Welcome to our brand new series of #MeetTheATeam! Are you curious to know who are the faces behind AQUMON? How did it all come together? Meet Dr. Don Huang- AQUMON’s Co-Founder and Head of Quantitative Research. Let’s catch up with him and his #AQUMONLife at Hong Kong’s leading FinTech company! 

 

 

RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS!

 

Fun fact about you? 

I love UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and funny enough it is through the topic of UFC that  Kelvin and I bonded over during a business trip back in 2016.

 

Craziest thing you did?

Definitely embarking on this startup journey and establishing AQUMON. 

 

What are you scared of? 

Fear of not living life to its fullest, so I try to be productive every day. 

 

One word that describes you best?

Grit.

 

If you had to choose one Superhero?

I would want to have the powers of Professor X. His mind is his strongest weapon. If I have that kind of telepathic powers, problem-solving would be a breeze in AQUMON. 

 

3 Biggest Accomplishments?

1: I am lucky and married to the most amazing and wonderful woman

2: Founded AQUMON with Kelvin 

3: Got a Ph.D. in Maths!

 

 

Why did you decide to be onboard with AQUMON?

 

I’ve actually known Kelvin since 2008, we were colleagues in a bank back then. 2021 actually marks our 13th year of friendship! I was focusing on quant derivative pricing and he was in sales and trading. We worked extremely well together and stayed in touch even when I was getting my Ph.D. in HKUST.

 

Nature is written in mathematics, so should investments. Investing always fascinates me, the key is forecasting. Based on how we utilize big data we can actually create a model for future financial markets trends and use algorithms and mathematics for accurate decision making. 

 

Therefore, in my doctorate studies, I was actually focusing on using mathematics to problem-solve the pain points in the finance industry. Whereas, Kelvin’s mission is to use technology and empower every investor. It is extremely crucial to have the perfect partner in starting your own business, we clicked with the same goal, so 1+1 = AQUMON.  

 

 

What does the daily life as the Head of Quantitative Research look like?

 

Hmm… It’s hard to pinpoint everything but let me try and break it down. 

 

7 am - 7:30 am: I am usually up and I start my day with a quick breakfast. 

 

7:30 am - 9 am: It is my planning hour, I would make a list of to-dos and prioritize work duties, it is always useful working in such a fast-paced environment. I would also use the time to catch up on emails and group chats. 

 

9 am - 8 pm: This is my usual working hours. I discuss development strategies and progress with my research team and make sure we are on the right track. I would also guide and help them through any challenges we are facing. There’s a bit of time spent on interviewing and hiring young talents and of course, multiple meetings on AQUMON’s direction and management matters.

 

​​8 pm- 12 am: This is the time for my family and myself, sometimes I might even need to deal with more work. I would tutor and quiz my 12-year-old daughter with math questions. When she was young, her mother was her main caretaker, however, as she grows older I am thrilled that maths can be our own common language. At the end of the day, I usually enjoy a good read on academic literature to wind down. 

 

To be honest, I don’t have a fixed schedule, every day is so different.

 

 

Why switch from Scholar to Entrepreneur, what are the biggest differences?

 

Put your thoughts into action! 

 

Even though I enjoyed life when I was a visiting scholar at HKUST, doing research and teaching students, I actually wanted to put my thoughts into action but never had the chance. When Kelvin came along I finally was able to bring my ideas to life. Coming back to my present life, I also love inventing new strategies and models to overcome challenges we might be facing in AQUMON, the unpredictability of real-life excites me. In addition what is great is that I get to work with young talents, believe it or not, I am learning so much from them! 

 

Being a scholar and entrepreneur is very different, I would be lying if I said the transition was easy. For starters, it is all about teamwork! Technical considerations are not enough when starting your own business; a big part consists of business development, talent management, and fundraising and how we can take AQUMON to the next level. Being a scholar is more of a one-man job; no matter how great the idea is, without the help of the team it can never be implemented. For example, Einstein came up with the theory of relativity by himself, but building an atomic bomb requires a technical manager like Oppenheimer. 

 

Every industry has its own challenges, we have to learn to love both ups and downs in order to grow and excel. I would consider myself lucky, being able to still be passionate about my work at both stages. I think when I retire from this start-up life I might return to university and become a professor again. Then I will be able to teach more students with my experiences.

 

 

Biggest misconception towards Algo and Quant in AQUMON?

 

Often people would ask me, how does the AQUMON investment algorithm predict policymaking? What will Trump tweet and any updates on the relation between China and US? 

 

In fact, this is a misconception of what Algo is capable of. There is a wide range of quantitative investment algorithms. Some models focus on market trends to find mispricing in trading opportunities, some models analyze financial indicators of stocks to screen a stock list with good fundamentals through quantitative methods. In general, it is difficult to use quantitative models to predict specific events, such as political events or macroeconomics interpretation. All roads lead to Rome, and there is not only one way to success. With the largest Algo and R&D team in Asia, our company is just better at quantitative mathematical modeling and engineering. 

 

 

What does the AQUMON Spirit mean to you? What is your favorite thing about AQUMON?

 

Other than our favorite quote “Do More. Do Better. Create Value”, I truly believe AQUMON spirit also includes INTEGRITY and INNOVATION. 

 

Integrity: This is extremely important especially working in the finance sector as we are entrusted to help clients manage their assets. We need to earn their trust and know their needs to provide the most suitable wealth management services.  

 

Innovation: We need to keep rolling and keep improving, not just staying on market trends but also breaking through; using technology to create value and providing a large variety of products to empower every investor.

 

 

Who are the people who impact your life and your success?

 

I am grateful for what I achieved so far and am proud that AQUMON stands as a leading digital wealth management company in Asia. This is going to sound like an Oscar speech, here we go: 

 

My Ph.D. supervisor Kwok Yue Kuen, a Professor of Math at HKUST, deeply influenced me, not just in the aspect of Mathematics knowledge but also the long lasting passion in research. He is a senior with 30 years of experience in the field. I remember there were quite a few times we were still discussing Maths problems at 11 pm on a Sunday!  He is the one who taught me how to keep loving what I do.

 

Kelvin Lei, was the one who initiated our collaboration, and together we turned that one ideation in our mind into something very real and empowering. It is still like a roller coaster ride but I am very grateful for every step, it is risky but we took it like a champion. 

 

I want to thank my wife for her love and support. Starting a business is never just a one-person decision. Just like how marriage works they say, we marry into the family and face the challenge together. She wasn’t 100% sure what I was diving into in the first place but still believed in me no matter what. She took care of our family and allowed me to focus on my start-up journey, she is my rock.  

 

Last but not least, I am grateful for my parents., Every lesson taught, every conversation, every decision they made shaped who I am today. They are the reason why I hold on to my passion and integrity. 

 

 

Do you think Robo will outperform humans when it comes to investing in the near future?

 

I strongly believe robo and algorithms will replace traditional wealth management methods in investing. However, the human touch is irreplaceable on the advisor level. We still need to remain on that human side to connect with our clients and investors, especially understanding our clients and comforting them during problem-solving. The best way to create synergy is when robo and humans partner up, this is the right path for change and improvement.

 

 

If you are interested in working with AQUMON and would like to join our mission to revolutionize the financial industry, check out our vacancies HERE. 

 

Talents define the essence of AQUMON and what we stand for. That’s why we treasure the uniqueness of each individual. Eager to learn more about the working culture of AQUMON? Stay tuned for our next #MeetTheATeam interview and follow AQUMON’s Linkedin for more exciting updates!

 

 

 

 

 

About us

AQUMON is a Hong Kong based award-winning financial technology company. Our mission is to leverage smart technology to make next-generation investment services affordable, transparent and accessible to both institutional clients and the general public. Through its proprietary algorithms and scalable, technical infrastructure, AQUMON’s automated platform empowers anyone to invest and maximise their returns. AQUMON has partnered with more than 100 financial institutions in Hong Kong and beyond, including AIA, CMB Wing Lung Bank, ChinaAMC, and Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, affiliate of BOC International Holdings Limited, Zheng He Capital Management and Cyberport are among AQUMON's investors. 

 

The brand is held under Magnum Research Limited and is licensed with Type 1, 4 and 9 under the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong. AQUMON is also licensed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Asset Management Association of China (AMAC).

 

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