Alumni Leader: Q&A with Joseph Sun ’96 MBA

Joseph Sun’s enduring loyalty to Northwestern began more than two decades ago, when he arrived at the Evanston campus to earn an MBA at the Kellogg School of Management. An international student from Taipei, Taiwan, he appreciated the kindness shown to him by faculty and classmates. Sun’s devotion to the University only grew as he embarked on a career in finance and received help from Kellogg alumni along the way.

Now the founder and managing partner of Solaris Capital Advisors, a Hong Kong–based multifamily office focusing on alternative assets, Sun is paying it forward. As a dedicated volunteer for Northwestern, he has initiated both admissions and alumni outreach for the University throughout Asia. Sun has served as the inaugural president of the Kellogg Club of Taiwan, president of the NU Club of Taiwan and director of Northwestern’s Alumni Admission Council, spearheading recruiting efforts that have led to more admissions of undergraduate and Kellogg students from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Recently he joined Kellogg’s new Executive Board for Asia.

In September, Sun became the second person to receive the Northwestern Alumni Association’s President’s Award, established in 2018 to recognize loyal service to the alumni association. He shares why he gives back.

What brought you to Northwestern?

I was accepted to several top business schools. Kellogg was head and shoulders above other schools according to the feedback I received from alumni, which made my decision an easy one.

Soon after graduating, you began interviewing prospective Kellogg students. Why did you get involved?

I wanted to spread the message that Kellogg was the best choice for business school as well as ensure that we introduce the brightest candidates to my alma mater. Years later, I realized there wasn’t a dedicated effort for undergraduate admissions in Taiwan. I put together a team of more than 20 alumni interviewers who conduct about 150 interviews in Taiwan every year and recommend an increasing number of wonderful candidates to the University.

What is the Northwestern alumni network like in Asia?

All the alumni I’ve met are smart, hardworking, fun loving and collaborative. They are always willing, able and ready to share resources. As a result, the Northwestern community is growing fast and becoming powerful, which makes it easier for the University to attract top talent.

What has kept you connected to Northwestern?

Northwestern, and in particular Kellogg, has shaped who I am today: a brave leader with a global perspective who is always mindful of teamwork and innovation.

Since the day I set foot in Evanston, I have received a lot of goodwill from my classmates, professors, administrators and now alumni. Whenever I have faced a career decision, I’ve tapped into the Northwestern network by looking up alumni in my city or industry and getting their advice, which has been phenomenal. This is what truly separates Northwestern from other schools. I am glad that I am part of this circle of positive energy — it has been extremely gratifying to be able to give back.