Every year, hundreds of students from around the globe participate in the McGill International Portfolio Challenge, hoping to impress the judges with innovative portfolio strategies and gain access to unique recruitment opportunities. “MIPC Perspectives” is a new project designed to recognize the hard work of uniquely skilled individuals who have previously participated in the challenge. In 2020, Joey Ong showcased his talent to the judges by winning the challenge alongside team “Isos Capital” and eventually locking in an internship offer at Lombard Odier – one of our sponsors.
For Context: The MIPC’s Fourth Edition – Protectionism and Social Inequality
The fourth edition of the MIPC centered on a fictional British sovereign wealth fund tasked by the government to support British economic independence amid Brexit and COVID-19. Participants were asked to devise an optimal portfolio strategy that achieved high returns all whilst addressing the rising geopolitical and socio-economic tensions we see today.
Joey Ong – Background
Our media team sat down with Joey Ong, who recently graduated from Nanyang Technological University Singapore. After competing in the MIPC in 2019 and reaching the semi-finals, Joey had his eyes on the prize and sought to win the competition the following year. His determination and perseverance caught the eye of Swiss banking group Lombard Odier, and shortly after Joey’s success at the MIPC’s fourth edition, he was invited to interview at the company’s Singapore office for an internship.
Joey’s MIPC Journey
It was Joey’s love for case competitions that drew him to participate in the MIPC, having participated in over ten challenges in the past. To him, the MIPC allowed him to gain international exposure, as it gave him the opportunity to meet students from around the world. Joey had the unique opportunity to experience the MIPC both in-person and virtually and found both to be uniquely rewarding experiences. One aspect of the challenge that he truly appreciated was the mentoring program, which enabled him and his team to receive exceptional recommendations and insights from industry experts. According to Joey, the advice that he received from his mentor helped team “Isos Capital” refine their pitch and ultimately win the competition.
The MIPC, Networking, and Lombard Odier
In 2019, Joey networked with a judge from Lombard Odier who had overseen his semi-final presentation. The following year, that same judge witnessed Joey shine bright during his final presentation, and decided to reach out to him. Through these interactions, Joey managed to get in contact with Lombard Odier’s Singapore team, which eventually allowed him to join the team.
Advice to Future Participants
Through his experiences at the MIPC, Joey learned that there is not only one way of doing things and that in an ever-changing world, one must be open-minded to learn. He cited the example of ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) which was not nearly as important and prevalent in asset management ten years ago when compared to today.