Justin joined Tower Research Capital while finishing his final semester at university, stepping into a Singapore-based Business Management role that quickly immersed him in the complexities of quantitative trading. Since then, he has worked alongside trading teams to help launch new market and product opportunities, building relationships with external counterparts and learning the business from scratch along the way. Now preparing for a year-long assignment in Tower’s London office, Justin is looking forward to broadening his knowledge of European equities and experiencing another side of Tower’s global operations.
Read on for Justin’s perspective on finding his footing early in his career, the rewards of Business Management, and the lessons he’s taking with him to London. To learn more about careers at Tower, explore here.
You joined Tower straight out of university. What initially attracted you to the firm?
Coming out of university, I was looking for a fast-paced environment that offered intellectual challenge and opportunities to grow early in my career. Tower stood out for its long-standing reputation in quantitative finance. In particular, the Business Management role appealed to me because I wanted a generalist starting point. I knew it would give me a broad perspective on the industry while allowing me to understand the operational details of how a leading trading firm actually runs, which as a junior would be an invaluable opportunity for me.
What really sealed the decision was the culture. I had consistently heard that Tower managed to maintain a collaborative, non-cutthroat environment despite operating in a high-stakes industry. This is something that still holds true for me till today – in Tower I could feel free to walk up to anyone within the firm and have a conversation without feeling like there are any barriers.
What was the transition from university to working at Tower like? Were there any particular challenges or learning experiences that helped you find your footing?
Tower was exceptionally accommodating, allowing me to join part-time during my final semester so I could complete my degree while getting a head start in the role.
Coming from an academic background, high-frequency trading wasn’t something I could easily study or encounter from a textbook. Everything was new, and I had to build my industry knowledge from the ground up. On my second day, I was thrown straight into a meeting with a broker explaining their internalization framework, which is a complex concept even within the industry. Looking back, I think that meeting set the tone for my early experience. There were many unknowns, and I had to stay nimble, curious, and comfortable with a steep learning curve.
Entering Business Management as a fresh graduate presented a personal challenge, too. These roles in proprietary trading are usually filled by professionals with years of experience on the sell side or buy side. I occasionally encountered external peers who questioned whether someone straight out of school had enough experience for the position. It took resilience and faith in my capabilities to push past that self-doubt, and working through those challenges helped me find my footing.
Tell us a bit about your role on Tower’s Business Management team. What are your main responsibilities, and what do you find most rewarding about the work?
My role splits into two main areas: internal strategy and project management, as well as external partnership management.
Externally, I work with brokers and exchanges to understand their offerings , align strategic priorities, and strengthen Tower’s relationships. We also represent Tower at key industry events to track emerging market trends, spot competitive opportunities, and deliver relevant insights to our trading teams.
Internally, Tower operates in a pod structure with many distinct trading teams. I work directly with individual teams to understand their strengths and requirements, help onboard new execution venues or products, and review performance to optimize their setups over time.
What I find most rewarding is seeing that onboarding journey come full circle. Watching a new trading team start with one market and expand into multiple asset classes or regions, and knowing I helped build the infrastructure and commercial relationships to make it happen, is immensely satisfying. I also love that it’s fundamentally a people-oriented role. Collaborating with people from all walks of life and combining experience from across our departments keeps the work dynamic and fulfilling.
You’re preparing to spend a year working from Tower’s London office. How did that opportunity come about, and what made you interested in pursuing it? What are you most looking forward to about your time in London?
The opportunity arose when an opening came up to support our London desk, and management approached me to take on coverage and build out my European expertise. Tower’s leadership is very supportive of internal mobility when there’s strategic alignment across offices.
What excited me most was the chance to expand my product knowledge by covering European equities. European markets are a completely different ballgame compared to many APAC jurisdictions. Europe has a highly mature, fragmented market structure, while APAC presents distinct regulatory and operational frictions with each country operating on its own. I think gaining hands-on exposure to European market structures will be invaluable. Also, internal Tower teams like our Central Trading Desk and application reliability support operate on a global follow-the-sun model, so working alongside the London team will help me better understand how those handoffs work on the ground, while allowing me to build friendships with colleagues there.
Personally, I’m also thrilled about living in London and exploring Europe – especially the chance to take trips to Norway, one of my absolute favorite places to visit!
Looking back on your experience at Tower so far, what have been some of the most important lessons you’ve learned? What advice would you give to someone just starting their career at the firm?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that curiosity and self initiative drive your growth at Tower. Rather than relying on rigid, classroom-style training programs, Tower takes a real-world, learn-by-doing approach. You’re expected to ask questions and take ownership of your learning from day one.
For someone just starting out, I’d emphasize the importance of building strong relationships across teams. In Business Management, almost everything you do requires collaboration. Understanding how trading teams, developers, operations, risk and compliance work together makes you far more effective.
I’d also encourage people to get comfortable with ambiguity. Most challenges don’t come with a single right answer. You have to be willing to bounce ideas around, try different approaches, and adjust until you find what works.
Above all, never stop asking questions. People across Tower are exceptionally talented and willing to share their knowledge, but you have to be proactive in seeking it out. Staying curious is one of the fastest ways to learn and grow here