I have known Ms. XXXX since 2010 when she worked for a summer internship at UBS. Having worked with Ms. XXXX directly, I observed how she distinguished herself from other interns. Her immediate impact at UBS led us to invite her to join our Hong Kong office permanently.
When Ms. XXXX joined UBS as an Analyst she proved to be highly knowledgeable in the practical aspects of corporate finance and investment, and the theoretical aspects of Micro/Macro Theory and Econometrics. Ms. XXXX demonstrated significant growth in a short time. I was surprised by her initiative to contact traders, researchers and clients daily. This initiative extended to seeking advice from senior management. Her growth was increasingly evident in the large sales group meetings where she demonstrated her talent with unique yet important ideas to improve business practices. She was also regularly the first person in the office and the last person out. Her dedication was respected by me and other managers.
A poignant example had been Ms. XXXX’s willingness to volunteer to cover the night shift, an occasional occurrence when we are short staffed. A major duty during the night shift has been to handle SAFE, the largest Sovereign wealth fund in the world. This work required her to liaise with the Stamford desk in the US and deal with pressing matters as they arose. During one night shift, Ms. XXXX oversaw a transaction that netted an addition USD $2 million for UBS earning the praise of our firm and our client. Such efforts reflect Ms. XXXX’s competence, confidence and stamina – working 12 hours during the day and continuing into the night is a feat I have rarely witnessed among employees in my time as manager at UBS.
In a broader context, Ms. XXXX earned top tier sales after only two and a half years – another impressive feat that singled her out among her colleagues. Amidst stiff competition with holders of MBA and PhD degrees, Ms. XXXX was subsequently selected to be promoted to Associate Director in the Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities Division. Among the youngest individuals working in this new role, Ms. XXXX continued to thrive. She was positioned to liaise with product and trading teams in our offices in Singapore, London, and Stamford. Working in this international milieu, Ms. XXXX participated in a number of transactions amounting to over USD $1 billion. Income derived from these transactions amounted to USD $1 million for teams in Greater China and Central bank. Ms. XXXX also made inroads in Asia ex-Japan by enhancing real money account coverage. Focus was directed to Hong Kong and the Philippines. As Associate Director, Ms. XXXX also demonstrated her leadership qualities. The harmony among the analysts working under Ms. XXXX is impeccable.
In addition to her professional duties, Ms. XXXX has helped UBS in other ways. She acted as ambassador at a campus recruitment talk and convinced strong recruits to apply to UBS.
Ms. XXXX is extremely well rounded. She possesses a rare combination of hard and soft skills. I refer in particular to her knowledge of finance and ability to conduct quality research, and her leadership, initiative and intercultural skills. Regarding the latter, Ms. XXXX is fluent in three languages, and her English in particular is exceptional. Ms. XXXX is also the most popular female employee on the floor, reflected in her hard work, and friendly personality. I am confident that Ms. XXXX will perform comparably well at YYYY University. In closing, I highly recommend Ms. XXXX for the MPA program, and believe she will make a valuable and unique contribution to the School of PA. Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss Ms. XXXX’s accomplishments and her suitability for the MPA program at YYYY University.
