Celebrating two decades of Wealth Management excellence
SMU celebrated the 20th Anniversary of its Master of Science in Wealth Management (MWM) programme with a glittering gala dinner and awards ceremony on 18 October 2024.
This landmark event brought together alumni from across two decades, industry leaders, and faculty to honour the programme's legacy in shaping wealth management professionals and fostering global excellence. The evening also highlighted impactful initiatives, including the launch of the Keeve Tan Wealth Management Scholarship, underscoring MWM’s commitment to talent development and industry leadership.
The event was themed “Glitter, Sparkle and Glow”, and the night highlighted the University’s excellence in educating talent within the wealth management sector, underscoring the role the programme has played in shaping the careers of an illustrious alumni.
The gala dinner was one of MWM’s largest homecomings since its inception, with close to 200 alumni from 20 intakes, from the classes of 2005 to 2024, in attendance. In addition, the programme’s 21st cohort, the class of 2025, as well as MWM Advisory Board Members, SMU faculty members and staff and valued industry partners were invited.
“MWM is the first programme in Singapore to be accredited by The Institute of Banking & Finance under the new 2018 IBF Standards for Wealth Management – Relationship Management (Private Banking).” SMU Provost Professor Timothy Clark noted in his speech at the event.
“We are very happy that the MWM programme has received significant international recognition in recent years. For five years from 2016 to 2020, MWM was ranked #1 in Asia by the Financial Times. More recently, in the newly released 2025 QS Master in Finance rankings, MWM secured the top spot globally for Value-for-Money and ranked second for Thought Leadership.”
To keep up with the rapidly evolving wealth management industry, the MWM curriculum is updated each year, with more recent revisions covering themes like family office, philanthrophy, sustainability and impact investing.
MWM also delivers tri-continental global exposure through close collaboration with universities in Europe and the United States over a two-week overseas study period, broadening students’ global perspectives with relevant experiences in Asia, Europe and North America.
For one week, students delve into European family business succession and family office management on top of fintech in wealth management at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland. The second week sees students attending the Wharton School of Management where they explore alternative investing, ESG development, philanthropy and impact investing.
George Lam, head of Discretionary, Funds and ETF, Southeast Asia HSBC Limited joined the SMU MWM in 2004, as part of its inaugural intake.
“At the time, nobody knew what MWM was. I was looking for a mid-career switch into wealth management. This programme has certainly helped me to do that… I was able to successfully transit into a role in a private bank. I’ve spent the past 20 years in the private banking industry.”
Opening doors for mentorship and career growth
By honouring the remarkable professional achievements of its MWM graduates and alumni, the anniversary dinner also sought to fostering meaningful connections and future collaborations amongst the community.
At the dinner, SMU presented the MWM Distinguished Alumni Award – a first since the programme’s inception – where seven outstanding individuals were recognised for their exceptional leadership, professional achievements and contributions to SMU.
The recipients, who were selected by a panel comprising the MWM Advisory Board Members, represent a legacy of producing leaders who have made significant impact on the financial landscape.
The event provided an opportunity to showcase the MWM Mentorship Programme, which connects current students with industry professionals for guidance and career development. The SMU MWM Alumni Group Exco encouraged more MWM alumni to step up and mentor the next generation.
Besides these, the event also served as a platform to raise awareness of the MWM Study Award Fund, a fundraising initiative that is aimed at supporting future students with bursaries– a reflection of the programme’s ongoing commitment to accessibility and talent development. The MWM Study Award has a mission to support talented SMU students through financial difficulties with the firm belief that each deserving but financially challenged student should be provided with financial assistance.
A significant $375,000 gift from alumnus Keeve Tan was also announced. It has been earmarked for scholarships supporting high-potential students from the ASEAN region.
“In line with his passion for cultivating future leaders in finance, Keeve has established the Keeve Tan Wealth Management Scholarship aimed at talented and high-potential students from Southeast Asia who demonstrate both academic excellence and a keen interest in wealth management but lack the opportunities to pursue their ambitions,” said Chan Wai Leng, Vice President, Advancement & Alumni Relations, SMU.
“Through this scholarship, Keeve seeks not only to support promising professionals but also to contribute to the sustained growth and excellence of Singapore’s wealth management sector, ensuring the development of a new generation of leaders who will elevate the region’s financial landscape and drive transformative impact in the global wealth management industry.”
