Portrait of Anthony, Foreign Exchange, Singapore

Interview with Anthony

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at UBS?

I've been with UBS for 21 years and I'm currently the regional head of Foreign Exchange, Rates & Credit for Asia Pacific (APAC), based in Singapore. I started with Swiss Bank Corporation (a predecessor of UBS) in Chicago, eventually running the global business from 2008 to 2014. I was born and raised in Chicago but haven't lived in the US since 1997. In 2011, I became a Singapore citizen, so this is now my home.

What memories do you have about your first day at UBS?

My first two years with the bank were spent working in the open outcry pits of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which is a different work environment than most people would ever experience. It was a steep learning curve but I loved every minute of it.

What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning and come to work?

I still find markets fascinating. With the current rate of change of our business, I never know what's waiting for me on any given day.

Can you tell us a bit about your team?

There are roughly 170 people in my team spread out across seven different countries and from many diverse nationalities. Our regional hub is in Singapore, with about half the team located here. The remaining team is scattered across Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and China. It's an amazingly diverse set of cultures and even after 15 years in the region, I'm still learning new things when I visit my teams.

What do you do outside of work to switch off?

My number one focus is my wife and three kids. I have a nine year old boy and seven year old twin girls. They are the perfect ages for family outings, vacations and interesting new activities.

What's number one on your bucket list?

I would love to visit Augusta for the full week of the Masters.

What did you want to grow up to be when you were younger?

From a very early age I wanted to be a civil engineer and design bridges. I followed that dream all the way though my bachelors and masters degrees in civil engineering but then got my first job on Wall Street.

What was your least favorite job that you've ever had?

I had a part-time job during college cleaning and sterilizing equipment at a biology lab. My shift started late at night after all the technicians had finished their work. I only lasted two nights before quitting.

What was your favorite subject at school and why?

Math – I liked the fact that it was always clear if you were right or wrong, with no room for interpretation. That's also what attracted me to trading.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I'd be very happy to continue living here in Singapore as long as I had the option to travel to cold places every now and then. Winter reminds me of growing up in Chicago but I find it's much more enjoyable in smaller doses.

How has your career developed since you started at UBS?

I don’t think you can plan career development; more often than not, it just happens. And it's rarely a straight line from where you are now to the job you'll have in ten years. You have to be open minded about changes – as long as your role is interesting and challenging then it's usually worth taking a chance when the unexpected opportunity comes up. That's how I've approached it and I've never had any regrets.

How does UBS support you in your career?

Throughout my career at UBS I've had opportunities to change roles regularly. As I've had the chance to move around to many different roles and locations, I'm sympathetic to team members who are also looking to move internally. I offer as much support as I can and try my best to make it happen.

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