Malaysian Today: Share with us your background and what brought you to Interpacific Asset Management?
Ang: Well, for the most part of my life I lived and studied in Ontario, Canada, though I was born in Melaka. I studied Economics at the State University of New York for three years before landing in Kuala Lumpur with Bank Negara for a year. In New York, I worked in Wall Street and I saw it collapse due to the sub-prime crisis - which brought me back here. I started working with Inter-pacific around two months ago as a Fund Manager.

Q: So, can you tell me what a Fund Manager does?
A: Basically, a Fund Manager is responsible for the planning, execution and monitoring of funds in order to obtain the best performance returns to funds, both in areas of fixed income and equities. We also analyse and keep records of research reports. Part of my job also entails preparing reports on fund activities, performanceand developing appropriate short and long term strategies. Equally as importantly, a Fund Manager ensures that there is compliance to the regulations and guidelines set by the relevant authorities. Having worked mostly with managing fixed incomes in Bank Negara (such as currency, fixed deposits) I find there are new challenges in working in the stock market.

Q: What are the challenges?
A: Well, in my job as a fund manager, I need to evaluate the reports prepared by analysts to determine potential risks among others. These risks must never be under-estimated by anyone who plans on going into shares or into the financial services industry - the fall of Wall Street has clearly proven all that. So, there is always a challenge in determining the actual potential of a company that analysts recommend or propose in bringing the best returns to investors.

Q: What does it take to weather those challenges?
A: Patience. In any new job, you'll have to form new working relationships, learn where everything fits, in addition to learning how to do certain things and acknowledge the importance of the responsibility given. It can be pretty overwhelming, but the challenge can be exciting. After all, nothing comes easy in life so I try to keep learning and asking questions from the get go. 

Q: What would your advice be to those seeking a career in finance?
A: My advice to them is to be patient with what they seek to embark upon; whether it's other facets in the world of finance. Investment management is essentially an active redirection of resources: from being consumed today, to creating benefits in the future and the use of these assets to earn income or profit. Of course, when you talk about investment, you talk about money. And money makes the world go round! (laughs)

Q: Share with us the differences between the Big Apple and KL in terms of one's career.
A: Wow, okay, for me, one of the most significant differences is the work pace. In New York, I would say all cylinders are firing and every day I would try to hit a home run. It's a fast-paced rat race; where a slight delay or mistake could lose you your job. On the other hand, in Malaysia, the work pace is slightly slower. Stress level is lower as well. It is still a rat race here but I would say New York is a lot tougher!

Q: What draws you most to your field of work?
A: Simply put, the challenge of my job never fails to motivate me to push further and improve my problem solving skills. It keeps me alert and on my toes while I look forward to what the day would bring. I also enjoy its monetary rewards; I can't say how much but, well, you know. (laughs)