A New Wharton Degree
Philadelphia, USA
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Marking Wharton’s first new degree offering in 50 years, the Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs Master of Science in Quantitative Finance has launched to prepare students for careers in quantitative asset management and allied fields. Funded by a $60 million gift from Dr. Bruce I. Jacobs G79 GRW86, the program will build expertise in quantitative methods, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and financial markets. It is initially intended for Penn students and will be completed with just one additional year of coursework following a bachelor’s degree. The inaugural cohort will begin their studies in fall 2026. See “A Historic New Chapter in Finance Education,” authored by Dean Erika James, for more on this historic moment for the School.
Sparking Conversation
London, U.K.
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Held during Climate Action Week in London in June, the Wharton Club of the United Kingdom’s “A Look Across the Energy Transition Investment Spectrum” event brought together experts for a discussion on environmental investing. Panelists Robin Stopford WG99, Tyler Christie WG09, Christian Hernandez Gallardo WG03, and Julien Halfon WG02 touched on subjects from scaling clean technologies to navigating political and regulatory uncertainties in a conversation moderated by BNP Paribas Asset Management’s Edward Lees WG00.
25 Years, All Around the World
Antarctica
2017 Wharton Leadership Ventures MBA expedition in Antarctica (Photo: Veronica Ibanez)
A key component of Wharton’s Anne and John McNulty Leadership Program, Wharton Leadership Ventures is celebrating a quarter-century since its launch. Read more about the groundbreaking learning opportunities that have impacted more than 10,000 students — many of whom have developed critical leadership skills in locations as unfamiliar as the Andes and as remote as Antarctica — in “Leading Beyond the Classroom.”
Getting Schooled
São Paulo, Brazil
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Opportunities in education were squarely in focus during a Wharton Club of Brazil discussion in April titled “Preparing for the Future: The Transformational Value of Education for Young People and Businesses.” Deborah Pontual WG10, head of international affairs and college counseling for Colégio Bandeirantes, moderated a panel of three education experts, including Paulo Moraes WG08, CEO in Brazil for the Inspired Education Group. The talk centered on the evolution of education, emphasizing developments in Brazil.
Alumni Club Collab
Hong Kong
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Against the backdrop of the SuperReturn Private Credit Asia conference in Hong Kong, the Wharton Club of Hong Kong and the Wharton Private Equity & Venture Capital Alumni Association hosted a joint event in May examining private credit in the Asia-Pacific region. Speakers at the event, which was moderated by Power Siu WG15, included Ming Eng WG09, Ming-Hau Lee WG09, Hanli Mangun W01 ENG01, and Wei Han Cheng W10 C10. In July, the Wharton Club of Hong Kong also hosted an intimate luncheon, “Investing in China,” with Victoria Mio WG98, head of Greater China equities and a portfolio manager for Janus Henderson Investors, joining as a featured participant.
Save the Date
Bangkok, Thailand
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A slate of new Wharton in Focus events will provide opportunities to engage in high-level discourse and idea-sharing on pressing business topics. Stay tuned for more details about events in Bangkok in January, London and New York in February, and Boston in April. For the latest information, visit the Wharton in Focus website.
Monumental Meeting
Berlin, Germany
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Sparking conversations across disciplines, the Wharton Club of Germany and Austria brought together 120 participants in May for its 2025 Wharton Summit — a chance to examine pressing topics. Sessions included talks on leadership, Germany’s economic power, and private equity’s outlook in the country. The two-day event showcased insights from more than a dozen speakers, including Wharton MBA Program vice dean Nicolaj Siggelkow; Marc Strobel WG96, a partner at investment firm CVC; Oskar Schilcher G99 WG99, chief investment officer at private equity firm Equistone; and Björn Zikarsky WG99, CEO of Pure Battery.
Wharton Connections, Worldwide
Paris, France
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A hands-on learning experience in Paris gave undergraduates in the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business a chance to connect with the Wharton Club of France this spring. As part of the Huntsman Program’s fourth iteration of its Global Immersion course, students and members of the alumni club gathered for an evening reception at the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée in May. Several Wharton alumni also offered insights as speakers at Global Immersion events throughout the week. Global Immersion courses introduce students to current issues in international politics, policy, and business through a combination of class instruction and travel abroad.
Published as “Wharton’s Global Impact” in the Fall/Winter 2025 issue of Wharton Magazine.
