons: Vietnam Alumni Share Their Nanyang MBA Takeaways

by | Oct 3, 2024 | Nanyang MBA

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From Career Advancement to Practical Life Lessons: Vietnam Alumni Share Their Nanyang MBA Takeaways

Strategy manager Song Han Nguyen and management accountant Hanh Thai have common roots in Vietnam, and both sought to leverage their Vietnamese expertise in a global context.

Seeing an MBA as an opportunity to go further in their careers, Song Han and Hanh chose the Nanyang MBA programme for its global recognition and reputation, relevant location, and promise of high-value knowledge and skills, among others.

We asked them to share how the Nanyang MBA experience not only delivered on these expectations, but also how it came with surprising takeaways.

 

The road to the Nanyang MBA

Song Han Nguyen
Prior to NBS, Song Han worked as a consultant at Ernst & Young’s Consulting Department in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Her focus was on performance improvement, but as she took on larger-scaled projects, her role shifted to strategy consulting.

“At that time, strategy consulting was relatively new in Vietnam,” she noted. “While consultants could develop well-written strategies, implementation was often very challenging.”

To address this issue, Song Han wanted to learn how to build competitive strategies, and she knew an MBA would help.

Hanh, on the other hand, worked in accounting and investor relations for the startup Ecomobi Corporation Pte. Ltd. As she got further involved in meetings with stakeholders and management where various business topics from operations to investment were discussed, she realised she needed to learn more.

“I was keen to improve my business acumen,” she said.

 

A Nanyang MBA checks all career advancement boxes

To both Hanh and Song Han, Nanyang Business School (NBS) was an attractive choice both in name and location.

Hanh noted that the NBS’s Nanyang MBA programme “is highly valued and recognised not only in Singapore but also on a global scale.” NBS aligned with her aspirations, as she was aiming for a top university so she could work in Singapore after.

As Song Han planned to work in Vietnam, she wanted to study within Asia and build her professional network in the region, too. “Singapore became the top choice because it is among the most technologically advanced markets in the SEA region,” she said, adding that Nanyang Technological University is a reputable school.

The 12-month duration of the Nanyang MBA programme also matched their needs. To Hanh, it was just the “right period of focused study” before she dives into full-time work again, while Song Han wanted a short career gap as much as possible.

 

Opening new doors with the Nanyang MBA programme

The Nanyang MBA generated new possibilities and opportunities for our Vietnamese alumni. Hanh, for her part, “acquired the knowledge and skills essential for many careers,” she told us. “The degree opens up new fields for me such as operations, investment, finance, and consulting.”

For Song Han, her APEC scholarship and the Nanyang MBA programme’s focus on tech encouraged her to a career shift in the tech industry. A 2019 graduate, she now works at TapTap, a loyalty platform tech startup in Vietnam.

“There are exciting developments in this market,” she said, adding that she plans to be more hands-on when implementing strategy.

 

Nanyang MBA capstone projects teach real-world lessons

Thai Thi Bich Hanh

In addition to their new knowledge and skills, the two alumni gained fresh insights beyond the classroom through the programme’s capstone projects.

For Hanh, who worked at the back office in her previous jobs, the Strategy Projects at Nanyang (SPAN) module was a novel experience, as she was involved in the project’s entire life cycle. “It gave me a deeper understanding of project management and the challenges and rewards of seeing a project through to its successful completion,” she said.

Meanwhile, the capstone project that stood out most for Song Han is the Business Study Mission (BSM), where students visit companies in Asia and engage with management. “During my one week in Tokyo, I learned valuable insights in key industries, work, and life,” she said.

 

A Nanyang MBA makes you more culturally agile

Each cohort has students from different countries and professional experiences, bringing in unique perspectives.

Hanh found the Cultural Intelligence course at the beginning of the term helpful for her to understand and collaborate with her peers. She brought these lessons with her to the workplace, which helped her “see things from different angles and be more agile in dealing with various stakeholders.”

In the same vein, Song Han noted that she learned empathy in working with different people through the MBA’s team projects.

 

A Nanyang MBA comes with surprising takeaways

The two graduates also took home some unexpected lessons from the programme.

While Song Han said the workload and the team meetings where people do not always share the same views could be draining at times, she noted that the team context, the pressure, the deadline is what real life is.

“Rising up to the challenge is important especially if we want to become leaders, CEOs,” she pointed out.

For Hanh, the case studies and real-life scenarios in courses like Strategic Management and Competitive Strategy helped improve her critical thinking and decision-making.

A bonus lesson was her enhanced communication skills when she became the chair for the Women in Business Club. “I also had the chance to interact with inspiring women leaders,” she said.

 

Conclusion: The Nanyang MBA’s lessons and opportunities

These graduates took home lessons both expected and unexpected from the Nanyang MBA programme and are using these to move further in their professional lives and work fruitfully with different people.

Whether you are from Vietnam or elsewhere in the world, these learnings and opportunities can be available to you, too, through the Nanyang MBA programme.

 

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From ESG beginners to experts: Diverse team excels in the Nanyang Professional MBA programme

From ESG beginners to experts: Diverse team excels in the Nanyang Professional MBA programme

by | Oct 3, 2024 | Nanyang Professional MBA

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NANYANG PROFESSIONAL MBA

From ESG beginners to experts: Diverse team excels in the Nanyang Professional MBA programme

In teams and in workplaces, increased diversity tends to expedite innovation and creative solutions.

This is true according to Forbes, and verified by a team of Nanyang Professional MBA (PMBA) participants through their successful capstone project under the ​​Strategy Projects At Nanyang (SPAN) programme, concluded just last year.

Armed with wide-ranging skills and a commitment to teamwork, this SPAN team built a detailed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) roadmap for a leading palm oil producer in Indonesia.

Not only did their fresh perspectives and actionable recommendations make a positive impact on their clients, but the team was also recognised for their thinking and teamwork by the Nanyang Business School (NBS) community and influential ESG community members.

 

Fast ESG learners assemble

The part-time Nanyang PMBA programme allows its participants to engage in multi-directional learning through case studies analysis, simulations, study trips, and hands-on industry projects such as SPAN. As Nanyang PMBA classes are conducted on weekends, participants do enjoy the increased freedom to balance studies, family, and work.

The SPAN capstone project takes place towards the end of their 18-month journey. SPAN puts Nanyang PMBA participants to work outside the classroom, as they work on a real-life corporate consulting project with a client.

With guidance from faculty mentors and corporate sponsors, each team conducts intensive research and analysis, developing innovative yet practical recommendations and solutions that will be delivered in a final presentation.

“We were told to pick a diverse team with different experiences,” explains team member Razif Ali, a technology business partner. “We had an engineer (Baskar Periasamy), an accountant (Ai Ling Ong), a marketer (Joanne Cabaero), a relationship manager (Agung Nugroho), and me in tech.”

Their wealth of expertise aside, none of the team came in with any grounding in ESG. However, they were guided and mentored by SPAN Advisor Dr Rachel Ooi, NBS’s adjunct associate professor on ESG specialising in the 3Ps (People-Planet-Profit).

Dr Rachel noted that their effort came with some baggage: palm oil companies are subjected to heavy public scrutiny for their environmental and social impact. “The problem they want to solve is quite complicated, as the palm oil industry is always scrutinised for its carbon footprint and labour issues,” she recalls.

The team, however, gamely took on the challenge. “We were intentional from the beginning, and we understood one another’s strengths and weaknesses,” Joanne, the project’s manager, explains. “We understood how our strengths can complement one another.”

As a digital business builder and marketer, Joanne guided and shaped the narrative of the team’s findings. “In marketing, there is power in storytelling,” she said.

Having a story indeed helped, as Razif pointed out the need for the team to scope the data due to the breadth of ESG information and research online. “We realised it was too big. We needed a point of view,” he recalls.

 

Lack of ESG background was “intentional”

“At SPAN, we deliberately bring in a diversified team of people because we want them to come with a fresh outside-in perspective,” Dr Rachel explains.

She added that even the fact that the team had no ESG background was intentional. Dr Rachel could guide them based on her ESG experience, while the team brought in their skills and a fresh perspective.

“We want them to co-create, with a synergy and joint perspective, and to think differently, not just to solve the client’s challenge, but also to challenge the client, if needed,” Dr Rachel tells us.

“This co-creation is where the magic is,” Dr Rachel adds, pointing out that the client also contributed industry knowledge, which the team learned from.

Joanne personally saw ESG’s novelty as an opportunity. “We were still quite new to ESG in the palm oil industry, so we took this as an opportunity rather than a challenge,” she pointed out. “So, the question is – how do we now make use of the data we have? From there we created our own framework.”

 

Concrete, actionable recommendations

In their final presentation, the team found the client to be a “strong player” in corporate governance and recommended that the company focus on its strength in governance, while implementing biodiversity policies and engaging with NGOs.

“Governance is key to forming their ESG foundation,” Joanne said.

The team also recommended implementing tools and systems to collect and measure data, as Joanne points out: “You can only have sustainability in your ESG if there is a system in place for data in your business.” This called for further technology transformation and value chain integration.

As Joanne recounts, the client was surprised by the insights. “We helped them see how people, the media, and external parties perceive their company, which may not have aligned with their own views,” Joanne explains. “In the end, they were grateful for gaining this new perspective.”

The presentation earned praise from the client. As Dr Rachel recalls, the executives said that the team gave them an understanding of the ESG ecosystem they were not previously aware of.

Dr Rachel, who has mentored over 20 SPAN teams in her tenure at NBS, commended the “magic” in the team. “They have a curiosity for a problem that no top consulting firm has even solved yet,” she said. “They took up the challenge and were hungry to score. This team is the best.”

 

Recognition and praise outside the project

The team later gained the opportunity to share their findings in a closed-door presentation to representatives from the ESG community.

“They were recognised as brilliant students who contributed to the industry in a way that no one has thought about,” Dr Rachel said.

Their group was also nominated for the Nanyang Awards for teamwork. Joanne said this to her was one of the highlights of the project. Eventually, the team earned Trade & Sustainability Award for Best SPAN Project (Team) at their recent convocation.

Another perk for the team was meeting respected figures in the ESG community.

“What was exciting was our mentor connected us with the ESG raters themselves, including the sought-after ones,” Joanne said. One of them was the client’s managing director, who the team got to interview for the project, and who was also among those who listened to their findings.

“After this project, I can say they are already ESG experts,” Dr Rachel said with pride.

 

Win for diversity

Diversity indeed won the day for this team of Nanyang PMBA participants – now, graduates. Dr Rachel highlights this element is indeed essential in a SPAN team, along with critical thinking and a focus on their client’s needs – even those the client has yet to identify.

SPAN is a core, capstone course that encourages Nanyang PMBA participants to apply the latest business thinking and insights to analyse market opportunities and address business challenges of sponsor organisations.

These projects are carefully curated to expose Nanyang PMBA participants to a spectrum of real-world problems faced by companies based in a variety of industry sectors.

Thanks to the SPAN capstone course and other opportunities for multi-directional learning in the Nanyang PMBA curriculum, participants transform from skilled specialists into learned leaders, gaining the domain expertise they need to elevate their skills and knowledge to lead in today’s disruptive business environment.

Interested to learn more about Nanyang’s PMBA programme and SPAN? Find out more here.

 

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This diverse Nanyang Fellows MBA team helped an ethanol company enter the motorsports industry

This diverse Nanyang Fellows MBA team helped an ethanol company enter the motorsports industry

by | Oct 3, 2024 | Nanyang Fellows MBA

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This diverse Nanyang Fellows MBA team helped an ethanol company enter the motorsports industry

To discover unexplored but promising solutions, you need to draw from a wide variety of perspectives.

Tan Yan Yan, Samuel Wong Kok Kai, and their Nanyang Fellows MBA groupmates tested this principle in practice. Their multidisciplinary team explored bioethanol’s potential as a more sustainable fuel for motorsports – finding what their mentor Prof Gemma Calvert calls “new areas of opportunity.”

Yan Yan, Samuel, and the rest of the team came together under Nanyang’s Strategy Projects at Nanyang (SPAN) programme, a nine-month senior consultancy project that tasked them with solving a sponsor company’s real-world problem.

In the capstone SPAN project, team diversity is a key feature: each member leveraged their unique skills and backgrounds to foster innovative solutions and insights.

 

Exploring bioethanol’s potential role in sustainability for the motorsports industry

This team’s sponsor company was Marquis Energy Global Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based, sustainability-focused company that produces and distributes low-carbon-intensity bioethanol, Distillers Dried Grains (DDGs), and related commodities.

Each SPAN team member had strong foundations in their respective industries, but none of them had any prior experience with either the ethanol or motorsports industries.

However, they had the help of Prof Gemma Calvert, a prominent figure in the field of neuroscience and a pioneer of neuromarketing. As their mentor, she provided guidance that bridged the team’s knowledge gaps in these specialised sectors.

“I believe the role of a mentor is multi-faceted,” Prof Gemma says. “We help students to navigate complex problems and offer solutions and guidance based on our own, real-world experiences.”

Beyond their relative inexperience, the team had other factors to consider. “Feasibility, scalability, and impact were constantly on our minds,” Yan Yan shares. “We needed to think innovatively, as the motorsports industry is very established and might not be easy for a newcomer to break into.”

The motorsports industry is also quite broad, adding to the difficulty of pinpointing the best strategies to adopt. “One of the key challenges was dealing with ambiguity in the project, such as narrowing down the project direction, deciding which motorsports space to penetrate and how to enter this market,” Samuel explains.

 

How the team made the most of its diversity

To compensate for their lack of experience, the Nanyang Fellows MBA team displayed a good grasp of each member’s aptitude for certain topics or tasks, having known each other for a while before banding together for the SPAN project.

“Over the course of two trimesters, we have cultivated a better understanding of each other’s strengths,” Samuel states.

The team adopted a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy for the project, as Samuel calls it: “For example, we would appoint a member in charge of project management, and another to engage the project sponsor, and so on.”

This, Samuel says, ensured each task was assigned according to each member’s individual expertise. “Each of us knew our role within the team,” he explains.

Yan Yan feels similarly about their team dynamics. “We shared our strengths and leveraged them to ensure that the project proceeded smoothly.”

For instance, the team’s Indonesian aerospace professional Muchamad Musyafa served as the team’s technical advisor due to his knowledge on fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, tech professional Neha Agarwal “could dive deeper into the topic” thanks to her “keen interest in sustainability,” according to Yan Yan.

To tell their project’s story, Jean De Dieu Uwihanganye, a diplomatic officer from Rwanda, contributed by “pulling narratives together” and helping teammates improve in presenting.

Based on his track record, Samuel, a civil servant, was appointed the team’s leader. As a “very structured and organised” person, he kept everyone on track. “I undertook the role of architecting our project roadmap, and crafted the project plan tasks, timelines, and resource allocations for each phase,” he says.

Finally, Yan Yan’s planning experience at a statutory board overseeing social services in Singapore made her an excellent facilitator for their brainstorming sessions. She also “read widely” and shared her ideas with her teammates “to see if they were feasible and something to explore deeper.”

 

Turning a lack of experience into a unique advantage

The team undertook extensive research to supplement their knowledge on the project’s target industries.

“The motorsports and bioethanol industries were very new to me,” Yan Yan shares. “I had to bring myself up to speed about the developments in these two industries very quickly and understand how these industries operated.”

The same was true for the rest of the team. “We had to conduct extensive desktop research to gain a comprehensive understanding of biofuel, specifically ethanol, and the available motorsports races to recommend,” Samuel says.

The SPAN team turned their outsider perspective into an advantage – they were able to “harness their distinct areas of expertise to solve problems… in sectors very different from their own,” as Prof Gemma puts it.

“Every SPAN group is composed of a unique set of skill sets and business experiences,” she explains. “I’m often impressed how quickly and seamlessly teams are able to integrate their expertise and insights into their project solutions.”

Such insights prove to be incredibly valuable to corporations that participate in the SPAN programme. “The greatest value for corporations is having a group of relatively young, smart and eager minds examine their business challenges from a fresh perspective and typically without an industry bias,” Prof Gemma adds. “We often learn as much from them as they do from us.”

 

Finding solutions via unexplored, fresh perspectives

According to Yan Yan, Marquis Energy Global (MEG) initially doubted their company could break into the motorsports industry. Fortunately, the team’s fresh perspectives allowed them to find solutions to this problem.

The team “formulated a market penetration report with recommendations on how to penetrate the motorsports industry,” according to Samuel.

Yan Yan specified the four entry options that their team identified for the client: providing sustainable fuel to F1 race cars, supporting F1 logistics to meet sustainability goals, partnering with a potential new F1 host country, and leveraging F1’s existing partnerships to break into the F1 community.

The team also came up with a power and influence diagram of the motorsports industry, Yan Yan adds.

Finally, the team formulated an “industry mid-term plan regarding sustainability goals and key insight from interviews, which opened possibilities and provided us with the affirmation to proceed,” Samuel explains.

According to Yan Yan, the client was “very pleased and surprised with our recommendations.”

“We wanted to commend the F1 Team for their innovative approach in accessing the highly exclusive and private F1 market,” says MEG. “Their ability to think outside the box and secure phenomenal insider information, typically inaccessible, significantly enhanced the depth of their analysis.”

“Additionally, the Team’s prior industry experience and strategic insight were evident in their well-informed recommendations. Their ability to leverage their network and provide practical solutions added significant value to the project,” they add.

After the programme, MEG requested a link-up with the motorsports stakeholders, Samuel adds.

 

Diversity = discoveries

Despite their differences, the team’s diversity is what led them to successfully completing their SPAN project.

“We were a very cohesive team,” Yan Yan shares, “very motivated and excited about the possibility of coming up with feasible solutions to meet the needs of our clients.”

The team’s conflict resolution skills also helped them leverage their diverse opinions. “When divergent viewpoints arose, we prioritised open communication, respectfully sharing our perspectives and actively listening to each other’s insights,” Samuel explains.

He also shares a similar sentiment regarding professional relationships of all kinds. “Understanding the dynamics of relationships and aligning ourselves with the same wavelength and value proposition as our counterparts is paramount to effective engagement,” he shares.

On that note, Prof Gemma felt that, overall, it “was an extremely successful exercise for all parties.” 

 

SPAN is the capstone module of the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme, a specially curated full-time or part-time programme designed for public sector senior leaders as well as private sector individuals with a keen interest in the public sector.

Interested in Nanyang Fellows MBA programme and SPAN? Click here to learn more.

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AI, Automation, Analytics: How This Accountant Is Future-Proofing His Career

AI, Automation, Analytics: How This Accountant Is Future-Proofing His Career

by | Sep 18, 2024 | MSc Accountancy

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AI, Automation, Analytics: How This Accountant Is Future-Proofing His Career

For accountants today, traditional number-crunching is no longer enough to stay ahead in an industry radically reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. A study conducted by the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants, the Singapore University of Technology and Design, and Ernst & Young (EY) forecasts that machines will handle at least 80% of accounting and finance tasks by 2025.

Rishikesh Ragavan has seen this revolution happen first-hand. Early in his career, he joined KPMG India as an Audit Associate. This opened his eyes to how quickly his day-to-day tasks were evolving with the rise of new technologies.

“Processes that I was performing manually in my first year were being automated by my third year,” he recalled. “I knew I couldn’t just sit back and watch things change around me.”

 

Staying competitive with data analytics skills

Rishikesh was determined to stay ahead of the curve and future-proof his career. Seeing the accountant’s role shifting from number-crunching to advising businesses, he realised he needed the data analytics skills to turn numbers into strategic insights.

“My manager once told me something that really stuck with me: ‘Decision-making and analysing information are the human aspects of accounting that technology will not be able to replace,” he shared. “That got me thinking that pursuing higher education in accountancy – with a focus on data analytics – would keep my skills sharp and relevant.”

The MSc Accountancy (MACC) programme offered by Nanyang Business School (NBS) stood out to him, not least because of its unique Data Analytics track. This specialisation is designed to give participants a foundation in the technologies transforming accounting, including AI, predictive analytics, and database design.

In addition, the opportunity to study in Singapore lined up perfectly with Rishikesh’s career ambitions. “Singapore is a key financial hub of Asia, and it’s at the forefront of the latest global technologies,” he added. “It’s an ideal place for my professional growth.”

 

Gaining confidence through hands-on learning

Going into the MACC programme, Rishikesh – like many of his peers – had no knowledge of programming skills. Through the data analytics modules, he rapidly gained the confidence to code AI models, develop databases, and mine large volumes of data for insights.

Although he faced a steep learning curve, Rishikesh highlights that the content was “interesting enough to keep us engaged throughout the modules”.

“I loved how hands-on the modules were, with a lot of exercises to get us comfortable with programming languages like Python and SQL,” he said. “The modules created a solid foundation for us to navigate tools like Tableau and RStudio, giving us the confidence to come up with solutions.”

Beyond these technical skill sets, Rishikesh’s MACC journey has honed his ability to think critically and communicate his ideas clearly.

 

“The MACC programme places a lot of emphasis on critical thinking across all the modules. I’ve learnt to look at accounting and finance problems from a strategic point of view,” he shared. “I also feel well-equipped to present my thoughts, having had so many presentation opportunities throughout the programme.”

Rishikesh's Headshot

 

Working hard and playing hard

Rishikesh’s MACC experience certainly was not all work and no play. Despite being initially worried about being able to make friends, he left the programme with countless fun memories and lifelong friendships.

“During the MACC orientation, we were shown a pie chart of the various nationalities in our cohort. At that moment, I realised I was the only Indian student in a batch of 100,” he recounted. “It wasn’t unexpected, but it made me feel doubtful that I would be able to make friends there.”

Luckily, Rishikesh couldn’t have been more wrong. The cultural differences between himself and his course mates only enriched their bonds, opening their minds to new experiences.

“It felt like a cultural exchange programme because I was able to introduce Indian culture and food to my classmates. In turn, they introduced me to cuisines that have become essential in my life,” he shared. “Together, we explored parts of Singapore I wouldn’t have visited on my own, indulged in sports activities, and attended concerts and events that I’ll cherish forever.”

 

A cutting-edge career in forensic accounting

Post-graduation, Rishikesh had his sights set on a fast-growing area of accounting: forensic accounting. Like financial detectives, forensic accountants analyse financial records to investigate fraud and misconduct, trace funds, and quantify losses.

During his job search, he enlisted support from NBS’s Graduate Studies Career Development Office (GSCDO). “GSCDO was able to connect me with people from the forensic accounting industry, which helped me to prepare for my job applications,” he said.

Rishikesh’s preparation paid off – he recently secured a full-time role at MDD Forensic Accountants in Singapore. With over 40 global offices, this renowned forensic accounting firm specialises in economic damage quantification, business valuation, and shareholder disputes.

“As a Staff Accountant, I’ll assist in analysing clients’ financial and operational data,” he explained. “I will work closely with my team to form assessments of a business’ historic and future performance.”

Given the analytical nature of the role, Rishikesh believes the skill sets he gained in the MACC programme gave him an edge over other candidates.

“MDD was looking for someone with a high level of analytical and communication skills,” he said. “My MACC journey sharpened all the skills they were looking for.”

As he embarks on his new career, he foresees that his data analytics knowledge will enable him to provide useful insights and potentially make his work more efficient.

“A lot of our analysis work depends on understanding the nature of the client’s business. If my client uses technologies like AI that impact their business processes, I can advise my team on how we should modify our analytical approach,” he explained. “Internally, I may also be able to use such technologies to streamline our own processes.”

 

Staying on top of technological change

With his forward-looking mindset, there’s no doubt that Rishikesh is poised to thrive even as new technologies reshape the accounting industry.

“Rather than fearing technological change and its impact on our jobs, we must focus on learning how to get on top of these changes,” he emphasised. “Now that I have a strong understanding of AI and programming tools, I can focus on applying them strategically in my work.”

But it’s not only the lessons from his MACC journey that Rishikesh cherishes. Ultimately, the connections he made and the adventures he had will stay with him for a lifetime.

“Your year in the MACC programme will pass in the blink of an eye,” is his advice to future participants. “Treasure each day and fully embrace the opportunity while you’re in it. The friendships you build and the fun you have will be the memories you cherish most when you look back after graduation.”

 

Find out more about the MSc in Accountancy programme here.

MSc Accountancy

MACC

Data Analytics

Accounting

Forensic Accounting

AI

NBS

Nanyang Business School