Event at ARK Singapore headquarters
In today's increasingly uncertain global economic landscape, ARK Group has taken a significant step forward in its global strategy.
On March 5, 2025, ARK Group marked a milestone with the grand opening of its new Singapore office, establishing the firm's international headquarters and launching Noah's strategic expansion in global wealth management.
Singapore, while small in size, punches well above its weight as a global center for finance, trade, and innovation. The city-state has become an essential hub for international Chinese wealth management, connecting clients across Asia and beyond.
In the latest "H1 2025 CIO Report", Artificial intelligence (AI) was identified as the transformative force driving the current technological revolution. AI is projected to remain the dominant narrative in the technology sector throughout the coming decade.
Singapore's strategic importance in the global economic ecosystem is matched by its growing leadership in AI development, with significant achievements across research, innovation and regulatory frameworks. Through strategic policies and partnerships, Singapore has successfully attracted technology leaders including OpenAI. Given this convergence of financial expertise and technological innovation, ARK's inaugural Singapore "N+ Global Book Club" naturally focused on AI.
Shortly after the headquarters inauguration, on March 9, ARK Group hosted Stephen Witt, author of "Jensen Huang: The Soul of Nvidia," who provided N+ Global Book Club members with exclusive insights into the "AI powerhouse" Nvidia and its visionary CEO Jensen Huang, helping clients better position themselves for emerging AI wealth management opportunities.
As a globally recognized technology journalist, Stephen brings a unique perspective to technological developments. His six-year professional relationship with Jensen Huang has included numerous in-depth conversations, making him the natural choice to write this story. In the words of Nvidia's communications leadership, they had never witnessed Huang engage with a journalist with comparable candor and depth.
When researching the book, Huang personally recommended over 200 interviewees, and Nvidia granted unprecedented access, providing Stephen with extraordinary firsthand information. This access allowed him to chronicle the company's remarkable ascent and its boundary-breaking CEO.
Key Insights for Wealth Managers from Jensen Huang
In his presentation, Stephen highlighted several principles from Huang that wealth managers can apply:
Counter-conventional Client Strategy
Rather than exclusively pursuing established clients with significant assets, strategically focus on emerging clients with growth potential by providing sophisticated tools that facilitate their development. Emerging clients often demonstrate greater adaptability and receptiveness to innovative services that accelerate growth, potentially yielding disproportionate long-term returns. This approach requires disciplined implementation and clear communication with stakeholders about long-term value creation.
Embrace “Light Speed” Thinking
This concept transcends mere speed, involving first envisioning the fastest possible execution under ideal conditions with unlimited resources, then working backwards to establish feasible targets. This framework helps teams break through conventional thinking when establishing project timelines or innovation goals, identifying efficiency opportunities others might miss.
Apply First Principles in Decision-Making
Determine your best course of action through careful analysis, then move forward with confidence even when others disagree. Temporarily tune out market noise and skepticism when your research supports a different view. Trust your analysis, but stay intellectually honest. Conviction should be based on solid data and clear reasoning, not wishful thinking.
Recognize Game-Changing Opportunities
Develop the ability to move quickly toward promising ideas and away from those that aren't working. When truly exceptional opportunities arise, be bold enough to seize them; when a strategy shows fundamental flaws, be decisive enough to pivot without looking back.
Stephen emphasized that these principles work across investing, product development, and leadership—all focused on challenging conventional thinking, driving innovation, and moving with agility.
Stephen Witt speaking at ARK Singapore headquarters
Stephen also shared fascinating insights about how Jensen Huang's Chinese-American background has shaped his extraordinary success.
Huang's cultural heritage has given him a refreshing perspective that differs from many Silicon Valley executives. Despite Nvidia's incredible market success, Huang maintains a healthy concern about potential disruption—a mindset that keeps the company innovative even at the height of its success. His background encourages a focus on sustainable achievement rather than personal spotlight. Colleagues often mention his remarkable work ethic, loyalty to relationships, and thorough preparation for every challenge.
At the same time, Huang's American business experience has made him comfortable with calculated risks and challenging industry norms. While deeply technical, he's equally known as a visionary who questions established business models. When he founded Nvidia, he faced skepticism. His mother initially didn’t support her son’s entrepreneurial ambitions. Like many, she preferred that he work at a prestigious, established company. But Huang respectfully chose his own path.
In the investment world, we often see a divide: visionaries rarely demonstrate analytical depth, while careful analysts frequently avoid bold moves. Drawing from his unique cultural background, Huang combines thorough analysis with decisive action.
Jensen Huang's Lessons for the Next Generation in the AI Era
Following the presentation, Stephen engaged in a thoughtful dialogue with Andy Yin, Managing Director of Olive International Private Equity Primary Fund.
One particularly resonant question emerged: Before discussing specific future trends or career paths, what fundamental skills and characteristics should young people develop to thrive in tomorrow's world?
Andy Yin, Managing Director of Global Private Markets at Olive Asset Management, in conversation with Stephen Witt
Stephen shared: “I've spoken to many different audiences lately, but a conversation with high school students really struck me.
Investors typically ask about Nvidia's competition and market position, while tech specialists focus on technical specifications and roadmaps.
These students, however, asked more profound questions: 'Why should I do homework when AI can do it for me?' 'Is college still worth it when I can learn so much through AI in just weeks?' 'What careers will still exist for humans as AI gets smarter?'
This forward-looking mindset is exactly what makes Huang special. He constantly explores how industries will evolve alongside advancing AI.
In the book, I describe how Huang reimagines basic concepts most of us take for granted. Though not an architect, he questions fundamentals: 'Why are walls fixed instead of dynamic? What if AI could reshape our physical spaces in real-time based on how we're using them?'
The key skill young professionals can learn from Huang is this ability to reimagine the future. Every industry—wealth management included—will transform with AI. Those who anticipate these changes and position themselves accordingly will lead their fields.
Interestingly, younger generations may have an inherent advantage in developing this mindset. Creative reimagining becomes increasingly challenging with age and established mental frameworks. Youth offer the benefit of fewer entrenched assumptions about how things 'should' work, potentially allowing for more revolutionary thinking about industry evolution."
With its new Singapore headquarters now open, ARK will leverage this global financial center to bring fresh wealth management insights to Chinese-speaking clients worldwide. The firm will continue hosting thought leaders to share forward-looking perspectives. This conversation about Jensen Huang and Nvidia is just the beginning of an exciting thought leadership series, reflecting ARK's commitment to bringing world-class investment intelligence to global Chinese-speaking wealth management clients.
