The expensive habit of UBS' top Hong Kong saleswoman

In the world of trading, if you're good enough, your employer will do whatever it takes to keep you. Sometimes 'whatever it takes' is funding one of the most expensive hobbies someone in finance is likely to have, Formula 4 racing. This is the case with Vivian Siu of UBS, who has tackled two male dominated industries with mixed levels of success.

In the trading world, Siu earns her salt. In AsiaMoney's hedge fund services and prime broking rankings, she podiumed as the second-best regional salesperson. Siu is also a homegrown talent coming good for UBS, having joined the firm through its 2018 graduate trainee program. 

In the F4 rankings she doesn't fare quite as well. She sits 24th of 25 with a highest finish of 10th place. She is, however, level on points with the four ranked above her. It's also worth pointing out that this is her first season professionally, having only been training for less than a year, and she is the first and only female racer in the history of the Chinese F4 racing championship.

Racing fast cars and dating supermodels is the stuff of dreams for anyone, particularly someone in finance, but it's a costly hobby. In the US, F4 driving has an estimated seasonal operational cost of $195k, with new cars costing over $51k each, not to mention fuel costs. 

Siu's hobby is popular with bankers and clients. In Singapore, UBS is moving its staff out of Credit Suisse's Raffles Link office to UBS' location on Penlang Road, but not before leveraging Raffles Link for its proximity to the Singapore Grand Prix. Siu was at the event, and even managed to snag a picture with racing royalty Lewis Hamilton, who she claimed had heard of her.

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