How well do you know our Board members? Maybe you aspire to join the Board one day. We speak to Simon Ng, CFA, on his journey as Deputy President of CFA Society Singapore.

“I am fortunate to have the opportunity to be involved in different committees as Co-Chair and Chair. I did a term as Honorary Secretary in the Executive Committee and am currently the Deputy President. The exposure is one that I can never achieve in my full time job as CEO of a Fund Management firm.

“I started to volunteer actively with the Society in 2013. It started out as a calling to serve the society, but grew into passion to amplify the professionalism of the industry.

“One challenge is to build a sustainable funding model to allow the Society to fulfill its mission. While the Society receives funding from the Institute, it does not completely cover all of our expenditure to provide our members with an extensive range of activities. Hence we need to explore other funding methods. Another area would be volunteer resources. The Board is a volunteer Board and the activities are organised and run by volunteers on top of a lean full-time team. It is not always easy to gather a group of committed and dedicated volunteers who are willing to serve selflessly.”

Simon also shares with us 3 “A”s which are especially essential during these unprecedented times — “Ability, “Agility” and “Adaptability”.

” ‘Ability’ means one must always be equipped with skills and knowledge constantly. Right now, it is even more timely to sharpen our skills in preparation for when the dust settles and economic activities rebound. You will not want to be left behind when the market sprints amid recovery.

‘Agility’ during crisis will help one to keep pace with changing needs. Agility supports our ability to be more responsive to the unpredictable climate that we’re operating within. Some jobs may become less relevant during a crisis, other jobs may see increasing demand. One should rise up to the occasion to accept new challenges and compete in an on-demand economy

‘Adaptability’ provides comfort in new or unsettling situations. Some people are more tolerant of uncertainty and can handle it well. Valuing new perspectives and viewing problems as opportunities will increase your creativity, resourcefulness and self-confidence, setting the stage for career change.

Lastly, I’m an advocate that fitness builds mental strength and mental stamina. Exercise regularly to keep a healthy mind.”