To Whom It May Concern:

Recommendation Letter for Marcus Kee Woon Tan

My replies:
a. How long and in what capacity have you known the applicant?
Marcus is my cousin and we have maintained regular contact.
b. How does the applicant stand out from others in a similar capacity?
Marcus is brilliant, articulate, and a born leader. I put him under star category
for his ability to solve problems and to inspire others. I rate him as one of the top
three young adults I know in his cohort.
c. Please provide an example of the applicants impact on a person, group or
organization.
In NUS, Marcus was placed in the Accelerated Masters Programme, a highly
selective program that is only offered to the most outstanding undergraduate
students. Marcus produced a thesis that was truly first-rate. His research in
microwave technology involved complex mathematical analysis of novel
microwave transmission lines. Using the conformal mapping technique, he was
able to derive simple mathematical equations of key characteristics of the
asymmetric coplanar waveguide. Previously, the asymmetric coplanar waveguide
can only be analysed by using long polynomial equations (developed by Prof
Yamashita) that have to be solved by a computer.
Marcuss research had significant application in real-world microwave circuit
analysis. In December 1998, he was the only Singapore research student to do
an oral presentation of his Master research work in Asia Pacific Microwave
Conference (APMC) 98, Yokohama, Japan. Subsequently, his Master research
paper was accepted for publication by IEICE Transactions.
d. Please provide a representative example of how the applicant interacts with
other people.
Marcus has the rare gift of inspiring others. He is a team-player and an asset in
any group task. He knows how to get people going without making them feel
pushed.

e. Which of the applicants personal or professional characteristics would you

change?
I see his major weakness as lack of patience. When Marcus was younger, his
impatience could come across as arrogance. Marcus was aware of this problem
and has been making good progress towards correcting this. He is now very
sensitive towards others needs.
f. Please tell us anything else you think we should know about this applicant.
Marcus wants to be a high-tech entrepreneur. This purpose fuels his drive,
passion, and motivation for work. He is so well-read in high-tech businesses that
I sometimes consult him about happenings in the industry (when preparing for
my MBA classes). I believe his determination will make his dream come true.
Marcus is a great leader and communicator. I have no doubt he will assume a
senior management position in the years to come.

Yours truly,
Teck-Hua Ho
William Halford, Jr. Family Professor of Marketing
University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business