Where actress-turned-entrepreneur Fanny Sieh goes, others inevitably follow…

Fanny Sieh, co-founder and co-owner of restaurant group Maximal Concepts, shares her top tips for leading a balanced lifestyle and finding entrepreneurial success…

So, how did it all begin for you?

Well, I was born and brought up in Hong Kong by two fantastic parents. My dad ran a successful business in the textile industry and, looking back, I think he was the perfect example of that first generation of Shanghainese entrepreneurs who made it big in Hong Kong back then. I will be forever grateful for how they brought me up. They’re the ones who motivated me to become a Grade A student, while encouraging me to try a range of different hobbies, ballet, tennis, swimming… All in all, I’d say I had a perfect childhood.

Your education was a little unconventional…

True. I started out at Maryknoll Convent School in Kowloon Tong, where English was the primary teaching language. This made me quite Westernised at a young age. At 13, I took the initiative and applied to a few prestigious prep schools on the East Coast of the US. I was eventually accepted by Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts.

And New York was next…

As you might imagine, nothing terribly exciting happens in Massachusetts. So, to compensate, I won a place at NYU and headed off for four very exciting years. It exposed me to people from all walks of life – Wall Street corporates, fashionistas, the arty brigade…

My major was English Literature and Humanities and, at the time, I had plans to become a psychiatrist. In the end, though, I returned to Hong Kong to work in the film industry instead. It was around that time that I really got involved with the local social scene, eventually coming to be regarded as the Queen of the Ball.

You’ve long been a champion of the healthier lifestyle. What’s the appeal there?

Oh, I love living as healthily as possible. It makes me feel lighter and more energetic, while I also sleep better, have a better complexion and even a transformed aura. Adopting this particular lifestyle has definitely changed me and only for the better.

It even led you study for degree at San Francisco Cooking School. Did that give you any particular healthy eating insights?

Firstly, I’d say, always eat what’s best for your body – you really are what you eat. Don’t go overboard with carbs and meat – throw in a few veggies and fruits. Secondly, stay away from animal fats, junk food and sweets. Swap them for healthier nibbles – avocado, salmon and natural salt-free nuts. Finally, do some research. Study nutrition and take the time to read labels when you go shopping to work out what’s healthy and what’s not. Of course, healthy eating is only part of healthy living. Exercising regularly is very important, and you also need to cultivate a healthy state of mind.

As co-founder and co-owner of Maximal Concepts, the company behind a number of Hong Kong’s best regarded restaurants – notably Mott 32, Blue and Brickhouse – has your love of healthy eating informed them?

Definitely. We currently have eight restaurants, but my favourite is Mott 32. It’s an East-meets-West Chinese restaurant. While it doesn’t only serve vegetarian food, healthy eating and sustainable food quality are very much part of its DNA. Our concept is to get ingredients fresh from the farm to the table. We’ve also banned MSG, cut down on the salt and refined sugar content and prioritised the use of fresh herbs and seasonings.

What’s next for Maximal Concepts then?

We’re very excited about Mott 32’s global roll-out. We opened our first Vancouver branch last year, with Bangkok soon to follow. The one I am most looking forward to, though, is our Las Vegas launch. While I can’t give you an exact date just yet, just watch this space…

As a successful businesswoman, what do you think are the key attributes that an entrepreneur needs to have?

The key is ASK – attitude, skill, knowledge – and a willingness to learn. Take notice of the world around you – its politics, its economic realities and the kind of people you find yourself among. That’s how you can spot trends at a very early stage, well before they fully emerge. Most importantly, don’t let tunnel vision hinder your mindset. Have a clear vision and try to make that a reality. I always bear in mind what Michelangelo said: “Every block of stone has a statue inside. The sculptor’s task is to find it.”

What advice would you give to the women out there who are thinking about starting their own businesses?

Don’t be a follower, be a leader – though that’s quite a challenge in the social media-fixated world of today. Basically, don’t let negative comments distract you from achieving your goals. There will always be people looking to tell you that certain things are beyond you, especially if you are a woman. Ignore all that. You’re not here to satisfy those people or to win their approval.

Thank you.

To read the full version of this interview, please check out the latest September 2018 issue of Gafencu’s print magazine or the PDF version on the Gafencu app. Download the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Neville Lee
Art Direction & Styling: San Wong
Jewellery: Exclusively from Bulgari
Make-up: Irene Hung
Hair: Michael Lo @ LA BIOSTHETIQUE

Ella Lau on her life-long love of children, education and philanthropy

As founder and supervisor of Parkview International Pre-School (PIPS), Ella Lau is in a class of her own

What can you tell us about your own school days?

I attended junior high school in Hong Kong, and then went to high school in the US. Back then, fashion was my passion, so I enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California with a view to studying merchandising and management.

How did you then enter the world of education?

I’ve always loved children. In school I spent my free periods serving milk and cookies to the kindergarten classes. Once I graduated, I always made time to hang out with my married friends and their kids. My father noted my interest and encouraged me to channel my passion into a career.

How did you end up helming PIPS?

Again, I have my father to thank for it. At the time, he was friends with Hwang Chou-Shiuan, the man behind the development of Hong Kong’s Parkview housing estate project. It was this connection that helped us get approval to open a kindergarten within the site. PIPS opened its doors for the first time in 1989, nearly 30 years ago.

What was the original concept behind the PIPS project?

Well, aside from creating a dedicated pre-school for the residents of Parkview, we wanted to create a high-quality bilingual early-learning programme that taught children to think creatively. I believe this is essential to position them for success in a world that seems increasingly complex and ever-changing.

How has PIPS kept its competitive edge?

Well, we always try to stay a little ahead. We were the first independent kindergarten to adopt the International Baccalaureate (IB)’s Primary Years Programme (PYP). Two years ago, our Kowloon campus was also accorded IB PYP status.

Beyond that, it’s the happy and positive learning environment that our staff strives to nurture that sets us apart. We also put a lot of effort into reassuring and supporting our students when it’s time for them to move onto the next stage of their education.

Do you have any other new projects looming?

Actually, now that PIPS has a new school board in place and a new principal on board, we’re back into expansionist mode and are looking at both local opportunities and a few ideas that are beyond Hong Kong’s borders.

Do you have any advice for young parents?

Well, for better or worse, Hong Kong is the kind of place where parents focus almost exclusively on the academic success of their children. Those kids that do well academically can get away with almost anything.

It is hugely important, though, to remember that not all children excel in book learning. With this in mind, parents need to accept the multiple intelligences of their kids – some may be gifted when it comes to music or the arts, while others may find sporting success. Encouragement of these talents is critical for a child’s positive self-image.

As a noted philanthropist, are there any causes particularly close to your heart?

Although I’ve never considered taking singing up professionally, music has always been a passion of mine. A few years back, I found myself in a studio recording for a CD and it was something I enjoyed enormously.

It was this love of music that led to my involvement with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Having performing them onstage during a fundraiser, I was invited to help organise one of their charity concerts. Despite having no experience of staging a concert, I agreed to chair the organising committee. That concert ended up raising over HK$5 million. I’ve since done similar work for the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra as well.

I’m also on the Board of Directors of HK Spinal Cord Injury Foundation and serve as Vice-Chairman for Hong Kong Foodlink, which helps provide hot meals for the needy, another cause that’s close to my heart.

If you could live your life over again, is there anything you would change?

As someone who has always loved children, I often wonder what it would have been like to have a child of my own. If I could do it all again, I think that would be the one thing that I would change. I have been fortunate enough to have a number of nephews and nieces that I am very close to, so that has been some compensation.

How would you like to be remembered?

My philosophy has always been to create happiness and to help others whenever possible. Ultimately, then, I hope I’ll be remembered as a kind, happy-go-lucky person whose positive vibes brightened the lives of those around her.

Thank you.

Interview by: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Neville Lee
Make-up and Hair: Celia Chong @ Celia C. Makeup
Location: Parkview Clubhouse and Suites

Cruise Controller: Loui Lim truly has a Dream job…

Loui Lim, the youngest son of Malaysian billionaire, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, looks poised to carry on his family’s legacy. At just 29, he’s the Director of Dream Cruises Holding Limited, Dream Cruises Management Limited and Genting Dream Limited and also the Vice President, Brand Strategy, Marketing and Communications of Dream Cruises.

Gafencu reporter Suchetana Mukhopadhyay talks to Loui Lim about his Dream job and beyond…

You had quite an unusual childhood…

I actually grew up across three different continents. I was born in Australia, spent much of my early childhood in Malaysia and was then educated in the UK. Many of my earliest memories are of painting. I was quite artistic as a child. I’d spend a lot of time in the garden with a pencil and a sheet of paper, doodling away at whatever caught my fancy.

Given your diverse experiences, is there any place you are particularly attached to?

I spent my formative years in the UK, so it holds a very special place in my heart. When I first arrived in London, I was particularly drawn to the cultural contrast between the very posh neighbourhoods of West London and the very gritty, very hipsterey feel of East London.

As the son of a successful businessman, do you feel a particular pressure to excel?

Children born high-profile families inevitably feel a certain kind of pressure and this obviously intensifies if you are working for the family business. I know my father faced a similar pressure from his own father when he first joined the business. It is his success that inspires me.

Given that you have management positions across several family businesses, how do you ensure you have enough time for everything?

It can, indeed, be difficult to manage you time when you have a multi-faceted role to play. You need great organisational skill, something I am still trying to master. Overall, though, there is no clear answer and you just have to attack everything head on.

With the cruise sector becoming ever more cluttered, how does Dream Cruises manage to stand out?

Dream Cruises is uniquely focused on catering to Asian guests, with World Dream in Hong Kong/Guangzhou to service to the China and North Asian market and Genting Dream in Singapore for the Southeast Asian market.

Our itineraries encompass popular destinations around the region from the islands of Okinawa to Phuket and Ko Samui in Thailand, Halong Bay in Vietnam and North Bali, Indonesia.

We offer all the home comforts and services that Asian people have come to expect. As a company of Asian origin, I believe we understand the needs of our customers far better than any of our competitors.

Tell us a bit more about another of your businesses – Crystal Air Cruises…

It’s been an exciting year for Crystal Air and we have just stared operating a Boeing 777 service. As you know, Boeing 777s are commercially-proportioned airplanes and would normally accommodate up to 300 passengers. We, however, have customised it, optimising its use for just 88 travellers. It now offers leather flatbed seats, gourmet chefs, multilingual attendants and executive-class comfort.

With luxury travel booming right now, how are you looking to capitalise on this?

There is, indeed, a surge in demand for luxury travel at the moment. People are not just looking for a generic experience, they want something unique and inspirational. And they’re willing to pay for it. Our businesses are very well positioned to capitalise on this trend as they can provide genuinely immersive and inspirational experiences. On Dream Cruises, for instance, we frequently invite motivational speakers, wellness gurus and similar inspirational individuals to come onboard.

We’re also planning to launch two more global-class ships, both of which will harness the very latest in artificial intelligence, voice and facial recognition technology and many other digital innovations. These ships will offer a state-of-the-art VR experience, as well as water parks, amusement areas and even a roller coaster. Come 2020, we will launch the world’s largest mega-yacht, purpose-built to sail to Antarctica.

Do any of your recent travels stand out as particularly memorable?

Well, we organised a special New Year’s itinerary for Crystal Skye. This saw us fly our guests to Sydney to watch the New Year countdown fireworks over Sydney Harbour. Then we flew them back in time, travelling across continents so they could experience the New Year countdown again, this time on the sandy beaches of Honolulu. That was an incredible experience and one I will never forget.

In term of your charity work, are there causes that particularly appeal to you?

There’s this great charity, Impact Hong Kong, which helps get homeless people off the street. It finds them jobs, provides them with accommodation and gives them a second chance in life. It’s a great cause and I am planning to get more involved with it. Not so long ago, I’d attend social events for a number of charities, such as amfAR. Now, though, I’d much prefer to get involved at a face-to-face level, so that I could actually see that I was making a difference.

Thank you.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Photos: Neville Lee

Claudia Shaw

Claudia Shaw is a buyer and head of style advisory for Chanel and has also co-authored two cookbooks.