Next Gen has made much impact but we cannot do it alone. If our mission to kickstart everyone's investor's journey resonates with you, please join us to impact the next generation together!
On 24 May 2024, Next Gen held our first ever Impact Forum. We welcomed partners, friends, Z Club members and alumni to gather for a night of sharing stories of impact, as well as Next Gen's accomplishments in the past year, and what we look forward to accomplishing in the year to come.
We have gathered many reflections and sharing from the various students, alumni and mentors. There is no better way to convey the impact that Next Gen and the Z Club has made, than for you to read the real and raw thoughts from the members themselves. Please embark on this journey with us!
Calista CHEW, centre
The event began with Tiffany and Persis introducing the Next Gen Investors Endowment and the Gen Z Investment Club.
Tiffany Liu, Co-Founder of Next Gen
Founded in 2018, the Next Gen Endowment Investment aims to engage students in investing through manga and real-life investing. The club started with the Value Investing Program in Southeast Asia (VIP SEA) and Greater China (VIP GC), later launching the ESG Investing Program (EIP) in 2021. Participants completed a 6-week boot camp to learn the fundamentals of investing and were subsequently divided into smaller groups to manage portfolios ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Past members have earned profits from their investments and have chosen to allocate these returns to fund scholarships. This initiative has helped our Z Club scholars to join the club for 4 years and gain investment knowledge while reducing their school fees by RMB 5,000 yearly. Additionally, our members have had the chance to visit the scholars' hometowns, broadening their perspectives.
With the recent launch of Z Club Academy, which features esteemed speakers such as Allen Xiao discussing their careers and investment journeys, Next Gen Investors Endowment has extended its reach beyond club members to all students. Personally, I enjoyed Pulak Prasad's talk, where my key takeaway was that learning to reject investments is just as crucial as learning to select the right stocks. His 30 years of experience running an asset management firm and holding stocks for extended periods of up to 20 years demonstrated to me the significant benefits of dividend gains, rather than focusing solely on capital gains. Next Gen Investors Endowment has also initiated a game show, reminiscent of Family Feud, to engage and educate students in schools.
This outreach effort included a session for undergraduates at Singapore Management University (SMU), where they learned about ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing. Additionally, 16-17 year old students from North London Collegiate School were introduced to fascinating subjects such as blockchain technology. This helps to make complex financial concepts accessible and engaging for students of different age groups.
Despite the impressive accomplishments mentioned above, what moved me the most were the personal stories shared by members and alumni. Some of these individuals started their journeys with me last year in August 2023, and I deeply resonate with their experiences. A common theme in their stories was the strong sense of community, which created a safe environment for us to learn from industry professionals and each other, grow as investors, and learn from our mistakes without many repercussions. Even though not everyone chose to pursue a career in investments, every member has pushed themselves beyond their comfort zones to learn and grow. This includes meeting professionals like Xin Fei, using acquired skills and knowledge to seek career opportunities like Gaius, hosting Meet The Investor (MTI) sessions like Amelia, or participating in competitions to rigorously improve their investing skills like Sidhaarth.
I was particularly impressed by alumni like Jing Zhe, who, despite having a university degree unrelated to investing, worked hard and secured a job at Foord Asset Management as a fresh graduate. Such achievements were made possible by great mentors like Daniel, who are dedicated to impacting the next generation through making donations to the club and mentoring. At the end of the session, members had the chance to mingle with industry professionals. I spoke with Eldred, who was working as an investment banker before starting his own M&A firm. My impression of investment bankers is that they are often too busy and overworked, which can make them seem aloof. However, Eldred was personable and genuinely focused on making a difference in the SME sector. This convinces me individuals from any profession have the potential to make a meaningful impact, and I am confident that the mentors, alumni, and members of the Gen Z Investment Club will continue to do so in the future.
Calista CHEW
ESG Investing Program
Despite being heavily pregnant, Persis, Business Manager of Next Gen, passionately shared about Next Gen's past and upcoming plans. Some of the past happenings include:
Beijing Forum 2024
Yunnan Scholar's trip 2024
Launch of the Z Club Academy
Launch of the Investing Tonight Show
Upcoming plans for the year 2024-2025 include:
SMU-Next Gen ESG Investing Conference 2024 and 2025
Bootcamp and ESG Academy 2024
Shanghai Forum 2024
Scholar trip 2025
Beijing Forum 2025
Not to mention ongoing activities like portfolio management, initial memo report writing and Meet the Investor sessions. Please feel free to browse the slide deck from the forum here where you can find more details.
The real meat of the forum happened when members took the stage to share their personal stories of impact throughout their time with the Z Club.
Huiling and Javier started off with sharing their personal reflections from going for the Yunnan Scholar's Trip 2024. Both of them were the top 2 stock pickers for the Z Club this year and that's how they were chosen to go on the trip. As Singaporeans who had never been to such a rural place before, the trip was life-changing to say the least.
Joining the Generation Z Club ESG Investing Program, I always hoped that our investments would ripple out into positive impacts on communities. I was fortunate to have been able to take part in the Yunnan trip where I got to meet Wang Ying and immerse myself in her community. Witnessing firsthand the transformative power of our investment returns fueled my determination to keep pushing for our fund's success. I was also privileged to be accompanied by many amazing investors, to whom I also wish to express my gratitude for the fun few days in Yunnan.
4 things I took away:
(1) Opportunity to meet Kayla and Wang Ying and witness in-person the real-world impacts of Z Club, and how the club provides real opportunities for everyone to explore investing, regardless of our backgrounds.
(2) Learning more about Wang Ying's hometown Availability of 5G and the prevalence of e-payment such as Alipay even in areas that are far away from the city such as Wang Ying’s hometown highlights prevalence of technological advancement across China. Despite modest incomes, families dedicate a significant amount of savings to dowries and educations. For example, families had to save for up to 9 to 10 years for the dowry required for males to give to the female’s family for marriage.
(3) How entrepreneurship is a universal trait Cars have a significant upfront cost for the people in Wang Ying’s hometown so there’s only a handful of them in the village. After purchasing a car, Wang Ying’s dad found a way to recover the high initial costs. He ran a taxi service, like an Uber, to drive other people in the village to the city (which was quite a distance away from the village so there was quite a high demand for the service) which allowed him to recover the initial costs within a few years.
(4) Met many amazing investors including Dennis, Justin, Tiffany and Shinya and was inspired by their sharing for what got them into investing and why they continue to be interested in the field Learning to view the world from different perspectives and being curious about the world and the way the world works.
Huiling KOH
ESG Investing Program
The opportunity to visit Yunnan really opened my eyes to what life in rural China was like, and helped to put the impact of Z Club’s scholarship program into perspective. Z Club is a platform like no other where members are given the resources to empower others and change lives, and I implore those who share our vision to spread the word and support the cause.
Javier CHAN
Co-CIO, Value Investing Program (Southeast Asia Chapter)
After the touching sharing by Huiling and Javier, we wanted to show everyone how the Z Club cultivates a passion for investing, and although we do help and enable students to find jobs more effectively, that is not why we exist. Please enjoy the following member, alumni and mentor reflections.
The charm of our club lies in meeting people from diverse walks of life, each offering different perspectives and points of view. We learn from their experiences, emulate their skills, and incorporate them into our own toolbox.
Xinfei TAN
ESG Investing Program
I joined the Z Club because I was invited by Jiayang, a close friend, and because I thought it would be a value add to my resume. Further, the Z Club is one of the first few investment clubs I’ve seen that have placed a focus on ESG, which is something I felt I needed to know more about.
The Z Club provides ESG training based on the CFA Institute's ESG curriculum. Joining the club piqued my interest in investments and ESG. As a result of the training and exposure I received, I joined Keppel Capital as an infrastructure investment intern where I worked on a solar deal. After that, I also joined Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners - one of the largest dedicated fund managers in greenfield renewable energy as an intern, where my focus was on offshore wind farms in Taiwan. I encourage you to donate to Next Gen because you are investing in the future in 2 ways:
Spreading financial literacy so that individuals from non-financial backgrounds are trained to perform professional investment analysis.
Influencing career trajectories of students like myself.
Gaius Ang
Co-Chair, ESG Investing Program
Claire Contri, a French American and member of the VIP Southeast Asia Chapter, happened to be in Singapore for her exchange program. We were so glad to have her with us for the Impact Forum and definitely included her to share her journey with the Z Club thus far.
To give you a little more context about myself, my name is Claire. I am French American, and I am from Versailles, France. For those who don’t know, Versailles is France's “Royal” town, where kings and queens lived before the French Republic. We also have a magnificent golden castle, the Palace of Versailles, which is listed among UNESCO’s top sites.
To tell you a little bit more about what I do, I am a final BBA student at ESSEC business school, specializing in finance and sustainability. Today, I am able to be with you guys in Singapore because my school has several campuses around the world, one of which is in Singapore. Personally, I love traveling and meeting new people, and I have a profound interest in ESG, investments, and real estate.
The funny story on how I discovered the Z Club, is actually thanks to my mother. So I was looking for an investment club outside of school and couldn’t quite find the “perfect one”. I had been a member of various other clubs and now I couldn’t find the one I wanted until my mom one time just texted me about the Z Club. So, she first told me the club was based in Singapore and was keen on ESG, which I loved, of course, as I am passionate about ESG and knew I would go to Singapore.
So I looked a bit on the Z Club’s website, and you know, I was really impressed with the content and the different opportunities the Z Club team came up with its different programs (Value Investing Club, ESG Club, the Investoon series, and the scholarship program). So, I decided to apply, and here I am!
So far, my experience at the club has been a blast. In terms of the people I was able to meet. During this past year I’ve been a member of the club, I’ve really felt part of a community where I could make friends, learn, and grow. For example, while I was in Singapore, I also had a chance to meet some of the club’s members who were just passing by, like Fabian and Mouli, when I traveled to India. This September, I will be able to meet another Z Club member in Morroco. So, as you can see, we’re just everywhere in the world right now. And hopefully, we will grow even more in the future!
I also loved the way the team and the members were so professional and friendly at the same time, especially the older members who gave us great advice on how to improve our next pitches. Z Academy Speakers are great. Also, I think one of the features I love the most about the Z Club is that you have professionals like Shinya, Persis, and Tiffany, who are passionate about what they do and who are here to help us.
So again, a big THANKS to them as all this would not have been possible. Last but not least, another great thing I wanted to mention about this club is that once you’re no longer an active member, you become part of the Alumni community where you can still share things with previous members.
Again, thanks to all of you guys for making this happen. The club has truly helped me grow as a person and an investor.
Claire CONTRI
Value Investing Program (Southeast Asia Chapter)
Of course, we could not exemplify 'impact' without including alumni sharing. The alumni form an important part of the Z Club network, as these are students who have graduated from the Z Club and in most cases, university. Through the experience and knowledge obtained through the club, these students are then able to move on to good roles in their career. We are grateful for a strong alumni community who do not hesitate to give back to the next generation.
Gen Z Club gives the chance to be challenged, brought far beyond your comfort zone and learn more about yourself in the process, all in a very friendly and supportive environment.
Through Gen Z Club, you get the chance to meet people extremely different from you at all levels of expertise, from really smart and inquisitive peers to industry experts (not easily accessible to students otherwise). This diversity gave me the chance to learn that observing how different people think differently is the best way to develop your own critical thinking skills and edge.
Go where your passion and skills take you over time, build your interest in investing but keep your options open. Investing can be fulfilling, exciting and life changing even when not taken up as a career.
Sidhaarth VENKATARAMAN
Exploring finance/computer science roles
Apart from improving your technical skills, what I really appreciate about being in the club are also the opportunities that you get to further hone your soft skills, such as the way you present, communicate and interact with people. Participating in various club activities really encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and seeking discomfort is definitely a form of growth.
Amelia LEE
Associate, Standard Chartered Bank
I came into the club with a non-business/finance background and no experience in fundamental investing. The fact that Z Club accepted my application speaks to what the club stands for, and that is to provide an opportunity for anyone to be a better investor regardless of their background, as long as one has a passion for learning a bit more about the world and businesses each day.
Maximise the opportunities present from intra-club and external activities/ competitions. I’m sure that the research process, studying industries of your interest, and speaking with peers or investors will add tons of value to your future development. There is always something to learn from everyone.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to the many mentors within the club, I first got to know of Foord by reaching out to the amazing mentor Daniel for a coffee chat whilst I was interning at another firm over the summer. From the chat and the platform provided by Z Club, I was fortunate to end up working at Foord post-graduation after interning with them.
The Z Club can also be strong because of a network of professionals who offer time and resources to mentor the students. Daniel Phua is one such person, who regularly shares his investor's journey and knowledge with our members. He is also extremely personable and down to earth. Despite his accolades, Daniel is always available for a coffee chat and willingly offers career advice. In fact, he spoke at our recent Z Club Acadamy session and you can read student reflections here. Beyond his time, Daniel also donates to Next Gen. We cannot be more grateful for his heart for the next generation.
To give you a brief introduction of myself, I’m currently an equity analyst at Foord Asset Management and before my current role, I was at Temasek investing in public markets, and private equity. Before Temasek, I was an equity analyst at Lonsdale Capital, which is a single family office, and I joined Lonsdale Capital after a short 6 month stint at UniCredit bank restructuring non performing loans. So it has been a total of a good 12 years working in the industry.
The reason why I went through all the different companies that I worked at is because throughout my career, it would have been impossible to work at my current and former employers with just hard work alone because of my poor academics. I was very fortunate to meet with a lot of great people who were willing to give me a chance to work for them, mentored me and were willing to refer me to their personal contacts for job opportunities.
If this story is something that you can relate with, then you should be able to appreciate Z Club's mission. Z Club does not judge their members background. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, good looking or not or have a background in finance or not. As long as the person shows eagerness to learn more about investing, Z Club will welcome them with open arms.
I first knew about Z Club in 2020. I recall I was still with Temasek back then and we had to work from home because of covid. But because my home environment wasn’t conducive, I was using the office space of my friend’s family office. And my friend would hire interns every now and then whom I would interact with during the day.
During one of my conversations with the interns, he shared that he was a member of the Z Club, and what intrigued me was when he mentioned that he gets to invest actual money.
It’s easy to say that it’s better to start learning how to invest when we are young, but how many of us actually have the capital to invest? Back then, during my undergraduate days, I would be happy if I had enough money to watch a movie, so it was challenging to learn about investing without actually investing.
So after learning about the Z Club, I cold messaged Shinya on LinkedIn who introduced Tiffany and she gave me an introduction of what the Z Club is about. And because I believe in their cause, the importance of having mentors and the willingness to take the chance in others despite their background, I went on to help out in the Z Club whenever possible and have been making donations in a personal capacity.
So fast forward to today, I’m now a father and the amount of time that I can commit is less. But I will still try to help out whenever I can.
Jing Zhe who shared his experience earlier was a good example of how the Z Club can help someone start an investment career despite not having a finance background. Jing Zhe has a degree in political science and 2 years ago, I was running the internship program for Foord Asset Management and was looking for potential interns. I found Jing Zhe through the Z Club. Despite his lack of finance background and also lack of relevant internships, I could see he was eager to learn and had a sense of responsibility. And true enough, after hiring Jing Zhe as an intern, he impressed everyone and was offered a permanent job.
To end off my sharing with a personal experience in my younger days, I recall meeting with a working professional when I was still an undergraduate and we were having a nice Japanese meal at Clarke Quay while he gave me career advice. And when I offered to pay my share which was obviously a lot for me back then, he rejected my offer and told me to repay him back by doing something similar for the next generation when I’m a working professional myself.
So thank you for listening to my sharing and if you believe in Z Club’s mission, please do help out either in the form of mentoring and sharing your experience with Z Club members or making a donation. I believe no amount is too small.
The inspiring night ended with a short sharing by our venue sponsor, CGS International. We are constantly on the lookout for like-minded partners. No help or partnership is too small. If you are keen to explore any collaboration opportunities, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at admin@genzclub.org.
Finally, please enjoy the reflections from two current members of the club who attended the forum.
The impact forum last Friday reaffirmed the impact and usefulness of the club. I really liked the parts where alumni and mentors shared their experiences and the things they have gained from the club. This reaffirmed my decision to join the club a year ago and I hope to give back to the club in some form or another one day
Jian Ling NG
ESG Investing Program
Pyae Phyo SHUN, extreme right
On 24th May 2024, I had the honour to attend the "Next Gen Impact Forum 2024" held at CGS International.
The forum reignited my passion for contributing to the club. The heartwarming story about the Yunnan Trip, where Z Club members visited a scholar's hometown, highlighted the tangible impact our club can have. This experience also challenged my preconceptions. Hui Ling and Javier's sharing showcased the advancements in technology even in rural China. This served as a valuable reminder not to make assumptions based on limited information.
The forum also encouraged me to be more proactive within the club. The diverse opportunities available, such as managing a real-money portfolio, attending "Meet the Investor" sessions, and connecting with like-minded peers through international and inter-collegiate events, offer invaluable learning experiences. I'm determined to take advantage of these opportunities to further my knowledge and skills.
Sidhaarth and Jingzhe's presentations were particularly inspiring. Despite non-financial backgrounds, their enthusiasm for learning and their journey towards value investing demonstrated the power of dedication and exploration.
A very impactful message was shared by our mentor, Daniel Phua. His down-to-earth sharing of his career path, culminating in his passion for public markets, sparked a deep reflection within me. He highlighted the often-overlooked fact that not everyone has the capital to start investing early. This, combined with the opportunities I have within EIP, made me deeply grateful for my privileged position. I am fortunate not only to have access to learning about ESG and value investing in EIP but also to have the resources and freedom to explore these areas without undue pressure.
The Next Gen Impact Forum was an enriching and motivating experience. It encouraged me to work harder, be more thoughtful in my approach to investing, and cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude for the opportunities I have.
