“Drew’s Master of Science in Finance program promised (and delivered) tight faculty access, applied projects, and a community that actually knows your name”
September 2025 – Drew University’s Caspersen School of Graduate Studies’ Master of Science in Finance (MFin) alum Mario Demetriou G’24 has landed a portfolio manager position in the family office of Vinny Lingham, a successful US-based South African tech investor and “Shark” on Shark Tank: South Africa.
When choosing a graduate program, Demetriou, originally from South Africa, was seeking a program that combined strong analytical training with practical, career-oriented learning. “Drew’s Master of Science in Finance program promised (and delivered) tight faculty access, applied projects, and a community that actually knows your name,” he said.
Demetriou credits his growth to the program’s rigor and mentorship, especially from Associate Professor of Finance Steven Firestone and the MFin faculty. He also acknowledges the International Student & Scholar Services Office for making his F-1/OPT experience smooth and manageable, sharing he “would’ve been lost without them.”
In South Africa, Demetriou was a channel partnerships manager at Retail Capital, a division of TymeBank, the country’s first digital bank unicorn. “That’s where I learned speed is a superpower in fintech—but I also felt a gap in my technical finance toolkit, which led me to pursue Drew’s MS in Finance,” he said.
We sat down with Demetriou to learn how Drew prepared him for his career, how he landed his role with Lingham, and his advice for students looking to follow in his footsteps.
How did you find your position with Vinny Lingham?
I have followed Vinny since his Shark Tank: South Africa days while I was building my own startup, DroneSnap. His tech-forward approach resonated—so much so that I participated in Civic’s 2017 ICO, and his early Bitcoin evangelism nudged my co-founder and me to explore crypto more seriously.
Years later, shortly after graduating from Drew, I saw a portfolio manager role on his LinkedIn, messaged him directly, and we met. We clicked quickly: I admired his first-principles thinking, and he seemed to appreciate my operator’s mindset. The rest unfolded from there.
What are your responsibilities?
I think of myself as a builder-operator, or “gardener,” for the family office. Day-to-day, I:
- Track and report on the portfolio, building dashboards and workflows that speed up decision-making.
- Support diligence and founder relations, acting as a helpful, no-drama first call for portfolio teams.
- Coordinate with finance and key business partners on taxes, documents, and special projects.
- Drive business development efforts and surface critical opportunities and risks so Vinny can focus his time where it matters most.
It’s both strategic and hands-on, which suits me well.
How did Drew prepare you for this opportunity?
Drew’s MFin program gave me both the technical foundation (valuations, new venture finance, portfolio theory, modeling) and the soft skills (clear writing, concise presentations, and real-world problem-solving).
Because classes were small and taught by people who actually do this work, I got constant, practical feedback—just like in the founder/investor world. Being so close to New York City was also a big plus for exposure and networking.
Drew sharpened my skills through advanced valuation/modeling, a semiconductor thesis focused on NVIDIA, and new technical skills in Python and R.
What advice do you have for students considering Drew?
Say yes to real work early. Use the alumni network, ask for 20-minute “how did you do it?” chats, and share your work—models, research papers, projects. Professors at Drew are unusually accessible; treat them like coaches.
The combination of rigorous fundamentals and a tight community is a real edge if you lean into it. Also, download the Luma app and head into New York City for the many interesting (and often free) events happening all the time. Force yourself out of your comfort zone!
