Block Trooper: Jehan Chu, founder of blockchain venture capital firm Kenetic

Long a supporter of blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, Jehan Chu now helms Kenetic, a venture capital firm helping others looking to break into the industry.

Kenetic is an interesting business. As its founder and managing partner, how exactly do you define it?
Essentially, it’s a venture capital firm, one that supports start-up companies at a very early stage. In particular, we help to fund entrepreneurs in the blockchain sector, while also providing them with advice and guidance, allowing them to realise their visions of the technology’s future. I firmly believe that blockchain represents the next stage in the evolution of the internet – a new technology that will underpin developments over the next 50 years. With that in mind, Kenetic is a bespoke vehicle designed to help facilitate that evolution.

At what point did you decide the time was right to launch Kenetic?
We opened Kenetic in 2016 when it became apparent that no Asian venture capital business was really focusing on blockchain technology. At the time, those of us who had first ventured into the bitcoin and blockchain space knew something special was
taking place. We also believed that, without support, it wouldn’t necessarily fulfil its potential. That’s where Kenetic comes in – we support those people crazy enough to try and make their dreams come true.

What was it about blockchain / cryptocurrency that first drew you in?
Well, while I was studying International Relations at Johns Hopkins University, I taught myself how to code html. After that, I went to work in New York coding as a front-end developer during the first dot.com boom. In 2013, I first came across Bitcoin. Once I started researching it, I immediately fell down that particular rabbit hole. One of the things that drew me to Bitcoin was my love of decentralisation and the idea of returning power to the people. I soon started a number of related communities, including a local Ethereum group, one of the earliest such associations in Hong Kong, as a means of helping to provide investment advice for those interested in the sector. In 2016, I went fulltime, leaving my job as an art dealer to focus solely on providing blockchain and cryptocurrency investment advice.

Why do you think cryptocurrency has become such an attractive investment option?
When I started out in cryptocurrency, nobody wanted to hear about it. It was, at best, a joke and, at worst, seen as somehow improper. Now, though, it seems as though everyone realises how important cryptocurrency is, especially with regard to decentralisation. If you look at what’s happening in the world right now, centralised systems are failing, making decentralisation seem an increasingly appealing prospect. Even companies like UBS, JP Morgan, Visa and PayPal are turning their attention to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. It took a little time but it’s happening.

“ Kenetic aims to support people crazy enough to try and make their dreams come true”

Aside from Bitcoin, which other cryptocurrencies do you see as significant?
While Bitcoin is really a payment token or a store-in value token, Ethereum is an application-based blockchain with easily the largest community of developers and applications. Bitcoin is akin to gold, where Ethereum is more like oil – it is used to power things, whether an engine, a machine or a factory. The other interesting one is Polkadot, which is similar to Ethereum but has a very different approach in that it’s really trying to create a network of blockchains.

What are the some of the most common cryptocurrency misconceptions that you encounter?
A lot of people think that as cryptocurrency is not “backed” by anything, it doesn’t have any intrinsic value. This is inherently untrue. The value of Bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrency stems from the subscription and investment of the community, both in terms of dollars and effort. This infuses cryptocurrency and blockchain with value, be it in terms of its use in applications or in having a multi-million-dollar market cap. Basically, they are backed by millions of people who say there is value and are willing to put their money and commitment into them.

You co-founded Social Alpha Foundation, a blockchain / social impact non-profit. What can you tell us about its aims and ambitions?
I was raised by my parents to be very generous and try to support communities. As a result, I have always thought it was important never to take anything for granted and to use my resources to help others. In line with this, the idea behind Social Alpha Foundation is to support blockchain projects that are looking to create social impact. The first grant we made was to a small start-up in South Africa, which was providing official identity documents to children who were either too poor to apply for them or were refugees. What they would do is use blockchain technology to track these kids and verify an identity for them. Right now, though, we’re focused on environmental issues and have recently given a US$250,000 grant to Open Earth, a Yale University initiative aiming to use blockchain to help combat climate change.

In terms of cryptocurrency-friendliness, how do you see Hong Kong ranking on the global scale?
Hong Kong is easily one of the most significant centres in the world when it comes to blockchain and cryptocurrency and is probably the most important such destination in Asia. This is partly because the regulation is very engaged here and the regulators
are very knowledgeable. The entrepreneurial spirit is also very strong and there are a lot of start-ups, especially in the financial sector. There are also many people in institutional and more traditional companies across a variety of different sectors that have become engaged with blockchain and cryptocurrency. All in all, I think that I’m very fortunate to be in Hong Kong as there’s just so much going on here in terms of both cryptocurrency and blockchain.

You also invest in alternative proteins, notably Impossible Foods…
That’s largely because I have been going mostly vegan. I do what is called a 95-percent diet – depending on which week it is, I have only one or two animal protein meals in a seven-day period, staying vegan for the rest of the time. The fact that this has boosted my own health made me want to invest in initiatives such as Impossible Foods, as well as other alternative protein sources. My cholesterol has gone way down; my sleep,
skin and digestion are all better and it’s good for the planet too.

You are also big on meditation…
I actually practice Vipassana, an ancient breathing practice favoured by Buddha as the root of mindfulness and all other forms of meditation. When I was first introduced to it, it was quite a challenge – I had to undergo 10 days of silent retreat without
reading, using a phone or having any human contact. During that time, though, I learned how to quieten my mind, focus and use breathing to achieve a state of centeredness and hyperawareness. While it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life, it also transformed it in a very positive way.

Thank you.

Interview by: Roberliza Eugenio
Photos: Jack Law
Video: Andy Wan
Art Direction & Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma

Ship Shaper: Angad Banga, Chief Operating Officer of The Caravel Group

After years in the finance field, Angad Banga joined the family fold at The Caravel Group. Today, as COO, he oversees an expansive portfolio that includes maritime shipping services, commodity trading and investment management, all with the hopes of preserving the company’s legacy for generations to come…

What was it like to grow up within the Banga family?

Well, my family moved from the UK to Hong Kong in 1985 when I was just 15-months-old so, for all intents and purposes, Hong Kong is very much my home. While there was an emphasis on education, my parents were always very supportive and allowed me to just be a kid and pursue my own interests. As most of our family were still in India, my fondest memories are of holidaying in my paternal grandparents’ home in Chandigarh and playing cricket on their front lawn with my cousins.

Were you always destined to join The Caravel Group, the family business?

Actually, there was never any real pressure to join as there was not really a family business per se. Although my dad, Harry Banga, was vice-chairman and the second-largest shareholder of the Noble Group, it was more an institutional organisation rather than a family-run enterprise.

In 2010, he stepped down from his own role with the Noble Group. Over the next few years, he took on some of the businesses he had started there, eventually bringing it all under The Caravel Group, which formally launched in 2013 / 2014. This has now become, as you have suggested, our family business.

And, today, what is the core offer of the company?

The Caravel Group has three primary areas of activity. The first is Caravel Maritime, which includes Fleet Management, our flagship operating business. This business was founded by my father under the Noble Group umbrella in 1994. We acquired Fleet Management from Noble in 2011 and brought it under The Caravel Group upon the establishment of the business. Today, we’re the second-largest ship management company in the world, operating more than 600 vessels across the world’s oceans. Caravel Maritime also includes Caravel Shipping, which provides in-house and third-party dry bulk commercial and chartering services, as well as maritime asset ownership.

Our second arm is Caravel Asset Management, with a primary focus on direct investments in global liquid markets including public equity and credit, across all industries. We also invest in alternative investments – mainly private equity and hedge funds – to diversify risks and sustain long-term return. We also run a direct private equity business, with a portfolio that includes India’s largest beauty omni-channel retailer, Nykaa, and Hong Kong’s largest craft brewery, Young Master Ales.

Finally, there is Caravel Resources, which trades industrial dry bulk commodities, with a focus on raw materials for steel making and power generation. As an industrial dry bulk supply chain manager we’re involved with moving and trading commodities from producers to consumers, including iron ore, thermal coal and metallurgical coke. Today, collectively, these businesses operate across 15 plus countries.

In addition, while we’re first and foremost a business, we’re also committed to giving back to society. Thus, we’ve established the Caravel Foundation, a Hong Kong-based charity with a focus on children’s education and healthcare.

As the Group’s Chief Operating Officer, what are some of your particular areas of responsibility?

In short, I see my role as being a strong steward for this organisation: to help Caravel maintain its strengths, to enhance our capabilities, and to grow. I feel like it’s my responsibility to grow and develop our leadership team with a clear vision, to drive The Caravel Group forward into the next generation.

That said, my day-to-day responsibilities are about ensuring the smooth running of the wider organisation. As the various arms of the Group are managed independently, part of my job is to liaise with the Chief Executives of those divisions from a corporate perspective. Part of my remit is also to focus on the future and to drive our strategic initiatives, whether that’s mergers and acquisitions, human resources or the exploration of new verticals.

What criteria do you look at when investing in third-party businesses?

I think one of the most important things to look at is “who”. While you’re backing a business, more critically you’re backing a person. Ultimately, believing in the CEO, the founder, and the leadership team, as well as having faith in what they can deliver, is paramount. We won’t invest if we don’t trust the founding team. At the same time, gauging the value proposition of the business and the problem they’re trying to solve is also important. In the case of Nykaa, for instance, we studied the demographics in India and the e-commerce and beauty trends across the world before agreeing to invest.

How has the group coped over the past 12 months, one of the most challenging times to ever be in business?

While 2020 will go down as an unprecedented year, a time organisations and individuals suffered a great deal, our business – thankfully – came through incredibly well. For our part, we provide employment to 1,000 people across the world, with a further 20,000 working on the ships we manage. That means that, roughly, 100,000 people are economically dependent on us, so it was very fortunate that we recorded 10-percent year-on-year growth in business volumes, with a net income growth of about 50 percent over that same period. Ultimately, it’s testament to the strength and resilience of our people that we expanded despite all the turbulence and uncertainty.

What are some of the unique aspects of running a family business?

From a personal point of view, I never thought I would be working with my dad. Having experienced it, though, I really treasure working with him and learning from him, particularly as there wasn’t really a family firm looming on the horizon while I was growing up, so all of this is something of a bonus.

From a professional perspective, one of the biggest strengths of a private family-run organisation is that because we don’t report to any shareholders, we can afford to take a more long-term approach and focus on the strategic direction of the company. This, in turn, affords greater overall stability.

The culture of a business like ours is also rather different as there’s an inherent level of trust and ownership at every tier. When you trust those around you, it breaks down the traditional barriers to building and running teams, allowing you to focus on generating ideas and executing solutions. Building lasting family organisations means you are more likely to put in the extra hours and effort needed to make it a success, which drives a different level of commitment altogether.

Looking back on your career, what do you see as the biggest hurdle you ever faced?

After I graduated from Dartmouth University with a degree in Economics, with honours, I spent two years working as investment banker for JP Morgan. Most of my career was spent with KKR prior to joining Caravel. In between, though, I was hired by Blackstone for a relatively short period. That was just before the global financial crisis and I’d been hired as part of a team briefed to grow Blackstone’s credit investing footprint in Asia. Unfortunately, once the crisis hit and the economy tanked, I found myself without a job. It was a terrible time. I was just 24, scared witless and had no real idea as to what to do next.

That difficult period taught me the importance of a number of things – empathy, resilience and the importance of hard work – that I still prioritise today, and which, I believe, have enhanced my leadership style. I also learnt the importance of focusing on those things that you can control, while not worrying too much about those beyond your remit. Finally, it taught me the merits of taking a chance on people. Soon after that, I was fortunate enough to be hired by KKR and it was one of the best things to happen to me. They took a chance on me. And that really changed my life.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Art Direction & Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Photos: Jack Law

Pollymath: Elaine Yeh, operator of popular Shoku Japanese Binchotan Grill

Riding high on the success of her eatery, Shoku Japanese Binchotan Grill, restaurateur Elaine Yeh looks back on her F&B years and shares her vision for the year to come…

Everyone is talking about your restaurant, Shoku Japanese Binchotan Grill. Why do you think that is?

Well, that restaurant has been running in Repulse Bay for more than six years now and I’ve been involved from the very beginning, from concept and design of the restaurant to its current day-to-day operations. Part of our unique offer is that we have the biggest open-fire binchotan grill in Hong Kong – it’s basically a barbecue pit, where we use only the highest-quality Japanese charcoal. It burns at a really high, stable temperature, which cooks the food slowly, infusing it with the beautiful aroma of the binchotan. We also serve a range of seasonal foods, so the menu is always evolving in line with the available Japanese ingredients and latest culinary trends.

Prior to working in the restaurant sector, how was your career taking shape?

While I studied statistics in college, I was adamant that wasn’t for me. After I graduated, though, my dad – a doctor by training, but with a very entrepreneurial outlook – was impressed by an age management clinic in Nevada and wanted to bring that concept to Hong Kong, as he looked to set up the city’s first age management establishment. The first years of my career, then, were spent trying to make that plan a reality.

When you’re young, you kind of feel free to jump around and try new things, so, after that, I decided I wanted to get into events planning. Soon after I got involved in that particular sector, I met my future boss at Nike, eventually joining him as part of the company’s events and marketing team. While I enjoyed the travel that went with the job, my greatest sense of achievement came from being part of the company’s 2008 Beijing Olympics team. Although it involved a very hectic schedule, I got to meet an awful lot of VIPs and it was just a fun, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

What then led you to join the F&B industry?

Actually, I was set on getting into the wedding planning industry, but marriage and two kids kind of derailed that plan. It was around that time that my husband and his friend decided to open a restaurant in Causeway Bay. It was one of the first Japanese omakase restaurants in the city and I started off assisting them on – what was to me – the most fun part of the business, coming up with PR campaigns and marketing materials, while managing all the social media activities. Two years later, we decided to open Shoku. Soon after, I took over the business as my husband had a great opportunity to go back into finance. I thought, at the time, as my kids were older, I could step into his position. I didn’t, however, think I would get quite so heavily involved. Suffice to say, it’s been a huge personal learning journey.

You must have experienced difficult times along the way…

One I will never forget is Halloween night 2016. I was in Tokyo treating my father to a holiday to celebrate his birthday, when, suddenly, I received 13 resignation letters from the staff at our restaurant. It turned out our former partner had poached the entire team with the intention of opening another outlet in the same building. They had been telling our regulars that we were closing down and moving, and the whole thing was a nightmare. I ended up spending the rest of the trip dealing with the fallout, negotiating with staff and trying to keep the team together. The trauma of that will stay with me forever.

But there have been good times that made up for that…

Yes, when we closed the Causeway Bay restaurant in 2019, most of the staff came to Shoku with me. We tried to keep as many people as we could. That Christmas, they gave me a painting of a girl facing some mountains, with the name of our former restaurant embedded in the imagery. It really touched me and made me feel like we were all in this together. It still hangs on our wall to this very day.

Last year, in something of a pivot, you also launched the Polly & Enzol ingestibles brand in Hong Kong. What was the thinking behind that?

Actually, I’ve always been into health and age management. As I said earlier, my first job after leaving college was setting up an age-management centre in Hong Kong. Part and parcel of this was the use of exercise, nutritional supplements and hormone management techniques as part of a three-pronged approach to age management.

As I’ve got the big “4-0” coming up next year, I thought it was a good time to look inwards, both physically and emotionally. As a result, I was consciously on the lookout for new opportunities within the wellness industry, which is when I came across the Polly & Enzol product range in Bali. Basically, they’re ingestible supplements manufactured by a Taiwanese company. Prior to formally relaunching them in Hong Kong, I’ve rebranded the range as Polly & Enzol.

What do you see as some of the unique appeal of Polly & Enzol?

Well, ‘Polly’ stands for ‘polyphenols’ and ‘Enzol’ is short for ‘enzymes’, and basically we harness the healing powers of these substances to boost overall health. Our star product is a lemon polyphenol concentrate, which we quadruple-ferment in order to release the active polyphenol and enzyme components, things that aren’t accessible when taken orally. This then aids in the rejuvenation of skin, while also helping to enhance the efficiency of the digestive system.

Although we’ve actually launched via Woman Boss [a Hong Kong-based online shopping platform] we haven’t officially gone mass-market yet. Right now, it’s getting great word-of-mouth, and hopefully, later this year, we can create a more formal structure for the brand and get into more retail outlets.

How have you come out of a turbulent 2020, and what lessons will you retain moving forward?

Even though last year seemed dire, it gave me the opportunity to look within, to slow down and have the time to focus on self-growth. I started to prioritise exercise, something that I now do every day. I also sought guidance from a number of life coaches as I looked to master time management and to untangle any unhealthy mental issues I may have had. Although, as yet, there’s no firm plan for the year ahead, these experiences have certainly helped me devise a blueprint for leading a better and healthier life.

Finally, if you won a US$10 million lottery prize tomorrow, what would be the first thing you would go out and buy?

I would invest in a farm or an orchard in Japan, perhaps somewhere in Hokkaido. That would allow me to become self-sufficient and perhaps even give me the opportunity to open a farm-to-table restaurant. That’s most definitely the dream.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Art Direction & Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Wardrobe: The Outnet
Hair & Make-up: Hoby Wong
Venue: Shoku Japanese Binchotan Grill

Renowned local artist Michael Lam on his HSBC Rainbow Lions statues and more…

Renowned for his groundbreaking surrealist artwork and being the mastermind behind HSBC’s “Rainbow Lions” statues, Hong Kong-based artist Michael Lam is not only one of the city’s brightest artists, but is also among its leading crusaders for LGBTQ rights.

Can you give us a glimpse of your childhood?

I grew up in rather straitened circumstances and didn’t have the easiest upbringing. My family ran a food hawker business in Hong Kong when I was a kid and I would get up at 5 o’clock every morning to help him set up for the day before heading off to school. After class, I would be back helping my parents pretty much every day.

How influenced were you by your subsequent education?

I attended local schools and never actually took any art courses or pursued a university degree. I’m very much a self-trained artist, with everything I’ve accomplished coming from research and personal experience. I feel that being educated in the arts – while a worthy pursuit for people looking to understand its history or hoping to take up a career in art procurement or something similar – would have hindered my own spiritual growth and artistic endeavours. Over the course of my career, my works have undeniably evolved and shifted. This, though, is a reflection of my personal journey rather than being down to the impact of other artists on my style.

Do you see yourself as having always been destined for an artistic career?

Well, I was interested in art and design from early age. In fact, I originally dreamt of becoming a designer. Later I discovered that came with many restrictions and the need to stick to particular guidelines, something I believed would only hamper my creative vision. Ultimately, I chose to immerse myself in the field of fine art field, which allowed me to focus solely on bringing my artistic designs to life. I didn’t jump right into an art career though. In fact. prior to becoming a full-time artist, I worked in sales as well as in product merchandising. It wasn’t until after the SARS outbreak, around 2003, that I decided to take the plunge.

Where do you find inspiration?

It comes, largely, from my subconscious. I use colours and ink to transform my mind’s fantasy world into surreal works of art.

How would you describe your artistic style?

My creations are mainly abstract in concept and feel, tending to combine Chinese calligraphy and art to create truly surrealist works. In this, I was hugely influenced by the works of the renowned Spanish artist Salvador Dali, having long been very attracted to the bizarre yet striking images that characterise his art.

“I use colours and ink to transform my mind’s fantasy world into surreal works of art”

What are your proudest accomplishments to date?

I’m honestly blown away by the great reception any of my pieces have garnered. Of all my works, though, I’d say I’m proudest of two in particular. The first is my role in the rebranding of Cathay Pacific’s inflight magazine, Discovery. It amazes me that my artwork fronts the publication and is seen by people from all across the world. Another highlight for me was being commissioned to create statues for HSBC’s Rainbow Lions campaign. My statues, which I crafted in line with the principles of feng shui, stand as symbols of inclusivity and unity – causes I hold dear to my heart – and have been installed in Hong Kong and in a number of other locations around the world.

What are your current projects and which particularly excite you?

A number of my latest creations are now on show at the Jade Gallery, courtesy of an arrangement made by my agent, Youmei Zhen. Recently, I ‘ve also been undertaking bespoke work on a range of lifestyle accessories, including wine bottle carriers and high fashion items. This has seen me working for clients on an ad hoc basis, allowing me to ensure that each unique statement piece exactly matches an individual purchaser’s tastes.

You are very prominent supporter of the cause of LGBTQ rights in Hong Kong. Where do you see the city ranking on the more global scene in terms of tolerance and enlightened views?

It’s no secret that, while Hong Kong is a diverse society, it’s still somewhat more conservative than many other cosmopolitan cities. At present, the issue of LGBTQ rights still has a certain stigma, with many individuals treated unfairly because of what is perceived as their non-conventional identity, whether that’s at work, socially or even by their own family members.

For me, the best way to improve this situation is to encourage everyone – no matter who they are – to educate themselves with regard to LGBTQ culture. This is the only way they will gain a more inclusive and diversified mind frame that will, in turn, lead to an end to pre-conceived notions and discrimination at every level.

You are also known for donating works of art to various charities…

Yes, despite that, I don’t really see myself as a philanthropist, partly because I’m not wealthy enough to qualify for such a title. Essentially, I’m an ordinary artist who feels a need to give back to society. I feel that there are many people in Hong Kong who require help, as well as many causes that are deserving of extra support. Within my current capabilities, I do my part to give back to society by donating artworks and raising funds for various causes.

How do you choose which charities to support?

I’m always open to helping whichever organisation approaches me, as long as they’re doing something worthwhile. In terms of causes I personally hold dear, obviously anything related to ensuring LGBTQ equality or enhancing the rights of sexual minorities has a particular appeal – that’s why crafting the Rainbow Lions for HSBC meant so much to me.

Given that my family has suffered hugely on account of cancer – and I had personal experience of battling the disease a decade ago – supporting related research, as well as the provision of proactive care for patients, is another cause close to my heart. As is AIDS research, something else I’ve been involved with fundraising for.

Away from all that, what do you like to do with your free time?

To be honest, while I occasionally like hanging out with friends, I’m not a very social person by any stretch of the imagination. I find, for me, one of the most relaxing things is to just sit by myself, tucked away in the corner of a hotel bar, watching people interacting around me.

If you could meet any person, past or present, who would it be and why?

If I could go back in time, I would love to meet my mother and grandmother again. They were such an integral part of my upbringing and played key roles in shaping the person I am today. I miss them a lot and treasure the great advice they gave me on how to behave in life.

Finally, what’s left on your personal bucket list?

I really want to open a foundation geared to supporting the elderly in Hong Kong, particularly those with serious health conditions. I feel that, despite the government’s best efforts, the city still doesn’t have the infrastructure to help the most vulnerable members of our society. Given my own experience of my mother’s battle with cancer, I want to do everything I can to ensure older people have the support and care they need.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup

Photos: Jack Law

Art Direction & Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma

Wardrobe: SPY Henry Lau

Venue: Jade Gallery Company

Linderhof am Morgen: A deliciously aromatic scent courtesy of Aurora par Charles Wong Eau de parfum

Aurora par Charles Wong Eau de parfum, the perfume brand founded by renowned luxury lifestyle connoisseur and fragrance enthusiast Charles Wong, has recently unveiled an enticing new aroma in the form of the Linderhof am Morgen. We sat with Wong to find out more…

What led you to start Aurora par Charles Wong Eau de parfum?

The idea was sparked by my visit to the French region of Grasse, the world capital of perfume, during my birthday trip back in 2017. While there, I made my very first personally blended fragrance in one of the prestigious perfume house; after coming back to Hong Kong, a thought just came across my head that I should turn that into a product, my very own ‘design’, that’s how Aurora par Charles Wong was born.

*Charles Wong, founder of Aurora par Charles Wong Eau de parfum*

Tell us a little bit about your latest product, Linderhof am Morgen. What inspired it, and what does it smell like? What makes it so special?

The latest fragrance, ‘Linderhof am Morgen’, is my second fragrance, which was inspired by my visit in Linderhof, the former residence of the late Bavaria King, Ludwig II, in 2017. It was an early morning when I was visited, and the scenario is so surreal and impressive that I was spurred to capture it – a kind of airy, serene and fairytale like appeal, yet, one that’s equally majestic, splendid, elegant and real.

This new fragrance features a couple of my favorite scents in it: the blue hyacinth, the fig, the greenery elements, and an Asian element which I specifically asked my French perfumer to create – the Japanese tofu cream – to capture the lightness and purity of a white swan’s feather, which in turn pays homage the majestic creature that symbolises the Swan King, King Ludwig II himself.

The special thing about my fragrance is that the uniqueness of its creation. It pairs the creative direction from a Hong Konger and an expertise from a French perfumer, and is made in the world capital of perfume, Grasse, in France. Apart from using high quality ingredients and the rigorous workmanship, the decoration of each bottle of fragrance are all handcrafted by myself, made literally with my heart and soul.

How do perfumes add to our lives, and what goes into making them?

I always compare fragrance to invisible clothes, something that can’t be touched or seen but literally sparks the senses. Every person wearing the same fragrance will have a completely different interpretation and feeling, but one thing is for sure, it gives each of us joy and pleasure, something unique to one’s persona, attire and make-up.

Creating a refined fragrance requires not only passion but hard work, really, a courage to keep doing and trying, a great sense of style and sophistication is a plus, but it’s all down to the execution, and eyes on detail.

Thank you.

Eco Warrior: EcoDrive co-founder Yolanda Choy is on a crusade against single-use plastics

Yolanda Choy, co-founder of EcoDrive, is on a crusade to fight the burgeoning rise of single-use plastics.

By educating the public on the environmental damage caused by single-use plastics, EcoDrive co-founder Yolanda Choy hopes to create a greener, more sustainable future…

Tell us a little about your childhood.
I was born in San Francisco and grew up with my three sisters just outside the city in Burlingame, California. I stayed there until my graduation from high school before heading off to Indiana for university.

Did you have any particular career ambitions growing up?
I was a bit of a tomboy and wanted to be a fighter pilot and study at the US Naval Academy, but I ended up going to Purdue University and majoring in Aeronautical Engineering instead.

That’s when you moved to Hong Kong…
Yes. After graduating, my first job was with TVB as a news broadcaster and I did that for three years. I produced hard news and documentaries. Then I decided to go back to fashion because that’s where my family’s business roots lay.

When exactly did fashion enter your life?
To be honest, I grew up with it because my parents were in that industry. They had their own brands and were licensees for Givenchy and other big brands in the US. People see the glamour of fashion, but behind the scenes, it’s a tough business. I remember working afterschool at my father’s warehouse, handling small chores like ironing clothes from recently arrived shipments before repackaging them to be sent to the stores in pristine condition.

What led you to start EcoDrive?
A girlfriend of mine invited me to a screening of A Plastic Ocean at her office. At the end of the film, I was shocked at what I saw. I never knew that every single piece of plastic we’ve ever used is still on this earth today. In particular, Hong Kong’s recycling is broken, it doesn’t work. Soon after, I ended up having lunch with Laura Derry, who owns Prime PR, a PR company, to promote my business, Central Weddings, and we ended up talking about the plastic problem in Hong Kong and what we can do about it instead the entire time. I talked about A Plastic Ocean with her, and she said let’s do a screening of it, let’s tell everyone we know about the plastic story.

I knew none of my friends were aware of the plastic problem, and I wanted to share my new-found knowledge with them, to make a change. That’s how EcoDrive was born. After the screening, many of my friends contacted me in concern and said: “We have to do something about this. If you start something, I’d love to join you.” I thought, wow, maybe together we can create some impact for the environment locally.

Can you tell us about EcoDrive’s mission statement?
The mission statement is really to build awareness and encourage the reduction of single-use plastics. To fulfil this objective, we’ve split our board members into three teams – one focused on education, one to come up with community campaigns and a third to partner with corporates on sustainability initiatives and education. We’ve developed our own materials, presentations and screenings. We have our own film about single-use plastics, what is it, what can we do about it, and so forth. We give people different ideas on how they can make a difference to create a better, more sustainable world for future generations.

In terms of education, we used to go into schools and give talks, but we found that it wasn’t so impactful. So, we decided to create textbook readers to be incorporated into schools’ curriculums under general studies, and we raised enough funds to give these book to local schools for free.

We give people different ideas on how they can make a difference to create a better, more sustainable world for future generations.

Ultimately, our main goal is to focus on raising awareness about single-use plastics through education. However, we also organise community outreach programmes as well. For example, last year, we created a campaign titled “Enough Plastic”, where we got 50 celebrities to say no to single-use plastics. It was a hugely successful campaign and one of the biggest of its kind, and we were floored by the response and the support that we received. I was also hugely grateful to the celebrities for donating time for this worthy cause.

“The government really needs to educate people on what can be recycled, and to subsidise the collection of recyclable materials”

How does Hong Kong’s environmental consciousness ranks in the world?
Honestly, I hate to say it, but it’s not great. The environment as a priority for Hongkongers is very low, but actually, before the Covid-19 crisis, that was improving. The more people learnt, the more shocked they were at how we were negatively impacting the world for the generations to come.

How can we improve the situation?
Realistically speaking, though, I think the government really needs to educate people on what can be recycled, to afford and to subsidise the collection of plastic bottles and other recyclable materials, and to give more incentives to do so. If you put a monetary value on every single plastic bottle – let’s say five or 10 cents each – people would not be throwing them away on the street. They just need a little push.

Most people don’t even know what kind of plastics can be recycled in Hong Kong, but the list includes PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles, HTPE (High Density Polyethylene) containers like shampoos or detergents, and depending on the collector and where it’s going, plastic bags. Other than that, nothing else is allowed. This is where education plays a big part, because, by and large, many people might be throwing away things like takeaway containers, bubble tea glasses and so forth, and these contaminate the entire load, making the whole collection bin unrecyclable and sent to a landfill instead.

Also, sadly, nobody is willing to come and collect the used bottles unless you pay for it. Recycling is not charity, it’s not done by NGOs, it’s actually run by businesses. Right now, virgin plastic is cheaper than used plastic because its collection is too expensive, which becomes a major issue when you consider that 7.5 million plastic bottles are used every day.
The good news is that even though there’s no governmental initiative on this front, it’s a different story on the corporate side. For example, I’m on the working committee for another NGO called Drinks without Waste, which was initiated by beverage companies like Swire Coca Cola and Watson’s Water because they want to come up with a means to collect used bottles. The aim is to encourage Hongkongers as well as drinks suppliers to form a sustainable recycling system, one that sees used bottles collected for reuse rather than sent to fill our already-at-capacity landfills.

Swire Coca Cola, Alba and Baguio Green Group have also banded together to create the city’s first PET and HTPE processing plant, New Life Plastics, which will open at the end of this year at the Eco Park. The problem, though, is that they need 30 tonnes per day in order for it to operate efficiently, which is a staggering amount. That’s why we need to encourage people to join the cause, to ensure its long-term success.

“Recycling is not charity work, it’s not done by NGOs, it’s actually run by profit-seeking businesses”

You’ve also co-founded Central Weddings. How did that come about?
I wanted to go into a lifestyle business such as furniture and decorative pieces to get away from fashion. I proposed different ideas to the landlord at the time, and they actually said point blank that if I started a prestigious luxury wedding boutique, I’d get the space. The bridal gown business is quite interesting, because there’s little to no waste. We have a set number of samples to try, and each dress is then tailor-made for the client. Unlike fast fashion, we don’t have much inventory to sell at the end of each season.

Did your prior experience in the fashion industry with brands like Fendi and Dior help with this venture?
It’s completely different because previously I had worked in marketing and PR, and none of that helped at all. Fashion marketing is about selling the latest season’s collections to the media and the public, and in the bridal industry, we don’t really have that fast-paced change. Another thing we did in marketing was to create brand loyalty, but again, this isn’t so for weddings. Once a bride buys a dress, she’s not likely to come back. Our way of handling this, then, is to market through word of mouth and with collaborations with hotels, wedding planners, photographers and more to keep our image fresh.

During your downtime, how do you like to relax?
I have too many hobbies and interests, I love classical music, the piano, the violin… I love being outdoors and enjoy skiing, wake surfing, hiking, coasteering and watching my son play baseball. My family has been to Austria every year for the past five years, too. I just love the adventure of it all.

Who has been your biggest source of inspiration?
There have been so many, but the biggest would be my mother. I think Chinese parents are very critical of their children, and words can hurt, but my mother was exactly the opposite. She encouraged us to be happy and to work hard and be motivated to get good results, which is the greatest gift.

Finally, tell us something people don’t know about you.
I love to play bridge. It’s a bit of an open secret, though, because I’ve gotten everyone to play with me now.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law Art Direction & Styling:
Jhoshwa Ledesma Venue: Central Weddings
Wardrobe: black silk fringed dress worn over a wool skirt by Prada; outfits courtesy of second-hand designer store, The Hula

Creative Musings: Charles Lam on changing fashion trends and social media

Fashion key opinion leader Charles Lam speaks about initial challenges that he faced, changing fashion trends and the effect of social media

With hundreds of thousands of Instagram and other social media followers and a slew of collaborations with global luxury brands under his belt, digital fashion influencer Charles Lam is undoubtedly well established in the luxury fashion sphere…

What were the biggest challenges you encountered before becoming a leading social media fashion influencer?
The biggest challenge of all was there wasn’t any role model before me. Back then, there was no such thing as a key opinion leader (KOL) or fashion influencer. The term wasn’t there yet. I started with Instagram, which was purely for sharing photos then. By the time the term ‘fashion influencer’ came about, I was probably regarded a pioneer among the first generation. Unlike a teacher who wants to become a principal one day, I didn’t know where I was going. My parents once asked what I was doing because they didn’t have any clue. My friends asked if Instagram offered a career path and suggested for me to do something more solid. There were lots of doubts and I couldn’t tell them if I was going in the right direction. It was a very uncertain journey that I took. Many freelancers faced the same problem – at work one day, but perhaps unemployed the next day.

How did you overcome those challenges?
There is this Chinese saying: “Create wind and waves by yourself”. When the sea is calm, you have to make your own waves for someone to see you. Before I got to work with famous brands and signed legitimate projects, I tried to create many projects. I once owned a very small-scale brand that focused a lot on street wear, mainly shirts. It helped me reach lots of teenagers. You have to be proactive instead of waiting for opportunities to come. You need to create them instead of whining about why opportunities didn’t go your way.

What was the single most important achievement of your C1 Production multimedia company in the past year or two?
The most important was the recent project that we did for Chanel Coco Crush in which I took charge of the whole process, from brainstorming to presenting ideas to the client and the production and post production teams. Everything went smoothly and the client was very happy since almost 100 percent went according to the original idea that I proposed. It’s actually experimental for a jewellery brand to do this type of work in which I injected lots of our own daily life clips into the video that we produced. I think the jewellery we wear truly captures our unique personalities.

“You need to be proactive instead of whining about missed opportunities”

What new projects does C1 Production plan to undertake?
We’ve always been doing videos for Instagram use that’s always been under one minute. But we’re now exploring videos of longer duration because people tell me that C1 Production is not just a production house, but more of a storyteller. We can tell a story within one minute, but we’ll explore videos of longer duration, like three-minute music videos or short movies so we can further enhance the storytelling aspect. We have lots of messages that we would like to communicate. Before 2020, we had been consistently travelling. The work that we’d been doing was very sharp and very short. Since we’re all in Hong Kong this year, we’re thinking of doing more complex, larger-scale storytelling, using bigger sets perhaps or longer shooting times that might take two to three months. I would like to expand C1 Production’s horizon so its work is not confined to just photography and videography, but all are further geared towards creativity.

How do you conceptualise creative ideas for new projects? Is it divine inspiration, research or brainstorming with your colleagues?
The conceptualisation process is always random. I learned, though, how to become more systematic when I was in the university, where I took up advertising design. We were taught how to answer a “how-to-get-to” brief, including identifying who the audience is, what you want to tell them through methods on how you do things. This concept is always on my mind. But concepts and ideas come randomly, and you cannot force them. They sometimes appear in my dreams, but they fade away. So, when I wake up, I try to remember my dreams. I believe ideas also come from music, movies, dramas, everything so I always explore the world through all types of art magazines, and now, through social media. I always browse through different [web] pages and I save lots of posts that demonstrate how they do their editing, how they tell a story, what angles people are using. We don’t copy since research trigger your thoughts to come up with new ideas.

As a fashion KOL, what do you regard as the single most important development in Hong Kong’s fashion industry in the past year or two?
I think the most significant change in Hong Kong and across the world is the decline of “fast fashion”. Fast-fashion houses, like H&M, ZARA and other brands, very very big before. But today, even top brands are closing down outlets. I think there’s a change in trends and people’s mindsets. There is now a shift in focus from quantity towards quality. With Covid-19 in Hong Kong, people may not be shopping as much as before, so they can save up and purchase quality clothes, essentially buying less but more selectively, unlike before. I think fast fashion will continue fading away.

“The most signifiant change in Hong Kong’s fashion scene is the decline of fast fashion”

In the future, what major new fashion trends do you foresee in Hong Kong?
Changes in fast fashion will definitely continue. Individualism will also become a very huge trend. I think people will try to express themselves in more ways because of the rise of different types of social media, like Tiktok. People will try to create fashion in their own ways, like using a pillow to create their own dress. All kinds of very personalised fashion will emerge. People are no longer afraid, and even men have their nails polished and sport all types of hair colours which are very bold and game changing. People will also go for very niche designers who are rising up very quickly. Because of digital platforms, I can, for instance, reach out to a designer in Dubai or in any part of the world.

In what ways can social media bring positive changes to Hong Kong’s fashion scene?
I always think that social media offer different opportunities to lots of people like myself. Recently, Hong Kong Fashion Week was held on social media because a physical show couldn’t be done. Social media serve as a very good platform for everyone to let people know about events. Also, I’m seeing more and more collaboration between different brands and designers through Instagram and Tiktok. It’s all about collaborating and making noises and sparkles between maybe two totally different brands, like for instance Mercedes and Prada and a fashion designer, and creating something that is totally new. Crossover is a term that’s been there for 10 years, but it remains very strong. I would be collaborating and crossing over in some of my future projects. I foresee more crossovers for major brands, like Prada and Dior, and even for small brands as this could fast track their expansion and reach.

Thank you.

Interview by: Jun Concepcion Photos: Jack Law
Fashion Styling & Art Direction: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Hair: Alex Blue (@Orient 4)
Venue: Rosewood Hong Kong
Wardrobe: Dior, Celine, Gucci, Demo, Versace, Louis Vuitton
Jewellery: Piaget

Stretch Master: PURE Group’s Almen Wong on yoga’s myriad benefits

Once a stalwart of Hong Kong’s film and fashion scenes, Almen Wong, co-founder of PURE Group, found a new calling as a yoga instructor and ambassador…

You’re a veteran of Hong Kong’s fashion and movie scene. How did that happen and was that always what you aspired to do?
Actually, I never had any plans to join either industry. I was already working in the garment industry and merchandising business when it all happened by chance. Growing up, I was an absolute tomboy, so I enrolled into a modelling course to learn to be more feminine. Once I finished that, I placed my CV with a few agencies, and I ended up being called for a casting with Elle Magazine. I landed the job, and after that very first fashion shoot, the fashion editor took a shine to me and I wound up signing several jobs with them.
I never thought I could make it a full career, but I continued for about seven or eight years. I also landed my first movie role then, and I went on to work with other amazing actors and directors after that.

Is there any shoot that remains close to your heart?
Honestly there are so many, but the one that made the biggest impression on me was that first shoot for ELLE Magazine. I didn’t know what was expected for me, it started at 6am in the middle of summer and we were shooting heavy fall and winter apparel for the upcoming season. It was such an effortless process, though, and an entirely new experience for me.

What drew you to yoga then?
I’ve always been a very active person. I love exercising and exploring new sports to spice up my fitness routine. Yoga was one of those things that I tried out for fun, and I just fell in love with it. The interesting thing is that although I was pretty proficient with other sports, I really struggled with this. I could only do about 60 percent of the poses, and it was quite a shock to me. I kept going back and trying it repeatedly because the challenge of mastering the stretches was very enticing.

“Yoga was one of those things that I tried out for fun, and I just fell in love with it”

What then led you to co-found PURE Group?
It was always in the back of my mind that after my modelling and movie career, I wanted to have my own gym or fitness centre. So, it was quite a coincidence when Colin, who is now the CEO of PURE Group, approached me to start a fitness and yoga studio in Hong Kong. This was actually what led me to start yoga teacher training, firstly because we struggled to find properly qualified teachers locally, and also because I wanted to better understand what was to become a core aspect of our business.

Can you share three ways that yoga can help a person’s wellbeing?
Yoga helps to improve our flexibility, strength and balance. Through the asana practice, which is the yoga posture practice, you stretch your bones and ligaments, while also stretching your internal organs. All this helps to keep the body healthy and generate blood flow to place where you normally wouldn’t reach. It’s really good for overall wellbeing.
Hong Kong is a particularly fast-paced, stressful city to live in, and it’s important to keep exercising to boost your immune system and mental wellness. Yoga is a great way to achieve all this.

How has Hong Kong’s perception of yoga evolved over time?
In the past, not that many people knew about yoga. But ever since PURE Group introduced it to Asian countries – and Hong Kong in particular – they have started coming to practice and experience the benefits of yoga through their own bodies. They’ve realised it’s not just a bunch of stretching exercises, but also a means of boosting muscle strength and mental health as well.
When we started our first yoga studio about 18 years ago, we probably had classes of just 20 people. That grew to 50 students, and then we branched out into different locations… Now, we’ve expanded to 40 branches across Asia, which is fantastic. We still want to continue to foster a better and broader awareness of yoga, though, and help people understand it’s a great fitness tool for everyone, no matter their background.

How does Hong Kong’s yoga scene compare to its international counterparts?
Hong Kong is such an international city. We actually react to many new trends extremely quickly, be it fashion, make-up or fitness. We were one of the first cities to accept yoga and locals here actually incorporated this practice into their daily lives quite early on, so we’re very similar to the developed markets in Western countries.

“Online yoga classes at PURE have surged in popularity with the onset of Covid-19”

What does an average day for you look like now versus pre-Covid times?
Before the coronavirus pandemic, I was pretty much wholly involved with studio classes, interspersed with occasional video shoots as online tutorials for our students. Covid-19’s arrival, though, heralded lockdowns and closures, but there’s a saying that when a door closes, a window opens, and that really applies to PURE and my work.
Nowadays, my daily routine is equally split between studio and online classes. We had already started setting up a digital platform to provide an additional means for our students to practice yoga, but now we’ve really ramped that up with multiple digital lessons each day. It really is the best way to reach students who prefer to practice at home, or cannot attend session in person due to various reasons. These online classes have become super popular, and we’re looking to expand our programmes in the near future!

Other than yoga, what other hobbies do you like to indulge in?
I love doing outdoor activities with my husband and kids, particularly hiking and water sports. I actually just did some stand-up paddle boarding yesterday with my husband. Mountain biking is also another hobby, though I tend to do that abroad as Hong Kong’s trails are slightly more advanced than my current capabilities…

Finally, if you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I’ve been spending more time with my mum recently since her house is currently being renovated, and where I live in the Mid-Levels is actually where my mother had her first job. She was born during the ’30s when Hong Kong was really experiencing difficult times, and at the tender age of 12, she was already working as a nanny. I want to travel back to meet her at that point, and to tell my mum to hang in there, and that she will eventually have a great life with four daughters who will spoil her rotten.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Fashion Styling & Art Direction: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Venue: Marvellous Suite, W Hong Kong
Wardrobe: Versace, Giuseppe Zanotti, Dolce & Gabbana

Digital Maven: Mastermind behind Save HK, Adrian Ho has found a new calling

Adrian Ho, Executive Director of China Water & Energy Limited, on investing in clean energy in Xinjiang, and building a 185,000-strong following for his Facebook group, Save HK…

What was your childhood and upbringing like?
I grew up in the ’80s in Hong Kong, and my childhood, to this day, is one of the best periods of my life. I grew up in a very traditional family with strong family values. I have two siblings that I’m still close with to this day, and our parents were wonderful providers who ensured we never needed to worry about anything except school, which was truly a blessing.

Tell us about your parents and the impact they had on you.
My father is a businessman and my mother was a full-time homemaker, so she stayed home to take care of three kids. Everything they did was in the best interest of the family, and it still is to this day. I was raised in a very strict, traditional Chinese family and my parents had very high expectations for my siblings and myself, and that in turn made us expect more of ourselves as well. I am so grateful and I feel so lucky for their support.

What path did your education take?
Growing up, I was enrolled in a local school in Hong Kong. During that time, there was an immigration wave of people migrating to Canada, including many of my relatives, but my parents chose to stay and put us through the education system here. I went to La Salle Primary School, then to La Salle College.
At 13, I moved to become a boarding student at the Repton School in Darbyshire, UK for five years. After graduating, I wanted to see something new and make a change after five years in the UK, so I enrolled in a university in the US. I was admitted to the Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania, and I got my bachelor’s degree in finance there in 2000. Back then, I didn’t want to pursue a career in finance, but it was one of the most popular majors, and one that my parents encouraged.

How did you start your professional career?
After graduating, I returned to Hong Kong. I had been away from home for nine years, and despite the outbreak of the Asian Financial Crisis, I wanted to return to the city and my family. I started working for a local investment bank for three years, before moving onto a Taiwanese boutique investment firm with a much more Western work culture. In all, I was a banker for seven years.

Why did you give up banking?

It actually came about because my friend and I were having a conversation about a hot topic at the time, and because it was not related to finance, I had absolutely no idea. I realised that my world was completely immersed in the finance and banking sphere, and anything beyond that was foreign to me. I wanted to expand my horizons from that, so I quit banking and started my own business.

“I wanted to expand my horizons, so I quit banking and started my own business”

Tell us about your company, China Water & Energy Limited, and your wind energy projects in Xinjiang.
We started off importing high-quality foreign disinfectant products into Hong Kong. After two years, though, we were overrun by bigger businesses with better funding, so we knew we had to evolve into something else. Coincidentally, we were introduced into the energy sector. I’ve always been interested in the environmental business, conservation and protection, and I wanted to get into that. We were introduced to wind energy when we consulted on a wind energy project for some folks who had worked for GE Energy Finance, and we realised we should pursue this in China in an investor capacity. At the time, wind energy was already a mature industry there, so we wanted to find a less developed location with untapped potential. That’s why we chose Xinjiang and today we invest in wind farms there.

How has Covid-19 impacted your daily routine?
To be honest, even before the pandemic, the bulk of my work was done remotely over the phone or through emails, so the only real difference is the lack of travel. My schedule used to vary from flying weekly to once a month into China, and that has definitely been put on pause now.

What led you to start Save HK? When did you found it?
Our Facebook group Save HK actually just celebrated its first-year anniversary. It actually came about as a beautiful coincidence. My friend and I were talking about the situation in Hong Kong, how troublesome and chaotic it had become. He was the one who suggested opening a social media group to let close friends and family talk about the current situation and Hong Kong’s future safely without being judged or attacked, particularly because at that time, it wasn’t popular to voice certain opinion.
That very night, we started the group with five or six close friends. To tell you the truth, we never envisioned it would grow to become what it is today, it was just supposed to be for us. Then word started to get out that there is a closed Facebook group for people to voice their opinions and suddenly, it became very popular amongst rational Hong Kong people. The rest is history, and today we have 185,000 members.

Can you tell us what Save HK’s philosophy is all about?
Basically we are a closed Facebook group that encourages our members to voice their opinions and share their vision for Hong Kong’s future. In particular we want to maintain a safe space for people to be able to talk about the recent troubles without judgment and how we can help Hong Kong become better. We also want to leverage our presence into offline activities that can help Hongkongers, such as charity work to help people in need. In terms of future plans, we hope to expand our charitable activities to help even more people in Hong Kong, while also trying to unite more rational people to help each other during these hard times.

What is the secret to Save HK’s success?
I think it’s because we are able to accommodate a wider spectrum of opinions, even among the rational set. I think this is how we differentiate ourselves from similar groups, because they only allow a much narrower spectrum of opinions.
Also, when we started Save HK, there was a huge reliance on the founders to maintain the group with different posts and opinions and comments. So I believe one of the biggest reasons for our success is that the group’s founders all come from a very similar background with a similar point of view. From the beginning, I think people realised that we were rational, educated and civilised people, and I think other like-minded people were very drawn to finding this safe space.
As I mentioned, the original idea was never to have 185,000 members. Our growth was 100 percent driven by word of mouth, and today you see members from different parts of the world, different careers and education and an even broader purview than our original niche positioning.

What are Save HK’s biggest successes?
With the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, we at Save HK wanted to help the community so we started to brainstorm on some ideas. One of those was to distribute masks and disinfectant products to those in need. We’ve done a few trips around town to low-income areas to ensure they have enough supplies during this difficult time. We also recently held an online fundraising concert in June and we were able to raise over HK$500,000 for two local charities that primarily help single-parent families as well as children from a low-income background, so I’m very proud of that as well.

“Save HK’s growth was 100 percent driven by word of mouth… we now have 185,000 members”

Any upcoming projects or collaborations?
Actually, we just finished an exciting project. A new song was written and composed by a Save HK member, and I arranged it to be performed by several KOLs. It was just released this morning, and it pays tribute to front-line medical workers, especially the ones who came from China. It’s very meaningful and I’m very proud of it.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
A family elder once told me that success can only be determined in a 20-year timeframe. What you do now, be it failure or achievement, can only be deemed as such in hindsight. If you’ve stumbled, don’t give up, the race isn’t finished.

What’s a secret people don’t know about you.
I’ve never watched Titanic, nor do I want to.

RAPID-FIRE ROUND
Favourite movie: Die Hard
Favourite movie quote: “Sometimes you just got to say what the F, make your move” – Risky Business
Biggest item on your bucket list: To write a song
Favourite sport: Wrestling
The Rock or Stone Cold: Stone Cold by a hair. When I saw my first Wrestlemania in Boston, that’s when he won his first championship.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Venue: Bertie’s Cigars

Management Star: As Director of Business Development for Keyestone Group, Edwin Pun occupies many roles

Sitting in the plush Cotton Tree Drive Suite of The Murray, Hong Kong, Keyestone Group Director Edwin Pun discusses his passions, projects and more…

Tell us a little about your family background.

I grew up in a very lively and close-knit family. I have five siblings, and we’re all extremely close. It was definitely a very noisy house growing up, but one that was full of love. My parents have always been extremely supportive of all of us, and allowed us to choose our own path without fail.

For example, when I was a kid, I was first enrolled in a local school, but I couldn’t really fit into that system. While I wasn’t bullied or depressed or anything, I did struggle a little to find friends and I think my mindset was very different, so I really wanted to join an international school instead, one that would be more broad-minded and welcoming. When I approached my parents about it, they were fully accepting and allowed me to enrol at the Australian International School instead.

And where did your path take you after that?

After graduating from high school, I then completed my undergraduate degree at George Washington University in the US, majoring in international business and finance. After that, I returned to Hong Kong with the aim of becoming a management consultant. I’d always wanted to join that industry, because I thought it was so cool. There’s a lot of exposure, every day is different, you get to deal with a variety of clients and projects… after college, I was ready to start solving big problems.

Unfortunately, my graduation coincided with the global financial crisis and the job scene was quite bleak. That’s when I decided to join the family business, Keyestone Group, instead. It definitely wasn’t the career trajectory that I’d imagined for myself, but it was extremely rewarding, particularly given that I had to be very flexible and learn skills on the job. Be it understanding the materials used in construction, the approval process with the government, collaborating with designers… it was a seriously steep learning curve, and no one person could have taught me all the skills I needed, it all had to be acquired through experience.

Did you ever return to your first love, management consulting?

Actually, yes. It did take some doing though. While I was already working at Keyestone, in the back of my mind, I still wanted to give management consulting a serious go. But when I talked to people in the industry, the feedback I got was that even though I had lots of experience in the construction industry, as an undergraduate degree holder without a specialisation like engineering or accounting, I would have to undertake further education. That’s when I decided to enroll at the University of Southern California to pursue an MBA degree. Once I had that qualification, I finally got into consulting. It was just for two years, but it really changed the way I viewed management. It was really valuable in furthering my career, because it taught me how to implement all the theoretical knowledge I’d acquired in the real world, be it driving change, implementing new systems, bringing new projects to fruition… it basically taught me lifelong skills in running a company. It really gave me a strong foundation that still serves me well as a Director of Keyestone Group.

“From construction to design to development to internal admin… I wear a lot of hats”

What do you feel are the benefits of working in a family business, and how large an impact have your parents had on your life and career?

My father is pretty much one of the most hard-working people I know. It’s not uncommon for him to work on Saturdays, and even the occasional Sunday. My mum is also very diligent, but beyond that she knows how to work smartly. I really admire her, having juggled raising all of us while still maintaining a successful career all at the same time. I thinking having that kind of background, I always see them as the benchmark for perseverance, determination and business acumen.

I actually rejoined Keyestone Group at the behest of my father. After being a management consultant for a couple of years, he was the one who said it was time to come back to the fold and take my place in the business. As I mentioned, we’re a very close family with very ingrained family values, so when he suggested my return, I felt it was my duty to do so, to continue the family legacy. Of course, simultaneously, I was very excited to undertake new projects and responsibilities as well.

I think the luxury of working in a family business is that if I failed, I failed in a safe environment and there was always a support system to share that burden. Equally importantly, it gives me the freedom to raise new ideas without fear of judgment.

So, as Keyestone Group’s Director of Business Development, what does your job entail exactly?

I oversee everything from construction to designs to a lot of business development, day-to-day operations, internal administration… I tend to wear a lot of hats, so it’s difficult to pinpoint just one or two things that come under my purview. It really depends on the phase of whatever phase a given project is at, and what exactly we’re working on at any given time. It’s quite a wide spectrum and I’m very involved in every aspect of what happens in the company.

What is the most challenging aspect of your work, and what is the most rewarding?

I would say perhaps the most challenging aspect is continually encouraging originality and creativity from our employees while still maintaining a high standard of work. Constantly driving that kind of imagination and innovation as part of our corporate culture is difficult, particularly as Hong Kong’s work ethic is such that many follow a more by-the-book approach and are uncomfortable with raising new ideas or standing out too much.

The most rewarding part of my job is definitely seeing a project completed. It’s always gratifying when, after years of hard work, you see your vision come to fruition.

Are there any new projects on the horizon that you’re particularly excited for?

Actually, we are currently working on several developments, including some residential projects. A particularly exciting venture we’re currently involved with, though, is a mixed-use development that encompasses a theme park, a hotel, retail spaces as well as a portion for commercial sales. The theme park is due to open in 2024, and it’s something that’s really exciting for me personally, particularly because the calibre of the creative minds and designers that we’re bringing onboard are industry leaders who are at the top of their game. It wows me because it’s a very novel concept, one that I think will be something of a game changer. I can’t share its name just yet, but watch this space…

Finally, what’s at the top of your wish list?

This may sound silly, but I’d love to be able to enjoy family meals without discussing work. It’s kind of a hazard of running a family business, where my siblings, father and I always branch off to talk about current projects or upcoming meetings… It would be nice to enjoy dinners as just a regular family gathering sometimes!

Thank you.

Interview: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Jack Law
Styling & Art Direction: Jhoshwa Ledesma
Hair: Steve@HAiR
Make-up: KeiKei Ng
Wardrobe: Salvatore Ferragamo, Brunello Cucinelli
Venue: The Murray, Hong Kong

Category: Interview

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