News

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 27, 2026)—As part of an ongoing effort to expand alumni services, WorldQuant University announced today the launch of the Alumni Distinguished Speaker Series, a quarterly fireside chat with industry, government, and social sector leaders from around the world. The first guest will be Sam Tam, Vice President of Human Resources for Microsoft’s Cloud and Artificial Intelligence organization.

“Our global alumni community is our most valuable asset,” said WorldQuant University Senior Vice President of Global Partner Development Gbemi Disu, who will host the virtual event. “Since the launch of our first academic program 10 years ago, our students have been more than learners. They have been collaborators in a grand philanthropic effort to make high-quality education available at scale. We are happy to offer them new services as we work together to grow our reach.”

During the event, livestreamed on Zoom for alumni in more than 150 countries, Tam will share insights from his global career, spanning more than 20 years at Microsoft, Visa, Whirlpool, and Electronic Arts. Today he manages human resources for the engineering team that powers Azure, one of the world’s largest cloud platforms, generating over $110 billion in annual revenue.

“As a human resources leader at one of the world’s largest tech companies, Sam Tam can share important tips for tech employees working in fast-moving AI environments,” said WorldQuant University Alumni Engagement Manager Charlotte Gueye. “We are excited to kick off our speaker series with someone who can help our alumni position themselves for the future of work.”

Tam can also discuss cross-cultural challenges in the global economy. Born in Ghana, raised in Greece, educated in the United States, and stationed for many years as an expatriate in Italy, he brings a culturally agile lens to leadership.

Alumni will receive an email invitation in the coming days, along with a link to submit questions. WorldQuant University will share this link on its private alumni LinkedIn group. Anyone in the alumni community who does not receive an invitation can contact Gueye directly at alumni@wqu.edu.

WorldQuant University has taken steps in recent years to expand its alumni services. Efforts include recent in-person events in East Africa and new initiatives to share job postings and arrange mentorships for active learners. More announcements are anticipated in the coming months.

EVENT DETAILS

• 10 a.m. Eastern (2 p.m. UTC)
• Monday, March 9, 2026
• All WorldQuant University alumni are invited to submit questions and attend the livestreamed event on Zoom.
• Look for an RSVP link via email.

ABOUT WORLDQUANT UNIVERSITY

WQU is a not-for-profit institution founded by Igor Tulchinsky and dedicated to the belief that talent is global, opportunity is not. Offering free online education in advanced technical and quantitative fields, WQU empowers students in over 150 countries with industry-driven curricula and expert faculty to develop in-demand, future-ready skills. Accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, WQU is committed to making quality, rigorous education accessible worldwide.