Basil Tan
Basil Tan: The Accidental Teenage Market Timer
Basil Tan’s investing career began the way all great stories do—by accident. At the tender age of 18, while his peers were worrying about national service, Basil made a bold move into the stock market, buying Yangzijiang Shipbuilding… mere moments before the 2008 financial crisis made global headlines. While the rest of the world was panicking, Basil was getting a front-row seat to the largest economic meltdown in modern history.
And here’s the twist: he survived it. More than that, he thrived. By holding steady for a few years, he eventually walked away with a profit of a few thousand dollars—pocket change to Wall Street, but a king’s ransom for a teenager who had just learned the hard way what “systemic risk” meant.
Biography
From Accountancy to Asset Management
Graduating from NTU with a second upper honours degree in Accountancy, Basil swapped textbooks for Bloomberg terminals, joining Value Partners Asset Management as a Management Associate. There, he learned that investing wasn’t just about “gut feel” or catching lucky breaks—it was about discipline, process, and a healthy respect for market cycles (and surviving them).
The China Tech Coup
One of Basil’s defining moments came when the world had all but given up on Chinese tech stocks. When valuations hit rock bottom, Basil quietly loaded up, betting on recovery while others were still muttering about regulatory crackdowns. His patience paid off, and when the time came, he rotated into quality names—locking in strong results and proving that sometimes, the best trades are made when everyone else is running for the exits.
From Markets to Meaning
Today, Basil pours that same discipline and foresight into helping clients secure their futures—not just their portfolios. With a focus on retirement planning, estate planning, and insurance coverage, he works with heart and soul to make sure his clients sleep better at night.
Basil believes that wealth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about peace of mind, legacy, and knowing your family will be taken care of no matter what happens. Whether he’s helping someone craft a retirement income plan, structuring an estate to protect the next generation, or making sure there’s the right insurance safety net in place, Basil approaches it with the same calm, steady confidence that got him through 2008.
Practice Areas
- Wealth Management Advisory
- Estate Planning (AEPP® Certified)
- Mortgage Optimisation (SAMP Certified)
- Retirement Planning
- Passive Income Strategist
- CPF Life Maximisation Frameworks
