Li Jiayi
Master of IT in Business (Analytics)
Class of 2024
When people hear I was professionally trained in architecture, they did not immediately picture me working in fintech. But that’s exactly my journey—from drafting building plans to designing risk policies in the digital payments space. I’m Li Jiayi, a credit risk analyst at the fintech sector, where I analyse consumer risk and support product development for digital lending products like Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). I graduated from the SMU Master of IT in Business in 2024, specialising in Analytics. Before joining the tech industry, I worked as a designer in Hirsch Bedner Associates.
My curiosity in tech didn’t happen overnight. During my architectural studies, I was exposed to parametric design and computational tools. As I was reading topics like urban planning and big data, I saw the immense potential of AI in reshaping traditional industries. I realised I wanted to be part of that transformation.
Coming from a non-technical background, I was looking for a programme that would help me build both technical proficiency and business acumen. SMU’s MITB stood out for its industry-aligned curriculum, diverse student body, and the way it actively supports career transitions. It became the ideal launchpad for my journey into data science.
MITB equipped me with the tools I use every day—from SQL and Python for data querying and analysing, to machine learning and data visualisation for generating insights and supporting business decisions. The curriculum’s hands-on projects and real-world applications gave me the confidence to tackle complex problems and sharpened my ability to think critically. Beyond academics, the career support, internship opportunities, and active alumni network were especially helpful for someone like me making a pivot from a non-technical background. These resources provided the guidance, exposure, and connections I needed to secure a full-time role and build lasting momentum in the tech industry.
A highlight was my internship at Sephora, where I worked on the development of its in-house digital app. I built data pipelines with Airflow, ran A/B tests, and contributed to recommendation systems and model deployment. Seeing my work reflected in a product used by real customers was both humbling and thrilling. It was also where I gained a holistic view of how cross-functional data teams operate, knowledge that now serves me daily in the fintech space.
One of my most memorable projects was from the Visualisation Analytics and Applications course with Associate Professor Kam Tin Seong. As fans of McDonald’s, my team used the Big Mac Index to analyse global consumer patterns, uncovering links between GDP, inflation, and trade behaviors through clever data storytelling. It was a reminder that great insights often come from unexpected places—and great burgers with extra pickles.
The community at MITB—diverse, driven, and incredibly supportive—was one of the best parts of the experience. One of my favourite professors was Associate Professor Zhu Feida, who taught Data Science for Business. He had a remarkable ability to demystify complex concepts through simple, real-world examples. His lesson on probability theory using the birthday paradox—where we shared our birthdays around the classroom and saw the math play out in real time—was both fun and unforgettable. I also had the privilege of joining his research projects, gaining hands-on experience in structured data investigations and critical problem-solving.
To those considering the MITB programme: don’t be afraid to fail. Take courses that challenge you. Follow your curiosity, and don’t be afraid to stumble—it’s often in those moments that the most profound growth happens. Whether you’re from a non-tech background or switching careers midstream, MITB gives you the runway to launch into something new.
