KWAP Feature: Meet Ms. Sendi anak Tan

Born and bred in Kuching, Sarawak, Sendi anak Tan, would spend most school holidays visiting her family’s longhouse upriver from Kanowit. In one of her earliest memories, holidays would mean an eight-hour drive from Kuching to Kanowit, and then followed by a river motorboat ride to her family’s timber structure-built home at Nanga Kabah.

Her secondary education began at St Theresa’s Convent in Kuching, and then she later made her way to the UK to study at Concord College in Shrewsbury. There, she had the opportunity to serve as Head Girl from 1995 to 1997 before earning a BSc in Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE).

“LSE turned out to be such a great experience that my college mates and I even founded the Economics club, with a one-quid membership fee”, she said.

Among the highlights of her undergraduate studies at the LSE were the lectures delivered by key economists such as Professors Charles Goodhart, Charles Bean, Christopher Pissarides, Paul Krugman, and Robert Solow, as well as former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker, who gave a talk at the university during her third year in 1999.

Amid the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Sendi remains deeply grateful for the scholarship she received from the investment arm of PNB, Pernas International Holdings Bhd, to study at LSE. She planned to return to serve the scholarship bond in Kuala Lumpur before moving back to Sarawak, but things took a different turn when she found herself settling down in Kuala Lumpur.

“I came back to serve my scholarship bond in the investment industry in KL, and before I knew it, I had already accumulated 21 years of experience so far.?From my early years, I gained proficiency in different aspects of the capital market, including public markets, private asset classes, corporate advisory, regulatory industry and asset management. It was a holistic experience with exposure to all key segments of the capital market, which ultimately led me to KWAP.”

Sendi is currently the Vice President in the Portfolio Strategy & Research Department at KWAP. Celebrating her tenth year at KWAP this month, she radiates with passion as she speaks about her work.

“There is a saying that goes: May there always be work for your hands to do…’ ?- and I like this phrase because it reflects the gratitude that I feel every day."

“Growing up, I had a vision that I wanted to do something in economics. That vision propelled me forward in my career. I think it’s important to have a vision or concept of where you want to be as we should focus on the future while considering the past.”

When asked about any advice she has for those who are just starting out, she states, “Humility, honesty and appreciation, accept what comes your way with an open heart and gratitude, and work hard.”

Career growth and work focus are of high priority, and as a mother of three, Sendi attributes her ability to juggle work and family to her strong home-support system, including her mother-in-law who plays an important role at home.

Sendi continues, “Both my grandmothers were stay-at-home mothers, and my mother was the only child out of her siblings to go to university. There was always a source of gratitude from that that was passed down to me. My journey from Sarawak to the UK and then to KL has been a long one. More importantly, the work that we do continues to be infinitely interesting and of the highest value to the country. I will always remain grateful for that.”

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Sarawak Day, which falls on the 22nd of July every year is a celebration for the Sarawakians to mark the start of the period of self-governance for Sarawak in 1963. It is a day to recognise the efforts of those who fought for the independence of Sarawak from British colonial rule. Happy Sarawak Day to all Sarawakians across the country and around the world.

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