Kenneth Mak Zhen Wei

Why did you choose to come to SMU?

I wanted a university where I would learn by doing, not just by listening. SMU's seminar-style classes, where class participation and group projects make up a big part of the grade, appealed to me because they mirror how work happens in industry. An engaging Open House experience and strong partnerships with big firms in the CBD allowed SMU to stand out. The city campus and the wide range of overseas exchange options also sealed the deal for me.

The biggest challenge you faced in the first year of university and how did you overcome it?

Speaking up in class. Coming from Millennia Institute, I was used to absorbing content quietly and doing well in exams, so contributing ideas in front of the class and the prof felt uncomfortable at first. I overcame it by prereading materials and preparing one or two points before each seminar and gradually building confidence. Today, raising questions and presenting to a room and defending my analysis feels natural, which helped a lot during my internship.

Why did you choose your field of study / degree programme?

I have always been interested in how numbers drive real-world decisions. Accounting gave me a strong foundation in reading and analysing financial information, and I found it especially meaningful when I could apply it to large-scale projects like infrastructure and renewable energy, where financial analysis determines whether a solar farm or battery storage project gets built at all.

Please share more about your internship experience

I interned with KPMG's Infrastructure Advisory in Singapore, in the energy and utilities team.

I chanced upon it while applying for internships. I chose KPMG because I was keen to understand how large infrastructure and renewable energy projects are evaluated and financed, and the role gave me direct exposure to that work.

During my internship, I worked on project finance modelling and market research on Malaysia's renewable energy sector, covering solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and the CRESS framework. It was exciting to see how the financial analysis I worked on fed into real advisory work, and to learn from experienced advisors about how they structure deals and communicate with clients.