It’s been 25 years since friends Jeremy Lui, Com’01, Johnathan Lai, Com’01, and Simon Ma, Com’01, graduated from Queen’s. A lot has happened to them since then – moves across the Pacific, growing families, career climbs that have taken them deep into Asia’s financial world.
And yet, the three can still clearly pinpoint the class project that first brought them together.
It was for COMM 324: Investment and Portfolio Management, and it was a “massive and make-or-break” analysis of Canadian Tire, Lui remembers with a smile.
The three spent long nights hunched over laptops in John Orr Tower, just trying to survive the assignment. But somewhere amid their exhaustion, a lifelong friendship started to take shape.
Now, that friendship that started high above West Campus has inspired them to give back to their alma mater all the way from Hong Kong.
Together, they recently set up the J. Lui, J. Lai, and S. Ma Global Scholarship for students entering the double degree pathway of the Master of International Business (MIB) program at Smith School of Business. Awarded for academic excellence, it’s typically given to students attending a Queen’s partner school in Hong Kong.
The roots of this generosity stretch well beyond that Canadian Tire deep dive. Dunning Hall was their home away from home at Queen’s – the place where they took most of their Commerce classes, hung out, and dreamed big about their futures.
They kept doing that after graduation, when they moved to Hong Kong. Today, Lui is the managing director of Global Banking at BNP Paribas, Lai is managing director of Acclime’s corporate advisory services in Hong Kong, and Ma is the managing director of Kroll’s Hong Kong restructuring practice.
The move from Queen’s to the breakneck pace of Hong Kong’s financial district wasn’t easy, but they didn’t have to make it alone, says Lai.
“Our regular dinners and drinks became our anchor – a way to bring a piece of Kingston to Hong Kong,” he says. “Over those meals, we traded war stories from the finance industry, celebrating wins and navigating challenges together. We were determined to see each other thrive.”
Hong Kong quickly taught them that finance requires a global mindset. Queen’s had given them a strong business foundation, but starting their careers in Asia introduced them to a whole new set of markets, cultures, and ways of solving problems.
This scholarship is one way to help more students bridge the transition from Queen’s to careers that cross borders, says Ma.
“We really wanted to lower the financial barrier so the next generation of students could experience the same transformative leap we did,” he says.
The MIB double degree felt like a natural fit because it combines a Queen’s education with international study, they say. By giving the scholarship to students heading to Hong Kong, they hope recipients can build networks of their own and discover what becomes possible when they step into a new city and culture.
They also hope the scholarship gives recipients the freedom to say yes – to experiences beyond the lecture hall and opportunities they might otherwise have to pass up.
“Our deepest hope is that this support allows them to find their own ‘Jeremy, Johnathan, and Simon,’” says Lai. “We want them to discover those rare peers who will challenge their ideas and elevate their ambitions.”
You can help Queen's students find their own Jeremy, Johnathan, and Simon, too. Learn how.
If you're an alum in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, mark your calendar for Nov. 22 for a special alumni reception. Stay tuned to the alumni event listings for more details.
