SMU Alumni

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝘼𝙄 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠, 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙣𝙞 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝.

Organised by the SMU MiM Alumni EXCO, the event brought MiM alumni together for an honest conversation on where work is heading.

Our alumni panellists Tong Hwi Tan (JD 2022), Ajish Morris (MiM 2016), and Sharon Seet 薛美华 (ICF PCC ACTC) (MHCL 2017) covered a lot of ground: where hiring is actually happening in their industries, what AI does well at work and what it still can't replace, and what they now look for in new graduates that they didn't prioritise five years ago. Moderating the session was Alvin Chan (PCC, CCP, CPLC), Senior Career Coach at SMU's Postgraduate Career Services, who kept the discussion from getting too abstract when it needed to stay practical.

If anything, the discussion raised more questions than it answered, which is probably where we all are right now. The audience pushed the conversation further, especially on what's changing for early-career professionals entering the workforce.

Sessions like this are exactly what our Alumni Groups do best, bringing their communities together around what matters to them. We're glad to support the MiM Alumni EXCO in making this happen, and look forward to more.

Miles enthusiasts know The MileLion.

Payments professionals know that loyalty programmes, card strategies and customer behaviour are serious business.

Join us in two weeks' time as Aaron Wong (BAcc 2013), Founder of The MileLion, shares perspectives from the intersection of payments, partnerships and loyalty.

Open exclusively to SMU alumni in the payments industry.

Register now: https://smu.sg/155m

𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙮, 𝙥𝙖𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚.

If you're working in the payments industry, we'd love to have you at an exclusive evening with 𝗔𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴 (𝗕𝗔𝗰𝗰 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟯), Founder of The MileLion - one of Singapore's most recognised voices on cards, points, and loyalty strategy.

The conversation will cover:
— How card rewards and loyalty programmes are changing in 2025 and beyond
— What banks, fintechs, and payment networks are doing to win the top-of-wallet war
— Behind-the-scenes stories from building miles strategies, and what this means for product design
— Real-world examples of how payments, points, and partnerships are shaping customer behaviour

We'll close with a lively panel Q&A - bring your sharpest questions. Bonus points if it's something not already answered on The MileLion blog.

Every tap, swipe, and click can get you closer to your next business-class redemption. What would it take to design payment products that savvy, miles-obsessed customers genuinely love? This is the room to explore that.

Open 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮 to SMU alumni in the payments industry. Registration is by approval; you'll hear from us once your spot is confirmed.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://smu.sg/155m

You probably don’t think twice when you tap your EZ-link card. Yet hidden inside is a microcomputer with a cryptographic engine, quietly authenticating your card and ensuring the integrity of your every transaction. That same invisible layer of cryptography protects every WhatsApp message you send, every PayWave tap, and every time you connect to WiFi.

Now imagine this: the data you send today could be quietly intercepted, stored, and left waiting. Years from now, when quantum computers become powerful enough to break today’s “unbreakable” encryption, that data could be decrypted in an instant. This isn’t science fiction – it’s a real and growing threat already on the radar of security experts worldwide.

At SMU Industry AmpUP on 11 June 2026, with over 50 alumni in attendance, we explored this future and its far-reaching implications.

Professor Robert Deng, the 2025 recipient of the Zhongni Distinguished Educator Award, set the stage by explaining why cryptography underpins digital trust, how today’s encryption relies on hard mathematical problems, and why quantum computing challenges those assumptions. He also introduced Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), the emerging class of algorithms designed to withstand both classical and quantum attacks, which NIST has endorsed as a key pathway forward.

The panel discussion featuring Professor Robert Deng, Edwin Lim, and Wai Tuck Wong (BSc IS 2019), moderated by Dr Tan Mei Hui (LLM 2024) reinforced the urgency.

Key reflections included:

1. The threat is real and imminent: data harvested today could be decrypted by 2035, with risks of retroactive forgery.

2. Beyond technology: governance, regulation, and data sensitivity matter as much as cryptographic upgrades.

3. AI as an enabler, not a replacement: it can map systems, but human judgment drives risk and trust decisions.

4. Action is urgent: quantum, PQC, and digital trust are no longer abstract – they demand attention today. The clear message: the quantum future isn’t distant. Organisations must start preparing now.

This is what SMU Industry AmpUP is all about - bringing our alumni community together to explore the latest industry conversations shaping our world, because some topics are too important to wait.

Missed the session or would like to revisit the discussion? You can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/qK9NQIqpgTQ

Our OARsome team touched down in Seoul this early summer, bringing together over 30 South Korea-based alumni and industry partners on 29 May 2026 for a memorable evening of familiar faces, fresh introductions, and plenty of laughter over Singaporean favourites at Jumbo Seafood.

OAR Director, Florence Neo, opened the evening by sharing the latest updates and developments from the University, before introducing the newest alumni group on the block: SMOOChies, a community for alumni couples. She also spotlighted the diverse range of alumni initiatives, reaffirming OAR's commitment to supporting our alumni worldwide and strengthening the global SMU community.

Florence then facilitated an engaging fireside chat with distinguished alumnus Justin Yong (BSc IS 2009), Chairperson of SingCham Korea. Justin's candid sharing and thoughtful perspectives on his journey sparked lively conversations, while the presence of industry partners added depth to the session and created valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration.

In a warm and spirited atmosphere, attendees reconnected over delicious fare and drinks - with the crowd-favourite chili crab stealing the spotlight. A true taste of home, the iconic dish brought back fond memories as alumni reminisced about their SMU and Singapore days, rekindled friendships, and forged new connections over every saucy, satisfying bite.

To keep these connections thriving, we've also launched a KakaoTalk group chat for alumni domiciled in South Korea. If you'd like to be part of this growing community, feel free to reach out to Daphne Sia at [email protected].

A heartfelt thank you to our alumni and industry partners for their enthusiastic participation in making this evening so memorable. As our global network continues to grow, OAR looks forward to many more opportunities to celebrate our shared SMU spirit!

𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙐𝙥 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡
𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘾𝙧𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙇𝙞𝙢-𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙏𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙎𝙈𝙐 𝘼𝙡𝙪𝙢𝙣𝙞

At the second SMU Wellness BalanceUP session held on 4 June 2026, alumni gathered to learn how to communicate with greater confidence, influence, and impact from Crystal Lim-Lange, CEO of Forest Wolf and co-author of the national bestseller Deep Human: Practical Superskills for a Future of Success.

Most of us have been in that moment: heart racing, palms sweaty, wondering if what we're about to say is worth saying at all. Crystal opened the evening with a simple but disarming reframe: speaking is about value. Not performance. Not perfection. Value.

And with that, the room exhaled.

Crystal walked the audience through Aristotle's three modes of persuasion - Logos (logic), Ethos (credibility), and Pathos (emotion) - and showed how most people over-index on just one, usually logos. We pile on data and forget that trust and emotional resonance are what actually move people. The point landed hard: if you want to lead, influence, or even just be heard - you need all three.

Early in her career as an investment banker, Crystal had to deliver compelling pitches - often via voicemail in just 90 seconds. Rigorous training in distillation, delivery, and impact - skills she now passes on to everyone she teaches.

She also shared a practical toolkit for opening any presentation: an audience poll, a shocking statistic or visual, an interesting quote, a real-life prop - or the most powerful of all, a personal story. Every point she made that evening was anchored in something she'd lived.

Perhaps the most resonant idea of the night: speaking well is not about you. It's an act of service to your stakeholders. When you speak up and share - clearly, authentically, with conviction - you give others permission to do the same.

The quiz that followed said it all - almost every hand in the room shot up, but only five alumni walked away with a signed copy of her book. The Q&A was just as enriching - Crystal fielded every question with the same generosity and depth she'd brought all night.

With nearly every seat taken, it was clear our alumni knew what they were signing up for. Crystal made sure they weren't wrong.

𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙮, 𝙥𝙖𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚.

If you're working in the payments industry, we'd love to have you at an exclusive evening with 𝗔𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴 (𝗕𝗔𝗰𝗰 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟯), Founder of The MileLion - one of Singapore's most recognised voices on cards, points, and loyalty strategy.

The conversation will cover:
— How card rewards and loyalty programmes are changing in 2025 and beyond
— What banks, fintechs, and payment networks are doing to win the top-of-wallet war
— Behind-the-scenes stories from building miles strategies, and what this means for product design
— Real-world examples of how payments, points, and partnerships are shaping customer behaviour

We'll close with a lively panel Q&A - bring your sharpest questions. Bonus points if it's something not already answered on The MileLion blog.

Every tap, swipe, and click can get you closer to your next business-class redemption. What would it take to design payment products that savvy, miles-obsessed customers genuinely love? This is the room to explore that.

Open 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮 to SMU alumni in the payments industry. Registration is by approval; you'll hear from us once your spot is confirmed.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://smu.sg/155m

Calling all SMU MiM alumni 📣

𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞?

Join fellow MiM alumni for an insightful evening hosted by the MIM Alumni Group Exco, featuring a panel of distinguished SMU alumni discussing how AI and global challenges are reshaping industries, careers, and opportunities.

Expect insightful conversations, fresh perspectives, and valuable networking with fellow alumni.

Let’s reconnect, exchange ideas, and navigate the future together. 🌟

Register now - https://smu.sg/ut2c