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      Pay It Forward

      At the heart of SFF is a powerful, interconnected community. "Pay It Forward" nurtures the next generation of FinTech leaders through shared knowledge and collaboration.

      • 18–20 November 2026, 1–5pm
      • PIF Lounge, Hall 3, Singapore EXPO
      How to take part Meet the mentors
      Pay It Forward mentoring at SFF

      2026 Pay It Forward Tracks

      • Software Engineering & Building

      • AI & Data

      • Product & Project Management

      • Cybersecurity, Risk & Compliance

      • Marketing, Content & Community

      • Business, Finance & Strategy

      • Entrepreneurship & Startups

      • Public Policy, Government & Social Impact

      • To be announced

      Mentor or Mentee

      • A mentor and a mentee in conversation at SFF

        Applications are now open

        Mentor

        How it works

        1. Register – Register your interest via the form by 12 Oct 2026. You'll be notified of the outcome by 16 October, and successful applicants will have their mentor profile created for the app.
        2. Set Your Availability – Commit at least 2 hours between 1–5pm, 18–20 Nov 2026 at the PIF Lounge (Hall 3).
        3. Meet Mentees – Approve requests in the app; meetings will be scheduled automatically with table assignments.

        Why join

        • Shape the Future
        • Expand Your Influence
        • Lead the Conversation
      • A mentee meeting a mentor at the PIF Lounge

        Mentee

        How it works

        1. Register – Register within the app. Please ensure you have already registered for a SFF pass.
        2. Request Meetings – Submit requests directly through the app by answering a short prompt. Mentors review each request and decide whether to connect based on their availability and fit with the mentee's goals.
        3. Connect & Learn – Meetings are auto-scheduled with table assignments at the PIF Lounge.

        Why join

        • Access Leaders
        • Turn Insights into Action
        • Grow Your Network

      2026 Mentors

      All mentors

      Ms Charis Liau

      Chief Investment Officer

      IFS Asset Management

      Track Business, Finance & Strategy

      View LinkedIn profile (opens in a new tab)

      Ms. Charis Liau is the Chief Investment Officer of IFS Asset Management, where she leads the firm’s private credit strategies, focused on unlocking growth opportunities across Asia through secured, alternative lending solutions. With over 20 years of banking and finance experience across Asian markets, Charis previously served as Regional Executive Director at Carsome Capital and co-founded SDAX Financial, a fintech platform offering tokenized investment solutions. She also spent 13 years at Standard Chartered Bank in corporate and structured finance, advising clients across Asia.

      A strong advocate for innovation and the future of finance, Charis has been recognized for her leadership and impact. She was named among Singapore’s 100 Women in Tech by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and the Singapore Computer Society (SCS) in 2021, and in 2020, she was honored as a Top 12 Fintech Leader and Top 5 Women in Fintech by the Singapore Fintech Association (SFA). She is also a founding Member of the Marketplace Lending sub-committee under the SFA.

      Charis currently serves on the Alumni Advisory Board of Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). She holds a First Class Honours degree in Accountancy from NTU, a Certificate in Fintech from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Certificate in AI for Healthcare from NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. She is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.