[Siu Wen with his grandma in Chinatown, Melbourne]
Mah Siu Wen
Master of IT in Business (Financial Technology & Analytics)
Class of 2020
Consultant
Deloitte
My academic background has been a whirlwind of diverse experiences, starting with an engineering and finance background in my early academic pursuits in United Kingdom. I then moved into equity research before pursuing the Master of IT in Business (Financial Technology & Analytics) at SMU.
Initially, I had my sights set on rejoining the finance sector after completing the MITB programme. However, the onset of COVID prompted a reevaluation of my options. With a gentle nudge from my parents, I moved to Melbourne and enrolled in the Master of Information Systems (MIS) at the University of Melbourne, taking advantage of the SMU MITB – UOM MIS Sequential Master’s Degrees programme. This was one of the best decisions I’ve made as the allure of completing two Master programmes between two to two and a half years was undeniably enticing.
The MITB and MIS programmes at SMU and University of Melbourne complemented each other. At SMU MITB, there was a strong emphasis on technical excellence while the courses at Melbourne University were designed to hone our soft skills. It was evident that the sequential master’s degrees at both universities were specifically designed to prepare students to be work-ready.
Every course, every interaction from inspiring professors like Prof Patrick Thng and Prof Shanton Chang to the supportive staff like Dr Yeo Lip Pin had left an indelible mark on my journey. Conversations with my classmates, professors and even chance encounters with coffee baristas and Uber drivers had broadened my perspectives in unexpected ways. I had never considered a career in consulting until a networking session with consultants in SMU. Now, I find myself knee-deep in consulting at Deloitte’s Melbourne office while pursuing personal ventures in the finance and renewable energy sector.
Embracing every opportunity to connect, learn and grow has been the cornerstone of my dual Masters adventure. From mastering technical skills to honing soft skills and immersing myself in diverse cultures, this journey has not only shaped my career trajectory but also enriched my life in ways I never imagined possible.
