Celebrating 40 Years of SIM-UoL: Alumni Stories of Impact and Achievement (Part 2)
25 August 2026
Forty years on, the impact of the Singapore Institute of Management and the University of London (SIM-UoL) partnership is best seen not just in milestones, but in the evolving journeys of its alumni. Across industries, cities, and stages of life, graduates continue to apply what they’ve gained at SIM in ways that are both personal and far-reaching.
In Part 2, we spotlight women founders and co-founders, exploring their paths into entrepreneurship and the experiences that have shaped them along the way. Their stories offer a glimpse into the challenges, lessons, and milestones that come with building businesses and creating impact.
Veronica Shim
Head of Wealth Management, Al Liwan Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE
BSc Banking and Finance | 2002
Veronica (middle) with SIM classmates, Terisia Teo (left) and Pearl Oei (right)
After a fulfilling eight-year career as a Singapore Airlines cabin crew member, I made a bold move from the skies into financial services, guided by a genuine fascination with numbers and a desire for a new intellectual challenge.
I chose the BSc Banking and Finance programme as the foundation for that transition, drawn to the international standing and academic rigour of the University of London curriculum. Returning to study after eight years was demanding, but earning First Class Honours strengthened my determination to pursue excellence in everything I do. My experience at SIM also taught me to be decisive, resourceful and disciplined qualities that remain essential as I balance complex client needs, diverse teams and international relationships today.
My banking career began at Standard Chartered Bank, where the dot-com downturn shaped my commitment to becoming a truly capable adviser. Watching clients experience significant losses made the responsibility of advice very real. I went beyond conventional recommendations, spending evenings researching recovery strategies and helping clients consider opportunities in emerging markets such as China and India. That period taught me that good wealth management requires technical knowledge, sound judgement and the willingness to stand beside clients when markets are most difficult.
Driven by a desire to make a broader impact, I later expanded my career to the UAE, inspired by the region’s forward-looking ecosystem and entrepreneurial energy. I co-founded LUXGROUP International and LuxPremier to connect international investors with opportunities in this dynamic market. Today, as Head of Wealth Management at Al Liwan Group in Abu Dhabi, I am helping to build an independent, open-architecture wealth platform from the ground up. My role brings together strategy and execution: shaping the business model, developing a multicultural team of Relationship Managers, building relationships with global private banks and specialist partners, and creating holistic solutions for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families.
What makes this chapter especially exciting is Abu Dhabi’s position as a bridge between the Gulf Cooperation Council and global capital. From our base in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, I am focused on connecting families across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America with institutional-quality investment advice, global custody, alternative investments and cross-border wealth planning. The work extends beyond portfolio construction to the questions that matter across generations - how assets are held, how family legacies are protected, and how succession, governance and lifestyle needs can be coordinated through trusted legal, tax, insurance and mobility specialists. Building this capability while preparing the team for launch has allowed me to combine the discipline of private banking with the creativity of entrepreneurship.
Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I have continued to combine financial expertise with purpose. I founded a multi-family office in Singapore that reached US$1 billion in assets under management within its first year and later entered the electric-vehicle sector through SWAG EV, now Sleek EV, to contribute to the transition towards more sustainable mobility.
These experiences have reinforced my belief in pursuing work with passion, building diverse networks and leading with empathy and innovation. Whether navigating change, advising a family or building a new platform, I remain motivated by the opportunity to create meaningful and lasting impact.
Ratna Juita
Founder & CEO, The Mindgem
BSc Business and Management | 2009
Ratna contributes back to her alma mater, SIM
One of the most defining moments of my SIM-UOL journey was a conversation with my career coach, Steven Chong. We met during a career development programme at SIM, where he asked me, “Ratna, what kind of career do you want after you graduate?” I shared my dream of becoming a teacher or trainer, while admitting my fear of public speaking.
Years later, in 2016, I was invited to return to my alma mater, SIM, as a speaker. Before the event, I reached out to Steven, who came to support me. Just before I went on stage, he said, “This is what you’ve always wanted. I’m here to support you.” That moment stayed with me.
Today, I have turned that dream into reality. I transformed my struggles into strengths and now speak professionally for corporate audiences, while running career workshops for SIM and other tertiary institutions. The journey has not been easy, but Steven’s belief and support have been a guiding light throughout my professional life.
After graduation, I began my career in the training sector before joining SIM’s Career Development Office, where I worked in employer engagement and career coaching. The experience deepened my passion for guiding others in their career journeys and building their personal brands.
Although public speaking once felt intimidating, I continued to step forward to host events, facilitate workshops, and explore opportunities such as emceeing and mindfulness training. Each step helped me to build confidence and challenge my limits. A major turning point came when I was shortlisted to speak at TEDx, a dream I never thought possible given my earlier struggles with English communication and public speaking.
Over time, I became increasingly certain that my calling lay in education and training. I founded The Mindgem, which evolved from a corporate training company into a learning and development consultancy. Today, we help individuals and organisations unlock their potential through personal branding, mentorship, well-being and resilience workshops, experiential team building, career development and coaching.
Alongside this journey, I began documenting my experiences on LinkedIn, openly sharing lessons on imposter syndrome, setbacks, and growth. What began as a personal outlet grew into a community close to 40,000 followers. I have since been featured on Channel News Asia and recognised as a LinkedIn Top Voice. In 2025, I was ranked among Singapore’s Top 20 LinkedIn Top Voices by Favikon, alongside Singapore’s President, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister, Mr Lawrence Wong.
It has been a whirlwind and unconventional career path, and I am deeply grateful for every twist and turn. SIM has truly been a springboard for many meaningful opportunities in my life, career, and business, shaping who I am today.
Sophia Ng
Co-founder, Kidztropic
BSc Business | 2011
Sophia pictured on her graduation day (right), before founding Kidztropic Singapore in 2022
My journey at SIM was shaped by opportunities that challenged me to step beyond the classroom and discover new dimensions of myself. I chose to pursue my studies at SIM because of its strong reputation as an institution of higher learning that champions accessible, high-quality education with a global outlook.
Beyond academics, representing SIM in an inter-varsity pageant organised by Seventeen magazine was a formative experience. I participated in the Queen of Queens pageant and was honoured to be named second runner-up. Stepping onto a public stage was both daunting and empowering. It pushed me beyond my comfort zone and built my confidence in public speaking, presentation, and presence. This exposure also led to further opportunities to represent Singapore in a modelling pageant in Taiwan, Beijing, and other Chinese cities.
Since graduation, my career journey has unfolded across corporate, entrepreneurial, and social impact spaces. I began my professional journey with Philip Morris International, where I built strong foundations in business, strategy, and cross-cultural collaboration. At 25, I took on an international assignment across East Asia. It accelerated my learning and taught me adaptability, cultural sensitivity, and how to navigate complexity in diverse environments.
A pivotal turning point came when I co-founded Kidztropic, an educational play initiative focused on early childhood development and community engagement. Building the business from the ground up was challenging yet deeply fulfilling, sharpening my resilience, creativity, and leadership.
As Kidztropic grew, the journey evolved into Kidztropic Cares, our social impact initiative focused on expanding access to early childhood development and fostering inclusive, community-led impact. This deepened my commitment to purpose-driven work and reinforced the importance of integrating social impact into sustainable business models.
One of my greatest lessons came from navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship. When sustaining a purely consumer-facing (B2C) model became increasingly difficult, we pivoted towards a B2B model, partnering with preschools and institutions through structured learning journeys. This shift required rethinking our value proposition, partnerships, and operations, but ultimately allowed us to deepen our impact, reach more children, and create a more sustainable model.
What I am most proud of is not just the pivot itself, but the willingness to adapt while staying true to my core mission around early childhood development and community impact. That experience reinforced a lesson I carry with me today: resilience is not about holding on at all costs, but about having the courage to evolve when circumstances change.
Today, my work continues to evolve across the philanthropy and social impact ecosystem in Asia. Looking back, what stands out most is how each chapter, corporate, entrepreneurship, and social impact, has contributed to a well-rounded perspective and a clearer alignment between professional work and personal values.
Violy Purnamasari
Co-founder and CEO, Sirsak Indonesia
BSc Accounting and Finance | 2014
>Violy with her team at Sirsak Indonesia
My experience at SIM played a significant role in shaping who I am today. I discovered subjects I genuinely enjoyed, which gave me a strong understanding of business operations across different industries.
I built lasting friendships and engaged in vibrant student life through my co-curricular activities. I also learned the importance of networking in both personal and professional life. Through a referral from a senior I met at SIM, I secured my first job at a Big Four audit firm.
Hustling and staying disciplined matter, especially when you have a clear direction or dream to achieve. Since graduating, my career has evolved across financial auditing and sustainability. I have worked across non-profit, corporate, and entrepreneurial spaces. These experiences allowed me to bridge strategy with on-the-ground implementation. Transitioning from finance into sustainability, including pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Cambridge, has been one of the most memorable parts of my journey.
As Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Sirsak, a green-tech startup, I provide tech-enabled solutions for packaging waste recovery and traceability. Sirsak focuses on improving data transparency and increasing collection and recycling rates for packaging waste, especially low-value plastics. The company also supports community development through technology.
My role combines strategy, operations, and hands-on problem solving. I work with corporate partners on waste recovery programmes. I coordinate with local partners such as waste banks and recyclers. I also ensure our operations and digital platform work effectively on the ground. I spend time strengthening business processes and team culture.
Starting my own company with my co-founders has been a defining moment. Securing funding, closing paying corporate clients, and growing the team to more than 15 staff while tackling complex waste management challenges in Indonesia are milestones I am deeply grateful for.
My time at SIM taught me the value of diversity, respect for different perspectives, and cultural understanding. It also strengthened my independence, discipline, and ownership mindset.
As we continue celebrating 40 years of partnership, we are proud to spotlight women who have turned their ideas, experiences, and ambitions into meaningful ventures and impact. Their stories remind us of the many ways SIM-UoL alumni are making their mark.
If you haven’t read Part 1, catch up on the stories HERE, and stay tuned for more in Part 3!