biz.hk Apr 2011

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In ter G na uid tio e na to lS ch oo ls

Journal of The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong www.amcham.org.hk

April 2011

Michael M Y Suen

Secretary for Education HKSAR

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隨著中國經濟迅速發展，中國企業赴美投資的態勢不斷增強，中國第一能源、尚德電力、比亞迪、鞍鋼等大型企業都先後走出去，在美國設廠 投資。為了更有效的利用美商會會員之長，幫助中國有條件的中小企業瞭解和策劃如何“走出去”進行對外投資，美商會中國事務核心小組與 會員公司德勤國際稅務中心（亞太區）以及其法律夥伴合作，舉辦首個以普通話作為主要交流語言的赴美投資系列研討會，為有意赴美投資的 公司提供條件分析和投資前的基礎知識，當中包括赴美投資考慮、法律、財務和稅務、人力資源、公共關係、政府關係以及進退策略等。

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Contact: AmCham Publication Department Advertising Manager: Regina Leung Direct Line: 2530 6942 Email: rleung@amcham.org.hk

歡迎任何有意赴美投資的人士參與，詳情請瀏覽香港美國商會中國事務部網頁

http://www.amcham.org.hk/index.php/China-Affairs.html 香港美國商會中國事務主任 張先生 電話：2530-6928 電郵：lcheong@amcham.org.hk

或聯絡

香港美國商會中國事務總監 羅女士 電話：2530-6915 電郵：dlo@amcham.org.hk

April 2011 Vol 43 No 04

Contents

Richard R Vuylsteke

Editor-in-Chief Daniel Kwan

Assistant Editor

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COVER STORY

CHINA BUSINESS

PHARMACEUTICAL

TRADE & INVESTMENT

In an exclusive interview, Hong Kong Secretary for Education Michael M Y Suen talks about measures taken by the government to address the lack of international school places

AmCham’s delegation to Beijing meets with senior Chinese government officials and business leaders for two full days to discuss Hong Kong’s role in China’s 12th Five-Year Plan

“Name-and-Shame” Scheme cracks down on pharmacies convicted of selling counterfeit drugs in a collaborative effort between government agencies and company groups

Mayor Richard M Daley leads a business delegation to China as part of an initiative to make Chicago the most “China-Friendly” city in the US

Publisher

Kenny Lau

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Advertising Sales Manager Regina Leung

biz.hk is a monthly magazine of news and views for management executives and members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Its contents are independent and do not necessarily reflect the views of officers, governors or members of the Chamber.

Advertising office 1904 Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Rd, Central Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2530 6900 Fax: (852) 2537 1682 Email: amcham@amcham.org.hk Website: www.amcham.org.hk Printed by Ease Max Ltd 2A Sum Lung Industrial Building, 11 Sun Yip St, Chai Wan, Hong Kong (Green Production Overseas Group) Designed by Overa Creative Co Rm A, 12/F, Sun Fai Comm Bldg, 576 Reclamation St, Mongkok ©The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, 2011 Library of Congress: LC 98-645652 For comments, please send to biz.hk@amcham.org.hk

AMCHAM NEWS AND VIEWS

ENVIRONMENT

04 Chairman’s Memo Rob Chipman reports on AmCham’s recent advocacy trip to Beijing and highlights meetings between Chinese officials and Chamber representatives

07 New Business Contacts 45 executives joined AmCham’s business network last month

16 Proposed Air Quality Objectives Too Lax, Study Finds Professor Anthony J Hedley of HKU discusses why new limits of AQOs currently under consideration will not provide protection to public health

TRADE & INVESTMENT

53 Mark Your Calendar

18 Making Chicago Most

“China-Friendly” US City

CHINA BUSINESS

08 Beijing Doorknock Paves Way for Further Engagement Meetings with senior Chinese Central government officials and business leaders were held during a two-day trip to discuss Hong Kong’s role as a commercial center

PHARMACEUTICAL

Mayor Richard M Daley leads a business delegation to China to raise the profile of US’ third largest city as a center of international commerce

22 Chicago Signs “Sister Airport” Agreements in China Department of Aviation forms closer partnership with Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Incheon, Korea to share technical, commercial and environmental best practices

28 Education Hub: HK’s Untold Story of Success How one local international school focusing on global education of students has grown to become a multinational institution

30 Doll on a Mission The story of an entrepreneurial project dedicated to serving local children who suffer from autism spectrum disorders

AMERICAN TOPICS 46 A Niche Outlet with a Thousand Tastes The number of American food product imports in Hong Kong continues to rise as demand for better choice grows from a mix of demographics

48 Two Women Who May Unlock Your Full Potential Julie Lewis and Stefania Lucchetti share their experience on how to live a fulfilling life

COVER STORY

12 Name-and-Shame Scheme Fights Counterfeit Drugs The government steps up in cracking down on pharmacies selling fake drugs in a collaborative effort between various government agencies and company groups

24 Measures Taken to Address Lack of Int’l School Places Hong Kong Secretary for Education Michael M Y Suen talks about the availability of international schools and what is to be done to increase capacity

Single copy price HK$50 Annual subscription HK$600/US$90

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COVER SPONSOR

Board of Governors Chairman Robert Chipman Vice Chairman James Sun Treasurer John Sigalos Executive Committee Frank Lavin, Anita Leung Belinda Lui, Charles Wellins Governors Brian Brenner, Tom Burns, Jacob Cefolia, Janet De Silva, Rob Glucksman, Peter Levesque, Charles Ma, Toby Marion, Ross Matthews, Andrea Richey, Catherine Scown, Leland Sun, Colin Tam, Elizabeth L Thomson, Richard Weisman, Frank Wong, Sara Yang Bosco, Shengman Zhang Ex-Officio Governor President

David L Cunningham Jr Richard R Vuylsteke

Chamber Committees AmCham Ball Apparel & Footwear Business Briefing China Business Communications & Marketing Corporate Responsibility

Kay Kutt Andre Leroy Don Meyer Wendy De Cruz

Energy Entrepreneurs/SME Environment Financial Services

Sean Purdie Donald Austin Bradley Punu Kuresh Sarjan Catherine Simmons Peter Johnston Hanif Kanji Ross Matthews

Food & Beverage Health & Wellness Hospitality & Tourism Human Resources

Susan Reingold Ed Ahnert

Noble Coker Peter Liu

Information Technology & Telecom Rex Engelking Intellectual Property Alvin Lee Law Eric Szweda Pharmaceutical Stephen Leung Real Estate Brian Brenner Senior Financial Forum Alvin Miyasato Senior HR Forum MaryAnn Vale Sports & Entertainment Ray Roessel Taxation Evan Blanco Trade & Investment Patrick Wu Transportation & Logistics Brian Miller Women of Influence Jennifer Van Dale Lee Georgs Young Professionals Roger Ngo

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Rob Chipman Chairman

Dear Members,

Chairman’s Memo

Our Beijing Doorknock took place in early April, and I am delighted to report that it was – by all accounts – a rousing success. Hats off to the AmCham staff Della, Lloyd and Daniel who worked long and hard to make this important trip the success that it was.

The delegation was led by our vice chairman James Sun and supported by a very strong contingent of current and past AmCham stalwarts including Lucille Barale, Nicholas de Boursac, Wendy De Cruz, CT Hew, Clifford Lawrence, Philip Leung, Belinda Lui, Ross Matthews, Mark Michelson, Catherine Simmons, Leland Sun and Jeff Walker.

Among the highlights of the trip were meetings with more than a dozen Chinese officials.

They included Yi Gang, Deputy Governor of People’s Bank of China, Yao Gang, Vice Chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission; Yuan Li, Assistant Chairman of China Insurance Regulatory Commission; and Zhuang Congsheng, Vice Chairman of All China Federation of Industry and Commerce. Very fruitful discussions were held on subjects such as Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, China’s “Go Global” campaign for its businesses, and how to improve the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) for companies in Hong Kong.

Our “Doorknockers” were fortunate to meet with outgoing US Ambassador Jon Huntsman as he winds down his term in China and heads back to the United States. He will likely continue in public service and AmCham has a friend and a kindred spirit in Ambassador Huntsman.

As we close the book on this year’s Beijing trip, we shift our focus to another important Doorknock trip to Washington, DC, set for the week of June 12. This is our prime opportunity to present our case on issues of importance to our members – to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. It also affords us a chance to make sure that Hong Kong continues to enjoy the wide respect and admiration as a global business center that shares many core American values.

Education has been of vital interest to AmCham members for some time, but in the last

few years it has really moved squarely to the forefront. School spaces, quality of education, class size and availability are all major challenges that we face. Appropriately, this month’s cover story of biz.hk is an interview with the Secretary for Education Michael Suen who explains the measures taken by the Government to address the shortage of international school places in Hong Kong. He makes clear that the Government has heard the concern of the business community of how the shortage is undermining Hong Kong’s competitiveness and more school spaces will be available soon.

The AmCham Annual Ball was held on April 16 at the glamorous Four Seasons Hotel, and it was a fabulous night. Ball Committee chair Kay Kutt and her team worked very hard to ensure this year’s event would be one of tremendous fun and full of memories as the ultimate social event of the year! A full report of the Ball will be published in the May issue of the magazine.

Rob Chipman Chairman

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MEMBERS DIRECTORY

w w w. a m c h a m . o r g . h k

2010/2011

New

Business Contacts The following people are new AmCham members: Akamai Technologies Hong Kong Ltd

Fidera Limited

Minter Ellison Lawyers

Monica Cheung Major Account Executive Winson Kam Senior Account Development Executive Betty Lin Regional Manager

Jason Gerber Director - Corporate Services

Geraldine Johns-Putra Senior Foreign Legal Consultant

Hang Seng Bank Ltd

Modern Terminals Limited

Andrew Fung Head of Treasury & Investment

Frank Jensen Director, Carrier Sales

Ansell Limited c/o Pacific Dunlop HK Ltd

Hill & Associates Ltd

Morgan Stanley

Denis Gallant Regional Director

Kareen Smoke Vice President

Gloria Leung Director

Avery Dennison Hong Kong BV

Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Nixon Peabody LLP

Chris Toepker General Manager, MIC & M-Lab

Cindy Zhu Associate David Cheng Managing Partner of China & Asia Pacific Practice

Bishwath Jayaram VP, Global Supply Chain www.amc ham. org.hk

Over 500 pages in three major sections, including a complete guide to chamber services, corporate sponsors and AmCham Charitable Foundation. This directory lists nearly 1,900 members from over 700 companies and organizations.

ISBN 978-962-7422-03-7

LC 98-645651

Baker & McKenzie Kai Wang Special Counsel Douglas Berman Registered Foreign Lawyer

Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Ltd Lisa Lum Senior Assistant Manager

InterCall

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Bank of America NA

Karen Chon

Denisha Trouard Practice Development Manager - Asia

Patrick Chee Director

Sean Howard Sales Manager

Philip Morris Asia Ltd

BASF East Asia Regional Headquarters Ltd

International Sound & Light Ltd

Genevieve Hilton Senior Manager, Public Relations, Corporate Communications Asia Pacific

BDO Limited Eric Zegarra Manager, Business Risk Services

Scott McLean Managing Director

Troy Modlin Director, Regulatory Affairs Asia Bert Van Gossum Vice President, Corporate Affairs Asia

K&L Gates

Sherman Baker Real Estate

Maria Pedersen Partner

William Brubaker CEO

Kaseya

SWIFT

Michael McShane Managing Director, Asia Pacific

Dantes Leung General Manager, Hong Kong

Coach Hong Kong Limited

Latham & Watkins

Beckie Chan Divisional Vice President, HR, Coach Asia

David Miles Partner

Michael Cheung Head of North Asia Patrick de Courcy Head of Markets, Asia Pacific Beth Smits Head of Channels, Asia Pacific

Control Risks Pacific Ltd

Lord Asia Pacific Ltd

Brown-Forman Worldwide, LLC

Kim Frisinger Market Director - Legal Technologies, e-Discovery & Compliance, Asia Pacific

Dimerco Air Forwarders (HK) Ltd Amy Lo Regional Logistics Director, Greater China Mark Shepherd Assistant Marketing Manager Eddie Law District General Manager of GCHK & GCSD

Jacques Lemire Director, Aerospace

Micro-Pak Ltd

The Executive Centre Wendy Lam Director - Business Development Manager

WE Marketing Group

Martin Berman Managing Director

Irene Cheung General Manager

Microsoft Hong Kong Ltd

Withers

Sabrina Yuan HR Leader

Jay Krause Attorney

View our other members at:

http://www.amcham.org.hk/index.php/AmChamMembers.html

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ment, the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), China’s Go Global initiative, and protection of intellectual property rights. Given their expertise, delegation members like CT Hew of Hew & Associates, Belinda Lui of Time Warner, and Philip Leung of Commence Technology Partners lent their support in preparing for these aspects of the visit.

“We were very well prepared this year, and this enabled us to have highly productive, in-depth discussions with the Chinese officials,” says Sun, who participated in both the 2010 and 2011 Beijing Doorknocks. The two-days of meetings were tightly packed with meetings – just what one would expect from a Hong Kong delegation.

over the effectiveness of CEPA, worries over the quality of Hong Kong’s environment, and challenges in the economic integration of Hong Kong and Guangdong Province.

The first day closed with a memorable meeting with outgoing US Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman. The top envoy specially took time out to meet with the delegation. In a one-hour meeting, Huntsman answered a broad spectrum of questions ranging from Sino-US relations to protection of intellectual property rights in China.

Day 2

In the morning’s first meeting, Chen Xing, Director of the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs, received the delegation The first meeting was with together with a number of her Zhuang Congsheng, vicecolleagues in charge of outbound chairman of the All China investment and laws and Federation of Industry and regulations. Chen updated the Commerce. The ACFIC is delegation on the implementaChina’s largest organization tion of CEPA, the 10th anniverrepresenting private businesses. sary of China’s accession to the By the end of 2010, it had more World Trade Organization, and than 2.7 million members. policies on China’s “Go Global” The discussions with Zhuang initiative. Her colleagues also focused on how AmCham Hong answered questions on China’s Kong could support the “Go IPR protection.

Global” initiative and assist The next meeting was with ACFIC members interested in Xie Feng, Director-General of investing overseas. Zhuang the Department of North Amerihighlighted the complementary can and Oceania Affairs of the roles of AmCham Hong Kong Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Xie, and his organization. He also who was a member of President briefed the delegation on the Hu Jintao’s entourage to the annual ACFIC-organized CorpoUnited States, briefed the rate Responsibility Forum and members on the visit to Washingextended an invitation to ton. The two sides exchanged AmCham members to take part frank views on bilateral relations, in this year’s conference. and Xie expressed hopes that The delegation was able to AmCham Hong Kong could play meet Yao Gang, vice-chairman of an even more active role in the China Securities Regulatory promoting trade between the US Commission, despite his busy and China. schedule. Although Yao was new At a special luncheon to most members of the delegaorganized by the China Chamber tion, discussions were highly of International Commerce, productive and fruitful.

Deputy Secretary General Lin Yu Ping, vice-chairman of Shunjie told the delegation that CCPIT, hosted a lunch for the Delegation photographed with Yao Gang (top), Vice-chairman of because the CCOIC is an delegation and both sides China Securities Regulatory Commission; Zhou Bo (centre), Vice independent business organizareviewed their many cooperative Director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, and Yi Gang tion representing private activities over the past two years. (bottom), Deputy Governor of People's Bank of China entrepreneurs in China, he Yu expressed his hope that even believed there was considerable more AmCham Hong Kong members would take part in CCPITroom for cooperation with AmCham Hong Kong. He was particularly organized business conferences and forums in China. interested in the Chamber’s China Business Briefing program as one The afternoon sessions kicked off with a meeting with Zhou Bo, area for increased interface. vice-director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office under the The two final meetings of the trip including a wide-ranging State Council, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Zhou who has many discussions with Yuan Li, Assistant Chairman of China Insurance years of experience in Hong Kong affairs briefed the delegation on the Regulatory Commission, and Yi Gang, Deputy Governor, People's 12th Five-Year Plan and Beijing’s support to develop the city further Bank of China. Both officials were highly knowledgeable and especially as China’s international financial centre. In the meeting, delegation cordial hosts. Deputy Governor Yi gave the members an important members including Mark Michelson and Leland Sun raised concern update on the development of Renminbi business, development of the

Day 1

The 2011 Beijing Doorknock delegation photographed at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse

Successful Beijing Doorknock Paves Way for Further Engagement

By Daniel Kwan

A

mCham Hong Kong has set three priorities for 2011: environment, China agenda, and Hong Kong competitiveness. The China agenda was kicked off in the first quarter with two sessions of the China Business Briefing Program when speakers from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and O’Melveny & Myers briefed Mainland Chinese executives at the Chamber on investment issues in the United States.

The briefing program is an AmCham initiative to act as a bridge for Mainland companies to “Go Global.”

To maintain the momentum, a Chamber leadership delegation in early April conducted a Beijing Doorknock. For two days, the delegation held a series of 10 meetings with senior Central government officials and Chinese business leaders.

Setting the stage James Sun, vice-chairman of AmCham and co-chair of the China Affairs Group, led the delegation. “The objectives of the Beijing Doorknock this year were to promote AmCham’s advocacy issues and give our member firms access to policymakers in Beijing,” he says.

Preparations for the Doorknock began in late 2010 with Sun’s leadership and logistics assistance from Della Lo, AmCham’s Director of China Affairs. Throughout the process former AmCham Chairs played an important role. Two ex-chairs – Lucille Barale (2004) and Mark Michelson (1996) – joined the delegation

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and another ex-chair, Tom Gorman (1995), provided valuable insights and advice to the team, although he wasn’t able to join this year’s delegation.

Through different channels, including the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), arrangements were made to set up meetings with top Chinese government officials. At the same time, individual delegation members worked on refining AmCham’s talking points for the various discussions.

In March, approval of the 12th Five-Year Plan by the National People’s Congress gave the delegation an additional roadmap for reference in setting the delegation’s agenda. In the Five-Year Plan, the roles of Hong Kong as China’s offshore centre for Renminbi business and international assets management were highlighted for the first time in a separate chapter on the SAR. Taking the cue from the plan, the delegation chose financial services as the main theme of the visit.

The delegation’s composition reflected this emphasis. The members included a number of senior financial executives: Ross Matthews of Starr International Insurance (Asia), Leland Sun of Pan Asian Mortgage, Wendy De Cruz of Dow Jones & Company, Catherine Simmons of State Street Bank and Trust, Nicholas de Boursac of Asian Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, Clifford Lawrence of Wells Fargo & Company, and Jeff Walker of Daiwa Capital Markets Hong Kong.

In addition to the financial focus, the delegation’s agenda also included a number of core AmCham issues: Hong Kong’s environ-

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so-called “mini QFII” investment vehicle, and China’s quest for market economy status.

In each meeting, Sun extended invitations to the Chinese hosts to visit Hong Kong and speak to the Chamber.

Conclusion Summing up the two-day visit, Sun says that the Chamber should take advantage of the positive momentum from the visits and focus on follow-up actions and possible deliveries. In addition, he believes that the Chamber can further build on the Doorknock platform to improve dialogue and engagement with senior Chinese leaders.

“We should make good use of this valuable platform and build upon it,” he adds.

Philip Leung, another delegation member, echoes Sun’s view. “This visit has firmly re-established our presence and mindshare in relevant organizations in Beijing, and discovered areas of common interest such as Going Global, Hong Kong’s role as an offshore Renminbi center.” (top to bottom): Xie Feng, Director-General of Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Yuan Li, Assistant Chairman of China Insurance Regulatory Commission; and Chen Xing, Director of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs of Ministry of Commerce

Leung who co-chairs the CAG with Sun is convinced that AmCham Hong Kong has a special role to play in helping Mainland businesses to establish overseas and believes the China Business Briefing Program fits particularly well in the agenda.

“AmCham Hong Kong has been an excellent service platform for global businesses entering China,” Leung says. “It is my belief that our core competence and core values are just as applicable in the other direction too – China’s enterprises ‘Going Global’.”

“Mainland China businesses will mostly likely find that Hong Kong holds key advantages over most other Asian cities as a gateway or platform for doing business globally. Moreover, the Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta combo offers a compelling business model too.”

AmCham Hong Kong Beijing DoorKnock

Delegation photographed with Zhuang Congsheng (center front row), Vice Chairman of All China Federation of Industry and Commerce

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PHARMACEUTICAL

No petit-crime Cooperation between the industry and the Government dates back many years, and the name and shame initiative is their latest collaboration to deal with counterfeit drugs. Over the years, many government agencies in addition to Customs are involved. They include the Department of Health and Intellectual Property Department.

Sales of counterfeit drugs in Hong Kong are often portrayed in media as petit-crimes. Their low penalties are one of the reasons why they were often not taken seriously by the press. A typical sentence usually amount to just a small fine or court orders to perform community service.

The fact that counterfeit cases are small in numbers is another reason behind their relatively low visibility. According to media reports, Customs had checked 510 pharmacies selling Western drugs since 2007 and found 28 to have counterfeit products on their shelves. Of the 730 cases of counterfeit products found by Customs in 2010, only three percent involved drugs.

As a result, few people actually pay attention to the problem or are aware of the heavy policing involved. Moreover, common counterfeits include drugs treating erectile dysfunction, baldness, insomnia and obesity – not the typical medicines for mass consumers – and that further pushes the issue to the peripheral.

Ho says despite the relative low “crime” rate, Customs takes counterfeit drugs seriously. “Unlike other anti-counterfeit operations, we want to keep a high profile in the crackdown of counterfeit drugs,” he says. “We aim to make sure that there would be zero sales of fake drugs in the market.”

Name-and-Shame Scheme Takes Fight against

Counterfeit Drugs to Higher Level

By Daniel Kwan AmCham’s mission is to foster commerce between the US, Hong Kong, and Mainland China. For trade to prosper, counterfeits cannot be tolerated because they threaten legitimate businesses and choke off innovation. In the case of counterfeit drugs, the risk is even higher because human lives may be at stake.

For years, AmCham has lobbied the Government to step up crackdown on pharmacies which sell counterfeit drugs and increase penalty on repeat offenders. Progress came in February when Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department reached an agreement with the Consumer Council to name and shame those convicted of selling fake medicine, by publishing details in the council's magazine Choice. The first published list includes 19 cases involving 18 dispensaries which sold counterfeit drugs.

AmCham supports the initiative. In a submission to the Government on drug safety in March, the Chamber calls for strengthening of enforcement actions against counterfeit and unapproved drugs. In addition, minimum penalty should be set as effective deterrent to stop unscrupulous merchants who feel no shame and carry on with their fraudulent practice even after multiple convictions

Get involved The name and shame initiative is part of a strategy to achieve that goal. The Consumer Council – long a stalwart in the fight against counterfeit – joined hands with the Customs to push for it.

In its discussions with industry practitioners, the Council understood it must get the Customs involved. “In our discussions, I had this idea that the Customs is the one that we need to get involved,” recalls Connie Lau Yin-hing, Chief Executive of Consumer Council.

According to Lau, the initiative aims to serve two purposes. One is to increase transparency and facilitate the spread of information through the Council’s magazine Choice.

In addition, publication of the convicted cases aims to serve as a warning to other retailers.

In the February list, Albert Ho names of 18 dispensaries involved in 19 cases were published. Of the named shops, 12 are still operating. Six closed or changed their names: Ka Wo Dispensary in Yau Ma Tei, Honest Dispensary in Sham Shui Po, Top Good Dispensary in Jordan and three Lung Fung Dispensary outlets in Fanling and Tai Po.

T

he name-and-shame initiative looks simple. Eighteen shops were convicted of selling counterfeit drugs in Hong Kong. They were fined, disciplined and their cases closed. A consumer magazine published their names in an effort to raise public awareness of the unscrupulous practice.

The truth is that it was the cumulative effort of various government agencies, the Consumer Council, and industry practitioners for almost two years. At the end, their hard work finally paid off. Albert Ho, Senior Superintendent of Customs & Excise Department, puts it in more glowing terms: “This is a shining example of partnership between the industry and the government.”

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Lau observes that Mainland tourists may be targeted preys of some of these retailers judging from their locations. “You may say that consumers from the Mainland benefit from this too,” she says.

“We should bear in mind that any tourists who have come to Hong Kong is a consumer we shall protect.”

To enable easier access of information for Mainland consumers, Lau says the lists of convicted counterfeit drugs retailers will be included on the Shopsmart webpage of the Council’s website.

Shopsmart is a dedicated page for Mainland tourists alerting them to shopping intelligence in Hong Kong and the various quality products schemes promoted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the IPR Department.

“We are targeting counterfeit drugs first because this concerns patients’ safety and human lives can be at stake,” Lau says. “In the future, we can explore the idea of expanding this to cover other products.”

“We should bear in mind that any tourists who have come to Hong Kong is a consumer we shall protect.”

Certainty of punishment The Consumer Council chief also shares the view that more severe penalty is needed in order to keep the market clean. She stresses that penalty should match the severity of the offence instead of the commercial revenue lost.

“In deciding on the severity of punishment, it should be based on the seriousness of the offence instead of the [commercial] value of the merchandise involved,” she says. “Otherwise, the deterrent effect will be limited.”

Ho believes there is another channel to keep the unscrupulous merchants at bay. The Customs, he says, will make sure that no stone would be left unturned.

“Severity of punishment is one way to ensure that people would not dare to break the law and sell counterfeit drugs,” the Senior Superintendent says. “There is another way to achieve that which is the certainty of punishment.”

“What it means is that we increase your frequency of being caught by carrying out more test buys, raids and checking. The message is that arrest is guaranteed and the only question is when if you sell counterfeit drugs.”

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“We want to make sure that all pharmacies in Hong Kong – 3,000 to 4,000 of them in total – know that the Customs is watching them very closely and arrest is guaranteed if they sell counterfeit.”

Ho points out that there is another implication for certainty of punishment. Under Hong Kong law, any retailers can sell drugs even if they have been convicted for selling counterfeit drugs. In fact, one of the dispensaries named in the February list has changed its name and continued to sell drugs after its conviction. But Ho says name change or not makes no difference to the Customs.

“Although the list reveals that some of the pharmacies are repeat offenders, certainty of punishment means that it doesn’t matter how many times they may have changed their names, we will still go after them if they sell counterfeit drugs again.

Name change or no name change makes no difference to us.”

Connie Lau

Industry support

Feedback from the industry has been positive since the scheme was launched two months ago. “Feedback has been great,” says Sian Ng, President of the Hong Kong Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry – another primary driver behind the name and shame initiative. “This will definitely help raise the awareness of the people and in fact help our entire industry.”

The HKAPI has 39 full members which are all international companies engaged in the research and development of pharmaceuticals including the world’s top 20. Its members provide over 70 percent of the prescription medicines in Hong Kong.

Since the initiative was the first in any jurisdictions in the region, Ng says extra care was taken to make sure that all the right steps are followed. For example, discussions with the Customs and the Consumer Council covered issues such as the scope of reporting and frequency of publication.

Counterfeit drugs are of course the primary targets for the scheme, but Ng explains that the association actually has something much bigger in mind – patient safety. Instead of just tackling the problem of fake drugs – which Customs statistics suggest numbering 60,000 to 70,000 tablets a year – the association hopes that through the name and shame initiative, it may help raise public awareness on patient safety and importance of pharmaco-vigilence.

“The patients or consumers are the people we want to serve,” Ng says. “Patient safety is always our major concern.”

She also stresses that the name and shame initiative serves the community as a whole and not just R&D pharmaceutical companies.

“We will do more on public education and strengthen communications with different departments. We hope that in the future there will be more law reinforcement and maybe the penalty can be higher.”

“At present, it is just a couple of thousands of dollars of fines

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and it may not be a very good way of deterring those dishonest pharmacies. So in these areas, hopefully we can have better progress.”

“This will definitely help raise the awareness of the people and in fact help our entire industry.”

“No Fakes” The HKAPI has in fact been partnering with the Customs and other government departments for that purpose. For example, the association has organized training seminars for frontline Customs officers on how to identify counterfeit drugs since 2007. In addition, it has also forged a strong relationship with the Department of Health on the issue of parallel imports. Under Hong Kong’s law, all parallel imports of drugs are illegal because all parallel imports are unregistered drugs.

The association has also joined hands with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Pharmacy in supporting the “No Fakes Pledge” programme administered by the Intellectual Property Department. Under the programme, retailers – in this case, pharmacies – vow not to engage in the sale of fake products and the participating businesses are permitted to display the “No Fakes” logo at their premises to provide consumers with additional peace of mind.

Another effective means are the test-buys operations taken together with the Customs. By offering on-site examination services, pharmaceutical companies enable Customs officers a much more efficient way to Sian Ng identify counterfeit drugs.

“Most important is that we

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4 • 2011

have on-site examiners who can immediately help Customs and Excise to have a primary identification in order to support the law enforcement action,” Ng adds.

“Personally, we have done several things that are on the right direction. The first is public education and secondly it is our close communication with different government departments.”

“Whether it is successful or not, personally I can’t say [it’s successful] because for pharmaceutical products, even one counterfeit can be very serious.”

Build momentum Ng cautions that there is no room for complacency. With its high volume of traffic, any lapse in vigilance can mean serious consequence. “Hong Kong is a free port and we are close to China,” she points out. “If the law enforcement just relaxes a bit, problems will happen and [counterfeit] products will flood to Hong Kong.”

According to Lau of Consumer Council, the February list is only the first step towards ensuring consumer protection and the Council is committed to keep up the momentum.

“I am pleased to tell you that we won’t wait another year or six months, and we will put their names on our websites once they are convicted and their cases closed,” she says.

“We are not going to let this fizzles out and we will make sure that consumers are informed.”

“We have reached consensus with the Customs, once a case is closed and final, we will publicize it immediately,” she says.

The

* Shops already closed, renamed or replaced by other shops

4 • 2011

H

ong Kong will host the 19th Consumers International World Congress at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from May 3rd to 6th.

In a four-day conference organized by Consumers International (an independent global campaigning voice for consumers worldwide), business and government leaders as well as consumer and industry groups will get together to discuss “issues that matter most to consumers” and help shape an agenda for the consumer movement in the years ahead.

“At the conference, we will be talking about the challenges consumers will be facing in the next 10 or 20 years and about different aspects of the consumer movement,” says Connie Lau, chief executive of Hong Kong Consumer Council.

Themed “Empowering Tomorrow’s Consumers,” issues to be covered include consumer financial protection, sustainable consumption in a green economy, food safety, and corporate social responsibility as well as consumer rights in the digital world. Scheduled programs at the conference will include Q&A discussions, TED-style lectures, workshops, fringe events, and foyer exhibitions.

“Consumers International just celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010 and it now has over 220 member organizations in 115 countries,” Lau points out. “It is unique because it is a global and very independent organization. Yet, it works very closely with industries by encouraging a code of practice.”

18 pharmacies which sold counterfeit drugs

Man Tak Pharmacy Goodyear Dispensary * Ka Wo Dispensary * Honest Dispensary * Top Good Dispensary Ying Kit Dispensary Yau Ma Tei Dispensary Yuen Tai Cordyceps Birdnest Ching Hong Pharmacy Lung Fung Dispensary * Lung Fung Dispensary * Lung Fung Dispensary * Dispensary ** Hang Cheong Medicine King Sun Dispensary Shun Hing Dispensary Health & Faith Medicine Dispensary **

biz.hk

City to Play Host to Consumers Congress

Bonham Strand East Cameron Road Parkes Street Tai Po Road Pilkem Street Prince Edward Road West Pitt Street Hankow Road Argyle Street Luen Wo Market KCR Fanling Station Po Heung Street Lung Sum Avenue On Fu Road Tai Kwong Lane San Hong Street Tai Wo Hau Yuen Long New Street

** No English name

Sheung Wan Tsim Sha Tsui Yau Ma Tei Sham Shui Po Jordan Mongkok Yau Ma Tei Tsim Sha Tsui Mongkok Fanling Fanling Tai Po Sheung Shui Tai Po Tai Po Sheung Shui Kwai Chung Yuen Long Source: Consumer Council and Customs

15

ENVIRONMENT environmental impact assessment to estimate mass concentrations of pollution created by the project. If the newly proposed AQOs become the new standards under the EIA Ordinance, they will be permitted to create pollutants up to the levels of the AQOs. In other words, pollutants could be pushed up to higher quantities within the AQO band, higher than they were before the development. This emphasizes how vitally important it is to have strict limits, and these limits should be health-based.

Anthony J Hedley

Objectives Too Lax,

Study Finds

H

ong Kong’s Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) were established in 1987 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO) for air quality management. The objectives were based on scientific analysis of associated adverse effects of air pollutants on human health. The Hong Kong government in 2007 commissioned a study to review these objectives and published the findings in a detailed report on the need to determine new limits on air pollutants two years ago.

New AQOs and emission control measures were proposed in the study, for which a public consultation was launched in late 2009 to invite comments from the public. Findings from the public consultation were presented in a summary report issued to the public, and views collected would be referenced in “setting new benchmark for improving air quality.” Decisions for a new set of AQOs are now pending.

However, proposed limits under the revised Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) are unlikely to provide effective environmental regulation or lead to sustained air quality improvement that will meet 2005 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, according to a study conducted by the Environmental Health Research and Health Economics Groups of the School of Public Health at Hong Kong University.

The newly proposed AQOs, researchers in the study say, are simply too lax. If adopted, they would likely permit higher allowable levels of pollutant on both an hourly- and daily-basis, thus causing a major threat to public health, particularly the health of children. The study also emphasizes that most harmful effects caused by air pollution in Hong Kong occur at levels that are well below limits allowed under the existing AQOs or the

16

proposed AQOs. Professor Anthony J Hedley, who retired and left Hong Kong for the Isle of Man in 2010, is advisor to the Environmental Health Group at HKU. In a conversation with biz.hk, he explains why AQOs in their proposed form will not provide protection to public health. biz.hk: What is the rationale behind HKU’s recent study?

Hedley: Environmental health research should make a critically important contribution to policy formulation and decisionmaking. The government must make use of Hong Kong and international evidence on the health risks of pollution in environmental strategic planning for air quality improvement.

The study took what I would call a precautionary approach.

This analysis demonstrates just how important it is to take a public health approach to the reduction of exposures from air pollution.

Every single day of avoidable exposure contributes to the community burden of illness and healthcare costs in Hong Kong.

The complete absence of any meaningful professional medical and health input to decisions on air quality management has led to a breakdown in environmental health protection. biz.hk: Why are Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) so important?

Hedley: Once you set certain levels of limit under the AQOs, you legally permit emissions up to those levels. The whole purpose of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance is to take these proposed AQOs, if adopted, as the new standards.

In development projects such as a new roadway or something like that, proponents employ a consultant and commission an

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biz.hk: Would you give us an example of the problem with these proposed limits?

Hedley: What they have come up with in these new limits for “particulates” is that they have only brought the limit down by five micrograms from 55 to 50, whereas the WHO standard is 20.

What it means is that we are 150 percent above the WHO guideline. That is a very serious threat to health, and that should be recognized.

There has been a considerable outpouring of new research papers from around the world in the last 18 months, and the new research showed that levels of certain pollutants below WHO guidelines can already be significantly damaging to health.

Our current system is not based on the best scientific evidence, which shows how levels of pollution can predictably damage children’s lungs for life. A significant proportion of children will reach maturity with damaged lung function, and it is something you can’t repair later. It will mean impaired health-related quality of life and shortened life expectancy as a result of chronic lung or cardiovascular diseases. Even a fetus in the womb is breathing the same air as the pregnant mother, and it impairs growth and development in the womb.

kind of consultation that will take another two years. There will just be a further lag period.

As a public health physician I could not accept that for a single minute, especially given the very high pollution levels in Hong Kong. biz.hk: What is the cost implication?

Hedley: Our valuation of community burden is very conservative. The direct healthcare cost and cost from loss of productivity are running at HK$20 billion a decade. But I would emphasize that these numbers are very conservative because we have only estimated the health outcomes on the basis of short-term effects.

A longer-term study in Hong Kong would have shown an estimated cost outcome at least five times higher.

If you factor in the value of the lives lost and public willingness to pay, the cost over a decade at present prices goes up to HK$200 billion. It does not even take into account the long-term detriment: the benefits lost to children. If I had young children, I would not bring them up in Hong Kong. There is also an issue of environmental justice and societal ethics here: a family living in a small apartment in Mongkok will be particularly at risk. It is about time we recognize this.

Some have continued to argue that nothing should interfere with infrastructure development, business or commerce. But it is a tradeoff against the health of the sick, young, poor or elderly.

“The government must make use of Hong Kong and international evidence on the health risks of pollution in environmental strategic planning for air quality improvement.”

biz.hk: How should AQOs be based?

Hedley: They should be based on the latest evidence of endless health effects from exposure of a given pollutant. This simply has not happened in the latest AQO assessment.

The government is saying that World Health Organization’s guidelines cannot be adopted, presumably because these guidelines would always be exceeded. Politically, that is of course unacceptable to them, never mind the fact it is tearing people’s lungs and causing damage in the development of children. They are saying they will adopt something more intermediate as a kind of step-by-step approach.

The problem with that strategy is that: first, limits are being set very high that it no longer is a public-health approach; and secondly, the time scale allowing amendment is very loose. They are talking about a review in five years, and they will start some

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biz.hk: Perhaps people don’t necessarily see air quality as something tangible?

Hedley: The direct costs in healthcare and lost productivity are not intangible. More importantly, it is hard to deny

the value of life, intangible or not.

The approach must be health-based, but Hong Kong has dropped the ball on that. I have lived in Hong Kong for 22 years.

Places in Hong Kong are changing, and you never see the vibrant colors in the typography of landscape and seascape that you used to see. biz.hk: What will the Environmental Health Research Group do next?

Hedley: We will continue to develop new techniques and try to refine the model showing what kind of rates of decline in pollution levels are needed to reach safer limits. With our findings, we will try to initiate a push for a revision of the WHO guidelines.

WHO guidelines are now over five years old and are beginning to look outdated. I would expect that WHO is going to upgrade those long before Hong Kong begins to adopt anything remotely like it.

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TRADE & INVESTMENT

Making Most “China-Friendly” US City Chicago Mayor Richard M Daley paid a recent visit to Hong Kong and was guest speaker at an AmCham luncheon.

Daley is the longest serving mayor of Chicago and will retire from the post next month. Kenny Lau reports on his recent Asian tour and his vision of what it takes to be America's most "China-Friendly" destination city

I

n an effort to establish Chicago as the most “China-Friendly” destination city in the US for Chinese foreign investment, Mayor Richard M Daley has recently initiated a marketing campaign and led a delegation of civic and business leaders to China, spending two weeks in March meeting with their Chinese counterparts in Beijing, Tianjin, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Hong Kong.

The “Chicago-China Friendship Initiative” campaign, with a theme of “Chicago: The Heart of America,” aims to raise the profile of the third largest city in the US as a center of international commerce.

“We already have a very strong relationship with China, but the economic future of Chicago depends greatly on our success in seeking opportunities in China and around the globe,” Daley says, speaking at an AmCham luncheon in Hong Kong (final stop of the tour). “The great potential of a rising Chinese economy has generated considerable interest and activity from other US states and municipalities competing with Chicago.”

“One of the things that has inspired this campaign is the vision of (Chinese) President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama to forge new partnerships in China. Working together we can achieve much,” Daley points out, noting President Hu’s recent visit to Chicago as the only stop other than Washington DC. “I believe the visit was the result – in part – of the great deal of effort we have focused in recent years on developing an economic and cultural relationship with China.”

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Richard M Daley

Chicago Millennium Park

The “Windy City” Chicago, nicknamed the “Windy City,” is the third largest metropolitan city in the US and has a cluster of significant economic activities, but “people outside of the US are sometimes inclined to dismiss Chicago as part of the uninteresting Midwest region – an area you fly over on the way from Los Angeles to New York,” Daley notes. “What I want to do is to make a case for Chicago as a trading partner, a business location and a destination for conventions and tourism, and explain why Chicago is an ideal location for Chinese businesses.”

“As a first step, I am personally carrying the message of this campaign to business and government leaders in the five cities,” he adds, saying the campaign includes multi-media advertising and personal contacts that build on Chicago’s ties with Mainland China and Hong Kong.

The theme of the campaign and symbol of a heart represents Chicago’s central geographical location in the US and the historic and continuing role as the business, financial, transportation and cultural center of the middle region of the US, Daley points out. “It is also because of its welcoming attitude toward business and of its friendly people and collaborative spirit.”

The campaign highlights Chicago as a premier business and cultural destination. “It is America’s most diverse metropolitan economy, the business services capital of the Midwest, the No 2 financial center in the

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US, a manufacturing leader as well as a leader in the area of applied technologies,” Daley points out. “It is the US’ top business travel destination and No 1 in the US for air travel, rail freight, trucking and distribution.”

Chicago has continued to grow in international stature: Standard & Poor’s now named the city among the world’s “Top 10” economic centers and Foreign Policy magazine in 2010 ranked Chicago No 6 among global cities worldwide, behind only New York, London, Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong.

“I firmly believe Chicago is one of the global cities that will play a dominant role in the international economy in the coming decades,” Daley says. “And we take the idea of global partnerships very seriously.”

In the past, Chicago has hosted a number of international conferences, including the Sino-US Mayor’s Summit in 2007, which brought together mayors and city officials from all over the US and Mainland China, and the US-Arab Cities Forum, which brought together mayors and municipal officials from the US, Canada and the Arab world.

Cutting edge economy From an investment perspective, Daley believes Chicago offers the best access to the US marketplace, a high quality workforce, top-tier international business services and a large regional market. “Most importantly

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for any business, acrossthe-board costs in Chicago are less than in our US coastal competitors,” he adds.

While manufacturing continues to be an important sector that makes up more than 10 percent of the local economy and employs nearly half a million workers, Chicago is also ranked one of the world’s top global financial centers. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange is currently one of the top three exchanges in the world.

“You need only look at our successes recently in gaining business investment and expansion to appreciate that we are on the right track with our strategy,” Daley says, adding that World Business Chicago, a public-private organization dedicated to accelerating economic growth, has identified 232 major commercial and industrial expansions that were announced, under development or completed in the region in 2010.

To stay ahead in economic development, Chicago in recent years has focused on emerging business sectors that will increasingly become prominent in the 21st century economy, namely technology, clean energy, healthcare, financial services, hospitality,

19

HK-Chicago

Mayor Daley, center, speaks at a press conference in Hong Kong, along with members of a business delegation biosciences, innovation, transportation as well as manufacturing and small businesses.

“Chicago already has thriving healthcare and biotech sectors, supported by our world class hospitals and universities, many of which are pioneering breakthrough advances,” Daley says, adding Chicago is now home to more than 275,000 high-tech employees or more than 24,000 employers.

The region surrounding Chicago has stepped up to meet the growing demand for clean energy, with 14 wind-based power companies and the nation’s largest urban solar farm. “We have undertaken hundreds of initiatives aimed at making Chicago the most environmentally friendly city in the nation,” Daley says. “At every point, we have used government to lead by example.”

“As we rehabilitate existing city buildings and construct new ones, we follow green building policies,” he says, noting the city’s Center for Green Technology became the first municipal building in the world to be awarded a platinum rating by the US Green Building Council.

In addition, more than 600 gardens and green roofs have been constructed or are underway for more than 7 million square feet on public and private buildings in Chicago, to help reduce the amount of energy needed in air conditioning. To help lower greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change, Chicago has

20

added more than 1500 acres of open space throughout the city since 1998, installed 90 miles of landscaped medians on major streets, and created the Chicago Climate Action Plan.

“As the marketplace continues to demand cleaner technologies, Chicago’s green reputation has helped position us to further expand our leadership in this area,” Daley says.

“We believe Chicago presents a variety of opportunities for foreign investors, and there are some special areas of interest to Hong Kong,” he adds.

“These include headquarters operations, renewable energy, particularly wind power operations as well as office and distribution centers, finance and transportation operations, food sector operations, telecommunications and IT, assembly and manufacturing.”

“Urban centers are where the greatest concentrations of people will live in the 21st century, and we must make cultural connections and expand our working relationships with many partners if we are to succeed in the global economy,” Daley stresses.

“It is clear that all of us no longer compete just with other cities in our own countries,” he continues. “We compete with cities all over the world for jobs, for business, for tourism, for the economic security of our people.”

“The development of Hong Kong over the years as a financial and cultural center is an impressive achievement,” he says. “And we’ve focused in recent years a great deal of effort on developing an economic and cultural relationship with Hong Kong.

“I hope that the connections between Hong Kong and Chicago can continue to grow.”

Currently, more than 20 Hong Kong-based companies have locations in the Chicago area and at least 80 Chicago-based companies have a presence in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council has also maintained an office in Chicago for 45 years.

The Chicago-based architectural and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has been responsible for many projects in Hong Kong, including the Convention and Exhibition Centre and the master development plan for the Hong Kong International Airport.

And business relationships between Hong Kong and Chicago continue to grow: HSBC has established its North American headquarters in a new facility in suburban Chicago, while Cathay Pacific Airways will inaugurate daily nonstop flights between the two cities this year. Newedge, the world’s largest futures brokerage, has partnered with Sweden’s Orc Software to create a new, direct high-speed link between Chicago and Hong Kong.

transportation; and friendly, interesting people.”

“Chicago is blessed with a business and philanthropic community that is fully invested in our goal of improving the quality of life for every resident of our city,” Daley says, citing Millennium Park on the city’s lakefront, where 16-acres of ground covered with railroad tracks were turned into the nation’s largest green roof with donation of the local business and philanthropic communities.

“With its music, gardens, sculpture and restaurants, the park is a great place to stroll around or sit down and enjoy the beauty of the skyline and lakefront and the vitality of downtown,” he adds. “Importantly, this wonderful gathering place generates revenue that is invested in our neighborhoods.”

“One of the things we are most proud of is our continuing commitment to the vision of our past leaders to maintain the Lake Michigan waterfront for public use,” Daley says. “And I know this kind of development is the subject of much interest here in Hong Kong as you address the challenge of creating a green, waterfront city.”

“I hope that the connections between Hong Kong and Chicago can continue to grow.”

Quality living In the 21st century economy, jobs are increasingly going where people want to live, Daley believes. “Companies want to locate in a city that has abundant business resources and is also a nice place to live, with plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities; good schools and parks; attractive neighborhoods; good

“Our downtown lakefront is home to what we call the Museum Campus, where three of our finest museums are located,” he further points out. “From one end of the city to the other, we maintain 24 miles of public shoreline, 31 beaches, 15 beach walks, an 18-mile bike trail and the largest municipal harbor system in the US – nine harbors with room for 5,000 boats.

“Chicago is one of the few cities where you can walk out of your hotel in the downtown business area, cross the street and be on a beach.”

“Our lakefront and riverfront are irreplaceable components of the good quality of life that Chicagoans enjoy, and I can’t think of an American city with a longer-standing commitment to sound waterfront development than Chicago,” Daley believes.

(Continues on P 23)

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(Continued from P 21)

Cultural development Chicago is not only a city with a great collection of historic architecture, but also a center of abundant cultural resources enrich the lives of our residents and attract a worldwide audience, Daley says. “We have an equally strong commitment to promoting an ongoing celebration of the arts and supporting the people who create and sustain them.”

Ten years ago, Chicago Theater District within the central business district was created in partnership with theater owners and producers. And it has been a “tremendous success” in providing entertainment to the residents of Chicago and strengthening the city’s position as a worldwide convention and tourism destination. More than 800 stage productions are now produced each year, drawing more than five million theatergoers.

“The arts and entertainment are part of our long-term strategy to secure Chicago’s economic future in the global economy,” Daley notes. “To do that, we know we must raise the city’s profile as a global city and a center of international commerce.”

Chicago Signs

“Sister Airport” Agreements in China

A

s part of the delegation visiting China on the “Chicago-China Friendship Initiative,” Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Rosemarie S Andolino met with airport executives, airline CEOs and express-rail company representatives to discuss business and economic opportunities.

“Mayor Daley has constantly encouraged us to look for partnerships in other airports so we can establish best practices and share experiences with each other,” Andolino says in a press conference in Hong Kong.

CDA, which operates O’Hare International Airport (ranked the world’s third busiest airport) and Midway International Airport in Chicago, subsequently signed four “Sister Airport” agreements with officials from the international airports of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Incheon, Korea.

The agreements formally outline the process for the airports to share technical, commercial and environmental best practices. These agreements will proceed with the establishment of joint working groups to cooperate on a wide range of areas including airport management, customer service, construction, planning, operations, information technology and sustainable development.

“We look to Hong Kong as an airport of the future and an airport that understands its customers and provides the best-in-class service,” Andolino says.

“The agreement encourages a working relationship so we can continue to share best practices, engage in dialogues and grow not only our airports but extend the airport as an entry way to grow our city.”

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“As the operator of one of the world’s busiest international passenger and cargo airports, and with a reputation for excellent customer-focused facilities and services, Airport Authority Hong Kong will be a valuable partner to the Chicago Department of Aviation as we continue to enhance O'Hare and Midway International Airports,” she adds.

In addition to signing an agreement in a ceremony with Hong Kong Airport Authority Chief Executive Officer Stanley Hui, Andolino had a meeting with Cathay Pacific Airways CEO John Slosar and members of his management team to discuss the airline's upcoming non-stop daily passenger service to Chicago.

Currently, United Airlines flies a daily non-stop passenger flight between Chicago and Hong Kong, while Cathay Pacific Cargo and Evergreen Airlines provide regularly scheduled freighter service between the two cities.

Rosemarie S Andolino Andolino also met with Chairman of the MTR Corporation Raymond Chien to discuss Chicago’s interest in establishing express rail service between O’Hare International Airport and the city's central business district.

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Mayor Daley, right, receives a memento from AmCham chairman Rob Chipman at an AmCham luncheon

COVER STORY

H Michael M Y Suen

Measures Taken to Address Lack of

International School Places

By Daniel Kwan

For years, the American Chamber of Commerce has actively engaged in dialogue with the Hong Kong Government to push for more international school places and cleaner air – both issues critical for Hong Kong to improve its competitiveness. Michael M Y Suen, Secretary for Education, tells biz.hk in an interview in April that the Government is fully aware of the concerns of the business community, and outlines measures taken in recent years to resolve the shortage by increasing supply

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ong Kong’s rule-of-law, simple tax system, and geographical proximity to Mainland China have always been identified as some of the city’s competitive advantages in achieving success.

Equally important – if not more – is Hong Kong’s highly competent and competitive human capital. The talent pool is blessed by an abundant supply of locals who are highly efficient and well-educated as well as a diversified mix of expatriates with global expertise and experience. It is no surprise that Hong Kong has been consistently rated as a favorite destination in Asia for expatriates thanks to its business-friendly visa policy.

There is however a catch. Many expatriate families have complained about the lack of international school places in Hong Kong. Relocation agents often warn their clients of the long waitlists, urging them to apply early for places for their children. In fact, popular schools are consistently full over the years and finding places in those schools can be a real challenge. In March, legislators expressed their concern at a meeting that an apparent shortage of school places could be a disincentive for staff of multinational companies eyeing a potential move to the city.

Lack of space Michael M Y Suen, Secretary for Education, says the Government hears the feedback from the business community loud and clear. “Almost all foreign chambers of commerce write to us and tell us that they feel a shortage of school spaces in international schools to the extent that some of the people who are coming to Hong Kong have second thoughts of coming because of the non-provision of international school places,” Suen says. “Cases were presented to us by various chambers of commerce that we are not doing enough.”

Hong Kong has 48 international schools, providing a total of 36,150 school places including 19,490 primary and 16,660 secondary school places. According to the annual enrolment survey for the 2010/2011 school year, there are a total of 31,860 students (17,400 primary and 14,460 secondary) studying at international schools as of September 2010.

Based on the survey, the average fill-up rate of international schools in Hong Kong stands at 88 percent – meaning an average vacancy ratio of more than 10 percent. However, the actual shortage can be higher than these figures may suggest because demands vary across grades and schools

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and there are fluctuations throughout the school year. Since most expatriate families may not stay in Hong Kong permanently, demands for school places tend to change depending on the movement of families.

“We understand that there are fluctuations in the school population because the expatriate community doesn’t live here forever,” Suen says. “So depending on when they are recruited, their children will come to Hong Kong at different times.

When they leave, they will also leave at different times and that may not necessarily be the end of the school year.”

At the same time, popular schools – factors like locations, parents’ preferences, and school reputation are all critical – often fill up quickly resulting in shortages even though there may be vacancies available at schools which are not conveniently located.

“We understand that there are fluctuations in the school population because the expatriate community doesn’t live here forever.”

Steps taken The Secretary emphasizes that the Government takes the issue seriously and is committed to resolve the shortage problem. For example, various government departments have taken steps to facilitate the in-situ expansion of popular institutions such as the Hong Kong International School, French International School, and Kellett School so that these schools may increase their enrollments.

In addition, the Government has tapped into its pool of vacant school premises to speed up the supply of school places. Since 2007, the Education Bureau has allocated vacant premises to allow four existing international schools to expand in Hong Kong. Three of these four premises are on Hong Kong Island and one in the New Territories. Some of these projects have come on stream and their final completion will add 1,640 school places including 300 primary and 1,340 secondary to the market.

Meanwhile, a total of nine international schools applied

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to the Government in the past two years for using vacant school premises as temporary campuses under tenancy agreement. Seven of the applications have been approved and the remaining two are being processed.

A bigger boost is expected with the allocation of four Greenfield sites in 2009 to international schools to expand their facilities or build new schools. They include the Kellett School, which was granted a site in Kowloon Bay. In 2013, the school will be able to offer about 600 secondary and 200 primary school places. The other new ones are in Lai Chi Kok, Sai Kung and Tuen Mun. The Tuen Mun site is taken by the well-known Harrow International School from the UK, which will be open to around 1,200 primary and secondary students in August next year, with the aim of gradually extending the intake to 1,500 spaces. The ratio of local students will be up to a maximum of half of the total student population. The Tuen Mun school will include boarding facilities to accommodate around 440 secondary school boarders in the first phase and another 120 in the second phase. Student recruitment is expected to begin in the second half of this year.

Suen says that when all these initiatives come into play, 5,000 additional school places will become available. “The important message is that there are more [spaces]. There are 5,000 more places coming on stream. That’s the message.

We are doing our very best to get more on the drawing board,” he stresses.

Competing demands He however acknowledges that the Education Bureau doesn’t enjoy a free hand in increasing supply because there are

constant demands for space and land from different sectors in the community.

“There is a great demand for [vacant school] buildings and not just for international schools. After all, there are other schools in Hong Kong and they also want such premises,” Suen says using the vacant school option as an example.

In 2009, the Hong Kong Art School – a division of the Hong Kong Arts Centre – was given a vacant building in Shau Kei Wan for a new campus for its higher diploma programmes. “This is a brand new school and it gives diversity to the sort of education we provide,” he says.

Another constraint the Education Bureau faces is the hurdle over land leases and zoning requirements under existing planning arrangement. Moreover, the Bureau is not the only government department who may have a say on the use of government land.

“There are different demands – welfare or maybe for alternative purposes – I can’t say that international schools should be given absolute priority over the others,” he explains.

Local students It’s not surprising that more and more local students are studying at international schools, given Hong Kong’s diverse population mix. With the large number of returning children of Hong Kong parents who have dual passports, international schools have become their default choices of schools since many of these children have started in English stream education systems overseas. As a result, turnover at some of these schools has shrunk steadily, with more and more students staying in Hong Kong for their entire school career.

Numbers and percentages of local and non-local students in international schools

31,860 Total number of students

International schools

87%

27,727

13% 4,133

Total number of students

Total number of students

non-local students

local students

Local students include students who are Hong Kong permanent residents (with the right of abode in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) and do not have any foreign passport (except British National (Overseas) Passport)

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The Government says that of the 31,860 students enrolled in international schools, only 13 percent are local students officially defined as students who are Hong Kong permanent residents and do not have any foreign passport.

Recognizing that local students account for a fair share of the international school student population, the Secretary says that recruitment is a matter of individual schools and the government has no control.

“You got to remember we don’t run those schools and the government has no responsibility and nothing to do with the running of those schools,” he says. “Insofar as to whether to take on someone as a student, it is a matter completely in the hands of the schools.”

“Not only that, some of the students admitted by those schools may come from a family of ethnic Chinese background. But in fact, many of them, depending on individual circumstances, are locally raised.”

“For example, those who have migrated elsewhere such as Canada and Australia now are coming back to Hong Kong. Having been born over there, and having had their pre-school years there, and maybe their mother tongue is English, so it is very difficult to draw a line.”

When asked if more Greenfield sites will be made available to further increase supply, the Secretary is non-committal. “I am afraid at this moment that I can’t give you a guarantee that we will be able to come up with a new site every year because we are subject to lot of constraints, but we are trying very hard.”

Nevertheless, all branches of the government are working together to ensure that availability of school places would not become an obstacle to Hong Kong’s economic success.

“What you have seen now is the concerted effort [by different departments] because we want to attract investment from elsewhere,” Suen says. “Under that umbrella, we are asking each individual bureau to do its own part as part of an overall campaign to attract more business into Hong Kong.”

“The idea is to get more students to get used to listening to more English, speaking more English, and reading more English so that there is greater immersion in the English environment.”

Through all these measures, Suen says he is hopeful that the standard of English of local students will improve.

However, a more daunting challenge is to create conditions for Hong Kong to become a real education hub.

One proposal is to bring Mainland Chinese secondary students to Hong Kong to study. The Secretary admits that the Government has raised the issue with Mainland authorities but he does not expect any breakthrough in the near future.

Education hub

“Some schools in Hong Kong have already made preparations for that,” Suen says referring to the import of Mainland secondary students. “They have been applying pressure on us to negotiate with the Mainland to permit students to come to Hong Kong.”

“We have taken this up on their behalf and the reply that we get from the central authorities is that they think it’s all right in principle but there are details to be worked out. I am afraid this will take us a few years to work out the details.”

On the controversial issue of the declining standard of English in Hong Kong, Suen says the Government has implemented policies to encourage the use of English in schools. For example, more resources have been made available to teachers to upgrade their teaching and language skills and to schools so that they can provide more learning opportunities for students in an English-speaking environment.

“Previously, there was a fixed rule prohibiting the use of English as a medium of instruction in certain schools, which use Chinese as the medium of instruction. We have abolished that [policy]. We have encouraged the greater use of English during classes,” he says.

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4 • 2011

Michael M Y Suen

For detailed information on Hong Kong’s international schools please visit: http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=4369&langno=1

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Hong Kong’s Un-told Story of Success

H

ong Kong has many successful stories. World-class airlines, global banks, top-ranking MBA programs – to name just a few. At the same time, there are also thousands of untold (or little-known) stories of achievement. One of which is the Yew Chung International Schools in Kowloon Tong. For decades, the group has grown from a small school with two students to a pioneer focused on early childhood education, and now a through-train institution with campuses spanning the US, Hong Kong, and Mainland China.

To illustrate the point: do you know that Yew Chung is the first international school licensed in Mainland China to receive local Mainland Chinese students? Or that Yew Chung even has a branch in Silicon Valley teaching a bilingual program to American students?

Dr Gary Morrison is Assistant Director and Head of International Education Services, Yew Chung Education Foundation. A veteran AmCham member, Dr Morrison not only witnessed the transformation of Yew Chung but actually played an active part in the process. In describing Yew Chung and what its educational philosophy means for Hong Kong’s ambition to become an education hub, Morrison says: “We focus on the development of a philosophy and objectives to produce global citizens, and we’ve been quite successful in that and that distinguishes us.”

“I think we are one of the unsung success stories. People don’t talk about us a lot but we have quietly established a very excellent system,” he adds.

The success story The Yew Chung’s story began more than eight decades ago with Madam Tsang Chor-hang who founded the first school in Hong Kong in 1932. Her daughter, Dr Betty Chan Po-kung, built on the foundation laid by Madam Tsang and introduced the concept of

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early childhood education in the 1970s. In the next 30 years, the school has grown to become a global institution. At present, Yew Chung has established its footprints in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Qingdao. It also has a second line of schools under the umbrella of Yew Wah International Education Foundation for Chinese citizens in Beijing, Shanghai, Yantai, Chongqing, and Shenzhen.

“We started the Yew Wah schools about 11 or 12 years ago,” Morrison recalls. “The major breakthrough here is that while we have to work with the China’s national curriculum originally, we’ve got license to do a foreign curriculum.”

“So we have worked with the University of Cambridge International Examination. We put in what we called the Overseas University Preparation Programme for the upper three and we offer two years of IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) and A-levels, and our students are starting to graduate from Yew Wah and they are doing very well.”

The fact is both Yew Chung and Yew Wah graduates are doing very well. In 2009, 20 percent of the Yew Chung cohorts in Hong Kong achieved 40 points or above (out of a maximum of 45 points) in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

“From the first day of putting IB in 11 years ago, I used to have to beg universities to come and visit us because nobody has heard of us. Now, they are coming all the time. We can’t handle all the people who want to come,” says Morrison.

The philosophy What Yew Chung does right is not so much about hardware or heavy homework. It’s all about its educational philosophy and approach, according to Morrison. “We developed an international curriculum, holistic education that dealt with the education of the whole child with the objective of developing a global-minded citizen

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of the world,” he says.

“Our international education objectives are based on some very critical things: one is bilingual or dual language learning,” Morrison explains. “We expect fluency in Chinese and English. We have four Putonghua programs in our schools.”

“Then we focus on developing global perspective – think globally and act locally – and always think in terms of the planet as our homeland for all people – to develop a kind of global consciousness and global thinking and global problem solving.”

“We also focus on the holistic education of the whole child …

The other area of focus is that we focus on character development.

We are not just about academic achievements because equally important is character formation, all the behaviors that you need to develop, or quality, attributes and capacity of being a world citizen.”

Morrison believes such elements are exactly what Hong Kong education should be. Young people need perspectives, values, and knowledge that can help them to succeed in a 21st century world. Examination-focused and qualification-centric styles of education will no longer suffice, according to him.

“This is exactly why this (global education) is important to Hong Kong because if Hong Kong wants to remain an international city in an international and global world, it’s got to raise up young people who have that global mindset,” he says.

Yew Chung is known for its “Co-principals and Co-teaching Model”. One Chinese and one western Co-principal work together to manage each Yew Chung school. Although this will be more expensive, the policy puts into practice the principle of cross cultural understanding and respect. By the same token, one Chinese and western teacher are allocated to each class in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Primary sections to drive the use of dual languages in classes.

Morrison says the idea is not to “drill” the students on what language they must speak but rather to spread the “joy of learning.”

“We don’t have a language-only policy so you can’t just speak English or just speak Chinese. You can speak what you are comfortable with because the whole point is to have a joy in learning these languages.”

“When you have co-teachers, you don’t have a ‘teacher assistant’ but you have co-equal partners who are both planning together the classroom,” he says. “This is a value to them because there may be differences in the way the Chinese and the westerners plan classrooms, classroom management, delivery of subjects and whatever, so they have the opportunity working together, learning from each other, and adapting and growing.”

“This supplies a role model for students to see co-equals working together,” he adds.

Its emphases on languages, and arts and sports programs have made Yew Chung a favorite among local Chinese parents who want their children to be educated in a “global” environment. At present, students of 32 different nationalities are studying at various Yew Chung schools.

“We are very attractive to the local parents too because they want their children to have the international [aspects] but they don’t want them to lose their ‘Chineseness’,” Morrison says. “The whole philosophy of Yew Chung is to bring the Eastern and Western traditions together and this is why we have co-teaching and co-principals.”

Go global Such attractiveness is not limited in Hong Kong or Mainland China. Yew Chung may well be one of the very few Chinese educational institutions to have established successfully abroad. Its Silicon Valley campus now caters to more than 200 students with its bilingual programs. “It’s worth noting because we are the only school with this Dr Gary Morrison philosophy and objective that has gone from China to outside,” Morrison says.

“Always it’s the foreigners coming to China, and Hong Kong …This is the first one to have gone out.”

When asked if expatriate students feel pressure to adapt to a changing environment, he says transfering to and from abroad should not be a problem since Yew Chung bases its curriculum on the British national curriculum which has the basic elements for the American or Canadian systems. He half-jokingly says: “When our students transfer – particularly to America and the UK – the only problem is they are more advanced.”

Like many other successful stories, Yew Chung is on an expansion path. Currently, all applications go on waiting lists. The good news however is the school can probably increase its intake by reconfiguring its classrooms and other facilities. “Our full capacity [in Kowloon Tong] is actually 1,240 and we are up to about 800,” he says. “We do have room to expand although we are using everything and all the space.”

Meanwhile, the Yew Chung model is making further inroads into Mainland China. The Yew Wah group is completing a major expansion in Guangzhou. The project – called the International Education Park – aims to provide a “through-train” program from early childhood to secondary level. Given its track record, it appears the Yew Chung’s story won’t remain a best-kept secret much longer.

“If Hong Kong wants to remain an international city in an international and global world, it’s got to raise up young people who have that global mindset.”

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interviewing 91 teachers, teachers-in-training, parents and professionals involved with autistic children. The survey shows that only 10 percent of the respondents feel that the current services and education available for autistic people is adequate. Sixty-six percent of the respondents see that the government has done little in supporting the Autism population.

In Hong Kong, ASD students are grouped under the Special Educational Needs (SEN) category in the government’s integrated education policy. The students are placed in regular schools with other students (Severe cases are placed with other SEN students in special schools focusing on other disabilities but not ASD).

However, not every teacher has the knowledge and skills on dealing with ASD students. Under the Education Bureau five-year in-service teaching training program, only three teachers per school will go through advanced training and be equipped with the necessary skills for students with special learning difficulties, including ASD, in the school.

The Foundation believes the findings in the survey tally with the global trend in setting up more autism schools so that the needs for these children can be met. In Singapore, five autism schools have been set up with specialized curriculum for ASD students. In the States, the fees for private autism schools are paid by some school districts.

on a Mission

Jacqueline Nelson has a dream and that’s to raise awareness of autism.

Spurred by her entrepreneurial spirit, she rolls up her sleeves and gives birth to “Pinky” – a doll with a mission. Mabel Yung catches up with her and finds out more about Pinky, autism, and what’s being done at schools in Hong Kong for children with the disorder

W

hen Jacqueline Nelson was asked to give a painting lesson for children some years ago, one kindergarten boy caught her eyes. While other children would paint what they knew, such as the sun or flowers, the boy painted free images according to what he heard in the music. “He did exactly what I asked him: painting to the music,” says Nelson.

Born in Colombia, South America, Nelson moved to Hong Kong with her husband three years ago. She has studied as a makeup artist for television and theater in London and worked in the Musicals, including Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Starlight Express. After that, she moved to the States.

Problem of expression The concept of painting to the music was an inspiration she got when she worked as a publicist for the late Marvin Posey, a famous performing artist. During her class, children are asked to paint whatever they can “see” in their imagination while listening to played music, which can vary from Mozart to Michael Jackson.

“The teacher was impressed too. She told me the boy did not do anything in her class but did everything in mine. The teacher said he has autism,” Nelson says.

“What I think painting and the music offer to these children is that it creates no boundaries for them, and that they can use their senses to express themselves freely,” she says.

“I told the story to my friends and my husband,” she adds.

“They all encouraged me and said I should do something to help children with autism.”

In 2009, Nelson launched an after-school programme called “Paint the Music Now” in Tai Po where she lives, offering lessons to

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Nelson has always loved dolls. She owned the first Barbie girl that came out in Columbia and many other dolls in her childhood.

The idea of the Hong Kong doll was inspired by her son’s girlfriend who is a Hong Kong native.

“My son introduced me to his Hong Kong girlfriend and we spent some good time having dim sum and Chinese desserts and going shopping together. And I find that Hong Kong girls are intelligent with unique hobbies and interests. They have their ways of doing things. Like my son describes: Hong Kong girls are mysteriously sexy.”

“I thought: In the market, there are Chinese dolls with slender eyes and wearing a traditional Chinese red and golden qipao,” she says. “But there has never been a doll representing Hong Kong girls and I think they deserve a doll of their own.”

Full circle It took her two years to find the right factory to produce the right face and look of the doll. At first, it was not a smooth process.

“The factory workers didn’t really get what I wanted. They didn’t understand what a Hong Kong girl is like.” Then she met a Korean woman at a trade fair. The woman owns a factory in

Jacqueline Nelson

“I believe every one of us has a talent.

We can all use our talent to give back to the society.”

children with autism and other learning difficulties. Now, she also gives lessons for children in some international schools and teaches at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts.

The situation

Autism is viewed as a spectrum or a continuum of disorders, with varying degrees of severity and levels of dysfunction. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is frequently used in replacement of the term autism although the exact cause of ASD remains unknown.

While the presentation of the disorder varies from individual to individual, there are three areas of deficits that are common among individuals with ASD: deficits in social interactions; deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication; repetitive behaviors or narrow interests. While some people have troubles learning to read, people with ASD have troubles to engage in social communication.

According to Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, one in 91 people in the United States suffers from the disorder. Worldwide, there is one percent prevalence rate and it is four times more likely for boys to have ASD than girls.

In Hong Kong, there is no formal figure due to a lack of research and coordination among government offices. However, it is believed that up to 70,000 individuals in Hong Kong are suffering from ASD. The Education Bureau has a record of 3,000 registered cases in mainstream schools, not including those in special schools.

The Autism Partnership Foundation is a local charity dedicated to protect the rights to education and development of autistic children. It has an Autistic Partnership School, the only registered special school in the city which caters specifically for the needs of ASD children.

The Foundation conducted a survey from February to March

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Pinky – A HK Girl Through her experience with ASD children, Nelson is keen to contribute to the cause of helping to develop more autism schools in Hong Kong.

“I have hoped to teach my art programme for these children in the Autism Partnership School, but they do not have the funding for that. So I developed a doll for Hong Kong, which was also an entrepreneurial venture for me. I wanted to donate part of the profit to the school,” she says.

The doll she produced is called “A HK Girl”. Her name is Pinky who wears a pink dress, a pink scarf, a big shoulder bag and black leggings. She also wears a Bauhinia Blakeana flower on her head, as a symbol of Hong Kong.

“Pinky represents the Hong Kong girls who live and work in the city where East meets West,” Nelson says. “She possesses both the traditional values and a modern mind. She is the pulse of Hong Kong.”

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Dongguan in Guangdong Province. After some discussions, she knew she found the right person and the doll was produced.

“My life has come around a complete circle. I began my work with a passion in art and then ventured into something I loved since childhood, the dolls. Through both adventures, I am able to help children with autism.”

“I believe every one of us has a talent. We can all use our talent to give back to the society.”

A Hong Kong doll is available in Hong Kong Design Gallery and a major children’s store. It is sold for HK$299 with HK$5 automatically donated to the Autism Partnership Foundation.

To learn more about Nelson’s painting lessons, visit www.paintthemusicnow.com.hk.

To learn more about the Autism Partnership Foundation and its work in Hong Kong, visit http://www.apschool.edu.hk.

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Guide to Quality Education & International School Anfield International School Profile:

At Anfield Our goal is to ensure each child who passes through our gates is given a solid foundation of learning, has a sense of self-confidence and self-belief, is self-motivated, flexible and cooperative.

Primary School Section

No. 2 Lung Pak Street, Tai Wai, Shatin., N.T., Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2794 3668 Fax: (852) 2549 3878 Email: office@anfield.com.hk

Kindergarten Section

5 Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2794 3668 Fax: (852) 2549 3878 Email: admin@anfield.com.hk

Anfield is a well established Kindergarten with an excellent reputation. The Primary School will open in September 2011 in a beautiful purpose designed building with outstanding facilities.

• British National Curriculum Key Stage 1 / Key Stage 2 for Primary School pupils • Early Years Foundation Stage for Kindergarten and Kiddies’ Club • English medium education • Daily Mandarin • Excellent teacher / pupil ratio • Qualified, experienced staff • Caring family atmosphere

Kindergarten & Nursery Section

L2, Phase 1, Laguna Verde, 8 Laguna Verde Avenue, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2766 3882 Fax: (852) 2766 3933 Email: admin-lv@anfield.com.hk For further information, please contact (852)2794 3668 Principal : Mrs. Denise Jarrett

www.anfield.com.hk

Concordia International School Curriculum

Hours:

North American Curriculum

8:25 am to 3:00 pm

Transportation: MTR Kowloon Tong Station Festival Walk Exit C or Shek Kip Mei Station Exit B2

Fees: Annual tuition fee for Grade 7-12: HK$82,000 by 2 instalments (subject to EDB approval) , Associated fees: HK$ 11,5000-16,200, fees for after-school ESL class, study tours etc. not yet included. No debenture required.

Facilities: 10 Class Rooms, Special Rooms include: Art Room, Computer Rooms, Science Laboratory and Multi-purpose Hall. Space for Sports: Basketball and Badminton Courts. Small campus, but spacious for 100 students and with good teaching facilities for 6 classes of Grade 7-12.

Profile: Concordia International School is an established small international school managed by the Lutheran Church. The school is non-profit making, co-educational and has direct linkage with the Concordia University System in the United States. All of its students are trained and prepared to write the ETS's TOEFL and the College Board's PSAT, SAT Reasoning and Subject Tests and the AP Courses. Successful students at Concordia are assured of having their work recognized by universities and colleges around the world, including top-class universities in Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and the United States. Concordia's doors are open to students of all races and religions.

The school's motto is "transforming lives together", the school prides itself on its small class teaching (up to 15 students per class).

68 Begonia Road, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2789 9890 Fax: (852) 2392 8820 Email: office@cihs.edu.hk Head of School: Dr. Darnay S.K.Chan

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Guide to Quality Education & International School

Hong Kong Academy (HKA)

Delia School of Canada Profile:

Transport: The School is within walking distance to the MTR and other public transit making it easily accessible from anywhere in Hong Kong.

Fees:

Fee Schedule for the 2011-2012 School Year Grade Pre-Grade 1 Grade 1 - Grade 8 Grade 9 - Grade 10 Grade 11 - Grade 12

Annual School Fee HK$82,000 ($8,200 per month) HK$86,000 ($8,600 per month) HK$95,000 (per annum) / ($9,500 per month) HK$99,000 (per annum) / ($9,900 per month)

Other Optional Programs Grade Grade 1 - 8 E.S.L. Fee Grade 1 - 12 Textbook Deposit Grade 9 - 12 Laptop Deposit Grade 9 - 12

Annual School Fee HK$1,800 (per month) HK$1,000 (refundable upon withdrawal) HK$2,000 (refundable upon withdrawal) HK$500 (per annual)

Computer Technology Fee Workbooks / Novels

All workbooks and novels to be purchased by students

Delia School of Canada is one of Hong Kong’s leading private international schools. The School has a technology emphasis.

Technology is infused into all curriculum areas. Our commitment to technology integration is complemented by our educational philosophy aimed at making our students the leaders of tomorrow. Delia School of Canada enrolls students from 50 countries and maintains an annual enrollment of over 1000 students. The School provides quality early learning, elementary and secondary education to students from Pre–Grade 1 to Grade 12.

The School follows a curriculum accredited by the Ministry of Education of Ontario, Canada and the Education Bureau, Hong Kong. Our campus is conveniently located in Taikoo Shing on the Eastern side of Hong Kong Island. The Taikoo Shing campus houses both our Secondary Section and Elementary Section. Our 150,000 square foot campus contains more than 100 rooms.

Delia School of Canada works with our community to provide leadership and opportunities for students to develop their intellectual, physical and social capabilities in a multi-cultural environment and knowledge-based society. Delia School of Canada is dedicated to the pursuit of educational excellence in guiding students as they prepare to become citizens in a global community.

Other Fees and Optional Programs Grade Grade 1 - 12 Textbook Deposit Grade 9 - 12 Laptop Deposit Grade 9 - 12 Computer User Fee

Annual School Fee HK$1,000 (refundable upon withdrawal) HK$2,000 (refundable upon withdrawal) HK$500 (non-refundable)

Purpose and Passion: Hong Kong Academy (HKA) is an independent, nonprofit, co-educational day school for students aged 3-18. HKA features an inquiry-based, concept-driven curriculum that provides a well-rounded, student-centered program.

The school was founded in 2000 to serve the educational needs of Hong Kong’s expatriate and local communities by providing a broad, international-style curriculum that incorporates the best teaching practices from around the globe. It was conceived with the guiding principle that all students have the right to a high-quality education that supports both their learning styles and their natural strengths. In August 2013, the school is moving to a purpose-built campus in Sai Kung.

HKA was one of the first in Hong Kong to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme. HKA now also offers the IB Middle Years Programme (candidate school), and the IB Diploma Programme. HKA will graduate its first IB Diploma cohort in 2012.

HKA’s Five Core Values: • Learning for Understanding Learning is more than simply gaining knowledge; those with true understanding can see and respond to multiple points of view and possess a self-awareness that allows them to continue to learn, grow and adapt in a rapidly changing environment.

• Pathways to Excellence Auditorium

Computer Technology

Courtyard

Virtual Tour: A Virtual Tour of some of the School's facilities as well as a basic floor plan is available for families interested in learning a little more about our Taikoo Shing Campus. Click to launch the Virtual Tour in a new browser window.

Guide to Quality Education & International School

HKA students are individuals with a diverse range of strengths and learning styles, and each is encouraged to find their own path to achieving excellence. HKA equips children with the skills to become self-confident learners able to embrace new situations and knowledge with success.

• Engagement with Community Elementary Section Library

Health Room

Music Studio (DSCS Band Club)

HKA is engaged with community on its campus, in Hong Kong, in Asia and around the world. HKA students see themselves as global citizens and the school’s curriculum and culture reflect this international-mindedness.

• Dynamic Educational Environment Science Laboratories

Secondary Section Library

Tuck Shop

Uniform Shop

HKA encourages inquiring learners to build on their own experiences to construct knowledge and create meaning while collaborating with, and learning from, those around them.

• Intentional Diversity HKA’S community is comprised of individuals from more than 40 countries who possess an array of different talents in all areas: intellectual, physical, social and emotional.

Elementary Section (Pre-Grade 1 to Grade 8) Tai Fung Avenue, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3658 0508 Fax: (852) 2513 8240 Email: e.office@delia.edu.hk

Hong Kong Academy, 12 Ka Wai Man Rd., Kennedy Town, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2575 8282 Fax: (852) 2891 4461 Email: admissions@hkacademy.edu.hk

Secondary Section (Grade 9 to Grade 12) Tai Fung Avenue, Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3658 0338 Fax: (852) 2885 7824 Email: s.office@delia.edu.hk

www.hkacademy.edu.hk

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Guide to Quality Education & International School Introducing Hong Kong’s Newest Educational Option for International-minded Parents

Guide to Quality Education & International School HKIS Curriculum

We pleased to announce the launch of Hong Kong Adventist Academy (HKAA) this September (2011). HKAA will be a government approved P1-S6 English Medium of Instruction school that will be operated as an international school.

Even though we are new, HKAA has several advantages: - It is located on the campus of Hong Kong Adventist College, one of the most beautiful campuses in Hong Kong on the banks of Clear Water Bay in Sai Kung: - Fresh air, open spaces - Gardening/agriculture projects - Plenty of sports and play areas - Outdoor school - Music and art productions and performances

- It is part of the Adventist educational system, the world’s second largest educational network with over 8,300 sister schools worldwide: - Clearly articulated educational philosophy - Multi-level teaching methodology - International (mainly American) teaching staff - Christian/moral education and guidance - 70%-30% English-Mandarin instruction - Student/teacher ratios of 10:1 - DSE and SAT tracks for senior secondary - High acceptance rates into universities worldwide Please visit our website for more information or call us for personalized campus tour and introductions.

Hours:

American

07:55 - 16:00

Transport: School buses reach all key areas of Hong Kong

Fees: Grade R1 (Half Day) R1 (Long Day) R2 to G5 G6 to G8 G9 to G12

Academic year 2011/12 HK$ 78,900 HK$ 157,500 HK$ 157,500 HK$ 163,000 HK$ 180,000

Facilities: HKIS has a wide range of academic, performing arts, technology and sports facilities that include the latest in teaching technology, fully-integrated school-wide wi-fi system, auditorium, theatre, outdoor amphitheatre, two swimming pools, a number of gymnasiums, weights room, tennis courts, climbing walls and a FIFA approved all-weather artificial sports field.

HKIS is a 1:1 school. All students in Grade 5 and above have their own Apple MacBook Pro laptop. Students under that age have the use of a number of technologies, including Apple iPod Touch and iPad. The school is equipped with a number of computer facilities across campus and has a fully functional, professional standard TV studio with green screen that often broadcasts live across the school.

Hong Kong Adventist Academy, 1111 Clearwater Bay Road, Sai Kung, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2719 1668 Fax: (852) 2358 1055 Email: hkac_info@hkac.edu Interim Principal: Robert Christensen

www.hkaa.edu.hk

Profile: Hong Kong International School (HKIS) first opened the doors in Repulse Bay to 630 multi-national, multi-faith students on September 14 1967.

From humble beginnings, HKIS has expanded to cover two sites with Lower and Upper Primary schools based in Repulse Bay and Middle and High Schools based in Tai Tam. Employing over 500 faculty and staff from Hong Kong and around the globe, HKIS provides an American-style education, teaching a wide and varied curriculum that encourages personal as well as academic growth. HKIS is accepted as one of the leading international schools in the Asia-Pacific region.

HKIS places understanding of China and appreciation of the Chinese culture within its core learning. The school prides itself on remaining at the cutting edge of technical and academic excellence, operating on a one laptop-one student basis with a highly-qualified and specialized multi-cultural faculty.

HKIS SAT scores are consistently above the US national mean (2009/10) for reading (+115), math (+148) and writing (+133). Students graduating from HKIS attend many of the best universities in the world.

In the 2010/11 academic year, HKIS will educate over 2,600 R1-to-Grade 12 students with over 40 different nationalities from wide-ranging backgrounds.

Our Mission: Dedicating our minds to inquiry, our hearts to compassion, and our lives to service and global understanding An American-style education, grounded in the Christian faith, and respecting the spiritual lives of all

1 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, Hong Kong Lower and Upper Primary Schools based in Repulse Bay Middle and High Schools based in Tai Tam Tel: (852) 3149 7000 Email: admiss@hkis.edu.hk Twitter: @HKIS YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/HKISLive

www.hkis.edu.hk

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Guide to Quality Education & International School Hong Lok Yuen International School (HLYIS) Curriculum:

Hours:

IB / PYP

8:20 am – 03:00 pm

Facilities: Sport field / High-tec Library

Hong Lok Yuen, Tai Po, N.T., Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2658 6935 Fax: (852) 2651 0836 Email: info@hlyis.edu.hk

Guide to Quality Education & International School HLYIS

The International Montessori School Profile:

Curriculum:

Profile: Opened in 1984, Hong Lok Yuen International School (HLYIS) caters to students from Nursery to Year 6 (ages 3 to 11), teaching the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP).

Located in Cloudy Hill near the Tai Po District in the northeast of the New Territories, HLYIS places an emphasis on the appreciation of Chinese culture. As such, it is mandatory for all students to study Chinese as a first or second language.

With class sizes ranging from 22 to 24 students per class, each teacher has time to give every student the attention they need. The school is committed to ensure quality teaching and learning delivered through a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum.

Together with the International College Hong Kong (ICHK), the school provides a through train education from Nursery to Year 13

Montessori preschool: Montessori Toddler Foundation Groups and Casa dei Bambini

Hours and Fees:

Casa dei Bambini: Kindergarten Age 3 - 4.5 (8:15am – 11:45am) Primary - Full Day Age 4.5 - 6 (8:15am – 2:45pm)

HK$8,000 HK$11,300

Facilities: Music room, kitchen, library and computer centre, gym (play area), outdoor playground

The International Montessori School (IMS) is a non-profit, bilingual (English and Putonghua) school catering to about 300 children up to age 12. The school offers a strong bilingual education founded on the Montessori principals of enquiry-based learning and development of the whole child. Montessori is an internationally recognized education method with a 100 year history of providing a unique and enriching education to children all over the world.

Montessori offers a very strong pre-primary program, and a primary program which falls under the umbrella of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP). Montessori students’ academic results consistently outperform students educated by traditional teaching methods, both socially and academically.

Fundamental to the Montessori theory is the multi-age classroom, and the program is divided into three multi-age groups: Toddler Foundation, Casa dei Bambini (ages 3 to 6); Lower Primary (ages 6 to 9); and Upper Primary (ages 9 to 12).

Curriculum: Montessori Primary

www.hlyis.edu.hk

Hours: 8:15am – 2:45pm

Fees: Lower & Upper Primary: HK$11,800

Facilities:

Montessori for Children Curriculum

Hours:

AMI Montessori

8:30 am – 11:30 am 12.30 pm – 3.30 pm with Full day school option

House A, Phoenix Garden, RBL 1033, Tai Tam Village, Stanley, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2813 9589 Fax: (852) 2813 2582 Email: hongkong@montessori.edu.sg

Music/ Art room, kitchen, library and computer centre, outdoor basketball court and play area, rooftop garden.

Profile: Montessori For Children, founded in 1986 maintains an international student population aged between 2 ½ - 6 year old children. Located on the picturesque Stanley beach front, this school is conveniently situated for residents on the south side.

We consider ourselves a very family oriented school.

Students are educated using the Association Montessori Internationale prescribed Montessori Method. The teachers are qualified Montessori directresses and Mandarin is presented by trained kindergarten teachers. The curriculum prepares a child for education at Primary and Grade schooling in all aspects of early childhood education. The curriculum includes the modules of the Montessori method and a very rich and diverse cultural programme. Outdoor and free-play is incorporated in the daily routine. The School is licensed by, and registered with the Hong Kong Government’s Education Department.

Information about the school and its branches in Singapore and in Canada is available at www.montessori.edu.sg

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Tin Hau Campus (up to age 12) 62 Tin Hau Temple Road, Tin Hau, Hong Kong

South Horizons Campus (up to age 6) G/F, Blocks 23 South Horizons, Apleichau

Mid-Levels Campus (up to age 6) M/F, 17 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2861 0339 Fax: (852) 3006 2950 Email: info@montessori.edu.hk Founder: Anne Sawyer, Karin Ann

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Guide to Quality Education & International School

Tutor Time International Nursery and Kindergarten

Norwegian International School Facilities:

Loving for Today * Learning for Tomorrow * Living for Eternity

The kindergarten has a natural woodland playground featuring swings, plays sets, a sand box and a padded play area. The primary school includes an artificial grass soccer field, an auditorium, learning support areas and a small library. Well-equipped classrooms are furnished with reading corners, wireless internet access, projectors and audio systems. Laptops are available for students to use during lessons.

Founded in 1994, Norwegian International School provides a quality education in a family-like environment. The school is committed to nurture children in the Christian faith.

Our Programme: We offer kindergarten and primary education up to Grade 6 with English as the instructional language. Small class sizes enable individual attention to ensure sufficient guidance to all students. A wide range of after-school activities is an integral part of school life.

Our Curriculum:

International Primary Curriculum is an integrated curriculum that focuses specific subject learning goals. Learning is delivered through enquiry-based themes with an emphasis on learning through activities. It also addresses personal development and internationalmindedness. Subjects comprise of Sciences, Geography, History, ICT, Art. Other subjects include English, Math, Christian Studies, Mandarin, Music and P.E. Mandarin is taught regularly using traditional Chinese characters.

School Fees:

Tuition Fee (for a 10-month school year): K1 & 2 (half day) K3 (full day) G1 to G4 (full day) G5 & G6 (full day)

Capital Levy: K1 & 2 (half day) K3 to G6 (full day)

Profile:

Center of Excellence

Our Motto: Our Heart:

Guide to Quality Education & International School

We are extremely proud of the fact that our schools have consistently attained "Centers of Excellence" with scores of 95% or above on the annual evaluations from Tutor Time® USA that also include parent and staff surveys of satisfaction.

Path to primary schools

Tutor Time® graduates consistently get accepted into top primary schools in Hong Kong such as CIS, GSIS, ESF, DGS, DBS, ISF, HKIS etc.

A safe, secure and nurturing environment

$4,300/month $6,300/month $6,950/month $7,300/month

We equip classrooms with kideowatch® internet classroom internet cameras. As a Tutor Time parent, you can view live pictures or streaming video of your child in class.

Spacious and Age Appropriate Campuses

$2,500/ annum $5,000/ annum

Norwegian International School is a member of Generations Christian Education (www.generations.edu.hk)

Our campuses’ size ranges from 8,000 sq. ft. to 20,000 sq. ft. of imagination, featuring en suite toilets, Tutor Time®Village, inspiring nature center, state of the art gym center, soft play room, climbing walls etc.

All Tutor Time® centers have Qualified native English, Mandarin, Early Childhood Education credentialed teachers and CPR / First Aid certified staff members.

Primary Section

Age-specific Full Immersion bi-lingual English and Mandarin programs

170 Kam Shan Road, Tai Po, N.T. Tel: (852) 2658 0341 Email: office@nis.edu.hk

Small World Christian Kindergarten

Hong Kong side:

Our Motto:

Two Teacher Policy:

Loving for Today * Learning for Tomorrow * Living for Eternity

Two qualified teachers in every classroom * Complimented by designated Mandarin teacher

Independent not-for-profit Christian kindergarten * Focus is on nurturing the whole child (intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual) * Children experience God’s love in their exciting and growing world.

Our Programme:

Inclusion Policy: Non-selective kindergarten where we seek to enable all children to learn, grow and attain their full potential * Individual Needs children warmly welcomed * Limited places

English classes with introductory Mandarin * Children move at their own pace in discovery and exploration * Christian values * Enriching learning experiences

School Fees:

Our Curriculum:

Small World Christian Kindergarten is a member of Generations Christian Education (www.generations.edu.hk)

International Primary Curriculum (Early Years) “Great Learning, Great Teaching, Great Fun!”

Tuition Fee of HKD $4,297 per month over 10 months; Capital Levy of HKD$2,500 per year

Class Schedule: Morning classes from 9 am to 12 noon; Afternoon classes from 1 pm to 4 pm 10 Borrett Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2525 0922 Email: office@smallworld.hk

Tutor Time Braemar Hill: LG/F Braemar Hill Shopping Centre, 45 Braemar Hill Road, Hong Kong Tutor Time Mid Levels: G/F Botanical Court, 5 Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Tutor Time Red Hill – Tai Tam: 101, 1/F Red Hill Plaza, 3 Red Hill Road, Tai Tam, Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2529 1833

Tel: (852) 2529 2288 Tel: (852) 2813 2008

Kowloon side:

Tutor Time Kowloon Tong: No. 1 Dorset Crescent, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon Tutor Time WOW: No. 9 Suffolk Road, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon

Tel: (852) 2337 0822

Tel: (852) 2529 1188

Fax: (852) 2507 5445 Email: info@tutortime.com.hk

www.tutortime.com.hk

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Our online lesson planning, documentation and assessment system (LCS) facilitates the exchange of ideas between different schools in the system across 4 different continents around the world.

We are the first preschool from USA to successfully implement Full immersion bilingual (English & Mandarin) program in Hong Kong. Our Age-specific programs, play places and personal spaces, shaped by our LifeSmart® curriculum and dedication to the whole child, focus on meeting each and every child’s developmental needs.

www.nis.edu.hk

Our Heart:

Learning Care System (LCS)

Caring Educator

Kindergarten

175 Kwong Fuk Road, Tai Po, N.T. Tel: (852) 2638 0269 Email: kinder@nis.edu.hk

An exceptional choice for children 6 months to 6 years old, Tutor Time offers bi-lingual English and Mandarin classes. Native teachers, a world-class curriculum and superb facilities combined to provide a whole child educational experience focusing on the four main areas of development: language, cognitive, social/emotional and physical. Exclusive programs foster Math and Literacy skills as well as encouraging critical thinking and character development.

Tutor Time students graduate to top international primary schools in Hong Kong.

Established in 1988 with its first school in Florida, USA, Tutor Time® Hong Kong operates under the policies and standards mandated by Tutor Time® USA.

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Guide to Quality Education & International School

Guide to Quality Education & International School

Victoria Educational Organisation

Victoria Shanghai Academy (VSA)

Upper Kornhill campus

School Mission:

Tel: (852) 2513 1208

Middle Kornhill campus Tel: (852) 2885 1888

Lower Kornhill campus Tel: (852) 2885 3331

Causeway Bay campus Tel: (852) 2578 9998

North Point campus

Tel: (852) 2571 3456; 2571 7888

South Horizons campus Tel: (852) 2580 8633

The Belcher’s campus Tel: (852) 2542 7001

Homantin campus Tel: (852) 2762 9130

Harbour Green campus Tel: (852) 2885 1928

Age of students Playgroup Pre-Nursery Class Nursery Class Lower Class Upper Class

1 – 3 years 2 – 3 years 3 – 4 years 4 – 5 years 5 – 6 years

Streams Trilingual (English/Putonghua/Cantonese) Bilingual (English/Putonghua) Bilingual (English/Cantonese)

Profile:

Profile:

For the past 46 years, Victoria Educational Organisation (VEO) has been providing high quality childhood education in Hong Kong, and with continuous growth and expansion, it is now comprised of nine nurseries and kindergartens.

Victoria Shanghai Academy (VSA) promotes international mindedness, guiding students in the acquisition of knowledge, skills and the development of positive values and lifelong learning in a bilingual, caring environment.

“Bilingual Learners Today, World Citizens Tomorrow – Love to Read, Eager to Inquire, Learn to Care”

International Baccalaureate(IB)

is the school motto of the Victoria educational organisation. VEO implements a bilingual co-class teaching approach, and through a total immersion programme with trilingual learning environment and activities, children’s bi-literacy and tri-lingual abilities are strengthened. In addition, teaching is carried out in small groups with an aim to cater for individual abilities as well as to provide inquiry-based learning for children to develop into caring lifelong learners with a global vision.

International Baccalaureate recognition Victoria (Belcher) Kindergarten, Victoria (Homantin) International Nursery and our affiliated primary and secondary school, Victoria Shanghai Academy, are authorized IB World Schools. They became the first internationalized local “throughtrain” IB World Schools in Hong Kong, which continues to provide IB education (Primary Years Programme to Diploma Programme) for students from 3 to 18 years of age.

Playgroup To help parents enrich their children's learning during the first three crucial years, VEO offers Playgroup that is registered with the Social Welfare Department. The Playgroup provides a happy, caring, stimulating environment and programme, to facilitate optimal development in early childhood by experienced and caring instructors. The toddlers develop their multi-intelligences through various enjoyable experiences.

Curriculum:

Primary Years Programme (Y1 - 5) (6-11 years) The IBPYP focuses on the development of the whole child, in the classroom and also in the world outside. In implementing this programme at VSA, we offer a framework that meets children’s several needs: academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural. We provide a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning with an international curriculum model that we link with the Hong Kong Education Syllabus.

At the heart of the PYP is a commitment to structured inquiry as a vehicle for learning.

Middle Years Programme (Y6 - 10) (11-15 years) The IBMYP at VSA is a rigorous 5-year curriculum that consists of a comprehensive and thorough study of various disciplines for students aged 10-16. The programme is based upon three fundamental concepts to develop holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication.

The learning objectives focus on the student’s learning process, conceptual understanding, and acquisition of skills, all of which will enhance the application of learning to life.

IB Diploma Programme (Y11-12) (15-17 years) The IBDP is a 2-year curriculum that provides a balance of academic breadth and depth, and is assessed by rigorous internal coursework and external examination. The basis of the IB is to promote the holistic development of the student - physically, intellectually, emotionally, and ethically. Thus, in conjunction with a challenging and comprehensive education in the classroom, the IBDP also encourages individual responsibility to the community and self and supports international awareness that will help prepare the student for University studies and beyond.

Fees (2010/11): Primary Years Programme Middle Years Programme Diploma Programme

Facilities VSA possesses a state-of-the-art campus on a site of 400,000 square feet in area, conveniently located at Shum Wan overlooking the Aberdeen harbour. Facilities on the campus include purpose built, well-furnished classrooms, science laboratories, a Humanities Room and a Language Room. Assembly areas feature a spacious multi-purpose school hall with a capacity of 2000, and outdoor amphitheatres. There are ample sports facilities such as an indoor swimming pool, ball courts, a running track, a soccer pitch, and a newly built sports centre and gymnasium. An arts floor houses the auditorium, orchestra and choir practice rooms, art, dance and drama studios, a campus TV room, and a fully-equipped Design and Technology Room. The secondary and primary libraries are situated in an independent block of the campus and provide an ideal learning environment with computers and a self-learning center on top of a large collection of books.

19 Shum Wan Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3402 1000 Fax: (852) 3402 1099

Email: enquiry@victoria.edu.hk

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HK$77,400 HK$86,400 HK$107,000

Victoria Shanghai Academy (VSA) in Hong Kong is a private independent, non-denominational, coeducational day school established under the auspices of the Shanghai Victoria Education Foundation Limited, a registered charitable body.

VSA grows from the success of the two primary schools of the school sponsoring body, namely, Victoria English Primary School and Shanghai Alumni Primary School. In 1965, the Victoria Kindergarten was founded with the mission to provide high standard education in English and Chinese for Hong Kong children. For over forty years, the School has been well known in Hong Kong for its excellence in academics, character building, and individual nurturing of young people.

The School is proud to have been the first complete IB World School in Hong Kong. The PYP (Primary Years Programme), MYP (Middle Years Programme) and DP (Diploma - the Pre-University Programme) are the curricula frameworks through which we strive to inspire students to be “Bilingual Learners Today and World Citizens Tomorrow”.

All faculties at VSA are highly qualified specialists with a passion for their subjects and developing and customizing creative lesson plans and projects. Each department and year level is led by an expert senior teacher who sets high standards and clear targets.

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Guide to Quality Education & International School

Guide to Quality Education & International School

The Woodland Group of Pre-Schools

Yew Chung International School

Established:

Curriculum

Profile:

1978

Office opening hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday

Extra curricular clubs: Woodland offers a wide range of after school clubs - English, French, Mandarin, Maths, Art, Science, Literacy, Computer, Cooking, Music, Drama, Gymnastic, Sports, Mum’s Mandarin, etc.

For over 30 years Woodland has set the standard in Hong Kong for quality pre-school education. With ten schools, Woodland offers classes for children aged from twelve months to six years. Seven of our pre-schools use ‘Traditional’ teaching methods in line with the UK Curriculum’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). These schools are fully accredited by the Pre-School Learning Alliance, London. Three of our pre-schools offer ‘Montessori’ teaching methods that are fully approved and accredited by the Montessori Centre International (London).

Transport: School Bus

YCIS Education Programme: YCIS’s international curriculum is based on the framework and schemes of work from The National Curriculum for England (NCE).

It is a research based curriculum that allows high standards and ease of transition for international students who move from one country to another.

Global Education in YCIS

List of Woodland Schools: Tai Tam Montessori Repulse Bay Montessori Mid Levels Montessori Peak Pre-School Repulse Bay Beachside Happy Valley Pre-School Pokfulam Pre-School Tree House (Pokfulam) Harbourside (Aberdeen) Sai Kung Pre-School

International

YCIS offers the unique richness and diversity of both Eastern and Western cultures that equip children to be bilingual, global-minded, competitive, appreciative and caring global citizens. Students are nurtured in a multicultural environment with a fully rounded and balanced education which transforms them into global thinking individuals.

Tel: 2525 1655 Tel: 2803 1885 Tel: 2549 1211 Tel: 2849 6192 Tel: 2812 0274 Tel: 2575 0042 Tel: 2551 7177 Tel: 2872 6138 Tel: 2559 1377 Tel: 2813 0290

Age of Students: Early Childhood Education Primary School (Year 1 – 6) Secondary School (Year 7 – 9) IGCSE (Year 10 – 11) IB Diploma (Year 12 – 13)

School bus: Available to most areas Head Office – Suite 2405 Universal Trade Centre,3-5A Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong, China.

Tel: (852) 2559 4855 Fax: (852) 2559 7162 Email: enquiry@woodlandschools.com General Manager: Abi Tyrrell

6 months – 5 years 5 – 11 years 11 – 14 years 14 – 16 years 16 – 19 years

Profile: Founded in 1932, Yew Chung has been providing quality bilingual education to the learners of Hong Kong for almost 80 years. Originally specialising in Early Childhood Education, Yew Chung International School (YCIS) now provides education from early childhood through primary and secondary culminating in the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme.

YCIS combines the best of Eastern and Western cultures by promoting fluency in two major world languages, creating a truly bilingual learning environment, providing courses of study in Eastern and Western philosophy.

The integration of Eastern and Western culture is also achieved through the Co-Principals and Co-Teaching models. Two Co-Principals, one Western and one Chinese, serve as partners in the operations and administration of the school. In addition, two fully-qualified teachers, one Western and one Chinese, together plan lessons and conduct classes in the ECE and Primary School, and provide excellent role models who respect and value one another’s culture.

Today YCIS has expanded beyond Hong Kong, and is now established in Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing, Qingdao in China and Silicon Valley in the United States, with a total student enrolment of over 5,000.

International Recognition: YCIS – Secondary is accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) as an IB World School and authorised as an accredited Cambridge International Examination (CIE) Centre.

www.woodlandschools.com

Highlight of YCIS Global Education: • Bilingual programme and multicultural environment will give your child the global mindset and intercultural competence they need for the 21st century.

• Unique Co-Teaching and Co-Principals models help students to learn two cultures and give equal emphasis to both English and Chinese. This leads to fluency in two major world languages and readiness to interact with people from all over the world.

• YCIS integrates Character Formation programmes into our curriculum, focusing on developing positive qualities and good moral character.

• Strong music programme enhances children’s reasoning skills, develops patience, concentration, coordination and self-discipline.

• Intensive English Programme (IEP) ensures high level of English for all students, from all linguistic backgrounds.

• YCIS maintains 100% university placement with students admitted to top universities in Hong Kong and overseas.

3 To Fuk Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2338 7106 Fax: (852) 2304 6713 Email: enquiry@hk.ycef.com

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AMERICAN TOPICS in Hong Kong.”

“My friends and I often talked about how much we missed those products when we got together on many different occasions,” he says. “They always dwelled on the fact that they could rarely find products they really wanted.”

It marked the beginning of an entrepreneurial journey as Eng founded “Americome” more than two years ago. It is a mini supermarket with shops in Happy Valley and Tai Po, specializing in products directly imported from US. “I came up with the name to refer to the fact that things we sell ‘come from America,’” Eng explains.

“People will find packaged food as well as other grocery items from the States,” he notes. “Shopping at our store is like shopping in a miniature supermarket in the US. We get direct shipments from the US on a regular basis to ensure freshness and a wide variety of items.”

“The choices you get with US food items are endless, and they are also of very high quality,” Eng says of the reason to source products directly from the US. “People trust American made products because of stringent manufacturing processes and legal requirements to protect the consumer.”

Brand recognition of US products among consumers in Hong Kong is also very strong as a result of their global reach, he adds. “Brand is an important factor, especially for those who grow up using certain products. It is a niche market now but the potential is huge.”

with A Thousand Tastes

Carl Eng of Americome showcases his selection of thousands of American products imported directly from the US.

Hong Kong is truly an international city, with a blend of Western and Eastern flavors. It is home to a large number of expatriates, including 50,000 Americans, who have traveled from afar to work and live in a city of 7 million people. Local residents are also highly knowledgeable about different cultures and customs as many have traveled outside of Hong Kong and lived extensively in other countries.

Many in Hong Kong are indeed “returnees,” who have studied, worked and lived overseas for years but have chosen to relocate back to where they were born. The influx of returnees has given Hong Kong a unique mix of demographics, but more importantly, it has led to the growth of a powerful consumer base hungry for products that they were once accustomed to buying.

Food products, particularly those from the US, have become some of the most sought-after items among this market segment.

Kenny Lau talks to Carl Eng, owner of Americome, about how he taps into this niche market and establishes his own business to cater to different tastes

C

arl Eng is no ordinary grocery store owner. Upon finishing school in Melbourne, Australia, the Hong Kong-born young graduate first landed a job doing creative design work in the country but ultimately wanted to do something more challenging at the place where he was born and raised. He decided to make good use of his “returnee” status and be his own boss.

American lifestyle Throughout the early years working in the advertising industry, Eng traveled frequently around the world on business trips,

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including the US and Canada, where he became aware of the lifestyle of most North Americans and choices in food products they enjoy.

Back in Hong Kong, it became more apparent that items popular among US consumers were much hard to come by, Eng recalls. “I realized that choices for consumers are almost always better in the US, whereas we always get the same kind of limited product lines all the time in Hong Kong.”

It was a common sentiment among a group of friends, and many of them are returnees who have developed a taste for American products, Eng notes. “Things that we are used to consuming in the US or Canada are often not available

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The marketplace

Mom-and-pop shop Currently, there are over 2,500 different items in stock at Americome, including pre-packaged food products and amenities that are not found anywhere else in Hong Kong. But Eng says he has gained distribution rights to over 10,000 products.

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The small scale of the business is also conducive to an interactive dialogue between the store and its customers in an intimate setting, similar to what some call the “Mom-and-Pop” shop.

“We spend a lot of time talking to customer about our selection and often get great recommendation for new products,” Eng says. “It is a great way to do market research and expand our product lines, especially when different people repeatedly ask for a certain brand or item.”

The key is to make available thousands of items in a central location for a convenient shopping experience.

“When you manage a mini market, you will almost certainly encounter products that do not sell well,” Eng points out. “However, you still have to stock them in order to give consumers better choices and maintain a great selection.”

“I will probably never reach the scale of some large supermarket chains,” he admits. “At the same time, large chains probably don’t want to do business at such a small scale like I am doing. We are in completely different market segments and don’t really run into each other.”

“My goal is to create a mini supermarket with a large number of different products catering to a niche market.”

From a business perspective, it is not easy to introduce products at the retail level for a small market like Hong Kong, Eng admits. “Small businesses often have difficulty just to propose. The marketplace is very hard to penetrate.”

The business was started initially to cater to a network of friends and people who have developed a taste for American foods.

Although a mini supermarket may be small in size, it still has to carry a variety of items to attract consumers, Eng believes. “It has to be a store similar to what you would normally find in the US, in terms of product lines.”

“Nevertheless, it was something I really wanted to try out,” he adds. “My goal is to create a mini supermarket with a large number of different products catering to a niche market.”

It was a serious undertaking of entrepreneurship. “Everyone told me how it was not going to be easy,” he recalls. “It turned out to be true because it involved a lot of hard work, time and financing.”

“I realized there was much, including product knowledge of thousands of items, that I needed to learn, which I could do through market research,” Eng says. “But, I was not familiar with the supply chain or how logistics worked. With the support of friends and family and a lot of late-night work, I slowly established a business network.”

biz.hk

Carl Eng

A

ccording to US Agricultural Trade Office in Hong Kong, US agricultural and seafood product exports to Hong Kong reached a record US$2.97 billion in 2010. It was a 39-percent increase over 2009, making Hong Kong the seventh largest export market for US agricultural products. Although portions of the US exports into Hong Kong are re-exported to markets in neighboring countries, a wide variety of products in large quantity are for local consumption.

In addition to agricultural products, thousands of pre-packaged food items are also available as viable exports for the market in Hong Kong. Many items such as breakfast cereal, snacks and candies are made available in Hong Kong through supermarket chains, but varieties are never as wide as those found in the US while some food products may never have been introduced to the local markets.

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WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

Who May

Unlock Your Full Potential

AmCham celebrates Women of Influence in October each year, but we always discover interesting and inspiring stories. Julie Lewis and Stefania Lucchetti were two guest speakers at the Chamber who shared their experience on how to unlock your potential and live life to the fullest. Annamaria Bisazza discovers what they have to say

The Thrill Seeker: Julie Lewis

J

ulie Lewis is an adventurer. You name it and she’s probably done it already: shark cage diving in South Africa, skydiving in Jordan, and dog sledding in the Arctic. Even as a young girl she couldn’t sit still, going from gymnastics to becoming a Sports Science graduate, but these days she prefers fueling her adrenaline rushes with the great outdoors. Along the way she has developed a personal philosophy – a magical blend of freeing one’s mind, energizing one’s body and nurturing one’s spirit of adventure – that’s allowed her to live up to par with her potential.

The UK native recently moved to Hong Kong from Dubai. While not fully acclimatized to the much larger population constantly rushing to places, Julie is adapting well as she too dashes from one meeting to the next. At the moment, she’s busy setting up Mountain High Asia (to complement Mountain High Middle East), her operation that takes women on adventure challenges and retreats around the world and offers personal development programs and coaching.

Her work, also linked to humanitarian and health-related issues, has brought her nominations for The Emirates Woman of the Year Award in 2005 and the Interna

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tional Women’s Business Group Achievement Award in 2010.

Mountain high It all sounds so deliberate now, but it was a fortuitous series of events that eventually led Julie to start Mountain High about a decade ago. Back then Julie was a Health and Beach resort manager for a five star hotel in Dubai. Then an itch on her 40th birthday told her she wanted to do something special. So she climbed Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in South East Asia. As she reached the 4,095-meter summit in the early hours of the morning, she stood there in awe of the grandiosity of nature. Little did she know how her life was about to change.

“It was a bit of a light bulb moment for me on top of that mountain,” says Julie as she recalls standing there, arms spread open, looking into the horizon.

“I had this feeling of seeing a whole new world from that mountain, I was on such a natural high, and I thought, hmm…mountain high that’s a really good name!” A vision popped into her head: she was to inspire, encourage and empower other women, so that they can feel that same elation and oneness with nature and

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oneself as she had felt in that moment.

It wasn’t until a year later, when she took a group of 18 women for 18 days trekking to Everest Base Camp at 5,500 meters, that Julie garnered the courage to do something about her idea. Something powerful about that journey had encouraged all the women to make life changing decisions upon their return.

“Hiking in the mountains is like a walking meditation,” she says. “People are moving their mind, body and emotions and thinking ‘What’s really important to me?’, ‘What do I want to let go of when I get back?’, ‘What do I want to keep?’” Some people came back and committed to a relationship or left one, some changed jobs.

When Julie came back she thought “I'm going to start Mountain High right now!”

And so she did.

Out of comfort Since November 2003, Julie has led numerous adventure challenges all linked to women’s health campaigns, from osteoporosis to breast cancer. She has climbed several of the highest mountains in the world and reached 7,000m on a peak in Tibet last October. She has developed a winning formula: by pushing women to step out of their comfort zone and into nature they return empowered, re-energized and ready to take on the next challenge in their lives.

“To see someone at the beginning of a trip or a retreat and then see that person a week later is so exciting,” says Julie about how personal victory starts with oneself.

That energy then radiates to other women too. One of her most memorable challenges is when she trained a team of breast cancer survivors for a dragon boat race in Penang.

After just seven weeks of training, the team became silver medalist in the dragon boat championship arriving only 11 seconds behind the current world champions in that category. Julie is obviously thrilled when she tells the story.

“Here you have these women who have gone through a major health challenge and are now paddling together as beacons of hope for other women…women team players are an excellent supportive network for each other.”

In fact, Julie regularly watches how participants, who come from various backgrounds, cultures and age groups, connect and interact in the wild. “We all walk the same trail but everyone’s experience will be quite different in terms of what they see, hear, smell and taste. More interestingly, friendships are formed that wouldn’t necessarily be formed in everyday life.” And that’s rather powerful, she points out.

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Julie Lewis

The collision

Her adventures started long before Mountain High. Transplanted to the Middle East since her late 20s, she was the first female hotel recreational manager in Kuwait. Then when Iraq invaded in 1990 she escaped into Saudi Arabia from where the British embassy flew her back home.

After a few years, when a new opportunity sprang up to return to the Middle East she took it without hesitation and fortunately so because that’s where she ended up meeting her husband Calin.

“We collided five years ago,” says Julie about how they met at an Australian event at a sailing club and neither of them sailed or is Australian.

Coming from a ski town in Colorado, Calin was naturally drawn to Julie’s interest in adventure but he was pretty much hooked by the end of their second date after Julie took him caving in an underground cave system full of bats. He proposed at 6,200m in the Everest region and they got married seven weeks later at sea level in Sri Lanka with elephants and to the rhythm of drummers and dancers.

Hong Kong adventure

Now in the latest leg of her adventure here in Hong Kong, Julie wants to engage in dialogue with busy Hongkongers who are well known for their admirable work ethic. “If you’re climbing the career ladder at such speed, what is it costing you in other areas of your life?” She asks and suggests balancing a highly stressful lifestyle by spending much of the weekend and holidays back in nature, to revitalize and refocus. “You can see it as putting some deposits into your wellness and sanity account!”

From her experience over the years she says that work-life balance and self awareness are the keys to success. “Coaching to me is really about finding the answers from within and integrating our highest values into our daily life; something as simple as remembering some of the values that we carried around as a child when we were playing and had no fear of being judged,” she says.

It’s human nature to strive to be the best we can be and experiment with different ways to unlock our sleeping

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The Organizer: Stefania Lucchetti

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Time management Her soft spoken reserved persona conceals behind her piercing blue eyes a fiery passion and determination. Since childhood she’s lived by one rule: she must learn three new skills per year. The question here isn’t how much she pulls off, rather how she juggles all her interests with such flair. Over time her acumen has suggested that she might have an audience, so a few years back, the blonde girl who

had always dreamed of becoming a novelist, decided to write her first book on what she knew best – time management.

“I was in Beijing for an merger and acquisition deal and everyone was spending their time responding to emails and not doing their job … so there I had the idea to write The Principle of Relevance, which deals with information overload: how to manage it, how to master it and how to make sure you are so focused that you don’t live a reactive life.”

Stefania’s mantra is the importance to find a focus in one’s life; the trick being the ability to prioritize on the basis of what one really wants.

“In the digital age, we tend to live in a reactionary mode,” she says. “We tend to respond to things and we rarely take the time to stop and think ‘what do I really want?’”

“When I asked myself this question, the answer was to write and help others live a more deliberate life; when I keep this in mind I always find the time to write.”

Weekly focus But how does she pull it off? Her typical day starts with an early rise which ensures that she gets plenty of play time

with Sky, her seven -month-old son. Then she’s off to her eight-hour work day in the law firm in Central but tries to fit in a yoga class or a lunch break run each day.

Back home in the evening she spends time with her family, and if her husband is away for business she will work on her own projects. Every day she resets her mental balance with meditation. Once a week she schedules something she enjoys such as dancing or spending time with friends. So far, this sounds like an above average but typical day and then Stefania starts revealing her organizational strategies.

“I plan my week and I plan my day,” she casually says.” “Every week I decide what my focus is going to be and the three main things I want to get done such as launching a website, writing a chapter of the book, getting a new client.”

“My idea is that you should work with your attention span,” she explains.

“For example, I know that my attention span is 20 minutes of uninterrupted focus, so that’s the time I dedicate to activities that require high attention, such as writing,” she says. “When that attention is starting to drift away, that’s when I respond to the urgent matters such as responding to an email, making a phone call, etc…”

The author

Stefania still gets a little giddy when talking about the overwhelming positive feedback on her first book, a response that has encouraged and given her the confidence to write two more books last year: one on making creative ideas happen and another on self leadership, both of which she admits, weren’t an easy feat.

Her latest project is a website called the Women Leadership Project – a venue for people to connect and talk but also a platform from which Stefania offers training programs and organizes events with international guest speakers.

Stefania makes all this sound so easy, but she too has to overcome challenges or project plateaus, as she calls them, each time she embarks on a new task.

“You are really excited about an idea and then a point comes, whether you’re too tired or need more resources, when you don’t want to do this anymore,” she says referring to when she nearly gave up writing The Principle of Relevance. That’s when she realized that by bouncing ideas off her husband, getting a friend to read what she was writing, or taking some time off and going back she could create more momentum rather than come to a halt.

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Stefania points out how this can be tricky too. While you need support from others, rarely will you exclusively get constructive feedback. Sometimes well-meaning family members and friends will warn about discouraging consequences of starting a new business.

“So you have to go on without really listening and that is really hard because you also need their feedback,” she says but laughs it off and adds that luckily she’s a pretty determined person with a good ally in her husband, being himself a businessman and entrepreneur. He has often helped her regain focus when she was losing a little confidence.

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potential. “On the other side of fear, there is power,” she says, which is possibly the reason her adventure challenges and retreats have proven to be so successful.

The best way, she concludes, is to look within yourself and think about what you love, what brings you joy and regularly ask yourself if are you learning and what can you do to keep making deposits into your personal excellence account.

“There is not much growth in the comfort zone,” she adds. “And [sadly] no comfort in the growth zone so learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable!”

Are you ready for an adventure?

Julie Lewis can be reached at www.mountainhighme.com

f it were possible to be more than one person at once, Stefania Lucchetti would undoubtedly fit the bill.

Not because she has multiple personalities, but for her amount of accomplishments (in little over three decades) enough to put us, mere mortals to shame. The Hong Kong-based Italian is an attorney qualified in three jurisdictions; she’s an author of three books, university teacher, keynote speaker and coach on self leadership; an avid traveler, reader and blogger; a proficient dancer, yogi and motocross rider; to top it off she gave birth to a baby boy late last year.

Wondering how she does it? Well, she says she’s organized.

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The man behind Does this mean that having a man by your side is a woman’s most valuable asset?

“I think it isn’t necessary to have a man by your side. You can live well and be very successful on your own,” she replies. “On the other hand it’s great to have someone you can rely on.”

May The Greater Middle East Today:

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“Happiness to me is being aware of where I am and feeling that I am connected to who I am and what I am doing.”

She says how grateful she is to have a husband who is a good partner for life and also a good business partner in helping her make her ideas happen. However, she

How is the US Responding to its Changes and Challenges?

Aryn Baker

Middle East Bureau Chief TIME Baker will address the following: • Has the desire to implement quick-impact development projects over long-term investment undermined sustainability in Afghanistan?

• Does the US commitment of $7.5 billion to Pakistan over the next five years risk backfiring?

• How has long-term support for a dictator in the name of strategic interests succeeded in diminishing the role of the US in the region today?

• Does the US risk making the same mistakes in Bahrain and Yemen after the revolution in Egypt?

• What is the role of the US in Libya going forward?

Aryn Baker is the Middle East Bureau Chief for TIME, a role in which she covers politics, society, the military and the regional war on terror. She also covers both Pakistan and Afghanistan, for which she was Bureau Chief from 2008 to 2010. Before moving permanently to the region, Baker was an associate editor of TIME Asia, based in Hong Kong. In August 2010, Baker's story about Bibi Aisha, a young Afghan woman whose nose had been cut off on Taliban orders, ignited a national and international discussion about women's rights, the Taliban and whether or not the US should stay in the country.

May AmCham Spring Golf Challenge Stefania Lucchetti

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Time: 12:00pm Registration/ Networking 12:30pm Lunch 1:10pm Remarks 2:00pm Close Fee(s): Member Fee: HK$390 Non Member Fee: HK$510 Corporate Table Fee (10-12pax): HK$4,800 MEDIA WELCOME

Format: Flight of four. First tee-off approx 12:00pm

Venue: Hong Kong Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Golf Course Kau Sai Chau

Prizes:

Women’s and Men’s Nett Scores (Scramble Format): First and Runner-up Women and Men Nearest to Pin and Longest Drive

Time: 9:30am - 7:30pm

Cost:

HK$1,200 (members) HK$1,400 (non-members) (Golf course rules state that $200 must be added for non-HKID Card Holders)

Hong Kong Jockey Club, East Course Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course

Package: Cost includes green fees, driving range (one bucket of range balls), locker, shared buggy, ferry, shuttle bus, optional bus transport from Central at 9:30am and return at 7:30pm, light lunch, dinner and the prize-awards. Drinks are additional.

May Identifying and Nurturing High Performers to

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Venue: Club Lusitano 27/F, 16 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong

Enhance Competitive Advantage

Andrew Banks

Managing Director Talent2 High turnover of star performers, as well as failing to spot the right candidates, can put an organization at risk. To address this issue, Andrew Banks will discuss the following: • How do you identify what a high performer means for your company; • What smart companies are doing in 2011 to increase their attractiveness to top candidates; • How to optimise retention and high performance to increase competitive advantage.

Andrew Banks launched Talent2 International (TWO), a publicly traded company on the ASX, which focuses on HR Outsourcing and Executive Search and Selection. Apart from his Board responsibilities (and being the largest shareholder), Andrew’s primary role is Managing Partner of their Executive and Board Search division, Talent Partners where Andrew personally handles a number of clients with senior executive appointments.

Prior to Talent2, Banks, together with Geoff Morgan, founded Morgan & Banks in early 1985, seeing an opportunity to change the way the then ‘cottage industry’ worked.

The company grew to become the dominant recruitment force in Australia and Asia, with a whopping 17% market share.

Fee(s): Member Fee: HK$1200 Non Member Fee: HK$1400

Venue: AmCham Office 1904 Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Central Time: 8:00 - 9:30am (light breakfast included) Fee(s): Member Fee: HK$150 Non Member Fee: HK$250 MEDIA WELCOME

For information, see website: www.amcham.org.hk Tel: (852) 2530 6900 Fax: (852) 2537 8824 Email: cli@amcham.org.hk

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cautions, if that someone isn’t the right person for you, it can be much worse than being on your own.

Since writing her first book Stefania’s life has become a lot more interesting. “Just by talking to people I’m expanding myself and my view of the world, and getting a better understanding of what I should be writing and how to help others and myself. I believe everyone should continue to grow, learn and become the best person they can be.”

In fact, just as when she was a child, Stefania still holds personal growth as her core value. “I learn as much as I can because I feel that happiness is a journey, not really a destination. I think of times when I‘m happy, and it’s such a fleeting moment. Happiness to me is being aware of where I am and feeling that I am connected to who I am and what I am doing.”

No doubt she’s one lady to keep an eye on as she keeps on expanding her horizon and that of others. Her message that links personal fulfillment to an ever complex wired world makes Stefania current and relevant.

Stefania Lucchetti can be reached at www.stefanialucchetti.com