In the dynamic landscape of global finance, OCBC Bank has emerged as a prominent player in the Asia-Pacific region. With over 90 years under its belt, OCBC has carved out a reputation for its relentless pursuit of innovation and customer-centric culture. Beyond this impressive legacy, OCBC has remained steadfast in its commitment to making a positive social impact. This is evident through its dedicated efforts in awarding scholarships to deserving individuals.

The OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship actively supports students in their higher education journey, offering financial assistance, mentorships, internships, and prime networking opportunities. It is an initiative that epitomises OCBC Bank’s commitment to developing future leaders in the finance industry.

Katherine Chua Kai Ling exemplifies how this scholarship has vastly enhanced the career trajectories of aspiring individuals in the finance field.

With a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Economics from NUS, Katherine is currently an OCBC Graduate Talent in Real Estate under the Global Corporate Banking division who is all set to pick up the mantle of a Relationship Associate at OCBC. She will work to manage customer portfolios, engage in business development efforts to help grow their portfolios and work with overseas partners to identify opportunities in the value chain locally and abroad.

An Unexpected Passion

Katherine’s interest in banking was not immediate and she had never naturally gravitated towards current affairs or the subject of Economics at school. However, something fundamentally changed in her when she started taking classes with her junior college Economics teacher. “He showed me how the concepts could be applied in real-life scenarios,” she said.

Suddenly, it did not matter to her that Economics wasn’t her best subject – it was the one that intrigued her the most. “Not having the best A-Level grades also did not stop me from pursuing a second major in Economics at university. I enjoy doing Mathematics and together with my core Finance major, I decided that banking is the route I should take,” she beamed.

She discovered a profound fascination in the potential of guiding and assisting others through her involvement in the financial market. “I like to work with people. Hence, I believe that banking can allow me to further expand my network,” she explained.

Katherine Chua Kai Ling

A Journey of Determination

In pursuit of a career in banking, Katherine recognised the need for support. That’s when she discovered the OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship.

Katherine, like many others, had grown up using OCBC for all her banking needs. “To be able to gain a scholarship with an organisation I held so close to my heart, and in an area that I would like to pursue as my future career, was very meaningful,” she shared.

Despite her A-Level results falling short of expectations, she still applied for the scholarship. “I know college fees are not the cheapest and I did not want to start off working with a net negative asset value,” said Katherine. While she didn’t manage to get through, she remained determined to try again the following year after obtaining better grades at university. “Fortunately for me, I got a reply. I went through a panel interview and secured my scholarship at last!”

Her persistence proved fruitful. When Katherine received the scholarship, she found that its benefits stretched far beyond monetary value. She was able to focus on her studies wholeheartedly and that it motivated her to maintain an outstanding academic performance. She also cherished the sense of community among scholars at OCBC, fondly recalling her involvement in a scholarship ceremony. “It was heartening to see previous batches of scholars coming back together to assist the ceremony for the next batch of scholars,” she said. “I really like this idea of passing it forward.”

An Education That Yields Results

Katherine majored in Finance and Economics at NUS, a fitting academic path for a desired career in finance. While she had some reservations due to the challenging nature of the subjects in school, she soon discovered that she thrived academically in a university environment. She was also thrilled to be a part of a community of like-minded people. “Surrounding myself with people who have the same interests, made me look forward to going to school,” she expressed.

As Katherine anticipates her forthcoming role at OCBC, she is confident in the solid foundation she has built in in economics and finance, enabling her to keep pace with her peers. However, she is quick to acknowledge there is much to learn. “I still have much to learn especially from the various product classes. For a start, I think it is important for me to know how the organisation functions before I can provide my value.”

For now, Katherine looks forward to building her knowledge and expertise in real estate. “I hope that through my rotations, I can get to learn and connect with people from the various departments. Eventually, my goal is to gain confidence in myself and from my team to handle my own portfolio of clients,” she shared.

Katherine is grateful for the opportunities she has received through the OCBC Local Undergraduate Scholarship. She said, “Opportunities do not come easily. Don’t give up on any chance to shine. Keep on doing your best!”