Programme & Research Leadership

Ms Dawn Tan

Dawn Tan heads the Asia Centre for Changemakers, which aims to build capacity and grow a strong pipeline of active and informed changemakers with a focus on Asia, to deploy their resources, skills and passion for a better tomorrow.

ACC sits within the Wealth Management Institute, Asia’s Centre of Excellence for wealth and asset management education and research. It is supported by Temasek Trust and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance.

Dawn brings to the team years of experience in the nonprofit sector.  In her previous role as head of Credit Suisse APAC’s Philanthropy Advisory, she journeyed alongside individuals, families and corporates in their philanthropic aspirations, providing guidance on how they can achieve their goals and long-term plans for social impact.

She was also Deputy CEO of SymAsia Foundation, an umbrella philanthropic foundation set up by Credit Suisse that provided a donor-advised fund structure for clients. Through SymAsia, the team supported billionaire and ultra-high-net-worth business families and corporations across APAC in running their charitable foundations, enabling them to do good in a hassle-free, structured and sustainable manner.

Dawn’s track record in philanthropy includes years in program development at Temasek Foundation and fundraising at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Notable projects include launching a nationwide health screening program for seniors and an APAC-wide social entrepreneurship competition.

Dawn started her career in journalism, and has more than 15 years of editorial and publishing experience. She has lived and worked in multiple countries, including Singapore, Qatar, Malaysia and Canada.

Ms Sharon Craggs

Ms Craggs is presently Principal Programme Director (Compliance, Governance & Risk Management).

In the course of her professional career, Ms Craggs has held appointments as Global Head of Compliance for banks headquartered in Asia and the Middle East, as well as regional and product specialist legal and compliance roles for banks headquartered in the US and UK. She worked with the Monetary Authority of Singapore for several years and was subsequently appointed to the MAS Appeals Panel. She also held an appointment as Adjunct Assoc Professor of Law with the National University of Singapore

Ms Craggs read law at Cambridge University, UK, and is qualified to practice in England and Wales, the State of New York, USA and Singapore. She is a CFA Charter holder and has held global and regional appointments with the CFA Institute. She holds a MSc in Digital Innovation and Financial Technology and is an IBF Distinguished Fellow (Compliance).

Dr. Anser Aftab

Dr. Anser Aftab serves as the Principal Program Director for the Dalio Market Principles Programme at the Wealth Management Institute (WMI). He leads the development and growth of this flagship program and its student community. As the lead faculty, Dr. Aftab delivers a comprehensive understanding of investment and market principles, grounded in the frameworks pioneered by Ray Dalio. The program empowers participants to navigate the complexities of global markets through practical insights, portfolio simulations, and case studies, offered both in-person and online.

Prior to joining WMI, Dr. Aftab was a Global Political Economy and Policy Specialist and Team Lead at Bridgewater Associates. At Bridgewater, he helped lead research on the impact of fiscal, monetary, and regulatory policies, as well as geopolitical dynamics, on markets and economies. His work supported the firm’s investment strategies and macroeconomic insights.

Dr. Aftab also played a key role in enhancing trading signals for currencies and emerging markets, contributed to AI-driven research initiatives, and authored influential client-facing publications, such as Bridgewater Daily Observations. Additionally, he supported the Investment Associate Program, serving as Hiring Manager, and focusing on training and mentoring new talent to develop the core skills necessary for success in global macro investing.

Dr. Aftab holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, and a BA from Williams College (awarded with Highest Honors).

Dr Simon Yuen

Dr. Simon Yuen is the Principal Consultant at the Wealth Management Institute (WMI). Reporting to the CEO, he focuses on strategic initiatives, including strategy formulation, market growth, program expansion, and research development, working closely with WMI’s leadership team.

With over two decades of banking experience across Asia Pacific, Simon started his career at Standard Chartered before moving to HSBC Group. He has held various roles in consumer banking and wealth management, including in-house strategy lead, country business head, and group function head. Simon has a proven track record of delivering strong business performance through a clear strategic vision, effective execution, product innovation, mergers and acquisitions, joint venture negotiations, and risk management. He has also played a vital role in driving technology adoption to foster business growth and enhance customer experiences, integrating machine learning analytics to enrich customer interactions, and leveraging blockchain for efficient payment settlements.

Before his banking career, Simon was a management consultant at Booz Allen & Hamilton and the Boston Consulting Group. He helped financial services clients in retail, corporate, and investment banking across the Asia Pacific region formulate and implement their strategies.

He holds a Ph.D. in Elementary Particle Physics and a B.Sc. in Physics from University College London. He was a member of a multinational collaboration conducting research at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) that focused on studying quark-gluon plasma in the early universe.