Associate – Financial and Fintech Policy

Who We Are

BowerGroupAsia, Inc. (BGA) is the premier strategic affairs and public policy firm supporting the world’s leading multinational companies in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa. With a presence in over 30 countries, BGA staff provide bespoke services to clients across the region. We seek a talented, highly motivated Associate to join our Financial Services and Fintech Team, based in Singapore or Hong Kong.

The candidate should be motivated to help the world’s premier companies understand Asia and Africa, and find alignment with customers, communities, and key stakeholders by considering the ideas and capabilities of top-tier companies that want to invest. This position will report to the BGA Director for Financial Services and Fintech, Ellen Richards.  

Position Responsibilities

The Associate for BowerGroupAsia’s Financial Services and Fintech Team is an important role in a fast-paced and expanding client-facing team. BowerGroupAsia’s Financial Services and Fintech Team engages the world’s leading companies and organizations and crafts strategic advisory services that advance their business priorities. The Associate will be responsible for analyzing key finance and fintech policy and industry developments and sharing responsibility in client project management by developing trusting and effective working relationships, communicating regularly with clients and BGA professionals worldwide, guiding the delivery of exceptional service, expanding BGA’s thought leadership and expertise in regional policies and geopolitical developments, and contributing to business development. Together with a team of professionals and BGA leadership, associates support the management and growth of our client relationships and deliver services that exceed expectations. This is a fast-paced and demanding role that requires high EQ, strong research and analytical skills, excellent communication skills, initiative, innate curiosity, and the ability to foster collaboration while translating information into action on deadline across the BGA enterprise.

Policy Analysis and Thought Leadership:

Ensure alignment across the BGA enterprise in support of client objectives. This entails: 

• Monitor, understand, and analyze landmark legislation and regulations on important financial services, fintech, and geopolitical issues worldwide and across BGA’s markets.
• Foster a deep understanding of developments, trends, and challenges that impact policymaking from a global and regional perspective.
• Draft, review, and/or edit BGA written products, including memos on specific topics, news flashes, client deliverables, the Asia-Pacific Forecast, and others, as requested by the Director, Financial Services and Fintech.
• Participate in industry events and organize thought leadership events, including roundtables and webinars, hosted by BGA to share analyses on important developments and policies.

Project Management:

• Maintain a detailed understanding of each client workstream and the accompanying scope of work.
• Facilitate the onboarding process for new client workstreams by coordinating between clients and other BGA teams.
• Support regional client projects, including managing deliverables and timelines, interactions, and briefings to ensure objectives and outcomes are achieved. 
• Work to ensure alignment across the BGA enterprise in support of client objectives. This requires close and continuous coordination with the Director for Financial Services and Fintech, and across teams throughout BGA, including: 
  • Ensuring interactions with clients are well structured, with clear objectives and agendas identified in advance. 
  • Facilitating internal communication prior to client meetings and ensuring alignment on messaging and delivery. 
  • Prompting, scheduling, joining, and leading client meetings and conference calls. 
  • Recording meeting outcomes and disseminating summaries and action items to relevant team members, and clearly communicating follow-up actions. 

Business Development: 

• Develop a deep understanding of clients’ business models, their initiatives, and the challenges and opportunities present for clients in the region.
• Establish trusting relationships with the people with whom we work.
• Build rapport with clients based on a keen understanding of their personalities and their companies.
• Manage, update, and expand the internal client database in a timely manner and help flag important developments and drive awareness for the relevant team members.
• Understand market dynamics and industry developments by tracking company earnings reports and announcements, industry reports, and economic conditions.
• Conduct well-written, organized, and thoughtful research on assigned clients and sectors using media coverage, relevant trends, and events to inform client engagements.
• Draft read-aheads/talking points for senior members of the team and BGA leadership for client interactions.
• Contribute to marketing, analytics, and opportunity development, and prepare sales pitches, under the guidance of the Director for Financial Services and Fintech.

Job Requirements

The Associate position combines policy analysis and client project management with the skills and responsibilities required for internal coordination and management. The ideal candidate can work independently with minor supervision and collaborate effectively as a team player in high-pressure situations. She/He can effectively manage multiple work streams while meeting deadlines and should be highly self-motivated, well organized, detail-oriented, and collegial. She/He should feel comfortable interacting with a range of interlocutors and should enjoy the various challenges of supporting large multinational corporations operating in the Indo-Pacific and Africa. The ability to interact effectively both inside the company and externally, in a fast-paced environment, while remaining flexible, proactive, and efficient, is crucial to this role. The position reports to the Director for Financial Services and Fintech.

Qualifications Include: 

• Expertise and/or experience in the Indo-Pacific generally and the region’s geopolitical and economic trajectories specifically.
• Experience in the financial services or fintech sector, including policymaking, industry analysis, and product development and sales.
• Deep understanding of financial services subsectors such as fintech, digital assets, insurance, and banking and investing.
• Outstanding written and verbal communications skills in fluent English; proficiency in an Asian language is a strong plus. 
• Two to five years of experience in work requiring analysis, research, and writing. Previous experience in advocacy-focused organizations (business councils, industry associations, membership organizations), particularly in member-facing roles, is a strong plus.
• Aptitude for public speaking and project presentations.
• Superb and self-confident interpersonal skills, including with international counterparts.
• Proficiency in MS Office and basic internet applications is required, as is enthusiasm and the ability to learn and adopt new technologies such as AI.
• Education: Minimum bachelor’s degree; graduate degree in business, public policy, public affairs, international affairs, journalism, communications, or related fields is a plus. 

Applicants must have local work authorization to work in Singapore or Hong Kong. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please address application materials to the BGA Director for Financial Services and Fintech, Ellen Richards.  

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