Coffee Connections – Life and Career in Singapore  

Life tips, career insights, and connections that last beyond your exchange. 

Date: 12 September 2025, Friday 
Time: 5.30 - 8.00 PM 
Venue: Eat At My Kitchen (Dempsey Hill)

Join us for an evening of conversations and connections designed for international exchange students in Singapore. Hear directly from industry leaders and professionals who’ve built careers across startups, corporates, and global companies—and get the insider advice you won’t find in a classroom. 

What’s in it for you 

• Discover why Singapore is the perfect launchpad to start or grow a career in Asia. 

• Learn how to adapt to cultural differences and thrive in a global workplace. 

• Get insider tips on the skills employers are really looking for—and how to build them before graduation. 

Whether you’re exploring internships, planning a future career in Singapore, or simply looking to expand your network beyond your campus, this is your chance to connect over coffee and conversations that could shape your future.

Seats are limited, register now!
*The event is only open to university students currently on an exchange programme 

Agenda

Discussion Topics

Anubha Agarwal, Head of Early Careers AeJ, Nomura 

Topic: Unlocking Career Pathways in Singapore and Beyond  

• Career path discussion
• How to create value as an exchange student  
• Nomura’s global presence - types of roles available, the timelines of hiring etc 

Billy Naveed, Founder, Young Founders School 

Topic: Building a Global Career in Singapore 

• Why international professionals choose to stay and grow their careers in Singapore. 

• How to adapt to cultural differences and thrive in a diverse workplace. 

• The impact of AI and tech trends on the job market for fresh graduates. 

Thanh Hien Mai, Founder & CEO, KarbonMap 

Topic: Why Singapore is a Launchpad for Startups 

• Why founders choose Singapore as a base to scale across Southeast Asia. 

• Ways students can get involved in the startup ecosystem (even without starting their own). 

• Lessons from building and scaling a company in the region. 

Edward Chiang, Co-Founder and Product Lead, Arta Finance 

Topic: What Employers Really Look For in Young Talent 

• Key skills that stand out in hiring processes. 

• How to make the most of exchange, internships, and projects to showcase your potential. 

• Staying connected with companies and mentors after your exchange ends. 

Our Facilitators 

Facilitator	Facilitator's Bio
Anubha Agarwal Head of Early Careers AeJ, Nomura	With over 15 years of extensive experience in talent management, recruiting, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Anubha leads the Early Careers team at Nomura for AeJ region.   Throughout her career, Anubha has held pivotal roles at renowned organizations such as MasterCard and Citibank. Her expertise in identifying and nurturing top talent has significantly contributed to these industry giants.  Anubha holds an MBA from SMU, equipping her with a robust foundation in business and management principles. Her academic background, combined with hands-on experience, has enabled her to strategically align talent acquisition and development initiatives with broader business goals.  At Nomura, Anubha is passionate about shaping the future workforce by creating inclusive and dynamic opportunities for students & fresh graduates.
Billy Naveed Founder, Young Founders School	Billy Naveed has over 20 years of experience in investment banking and currently advises on strategic deals across Asia at Goldman Sachs. He has helped raise capital and led IPOs for major tech firms including Alibaba, SEA Group, Meituan, Razer, and Gojek, and works closely with C-suite leaders of regional unicorns on strategy and team-building.  He is also the founder of Young Founders School, a non-profit that empowers underprivileged youth with entrepreneurial skills through hands-on programs and mentorship, nurturing the next generation of changemakers.
Thanh Hien Mai Founder & CEO, KarbonMap	Hien Mai is a Christian entrepreneur and graduate of the National University of Singapore (NUS) with a double major in mathematics and statistics. During her NUS years, she spent a summer at Yale University and a year at the University of Edinburgh on exchange. After a decade leading AI teams at Google, Grab, Sea Group, and VNLIFE, she pivoted to address the intersection of livelihood and climate. In 2023, she co-founded KarbonMap, a platform delivering auditable carbon data across the global south, followed by Eco-Invest Bridge in 2024. In 2025, she was named in the SG 100 Women in Tech list.
Edward Chiang Co-Founder and Product Lead, Arta Finance	Edward Chiang is a Co-Founder and Product Lead at Arta Finance, the global wealth platform dual-headquartered in the US and Singapore. Before Arta, Ed worked as Director of Product Management at Google, where he helped start Google Pay and led the Google Pay app globally. Prior to this role, Ed helped design and build Chromebooks, crafting a singular hardware and software experience that is among the top personal computing devices globally. Ed is a graduate of Columbia University, where he earned a BS in Electrical Engineering and Economics and also earned a MS from Stanford University in Electrical Engineering. He is based in Singapore.

Past Event Photos