Tammy Wan (AC 81-83) is currently a director of the Corporate Finance and Advisory Group for Greater China at Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited.  She joined Standard Chartered in August 2004 and has more than 15 years’ work experience in both advisory and management roles.

 

Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Ms Wan was the head of legal and compliance at Bank Consortium Trust.  Earlier career pursuits included roles as managing director of Meadville Innovations Limited (a family-owned investment company that focused on nurturing start-up companies) from 2000 to 2003; international mergers and acquisitions director at HSBC Investment Bank Asia from 1999 to 2000; and assistant director of corporate finance at Schroders from 1994 to 1999.

 

She read law at Oxford University and furthered her legal studies at the New York University School of Law before joining Debevoise and Plimpton in New York as a corporate lawyer in 1992.  She returned to Hong Kong in 1994.

 

In addition to her professional role, Ms Wan fulfills a number of voluntary commitments.  She is a board member and former chairperson of the UWC Graduates Organization (Hong Kong) Limited; board member of the Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong; vice-chair of the UWC International Board of Directors; board member and former honorary secretary (2003-2006) of Opera Hong Kong Limited; member of the International Baccalaureate Organization’s Council of Foundation and audit committee.

 

“When I applied to go to a UWC, my first choice was Pearson, but I was sent to Atlantic College instead, because they thought British style ‘discipline’ would be more appropriate in my case, as opposed to the influences of a Canadian ‘liberal’ environment.  So, you can imagine what I was like at age 16”, Tammy muses. 

 

“I must thank the Education Department of Hong Kong for selecting me and the Jockey Club for the full scholarship, without which my father would never have consented to my leaving home for a foreign land” states Tammy, “All my father’s fears had in fact come true.  My UWC experience challenged and shattered my beliefs and values, but as a result, my perspective was elevated and my outlook on life and its meaning completely transformed.” 

 

“After studying law at Oxford University I got my green card and moved to New York to join my family who had moved there whilst I was studying.   I started my career as a corporate lawyer at Debevoise & Plimpton (“D&P”).  One of my more memorable achievements as a lawyer was a pro bono case I worked on – successfully obtaining asylum for a refugee from a conflicts stricken African country.”

 

“My husband and I returned home to Hong Kong in 1994 to start a family.  The move brought about changes and opportunities.  At the time, China just embarked on an uncharted fast-tracked journey to economic prosperity.  I was attracted to the possibilities and opted to try out a new career in corporate finance.  I enjoy working on cross-border transactions for clients in emerging markets.  It pleases me most when my work helps to close cultural gaps and make minds meet.  Needless to say, the UWC experience is invaluable and increasingly more relevant in a smaller world with limited resources but unlimited global aspirations!”

 

“UWC has had a huge impact on my life.  It’s not just about appreciating or accepting differences and increasing awareness of global issues.  It’s about providing the catalysts to ignite the compassion in our hearts to care for our neighbours beyond borders.  UWC taught me the art of empathy, without which I could not embrace ‘strangers’ from so many different cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Many of these ‘strangers’ have become my friends.  This seed firmly planted in the heart of a graduate must be translated into ACTION at some stage, the earlier the better, big or small.” 

 

“Another major achievement of mine post-UWC was my perfecting the juggling acts as a working mom/wife/daughter!  I am a lifelong advocate of work-life balance.  To me, that is non-negotiable and must be maintained at all costs.”