HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE, September 15, 2017 – Hong Kong-based fintech firm FinEX Asia is pleased to announce the launch of the “Head-Start Program” (the “Program”) in cooperation with Singapore Management University (SMU), National Chengchi University (NCCU) and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).
In recognition of the increasing demand for fintech talent in Asia Pacific, FinEX Asia has partnered with Dianrong, AMTD Group, L.R. Capital and Upgrade to offer high-impact internships for students of the three participating institutions. The Program will offer accepted students the chance to work at FinEX Asia, Dianrong and AMTD Group’s headquarters in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The best performers will also get the chance to win an internship in Silicon Valley in the United States. The Head-Start Program Signing Ceremony was held on September 15, 2017 at the Mochtar Riady Auditorium on the SMU campus, marking the official launch of the Program.
“The fintech industry has been growing rapidly in recent years, and it has become increasingly apparent that there is a lack of global talent,” said Ms. Maggie Ng, Founder and CEO of FinEX Asia. “A lack of talent affects a country’s fintech industry as a whole. We believe this program can help expand the talent pool for the fintech sector. We’re also expecting to learn innovative ideas from these aspiring young talents.”
“As the first global fintech marketplace connecting Asian investors with high-quality, low-volatility asset classes, FinEX Asia has been dedicated to exploring and promoting the development of fintech in Asia Pacific,” Ms. Ng added. “By offering high-impact internships for students through the Head-Start Program, FinEX Asia aims to nurture and expand talent reserves for the fintech sector in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore by giving them real-time industry experience at the frontline.”
“Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving financial technology landscape, it is important for universities to prepare our students for the financial industry of the future. At SMU, we offer fintech courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels at the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Information Systems, as well as at the SMU Academy, our life-long learning unit. Internship opportunities such as the Fintech Head-Start Program will further strengthen SMU’s fintech curriculum and give our students a competitive edge in the working world,” said Professor Lim Kian Guan, SMU Vice Provost (Undergraduate Matters), who signed the MOU with Sunday Finance on behalf of the University.
“SMU is delighted with this collaboration as it helps our students gain awareness in fintech through this Fintech Head-Start Program. Our students will get a chance to intern with FinEX Asia, Dianrong, Upgrade and other fintech companies. In addition, they will benefit from cross cultural exposure collaborating with teams across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore with a possibility of meeting Silicon Valley companies in the United States. We believe this will help build a more inclusive world as deeper partnerships between fintech and non-fintech companies will lead to new skills and new opportunities as the Fourth Industrial Revolution transforms industries and economies,” said Professor Annie Koh, SMU Vice President for Business Development.
“Through our cooperation with FinEX Asia in talent cultivation, NCCU hopes to bring leading international technology and expertise to Taiwan,” said Professor Rua-Huan Tsaih, Vice Dean of Office of Research and Development, Director of Innovation Incubation Center, and Vice Chairman of Fintech Research Center at NCCU. “Apart from the establishment of the Fintech Research Center, NCCU has provided Taiwan with the highest quality educational courses by setting up EMBA fintech courses as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fintech. NCCU also plans to collaborate with FinEX Asia in the development of Taiwan’s fintech industry and the creation of innovative financial services and commodities.”
“HKUST Business School places a strong emphasis on helping students develop their creativity and potential in applying their knowledge to the business world,” said Professor Kar Yan Tam, Dean of School of Business and Management and Chair Professor of the Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management at HKUST. “Special thanks to Sunday Finance for this valuable opportunity in offering internships to HKUST business students in the fintech industry. We believe that through the Fintech Head-Start Program, students can enhance their knowledge and practical experiences in the field.”
The parties present at the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony included Ms. Maggie Ng of FinEX Asia and Sunday Finance HK Limited, Mr. Soul Htite of Dianrong, Ms. Angie Lin of AMTD Group, Professor Lim Kian Guan of SMU, and Professor Rua-Huan Tsaih of NCCU.
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About FinEX Asia:
FinEX Asia is the first global fintech marketplace connecting Asian investors with high-quality, low-volatility asset classes, including U.S. consumer lending, a market that was dominated by institutional investors. FinEX Asia unlocks the potential of these quality asset classes and provides Asian investors with access to a diverse portfolio of verified overseas assets with a streamlined, single-point onboarding and taxation process.
Founded by Maggie Ng, former Head of Unsecured Lending at Citibank N.A., FinEX Asia combines advanced fintech infrastructure with global consumer lending professionals to assist users in leveraging the platform’s advanced risk modeling capabilities, blockchain data security, real-time performance monitoring, and secondary market liquidity to make better investment decisions. FinEX Asia is based in Hong Kong and is a strategic technology partner of Dianrong, a leader in online marketplace lending in China.
About Singapore Management University:
A premier university in Asia, the Singapore Management University (SMU) is internationally recognised for its world-class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU’s mission is to generate leading-edge research with global impact and produce broad-based, creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. SMU education is known for its highly interactive, collaborative and project-based approach to learning, and for its technologically enabled pedagogy of seminar-style teaching in small class sizes.
Home to around 10,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, SMU comprises six schools: School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Information Systems, School of Law, and School of Social Sciences. SMU offers a wide range of bachelors, masters and PhD degree programs in the disciplinary areas associated with the six schools, as well as in interdisciplinary combinations of these areas.
SMU has an emphasis on generating rigorous, high-impact, and relevant multi-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance. SMU faculty members collaborate with leading international researchers and universities from the USA, Europe, China and India, as well as with partners in the business community and public sector, through its research institutes, centres and labs. SMU’s city campus is a state-of-the art facility located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with business, government and the wider community. www.smu.edu.sg
