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The profiles in this book are presented with permission from individuals profiled. While Those Who Inspire Ltd has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of quotes and background information provided, the company cannot be held responsible for misquotes, factual errors, or information that is no longer up-to-date. The statements made by participating individuals are the opinions of said individuals alone and do not represent the views of Those Who Inspire Ltd. kong The company accepts no liability in the case of personal grievances or damages arising from these statements.

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Date: November 2016 www.thosewhoinspire.co ThoseWhoInspire thosewhoinspireco @ThoseWhoInspire

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2 those who inspire those who inspire 3

C M 022 096 Esther Ma 024 John Chan 098 Shalini Mahtani MBE 026 Kwong-hing Chan 100 Kim K.W. Mak 028 Paul Chi-yuen Chan 102 Andrew McAulay 030 Dato’ Cheah Cheng Hye 104 Simon Murray 032 Jennifer Cheng 034 Adrian Cheong 036 Anita S.K. Cheung N 038 Leong Cheung 106 Francis Ngai 040 Nicola Cheung Young 042 Kevin Ching 044 Alice Chiu 0 046 Alison Chiu 108 Gordon Oldham 048 Susanna Chiu 050 Laurel Chor 052 York Y.N. Chow in d ex R 110 Kim Robinson F 054 Yuen-wai Foo S 112 Dr Simon Shen 114 Yat Siu H 116 Barry John Smith 056 Cheong-leen Hilton 058 Angela Man-kay Ho 060 Sara Jane Ho T 062 Kevin Ho 118 David Tang 064 Albert Hui 120 Mimi Tang 122 Mui Thomas 124 Su-Mei Thompson I 126 Quin SQ Thong 066 Christine Ip 128 Jasper Tsang 068 Simon Ip Sik-on 130 Rex Tso 132 Gigi Tung K 070 Nickey Khemchandani W 072 Derek Kwik 134 Alexis Ching-wei 136 Rosanna Wong L 074 Danny Lai Y 076 Ni Quiaque Lai 138 Marjorie Yang 078 Chun-wing Lam 140 David Yeung 080 Loretta Lau 142 Ada Yip 082 Martin Lee 144 Douglas Young 084 Dr Rebecca Lee 146 Ricky Yu 086 Gabriel Wing-yi Lee 148 Andrew Yuen 088 Jennifer W.F. Liu 150 Betty Yuen 090 Alan Lo 092 Sally Lo MBE 094 Christine Loh THOSE WHO WILL INSPIRE 154 Yew San Cheah 156 Peggy Wu

158 those who inspire those who inspire 159 Why This Book Collection?

We believe in touching the lives of the youth by sharing local inspiring BE CURIOUS stories. READ BE INSPIRED

We had been trotting the globe for almost two decades, and by 2010, our life and work as an international communication agency had taken us to more than eighty countries.

Our job was exciting, and business was great, but we aspired to a deeper experience. We wanted to learn more about the countries we had come to love; we wanted to contribute more to the people of those countries.

6 those who inspire thosethose who who inspire inspire 21 7 We are also convinced that sharing story is more powerful if you But how? can identify with someone from your own country instead of looking up to foreign influences, which has been the driving force behind This is our story… our mission. We want our books to be authentic, cross-generational and accessible in both English and the local language when possible.

We launched our first book, Those Who Inspire: Oman, in December 2012, followed by Those Who Inspire: UAE in October While visiting Oman in 2010, our dear friend, the ex-Minister of 2014 and Those Who Inspire: Nigeria in September 2015. And Manpower and the Architect for Omanisation, Dr Juma Ali Juma, now, 2016 is the year for Those Who Inspire: Hong Kong. suggested: “Why not write a book?” This journey has been fuelled by passion. We were anxious at Over time, the idea inspired us more than we’d originally realised. times about leaving behind our safe and lucrative business in order We loved what we had been doing, but here was a chance to to embark fully into Those Who Inspire, but we are truly fulfilled pursue a passion... and excited to share the fourth book of our collection, with more to come. Which countries? Follow us on www.thosewhoinspire.co We were cognisant of inspiration being a constant spark throughout to find out more. l our own careers. But what, we asked ourselves, does it mean to actually inspire? Every new endeavour starts with inspiration, and it is what sees us through challenges, connects people and enables us to progress.

While there is no age limit for inspiration, we wanted to speak Delphine Barets Marlène Plomik especially to the youth. Over the years we have heard from leaders Founding Partner Founding Partner around the world that the youth are not motivated and inspired & Publisher & Publisher enough, that they know so little about their countrymen’s trials and successes in the face of challenges. For some, these lost stories were about building a country from scratch; for others, it was about being brought up in very poor families, or boldly weaving together tradition and innovation, or stories of survival.

So we decided to portray local people from very different backgrounds with three things in common: passion, a desire to contribute to society and an interest in mentorship. Not everybody can or wants to be a doctor or an entrepreneur; we had to give the youth different types of role models. And who’s to say that through the beauty of cross-pollination an aspiring banker, for instance, can’t find inspiration from a scientist or an artist?

Since we believe that every country is different, we decided it would be one book per country. In other words, before we even had our first book, we knew we had the makings of a collection!

8 those who inspire those who inspire 9 Those Who Inspire Movement

It is thanks to the Those Who Inspire Movement that we can get this book for free into the hands of as many youths as possible, inspiring them with stories from their fellow countrymen and women from all walks of life and enabling them to connect with all the potential mentors portrayed as IP (Inspiring People) in Those Who Inspire: Hong Kong.

So many people are involved in the Those Who Inspire Movement: everyone who spreads inspiration to the youth, like the IP; all our Partners, whether they are involved financially or not; universities; TWI Ambassadors; local and foreign governmental institutions; the press; and mainly the youth sharing the stories that most inspired them with peers who didn’t get a chance to receive a book from their company or university.

A special thanks to all the members of the TWI Movement; without you, Those Who Inspire: Hong Kong would not have been possible.

Join us, share the stories, and let us know your suggestions and feedback.

ThoseWhoInspire thosewhoinspireco @ThoseWhoInspire www.thosewhoinspire.co

10 those who inspire those who inspire 11 90 Nigerian67s 216 page160s Infinite pages Inspiration Infinite Inspiration

The following profiles are in alphabetical order.

BeThe Curious following – Read profiles – Be are Inspired in alphabetical order.

20 those who inspire those who inspire 21 like l Being outdoors l Nurturing friendships Laurel l My dogs don’t like Chor l Apathy l Closed-mindedness l Waste 概言 Date of Birth Wildlife 作為多媒體記者及保育人 08/01/1990 士，左力丰(Laurel Chor)以說 Hong Kong Conservationist 故事的方式，提高大眾對環保議 Citizen 題的認識，並把人類與大自然重新 Education 連在一起。她寄語世人：「走出去探 BSc in International Health Georgetown University 索吧! 不要怕自己走得太遠。我時 U.S.A. 2012 常跟人說探索自己的後園有多重 Languages 要。在你以為自己非常熟悉的 English, French, , 地方找到新事物是件令人 Mandarin, Spanish 興奮的事。」

animals. “I’d seen her speak when I was schools and organising outings around Hong over your fears. To have the courage to go “ younger, and I was so inspired by her story, by Kong to help people reconnect with nature. somewhere you’ve never been, even if that just the way she just went out there and became “Most people are excited to go out and see means going into your backyard or looking at what she wanted to be,” says Laurel. new things,” she explains, “but they just need something in a new light,” she says. “It’s when t’s hard to define exactly what I do,” Determined to fulfil her dream, during her final that little push.” She makes a point of using you really get your hands dirty that you connect saysI Laurel Chor, who holds a degree in year at university she took relevant classes and public transport on the outings to help people with your environment and make discoveries, International Health and Development, takes applied to “every single entry level position” realise how close to the city they are; it’s whether that’s in the outside world or within photos, makes videos, writes, gives talks, leads she could find for working with apes, eventually important, she says, that people discover the yourself. That’s when you really grow.” outdoor excursions and plays on Hong Kong’s landing a position with a gorilla conservation wilderness at their doorstep. After Laurel spoke national fifteens training squad. “I tell people project in the Central African Republic. “I felt at one school, the students were inspired to Through the Hong Kong Explorers that I’m a multimedia journalist and a very privileged to be there,” says Laurel, “but, organise a hiking trip – only to realise they Initiative, which she founded in 2013, Laurel conservationist. The common thread through unfortunately, the project staff had to be didn’t have far to go. “The funny thing is that tries to encourage people to explore Hong Kong’s all my interests is that I’m a storyteller,” she evacuated six months after I arrived, and we they just had to go behind their school,” she wilderness. She’s also actively involved in the adds, explaining how many of the issues she’s were sent home.” says. “They were already in the environment. Hong Kong Shark Foundation and the Explorers trying to address through her work stem from They’d just never thought about it that way.” Club, serves as ambassador for the Jane Goodall a lack of awareness. “With both my day job and Back in Hong Kong, Laurel began looking Institute, and is a National Geographic Young my work with animals, it’s about telling stories at her surroundings through the lens of From pink dolphins to outlandish rock Explorer, travelling the world to give talks about – to teach people something, change their exploration and discovery she’d brought home. formations and endemic tiny frogs, Hong connecting urban populations with local wildlife. perspective, shed light on an issue. It’s about “I realised, for the first time, that Hong Kong Kong has wonderfully diverse nature to explore. “Sometimes, people come to me after a talk and opening people’s eyes a little bit with each is actually quite wild. There’s this incredible And that’s exactly what Laurel tells people to tell me that I’ve inspired them to go hiking on the story.” Laurel was born in Canada, where she biodiversity that I had no idea about,” she do. “It’s important to cultivate that sense of weekend, and that just makes me so happy,” lived until her family returned to Hong Kong confesses. Since few people know about it, this exploration, to look for the unknown and get Laurel smiles. “It’s really just about putting that when she was five. Her connection with nature biodiversity is being rapidly degraded, so little spark in people, and maybe they’ll started there, she says, exploring the backyard Laurel wanted to strike the issue at its root. My Top Tip go outside. That’s really all I’m trying and looking at bugs. But it wasn’t until years “The real problem is that people are Have the courage to go to do.” l later, during her last year at university, that she disconnected from nature. It’s a global problem somewhere you’ve never been, even if that Contacts as an IP realised her dream was to follow in the footsteps that’s growing as the world becomes more www.laurelchor.com of her hero, Jane Goodall, and work with urbanised.” Laurel started giving talks to just means going into your backyard.” i www.hkexplorers.org

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l Sharing l Fairness Danny Lai l Politeness don’t like Executive l Selfishness 概言 l Impoliteness l Cheating Assistant Date of Birth 由小販和街頭表演者，到在 03/04/1951 享負盛名的文華東方酒店擔任行 Hong Kong 李員，其後再在酒店擔任不同崗位， Manager-Guest Citizen 到最後成為酒店的行政副經理 ── 客 Education 務關係，黎炳沛(Danny Lai)證明拼搏和 Relations Ongoing training in hospitality 積極的態度對人生大有幫助。他說：「不 1972-1995 論遇上甚麼事情，你也要相信自己會找 Mandarin Languages 到辦法解決。永不放棄。」他還說： Cantonese, Putonghua, 「如果你不努力，便沒有人會幫 English 你。你要先幫自己，然後再憑 Oriental 自己額外的力量去幫助 Hong Kong 別人。」

porter. “At the time, I only knew how to say for “ladies who lunch”) guests, thirty of them got influential anecdote he cites took place when three words of English: yes, no and thank you… together to make sure that he was well taken he was about eleven and his creative hawking for when people gave me tips,” he says, care of. During his time in a coma, they methods got him arrested and sent in front of laughing. But his childhood had taught him that convinced the doctor not to pull the plug and a judge. Very matter-of-factly, Danny, who didn’t emarkably upbeat and full of life, he had to work hard to earn what he wanted, then made sure he was comfortable and looked speak English at the time, countered the RDanny Lai is a living legend of Hong Kong’s and his commitment and determination to after when he returned home. proclamation of guilt with the reality of having hospitality scene. Over the course of his career, constantly improve had already made an to hawk fish in order to survive. The judge took he has overseen first-class events and banquets impression. He got his first promotion within Danny cites these thirty ladies as an an interest in his case, and Danny was given and taken care of many distinguished guests, a year and, with his English improving and inspiration; “I want to share my happiness, HK$200 by order of the court to replace his from local tycoons to foreign heads of state and guests liking him, he was promoted again what I have, with others,” he says. Since his wares. Over the coming years, Mr Wilson – government. But Danny, now Executive soon after. recovery, he has been actively involved in Danny still remembers the judge’s name – Assistant Manager – Guest Relations at one of charitable work: he organises and participates visited young Danny and his family, treated him Hong Kong’s most prestigious hotels, has come Over the years, Danny was given many in fundraisers – including an ongoing project to a meal at a restaurant and even bought him a long way to reach the top. He describes his opportunities to prove his competence and where the thirty tai tais take to the stage and new clothes. childhood as “very tough” – by the age of six, resourcefulness, as well as his outstanding talent sing to raise money – does one-on-one visits he was already contributing to the family’s for connecting with people. “You have to talk with cancer patients and has also written a Full of interesting anecdotes and income. He started his days hawking fish on from the heart. You have to really care and be book, the proceeds from which go to the Breast entertaining stories about his many the streets of Hong Kong, went to school in the considerate,” Danny says. “You have to love Cancer Foundation. If anything, Danny’s experiences, Danny has kept smiling through his afternoon and sang with his grandfather on the people and be willing to assist whenever people experience with cancer only strengthened his long career. His advice to young people? “Think streets –“the poor man’s nightclub,” he jokes request you to help. If you make people happy, resolve and pro-active approach to life and positive. Work hard. Play hard. You can’t just work – in the evenings. Eager to make a better life you will be happy as well,” he explains. His life work. “I believe all problems can be solved. hard. You have to have a social life; you learn a lot for himself, he was constantly thinking of ways and career certainly bear testament to the Nothing is impossible,” he says. After all, he from interacting with people. You can pick up good to turn everyday chores into entrepreneurial soundness of this advice. A telling anecdote, and too has been on the receiving end of kindness things from different people and become more opportunities, and by the time Danny was one that has shaped his life thereafter, is the story and generosity more than once. Another confident,” he explains. “Just be natural, be honest twelve, the family had saved enough money to of the thirty tai-tais: In 2002, Danny suffered from and be considerate. That’s it.” l open their first store, soon thereafter adding a cancer and had to undergo a nine-month-long My Recipe for Success second and third. In 1972, Danny Lai got his course of treatment. When word of his illness Think positive. Contacts as an IP [email protected] first job at the Mandarin Oriental as a part-time reached some of his frequent tai-tai (Chinese Work hard. Play hard.” i mandarinoriental.com/hongkong

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l To eat l To sleep Rex Tso l To box don’t like The Wonder Kid l Weight training l Injury and illness Date of Birth l Violence 概言 15/07/1987 從只愛打電玩的瘦弱小子， Hong Kong 到成為香港首位職業拳手，曹星 Citizen 如(Rex Tso)證明了努力能夠克服重重 Total Fights 18 障礙，讓夢想成真。拳撃令他學懂只要 19 Wins (12 Wins by KO) 努力不懈，便能實踐目標，更學懂將自己 as of July 2016 某些技能化成優勢。曹星如十分慶幸自己 Languages Cantonese, English, 得到這個機會，並認為自己的成就對啟發 Mandarin 香港的年青人起到重要作用。他說：「 這帶出了一個重要的訊息，如果我 能做得到，其他人也亦然。只要 他們肯下苦功，便能取得 卓越的成就。」

for years, so I could do the job,” Rex explains. He it. Maybe not the first time or the second – maybe explains, speaking of a fight in Macau during “ had been coaching for about four years, when Jay it takes twenty times, but as long as I keep trying which he found himself knocked down for the decided to include him in a professional boxing and working at it, I can achieve it. Nothing is first time in his career. Upset and surprised, he event he was putting on. “As the fight date drew impossible!” was so busy trying to get back at his opponent wasn’t a very good student, so I never closer, I realised how lazy I had been and that I that he let himself get knocked down again. “I reallyI got recognition for anything when I was needed to change,” Rex says. Jay arranged to send Rex recalls the first fight in which he realised I had to calm down and stop letting the younger, except for one thing: being good at video him to the Philippines for training, warning him competed for twelve instead of four rounds. bad mentality affect me. I decided to just focus games,” laughs Rex Tso, but looking at him now that he’d be sent packing if they thought he wasn’t To prepare, he trained rigorously and sparred on my training, to not think about winning or – sharp, focused and strong – it’s hard to believe committed. For the first time in his life, Rex twelve rounds at a time, having a new, rested losing but show the audience the hard work I’d that this undefeated super flyweight-class boxer decided to work hard and committed himself to sparring partner come in the ring every other put in.” Once again, Rex won the fight. was ever less than impressive. Although his father, a rigorous training schedule an entire month round to really push himself. During the actual himself a seven-time amateur boxing champion, before he even left Hong Kong. By the time he fight, when he found himself losing the first few To date, he’s gone through nineteen taught him some basic boxing skills when he was returned from the Philippines and weighed in for rounds to his significantly more experienced professional bouts undefeated, winning twelve by young, boxing was never seen as a possible the fight, he was transformed. “I took off my shirt opponent, Rex looked to his training. “I knew I’d knockout, and he continues to work hard in hopes career path. “It just wasn’t something that had to step on the scales and Jay was shocked,” Rex built up the strength, conditioning and energy to of someday becoming world champion. Yet, he’s been done before in Hong Kong,” Rex explains. recalls. “He’d never seen me so fit, and he now fight back. I was better than him on that front. So fully aware of the opportunity he’s been given and The unspoken expectation was that he do well in saw I had a fighting chance.” I decided that if I can’t avoid the hits, I’ll just have how far he has come. “It wasn’t by design, but I’ve school and go on to get a good, stable job. But to return them double,” he says. “I just transformed become a public figure, and younger people see without a target, Rex had a hard time seeing the In the ring, Rex saw his dedication pay off. “I my thinking.” Sure enough, Rex won the fight and me as a role model,” he says, aware of the value of education and of working hard. “There was able to do what I wanted without even the WBC ABCO belt – his first major title belt. responsibility he carries. “Remembering where was no specific goal and no one to set an example,” thinking. I had trained for it, and I was able to do “Mentality is very important. It can really affect I came from, I hope that I can inspire young people he recalls. “I was a poor student, and when I it in the ring!” he explains. In better physical the outcome of whatever you’re doing,” Rex to fulfil their potential, to create goals for finished school, my limited education meant I had condition than he had ever been and with the themselves and to work hard to meet limited choices.” Luckily, one of his father’s old confidence of someone who has given one MY RECIPE FOR SUCCESS them.” l boxing students, Jay Lau, soon intervened, offering hundred percent, Rex won the fight and began As long as Rex a job as assistant coach at his gym. “I had no his journey as a professional boxer. “It was a Contacts as an IP I keep trying and working at it, I can Facebook : Rex Tso coaching experience, but I’d learnt the basics turning point in my life,” he says. “I realised that www.def.com.hk early on, and I’d watched my father and brother if I work hard at something, I can actually achieve achieve it. Nothing is impossible!” i [email protected]

130 those who inspire those who inspire 131 like l Good food & wine with family & friends l Walking Ada Yip l Sharing a good article Executive don’t like l Disposable plastic l Dishonesty Director l Injustice 概言 Date of Birth 從主流金融業走到社會創新 Urban Spring 1972 的前線，葉蓁蓁(Ada Yip)透過建立 Hong Kong 良好的人際網絡和抓緊機遇，將自己 Citizen 的好奇心化為成就業務發展的動力和優 Education 勢。她是43 Ventures的創辦人之一，該機 BSc in Economics 構旨在為有社會使命的初創企業提供資金及 London School of Economics 人才支援。此外，葉蓁蓁亦是城泉(Urban UK 1994 Spring)的執行董事。Urban Spring透過提供 Languages 重新設計的飲水機，於家居以外提供新 Cantonese, English 飲水體驗，致力減少香港即棄塑膠 廢物的棄置量。她說：「熱誠 和機遇就是促成美事的組 合。」

Ada met three likeminded people, all passionate over 1.5 million plastic bottles of water are being mentoring. It trains your listening and “ about startups with a social mission. “I was sold at retail outlets each day. “Even if they just communication skills,” she points out, and for having such similar conversations with each of refill that plastic bottle instead of buying a second Ada, communication is a key skill in business. them individually, so I just invited them to meet one, we’re already cutting that waste by half.” “Admitting there’s a problem is critical. Talk to hen you meet the right each other to see how they got along,” she Ada’s passion for waste reduction and recycling different people – your peers and people with people,W things happen,” says Ada Yip, speaking explains. They did, and soon the four of them comes from the time she spent living in Canada more experience, optimists and cynical people from experience. After fifteen years working in founded 43 Ventures, aiming to address funding and Japan, where recycling is a priority. “I learnt – and get different perspectives. Too much the financial industry, she left a position with a and talent gaps for startups. “We want to invest about these issues and just how big the problem negativity will drag you down, but too much prestigious international firm to try her hand at in social enterprise, but not just money; we really is. If you ask most people, they know plastic optimism won’t let you see the risks. And then social enterprise, and hit the ground running emphasise the people,” Ada explains. “It’s about waste is bad, but they don’t know how bad,” she try the different solutions. Whether it’s a small thanks to good networking. Having already working as part of the team, actually doing the points out. Despite having grown through problem or creating a startup, the key is to try,” done plenty of volunteering throughout her next steps with them, because that’s where they spending time abroad, Ada identifies strongly with she asserts. career, she knew she wanted to do something learn: on the job.” her Chinese upbringing and credits it with for her community. “It was during a volunteering defining who she is today. “It was the traditional “Stay curious, and be humble. That’s my project in Bangladesh that I actually got to know At about the same time, another chance Confucian teachings and family values. It was the motto,” she says. “Because I’m curious, there more about social enterprise and social meeting gave Ada the opportunity to work with love and warmth in a safe environment that taught are many opportunities that get planted months innovation, and it planted the seed to begin a a social enterprise called Urban Spring. “Our me to care,” she says, citing the inspiring or years before, and which I then help harvest career change.” After leaving finance, Ada focus is on plastic waste reduction,” explains Ada, generosity of her parents. later. Surprises and conversations can turn into spent some time exploring social who joined the venture in October 2015, as it was business opportunities,” Ada explains, adding entrepreneurship and networking. “Don’t be kicking off. Urban Spring hopes to encourage In addition to her efforts through Urban that it’s important to stay grounded. “You need afraid to network!” she says, explaining that people to reduce single-use plastic bottle waste Spring and 43 Ventures, Ada also gives back to know who you are,” she says. “You can be despite being an introvert, she makes sure to by providing safe drinking water through by mentoring young professionals through The flexible and dynamic, but you have to stand by talk to three or four people at each event. “And dispensers they will install across the city, Women’s Foundation and startup initiatives in a what you really believe in. Stick it out for your follow up,” she adds. “If you see a relevance allowing people to refill their own bottles. “You number of universities. “I learn a lot through team, for yourself. That’s what people and some common ground, go for a coffee and start with people who are already environmentally appreciate.” l get to know the person. Those forty-five minutes conscious, and then you grow. If everybody’s My Motto can turn into a lot of new connections.” Following using it, it will become ‘uncool’ to buy a disposable Stay curious. Plant opportunities Contacts as an IP [email protected] her own advice has certainly paid off. In 2015, plastic bottle,” Ada says, explaining that today, that you can harvest later.” i www.urbanspring.hk

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