AMTD, Xiaomi Finance, SMU and ISS joint-hands to nurture digital finance leaders

Davos, Switzerland 22 January 2020 (Wednesday) AMTD Group, the largest independent investment bank and a fast growing conglomerate in Asia, together with leading internet company Xiaomi Corporation’s subsidiary – Xiaomi Finance, Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Institute of Systems Science (ISS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a long- term partnership to establish the ‘Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Programme’ (Programme) to hone the management and leadership capabilities of the aspiring digital finance leaders in Singapore and beyond.

The rapid advancement of digital technologies and the advent of the digital economy have brought about transformative impact on businesses, governments and the society as a whole. Faced with new opportunities and emerging challenges, senior executives, entrepreneurs and policymakers have to be equipped with the skills and know-how to adapt to the digital disruption and ride the digital wave. More importantly, a pipeline of digital finance talent needs to be developed to meet the needs of the growing digital sector.

With these objectives in mind, AMTD and Xiaomi Finance are collaborating with SMU and ISS to jointly design the Programme to accelerate Singapore’s leading position in innovation and technology development; to steer and conduct activities on Fintech education and professional training for outstanding entrepreneurs and industry leaders, to demonstrate the shared commitment of AMTD, Xiaomi Finance, SMU and ISS for excellence in education and fulfilment of social responsibility.

During the two-week Programme in each year, SMU and ISS faculty as well as industry experts will examine leadership techniques, sharpen digital finance skillsets of the participants, and provide cutting-edge insights into the Fintech and regulatory frameworks in Singapore. In addition, leading technology and business leaders, regulators, and academics will be invited as guest speakers to facilitate learning sessions. Besides interactive learning experience at SMU and ISS campuses, participants will also embark on learning journeys at two locations in Asia.

AMTD and Xiaomi Finance will contribute SGD 5 million to allow SMU and ISS to build the relevant curriculum and teaching resources, as well as support the cost of managing and organising this Programme.

Mr. Calvin Choi, Chairman and CEO of AMTD Group, and the Founder and Chairman of AMTD Foundation, said, AMTD is dedicated to promoting Singapore as the leading global Fintech centre in Asia together with Xiaomi Finance, SMU and ISS, connecting with the Greater Bay and the rest of Asia. We are fully committed to contribute our skills and resources to enrich and enhance the Singapore digital finance landscape through deploying our AMTD SpiderNet eco-system which is an ever-extending network in which we, together with our clients, shareholders, business partners, and investee companies, actively explore business collaboration opportunities and create synergy for each other.”

To support the fast growth in the Southeast Asia digital finance markets, we need to empower young Fintech leaders with leadership skills, ecosystem and cutting-edge technologies know-how. I am confident that this Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Programme will witness the growth of many young leaders and significantly contribute to Southeast Asia’s Fintech eco-system, Mr. Calvin Choi added.

Mr. Hong Feng, Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Xiaomi, Chairman and CEO of Xiaomi Finance, said, We want to contribute to the financial inclusion in Singapore and make Fintech services easy to use, affordable just like Xiaomi smart devices. Through this Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Programme, we would like to share Xiaomi’s technologies, our know-how and open up our ecosystem to the Fintech leaders in Southeast Asia. We are excited to be part of the Southeast Asia’s Fintech community and together we will make Southeast Asia’s digital economy one of the best in the world.”

Professor Annie Koh, SMU Vice President of Business Development said, “We are excited to be one of the academic partners to build this unique, multidisciplinary programme for senior executives, entrepreneurs and policy makers in Singapore, ASEAN and the Greater Bay Area. The Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Programme seeks to make sense of both the realities and possibilities in this emerging growth sector and keep the participants up to speed on the developments in the Fintech and financial innovation space. With our track record and faculty experience in delivering leadership programmes, and together with our trusted partner in Institute of Systems Science at NUS, we are confident that this will be an impactful programme that will contribute to building a pipeline of digital finance aware leaders that is much needed in Asia.”

Mr. Khoong Chan Meng, CEO of Institute of Systems Science (ISS) at NUS, said, “We are honoured to be a pioneer and key academic partner in the foresight and advancement of a future where technology is the driving force of change and individuals and companies must be competent to lead digital transformation. Collectively, it is opportune for ISS to partner closely with SMU and industry leaders to advance relevant skill sets for the digital economy through the Singapore Digital Finance Leadership Programme. We are pleased that ISS, with our mission and long standing accomplishment of developing digital talent, can illuminate this path.

The MOU signing ceremony was held during an event at AMTD House entitled ‘Smart Asia: Connecting Greater Bay Area with ASEAN’ at the 2020 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Signatories of the MOU were Professor Timothy Tong, CEO of AMTD Foundation; Mr Shouzi Chew, Senior Vice President, President of International, and CFO of Xiaomi Corporation; Professor Annie Koh, SMU Vice President of Business Development; and Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President, who signed the MOU on behalf of ISS.

The MOU signing was witnessed by Mr. S Iswaran, Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information; and the Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, and Mr. Calvin Choi, Chairman and CEO of AMTD Group; and Founder and Chairman of AMTD Foundation

For more information, please contact

AMTD

Mr Wayne Liu
President Special Assistant
DID: +852 3163 3390
Mobile: +852 6524 8518
Email:
wayne.liu@amtdgroup.com

Mr Johnny Mok
Vice President
DID: +852 3163 3330
Mobile: +852 5377 5326
Email:
johnny.mok@amtdgroup.com

Xiaomi

Ms Qingyuan Guo
Senior Manager
Mobile: +86 150 1076 2710 Email:
guoqingyuan@xiaomi.com

Ms Chunyu Yang
Senior Manager
Mobile: +86 185 1008 6260 Email:
yangchunyu@xiaomi.com

Singapore Management University

Mr Teo Chang Ching
Senior Assistant Director
Office of Corporate Communications and Marketing
DID: +65 6828 0451
Mobile: +65 9431 8353
Email:
ccteo@smu.edu.sg

Institute of Systems Science at the National University of Singapore


Ms Angelia Tay
Head, Marketing & Communications

DID : +65 6601 5404

Mobile : +65 9682 8950

Email: angelia.tay@nus.edu.sg

About AMTD Group

AMTD Group is the largest independent investment bank and a fast-growing conglomerate in Asia, with businesses in financial services areas to include investment banking, institutional asset management, digital banking, corporate insurance brokerage, etc and non-financial services areas to include real estate development and hospitality, education, innovative technology, and digital investment.

AMTD International (NYSE: HKIB), a subsidiary of AMTD Group and listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is an independent investment bank, operating three major businesses – investment banking, asset management, and strategic investment.

AMTD Digital, another subsidiary of AMTD Group, is one of Asia’s rare few total digital solutions platform, whose major businesses cover digital financial services, digital marketing and data intelligence, digital connectors and digital investment. Among them, AMTD Risk Solutions under AMTD Digital is Hong Kong’s largest corporate insurance brokerage company. AMTD Digital and Xiaomi Corporation have also jointly launched Airstar Bank, which holds one of the eight Hong Kong virtual banking licenses, and AMTD Digital have led a consortium with Xiaomi Corporation, SP Group, and Funding Societies to submit the application to Monetary Authority of Singapore for a digital wholesale banking license.

AMTD Group also diversified its businesses into property development, hospitality, and education areas. In particular, AMTD Property Development Group acquired Singapore’s landmark building from OUE to rename as Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore.

For more information on AMTD, visit www.amtdgroup.com

About AMTD Foundation

AMTD Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by the AMTD Group’s Chairman and CEO Mr. Calvin Choi, is set up to fulfil its commitment of giving back to the society and upholding its social responsibility. AMTD Foundation has been putting in great efforts in promoting education, relieving poverty, and supporting people in need in Hong Kong and across the world. The Foundation actively supports a range of corporate social responsibility activities, such as the sponsorship of Caritas Charity TV Show for 10 consecutive years, being a key supporter of amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research), one of the world’s leading non-profit organisations on AIDS research. AMTD has entered into strategic partnerships with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the University of Waterloo in Canada respectively, for the establishment of “AMTD FinTech Centre of PolyU Faculty of Business” and “University of Waterloo AMTD Innovation Hub”.

About Xiaomi Corporation

Xiaomi Corporation (SEHK: 1810), is a leading internet company with smartphones and smart hardware connected by an IoT platform at its core, the world’s top five smartphone company and the world’s largest IoT platform. Xiaomi products are present in more than 90 countries and regions around the world and have a leading foothold in many of them. Founded in 2010, and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018, Xiaomi is the fastest company attaining the Fortune 500 list in the shortest period of time in history.

About Xiaomi Finance

Launched in May 2015, Xiaomi Finance is a financial technology service platform and a subsidiary of Xiaomi Corporation (1810.HK).

Xiaomi Finance’s current Fintech business focuses on consumer lending and supply chain financing. With sophisticated risk management model and technology capability, and extensive user base and supply chain partners, Xiaomi Finance has a solid business foundation and potential to grow. In the meanwhile, Xiaomi Finance is also actively exploring other Fintech business opportunities including third-party payment, wealth management, InsurTech, virtual banking and so on.

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 to produce broad-based, creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. SMU’s education is known for its highly interactive, collaborative and project-based approach to learning

Home to over 10,000 students across undergraduate, postgraduate professional and post-graduate research programmes, SMU, is comprised of 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 programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with the six schools, as well as in multidisciplinary combinations of these areas.

SMU emphasises rigorous, high-impact, multi- and interdisciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance. SMU faculty members collaborate with leading international researchers and universities around the world, as well as with partners in the business community and public sector. SMU’s city campus is a modern facility located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with business, government and the wider community.

For more information on SMU, visit www.smu.edu.sg

About the Institute of Systems Science

Established in 1981, the Institute of Systems Science (ISS) at National University of Singapore (NUS) develops digital talent for the industry through graduate education, executive education programmes, consultancy and research services. ISS is widely recognised as a champion of the Singapore’s SkillsFuture movement, enabling a digital economy that is always learning and always leading.

ISS has implemented a unique portfolio of multiple learning pathways, with a wide spectrum of programmes in critical industry disciplines, such as software development, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, smart health, digital government and digital innovation. Its programmes are delivered by staff with an average of more than 20 years of industry experience.

For more information on ISS, visit www.iss.nus.edu.sg.

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