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Meet Your Classmates | Harvard VPAL FinTech Online Short Course
The FinTech online short course from Harvard’s Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in learning (VPAL), in association with HarvardX, is an entirely online, six-week course. It analyzes how FinTech is revolutionizing financial services across various industries, and evaluates which actors will drive future innovation. The primary philosophy of teaching at the Harvard Business School, known as the Case Method, is used in this course to guide students in engaging with, and thinking creatively about, complex challenges faced by both disruptors and industry incumbents.
In joining this course, you’ll become part of a global network of like-minded, forward-thinking professionals, and earn a premier certificate from Harvard’s VPAL as validation of your knowledge of FinTech and future financial technology trends.
Get to know the cohort of participants from the Harvard VPAL FinTech online short course below.
March 2019 Presentation
Keadrick Durond Washington
Relationship Manager, Equifax
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
I work on Equifax’s online financial services team and we specialize in providing services to FinTechs and AltFis.
Why did you choose to take this program?
As a key technology and data provider, I hope to strengthen my knowledge and gain a clear understanding of the space – its evolution, short and long term impact on society, etc.
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
My goal is to apply what I learn to the mortgage industry, where residential lending is still antiquated.
Peng Wee Koh
Advisory, Leading Point Financial Markets
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
I run large scale regulatory implementation programs in financial services.
Why did you choose to take this program?
I see huge potential in FinTech/RegTech driving a new era of growth and transformation in the industry. I want to be at the forefront of this and to me, taking the course is the first step of this journey.
Syed Sayeed Ahmed
Blockchain Consultant & CoFounder, SmarterContraX
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
I work as a Blockchain Project Lead for Linius Technologies and I am also the CoFounder of a Blockchain Applications as a Service startup, with offices in Silicon Valley and Mexico City.
Hyung Lyul Choi
Head of Sales & Partnership, Korea, WorldFirst
Why did you choose to take this program?
I believe the whole commerce landscape is evolving currently in many different ways and there are lots of small things we need to consider to make a big move. FinTech is definitely driven by small changes, but will impact hugely on our daily lives. Throughout the course, I would like to organize various experiences and thoughts around the FinTech area with great members.
Choi Juyoung
Administration, Korail
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
I studied in chemistry and [have] interests of finance, thus I want to merge these two fields.
Why did you choose to take this program?
I want this course to supply me with a career in my future job.
Andrew A. Karow
Chief Digital Officer, Alpine Bank
Why did you choose to take this program?
FinTech is changing the way people interact with financial institutions. As a banker, I’m hoping to gain better insights into how banks might better serve clients.
Jose Manuel Vasquez Rivera
Associate Consultant, Alvarez & Marsal
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
My area of expertise is the financial industry, especially in the banking sector. As a consultant, I have worked with top-tier European banks in a wide range of topics including as the most important: IFRS 9, Stress Test, Basel IV, Pricing and Profitability, and Governance Framework.
Why did you choose to take this program?
My interest in taking this online course is to keep expanding my knowledge in the financial industry and all the implications FinTech could have in the determination of banking future pathways.
Heather Jones
Vice President, Visa Inc.
Why did you choose to take this program?
FinTech is changing the way to do business. I would like to get educated on critical thinking and evaluating how to strategize, and shape what’s next.
Nicolas Gallet
Director, Pre-sales Americas, ITIVITI
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
I’m working in FinTech, on the software side. I started with a startup called ULLINK in 2002 when we were just four, and we sold the company last year after 16 years with 500 employees.
Why did you choose to take this program?
It’s time for me to learn more and go outside of my comfort zone professionally. This course will help me understand all the FinTech aspects.
Swaroop Shah
Director of Sales, Validus Capital Pte. Ltd
What would you say are your most interesting or noteworthy achievements, professionally?
I have been working with startups for the last 19 years. Currently, I am working for FinTech in a P2P SME lending platform in Singapore. While I have set up three businesses earlier, this is the first one in FinTech.
Why did you choose to take this program?
I want to ensure I stay relevant with regards to the new innovation and future of this disruptive FinTech sector.
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
For me, personally, I want to be involved in setting up one of the finest FinTechs in Asia. Currently, as a team we have moved from number six to the industry leader in a matter of 15 months in Singapore. The next milestone is number one in Southeast Asia in the next 12 months, and eventually a market leader in Asia.