On the afternoon of May 15th, the 295th session of the Economics Forum, hosted by the School of Economics, was successfully held at the Jianhu Lecture Hall. This forum featured Mr. YAP KIAN, an expert from Columbia Business School, USA, as the keynote speaker. Mr. Yap delivered an academic presentation titled "Fintech-Driven Financial Transformation: Industry Restructuring, Investment Innovation, and Career Futures," which was attended by over 100 faculty members and students.
Leveraging his professional experience in international financial centers such as Hong Kong and Singapore, Mr. Yap elaborated on the profound transformation that financial technology (Fintech) is driving within the traditional financial sector. He highlighted changes occurring across various domains, including the restructuring of both bank and non-bank financial institutions, finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and pension finance. This framework guided the audience towards deeper consideration of current hot topics in finance. Furthermore, Mr. Yap introduced the socio-cultural and economic characteristics of Southeast Asian countries, broadening the students' understanding of the diverse international financial landscape beyond traditional European and American economies.
Drawing upon his extensive experience navigating multiple career transitions over more than two decades in the industry, Mr. Yap also offered valuable career advice to students. He emphasized the principle that "a diverse skillset is never a burden" and cautioned against adopting a "high-debt, high-leverage lifestyle," stressing that financial prudence enhances one's capacity to adapt to workplace changes.
The lecture was chaired by faculty members from the Finance Department, Dr. Ma Ding and Dr. Xu Lihui. Prior to the main presentation, a group of faculty members from the Finance Department held a discussion session with Mr. Yap, engaging in in-depth talks on strengthening international collaboration.
