SINGAPORE – When David Ng was 10, he spent months squirrelling away his 50-cent daily allowance to save $50 to buy his mother a watch.
“I passed her the money, never knowing how much the watch really cost or if she actually bought one,” says the 46-year-old co-founder and chief executive of Arki Finance. “There’s joy in putting someone else’s happiness above my own… And that mindset of intentional saving and giving has stuck with me in adulthood.”
The Singaporean started digital wealth advisory platform Arki after more than two decades working in global financial institutions like Bank of America and Morgan Stanley, as well as a stint as a national rugby player from 1996 to 1997.
Arki, which received its Capital Markets Services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore earlier in 2026, is preparing for its public launch later in the year.
The firm is targeting the mass affluent segment with a simplified wealth platform built on a three-part framework: cash, income and growth.
Ng has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He is married with two sons.
Q: Do you invest in anything?
A: My portfolio is a mix of equities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and private investments.
About half is in public equities focused on global and thematic strategies – sectors that I believe will define the future.
Around 30 per cent is in ETFs and index funds, and the remaining 20 per cent is in private investments such as early-stage fintechs and private credit.
Q: What’s your biggest or most valuable asset?
A: Arki Finance, which I started building about two years ago, is my biggest financial and emotional investment.
Q: What’s your approach to growing your money?
A: I believe good-quality assets compound exponentially over the long term. I follow a goal-based investment strategy, allocating capital according to life stages and personal priorities, so I’m not affected by swings in the markets.
I see my wealth in three main buckets. Cash that I need over the next 12 to 24 months goes into very safe, liquid products such as money market funds.
Funds I don’t need in that timeframe are invested in income-producing assets such as bonds, real estate investment trusts and dividend-paying blue-chip stocks.
Lastly, I reserve a portion of my wealth – money that wouldn’t materially affect my lifestyle – for high-growth investments such as equities, private equity and private credit. These require time to compound.
Q: Do you invest in tangible assets like art or collectibles?
A: I’ve developed a quiet appreciation for watches over the years.
I do have a collection, but you’ll almost never see me wearing a watch. For me, watches are less about display and more about craftsmanship – a blend of design, precision and timeless value.
They’re tangible reminders of moments in my career or milestones I’ve reached, rather than active investments.
Q: Did you collect anything as a child?
A: Rugby cards and sports memorabilia. They were a way to stay connected to the sport I loved and the athletes I looked up to.
Q: What was your first exposure to investing?
A: As soon as I turned 18, I opened a brokerage account and started investing in local stocks on the Singapore Exchange.
I didn’t have much capital, but placing that first trade was empowering. It gave me a sense of agency and taught me that investing wasn’t just for institutions.
It was accessible, and it was a way to take control of my financial future. That early experience lit the spark that eventually led me into a career in finance.
Q: What has been your biggest financial mistake?
A: Not understanding deeply what I was buying and staying in the market regardless. It’s easy to get caught up in trends or headlines without doing the necessary research. I got burned badly buying penny stocks I didn’t have a clue about.
Looking back, it wasn’t about picking the wrong time. It was about not knowing enough and not having the conviction to stay the course.
The biggest lesson for me is that it’s not about timing the market, but time in the market.
Q: What has been your best financial decision?
A: Staying invested consistently over the past 15 years has been one of my best financial decisions. I built a portfolio aligned with my long-term goals, stuck with it through market cycles and let compounding do its work. That discipline has paid off.
Q: What were your growing-up years like in terms of money?
A: Both my parents were frugal, but they also had a strong sense of value. They were never wasteful, but they never hesitated to spend on things that they believed were worthwhile, whether it was education, healthcare or something that enriched our lives.
That mindset shaped me deeply. I learnt early on that money is a tool – not something to be hoarded, but something to be deployed wisely. That perspective still guides how I manage my finances today.
Q: What was your first job?
A: My first job after university was as a business analyst at a car manufacturer in Australia. I worked directly with the chief executive officer, helping him with data and business analytics for management reporting.
Q: Did you do part-time jobs?
A: I started working when I was in secondary school. I took on all kinds of part-time jobs: tutoring, conducting market research surveys, working at events and even a stint as a factory worker dispensing industrial lubricants from large drums into small canisters for resale.
Q: What was your most memorable money moment?
A: Quite a number of years ago, my investment portfolio crossed the million-dollar mark for the first time.
It wasn’t about the number itself, but what it represented.
That moment reminded me of the power of discipline, consistency and patience.
Q: When did you first realise money was important?
A: I think it started at a very early age, when I began working and earning money for the first time. It was the moment I saw money as an exchange for my time, effort and contribution.
Using the money I earned through my own hard work was both satisfying and empowering. It made me realise that how I used my money could shape opportunities, not just in the short term, but for the life I wanted to build.
Q: What would you tell your younger self?
A: Trust the process. Be patient and don’t be afraid to take calculated risks when your convictions are strong.
Most importantly, enjoy every moment of it – the wins, the setbacks and the uncertainty. Some day, you’ll look back and wish you had savoured it all a little more. The journey is just as meaningful as the outcome.
Q: Where’s home for you?
A: I live in a detached bungalow in Bukit Timah.
Q: What do you drive?
A: A black BMW i4 M50. I appreciate both performance and sustainability, and this fully electric car offers a balance of both.
I’ve been a car enthusiast since I was young. At one point, I was deeply into car modifications, constantly tweaking performance and handling. That passion has never really left me.
Q: What’s been your most frivolous purchase?
A: It would probably be a Nikon SLR camera and a set of lenses that I barely used because I was too busy. I eventually sold them.
I was into photography during my university days, back in the time when you had to develop film in a darkroom. But as work and life caught up with me, I never found the time to return to the hobby.
Q: What does work-life balance mean to you?
A: It means being fully present. I carve out time for my family and guard it carefully. Balance isn’t about hours; it’s about intention.
I don’t believe in the rigid nine-to-six mentality or that productivity should be measured by the number of hours you clock. You work incredibly hard when you need to, and when it’s time to rest, you should switch off completely and enjoy life.
Q: What would your perfect day look like?
A: A morning workout, breakfast with my family, focused work with a team I trust, followed by a happy-hour drink or two with colleagues or close friends, and ending with dinner and laughter at home.
Q: What would you do if you suddenly had a windfall of millions?
A: I would invest part of it for myself and my family. But a large portion would go towards setting up a charitable trust focused on children, education and sports.
Q: If you suddenly had only $100 to your name, what would you do with it?
A: I’d spend it on internet access because it gives you knowledge, and knowledge opens doors.
With access to information, I’d figure out how to earn the next $100, and then the next, to get my life back on track. It’s about building momentum from wherever you are.
