Tanglin Trust School recently hosted the 2024 Finance Conference, a unique student-led initiative organised by the Tanglin Finance Society. Dedicated to empowering young individuals with financial literacy, the Society aims to equip them with the tools and confidence to make informed financial decisions through engaging workshops, competitions, and this flagship conference. Now in its second year, the conference was supported by the Tanglin Trust School Foundation and The Institute. It attracted over 130 participants, including parents, students, and teachers, from nearly 10 schools across Singapore, highlighting its growing impact and collaborative spirit.
 
The theme of this year’s conference, Finance 2.0, focused on how financial strategies can drive innovation in sustainability and technological advancements. From engaging debates about AI financial advisors and hands-on case studies about JPMorgan’s climate goals to an exhilarating 100-question quiz, students had the opportunity to collaborate with others. They were challenged to think critically throughout the day, and one student mentioned how the debates encouraged them “to think about finance from perspectives [they’ve] never considered before”. The winning teams were celebrated at the awards ceremony at the end of the conference day.
 
Presenting at the event was a selection of esteemed industry professionals: Steve Brice, Global Chief Investment Officer at Standard Chartered, and Geraldine Lek, Associate Director of Climate & Liveability at the Temasek Foundation. The Guest of Honour was Rosalind Ng, Global COO of Wealth and Retail Banking at Standard Chartered. Geraldine’s insights on sustainable finance, Steve’s exploration of investment frameworks, and Rosalind’s conference closing remarks inspired and engaged our attendees, fostering a meaningful dialogue about the future of finance. After hearing Steve’s keynote, many students began considering how they could take advantage of the power of compounding by investing early!

This article was contributed by Dishan K (Academic Edge) from the Head Team.