Mr. Yeo Zhi Aik our very own NOC Shanghai Alumni was recently featured in the Business Times where they covered his internship in Shanghai with Inventis Investment Holdings.
Read on below:
Published September 18, 2006 / the Business Times
When opportunity knocks
Seize it like Yeo Zhi Aik did, RUCHIKA TULSHYAN finds out how he landed a chance of a lifetime
YEO Zhi Aik, 24, may look like your average young university student. But less than six months ago he was managing US$800 million worth of private equity funds and actively raising a further US$200 million for a new fund. Singapore-born Zhi Aik is currently completing is last year at NUS working towards attaining a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He just spent a year in Shanghai on an exchange programme which landed him an internship with Inventis Investment Holdings, a fund managing firm based in China. ‘Managing private equities is known as the hottest job around but firms generally do not hire fresh graduates,’ says Zhi Aik.So how did he land this opportunity? ‘My boss, Yong Kwek Ping, is a Singaporean and wanted to give back to his country by hiring young Singaporeans and taking them under his wing,’ he emphasises.
Perhaps Zhi Aik is being overly modest. This young man was a producer and presenter of a local radio station during his National Service days and worked part-time at Chinese broadcast station UFM 100.3 FM. Thus, with competent skills in Mandarin, Zhi Aik found it easy to liaise with his Mandarin-speaking clients. ‘Although the emphasis was on finance and the private equity market in China, the company stressed the importance on knowing the Chinese culture and business ethics, not to mention the language,’ remarks Zhi Aik. He adds, ‘initially I didn’t think it was so important, but the longer I stayed in Shanghai, I realise how vital it was in conducting our business.’
Learning the ropes
By the first six months at Inventis, Zhi Aik was learning the ropes from his mentor, Mr Yong, as well as actively managing a US$800 million fund. With targets in the retail, hotel, banking and tourism sectors, Zhi Aik travelled around China seeking out deals. ‘We have done deals in the smallest places in China – it’s a niche area but our expertise grew with every deal we secured,’ he states simply.
The year-long internship took Zhi Aik all around China, places in India and Australia – but the highlight of his attachment was his trip to the United States. In a bid to raise US$200 million for a new fund, Zhi Aik travelled to the financial centres of America with his boss – from New York to Chicago, to attract investors. ‘We targeted the US and I was in charge of drafting proposals and making proposals. I was talking to potential investors from some of the biggest financial institutions in the US,’ he exclaims. ‘The response was overwhelming and by the time I completed my internship, we finished raising the fund – US$200 million,’ he adds excitedly. No mean feat – and he was merely 23 years old at the time. On raising the money, he says: ‘When you’re raising funds, you’re like a beggar for three months and a king for three years – in the first three months you’re begging for the money, but thereafter all your investors come to you for information and updates and you’re in charge!’
Initial reservations
With a keen interest in finance since he started university, Zhi Aik says he can’t imagine pursuing a career in anything else after his graduation next year. ‘Once you have handled so much of money, you can’t then go into any other industry but finance,’ he emphasises.
Although he doesn’t want to rule out the possibility of going back to China for a career in fund management, he believes in waiting for the right opportunity before making any decisions.
Young strategist: Less than six months ago, Yeo Zhi Aik was managing US$800 million worth of private equity funds and raising US$200 million for a new fund.
Young strategist: Less than six months ago, Yeo Zhi Aik was managing US$800 million worth of private equity funds and raising US$200 million for a new fund.But unlike many internships that result in a complete break-away from the company, Zhi Aik is still updated on the company’s decisions. ‘I was really key in raising the money, so of course I want to know what’s happening with it,’ he laughs. Overcoming initial reservations to putting his studies on hold while he interned in Shanghai, Zhi Aik believes that there are very few opportunities in the world that should be turned down. ‘It might sound clichéd but it’s important to grab an opportunity when it presents itself,’ he says. He asserts that this refers to everything in life, ‘as an investor you should never turn down a good investment opportunity, as a fund manager, I was careful to search out for the right investment opportunities’.
Thankful for all the opportunities that have come his way so far, he says, ‘It’s quite
unimaginable – I would never have imagined spending a year in China or managing a private equity fund! It was a really an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience.’
Kudos to Zhi Aik for making us proud.
When we “re-branded” Welcome Tea to the current Homecoming Reunion, our intention was to build a “home” for the NOC community, one that brings people back, one that brings warmth, one that binds us, one that keeps the fire in us going. Not only for the recent returning batches who are readjusting back in NUS and Singapore; but also a growing number of us who have been roughing it out since we were back. Therefore, we are really excited to have more than 50+ senior alumni (on top of about 48 from the returning batches) who came back for the Homecoming.
Bronson (from BV 4th batch) turned to me and said:
All pics from the event are tagged “nochomecoming2006” on flickr.com. If you have pics too, upload and tag them the same way so we can all share. 
I guess we saw it coming.
Where else better than Suntec City that will be good enough even for IMF and World Bank folks, come September. Held at the Suntec Guild House, the 2nd Homecoming event of 2006 boasts a more professional setting in the heart of the city with a outdoor rooftop BBQ party at the end of the event to boot!
NOC Alumni 