Women in Finance Society: Head of Sponsorship

Dear Members,

I am excited to run for the position of Head of Sponsorship 2024-2025! As a first-year representative at the Women in Finance Society, the inspiration I felt for organising 'Women in Finance' events made me realise how I wanted to help this society grow further. From coordinating guest speakers for our annual Share the Vision conference at HSBC to organising panel discussions, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of our society in shaping equal career opportunities for female students, particularly those, like myself, hailing from non-financial (personally design and management) backgrounds towards banking.

My leadership journey and active involvement in campus activities have equipped me with a diverse skill set and a deep understanding of organizational dynamics. Some highlights of my experiences include:

• Shadowing the current Head of Sponsorship and participating in the facilitation of events and partner relations
• Engaging in mentorship programs within the Women in Finance Society, Investment Society and ESG Society, while serving as a First-Year Executive in the Guild student committee with potential cooperation in the next academic year
• Standing as the Business Society president in High school and Co-President of the National Economic Challenge (East Asia region), overseeing a significant annual participation of 20,000 students and spearheading various events, case competitions, and workshops both online and in-person
• Leading different case/design competitions including

Having been a FYR for WinF, some of the most valuable experience I have gained is by attending and helping organise the Share The Vision conference as a member of the sponsorship team. The theme of ‘Diversity in Finance’ enabled me and other attendees to gain insight into the emerging careers in finance which helps women broaden down their choices. Sponsorship plays a key role in events organised, defining the vision I have for the team:

• Strengthen the relationship WinF has with its current sponsors
• Collaborating with professional training organisations to train members on developing their professional skills
• Enabling women to gain adequate base knowledge on financial markets by enabling sponsors to run coaching sessions and also running a newsletter to keep the members up-to date on the news in the industry
• By being a mentor for the new members of the society and committee whilst gaining more sponsors by supporting them

Having actively participated in organisational roles, I am a good fit for the role:

• Having previously led a team in a research project in UCL leading me to have good communication skills
• Presenting and planning pitch decks in past internships which allowed me to develop delegation skills and be great conflict resolver whilst maintaining the vision and aim of the society

As Sponsorship Head, I believe my priority lies in the benefit of the team and coming from a Physics background, I bring in a unique perspective that will allow the society to grow.

As an advocate for diversity and empowerment within the financial sector, I am driven by a deep passion for finance and a commitment to fostering inclusivity and opportunity for all. Standing for the position of Head of Sponsorship at the UCL Women in Finance Society represents not only my aspirations but also my dedication to effecting positive change within our community.

I believe that sponsorship is not just about securing funds; it's about forging meaningful partnerships that elevate the value of society. Moreover, I am determined to amplify the voices of women in finance, advocating for their representation and advancement within the field. By spearheading innovative initiatives and fostering a supportive environment, I am committed to empowering women in finance to thrive, breaking barriers, and reshaping the narrative of success. Together, we can inspire the next generation of leaders and drive transformative change within our society and beyond.

I participated most events from UCLWinF in the first term, which taught me so many things that I haven't learnt before, which equipped me with skills and knowledge to get 2 Spring Week Offers (one of which is J.P. Morgan Chase) during term 2. This is the main reason why I want to contribute to society next year to be able to learn and inspire my experiences.

As Head of Sponsorships, I understand the crux of my role revolves around establishing sustainable relations with new sponsors whilst nurturing relations with existing ones. 

Thus, I intend to work closely with my team to: 

• Lead & support sponsorship efforts – with a focus on sourcing sponsors from a variety of industries so that any sponsor-related events can adequately reflect the diversity of interest WinF members have

• Nurture existing sponsor-society relations – I aim to enhance relations by ensuring year-round consistent two-way dialogue between WinF & sponsors!
• Maintaining our society’s pitchbook – inc. consistently updating it with new WinF events so that we are always ready to give an elevator pitch to any potential sponsors! :)
• Working closely with the team & sponsors to organise events that empower financial literacy & confidence among students across all backgrounds

As for prior experience, I spearheaded a by-students-for-students tutoring programme for 35 underprivileged kids unfairly affected by COVID, managing a team of 20+ volunteer tutors. I also started a financial literacy programme for my secondary school. I believe this demonstrates my ability to bridge gaps between communities of different backgrounds & hope to further hone this skill when sourcing for sponsors. I would greatly appreciate your trust in me for this role & cannot wait to contribute towards WinF!