AmChamHK Nov 2018

Magazine of The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

November 2018

Mind Your Head Attention employers: It’s OK to not be OK

Give Me Shelter Substance abuse and HK’s fast-paced lifestyle

Agent of Change Bringing sustainability to private healthcare

Cover Sponsor

L 20 IMIT 18 ED /19 S -A PA PP CE LY S F TO OR DA Y!

PROJECT BASED LEARNING AT STAMFORD Skills to Succeed in Tomorrow’s World

BOOK A SCHOOL TOUR

The skills needed for the jobs of future transcend academic competencies, a quick web search reveals the skills most needed are found not only in technology, but skills some might not have traditionally associated as core elements to education - flexibility, problem-solving and collaboration.

Education has shifted to view these skills as not secondary goals but as critical skills to be developed as part of the core curriculum. A natural opportunity to foster students’ skills in these areas lies in project-based learning. Project-based learning not only develops the higher order thinking skills such as analysis and synthesis, but also drives students to use their imagination and be entrepreneurial. Stamford has made their STEMinn (science, technology, engineering, math, and innovation) a key element to the education they offer.

Stamford’s STEMinn program differentiates itself from other STEM programs by its focus on innovation. The innovation aspect of the program ensures that students apply all the areas of STEM education into projects on a small or large-scale.

Projects are integrated into the curriculum to create a much richer learning experience for students, and larger scale projects usually adopt a school-wide theme. Stamford’s first large-scale project revolved around the Volvo Ocean Race which inspired a variety of inquiries into the science and geography of boat racing, the engineering and design of boats and even building life-size vessels and testing them at the School’s pool. Students walked away with a great deal of knowledge, and also resilience as they tested and even failed in developing boat designs. One of the Grade 7 students said, “The boat building was a unique experience because we got to use different materials that I never knew existed and that I never used before, and also we got to race our boats and see the result of all of our work.”

Stamford being part of the Cognita Schools Group also participated in the Cognita-wide initiative “Light Up Learning”, which focused on energy poverty. Students learned about sustainable energy, built solar lights to donate to Papua New Guinea and proposed solutions to help solve the

current energy crisis. Students even sang an original song composed by the Stamford Head of Arts about the power each of us has to make a difference and “light up the world,” and our actions big or small can affect positive change and brought to life the trans-disciplinary learning opportunities available in STEM education.

To kick off its second year, Stamford initiated the “#MissionInspire” campaign during World Space Week to learn what lies beyond our universe, a topic that for many evokes a natural curiosity. Some STEM projects for this week included learning about the effects of gravity on plants growing, building life-size rovers and designing rockets with the engineering principles of aerodynamics and propulsion.

These were a few highlights; all students were also treated to an on-campus visit to a mobile planetarium as part of the culminating 12-hour project, and share the fantastic projects across grades and inspire students and parents alike.

These large-scale projects stand-out but do not replace the ongoing focus on project-based learning that happens during the school year as part of the dedication to projectbased learning opportunities. Students have showcased their knowledge throughout the year, from “Shark Tank Week” in Grade 5 to research projects in Grade 1 about different cultures, giving students a chance to present their learning, build confidence and also evaluate their success and opportunities for improvement.

“In most jobs, people will be working on projects no matter what field of work they enter; not only is our STEMinn program a great opportunity to equip students with technology skills, but it also made it possible for us to use projects as a vehicle to develop other critical skills they will need to succeed in the future. I especially love whole school projects, we not only get to grow closer as a community, but it exposes children to new topics they might not naturally explore and might awake a new passion!” Linda Cheung, STEMinn Coordinator, Stamford American School.

Applications open for 2019/20 Pre-Primary – Grade 9 SCHOOL CAMPUS

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25 Man Fuk Road, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong +852 3467 4500

Suites 4005-4007, Level 40, Two Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong +852 2500 8688

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Connect with us:

COVER STORY

LIVING IN

H O N G KO N G Before you arrive · Getting settled · See and do

OUT NOW 28th Edition

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AmChamHK

11 • 2018

Contents NOVEMBER 2018 | VOL. 50 NO. 11 AMCHAM NEWS AND VIEWS

Publisher Tara Joseph

06 President’s memo

Managing Editor

09 New business contacts

Jennifer Khoo

10 Member spotlight

Advertising Sales Manager

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My favorite AmCham experience

Tom Chan AmChamHK’s contents do not necessarily reflect the views of officers, governors or members of the Chamber. We welcome your letters, comments & feedback.

CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE: GLENEAGLES

Email: feedback@amcham.org.hk

32 AGENT OF CHANGE Bringing sustainability to private healthcare

On the cover: David Cruikshank, BNY Mellon APAC Chairman & AmCham governor

RETAIL 40 The new retail 1904 Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Rd, Central, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2530 6900 Fax: (852) 3753 1206 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 Tiffany Lau & Jules Langlais Tel: (852) 6432 2573 Email: ttiffanylauu@gmail.com Website: www.tifflaudesign.com

COVER STORY 14 MIND YOUR HEAD BNY Asia Chairman David Cruikshank leads the bank’s mental health workplace movement

ICYMI 46

Beijing Doorknock photos

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 18

The current picture

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My personal mental health story

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Executive search providers

66 The last page

©The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, 2018 Library of Congress: LC 98-645652

Can you help? If you, your

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

ADDICTION 26 GIVE ME SHELTER Substance abuse and HK’s fast-paced lifestyle

AmChamHK

11 • 2018

family or company have any photographs, documents or simply memories you’d like to share from AmCham’s past 50 years, please get in touch at feedback@amcham.org.hk, +852 6291 8694 or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram using the hashtag #AmCham50

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President’s Memo and had a stimulating and vigorous briefing from the U.S. Embassy.

officials from across Asia, and from the United States. Our theme for the conference will be “the Future of U.S. Investment and Trade in Asia” at a time of rising competition in a fast developing region.

One message was clear during the Beijing Doorknock – while both sides said they were committed to the bilateral relationship and to resolving thorny issues, there remains a sizable gap between respective positions and perspectives that needs closing before that can happen.

This is the time of year when Christmas music starts blaring across our Hong Kong glitzy shopping malls while executives rush from event to event, and fret over wrapping up end-of-year projects.

A hectic time. A rewarding time too. This is especially so in Hong Kong, where the city’s efficiency and dynamism allow us to tap into multiple events in a single day.

There’s also certainly no shortage of activity at AmCham, with China-U.S. trade tensions continuing to yield some intense and riveting discussion.

Not least at our just-completed annual Beijing Doorknock, where delegates met with senior officials and regulators

Keep an eye on your inbox, on our website, and on social media channels for upcoming events and details of the APCAC conference on March 4, 2019.

We would love the active participation of our members, companies and regional experts.

We also played host to Charlene Barshefsky who addressed a lively gathering at AmCham’s office. The former U.S. Trade Representative was instrumental in setting U.S. policy that led to China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, a move that has had a profound impact on global trade. Given the latest trade tensions, her visit to Hong Kong was very timely.

Finally, at this time of year when thoughts turn to family and friends, I want to make a special plea to anyone who has any photographs, diary entries or just special memories they want to share from their time with AmCham.

We’d love to hear from you and include them in a project of digitizing our archive which is now underway.

Speaking of playing host: Next year’s annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce will be here in Hong Kong, coinciding with our own 50th anniversary celebrations.

Along with highlighting Hong Kong as a key international hub for business, AmCham Hong Kong will welcome U.S. business leaders and government

Regards, Tara Joseph AmCham President

BOARD OF GOVERNORS CHAIRMAN Jack Lange VICE CHAIRMAN Robert Grieves TREASURER Owen Belman

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

GOVERNORS Donald Austin

Matthew Hosford

Jenny Wong

Jennifer Van Dale

Julie Brandt

Clara Ingen-Housz

Patrick Wu

Diana David

Steven Xavier Chan

Simon Ogus

Lennard Yong

Seth Peterson

Sanjeev Chatrath

Karen Reddington

Catherine Simmons

Elaine Cheung

Anna-Marie Slot

Richard Weisman

David Cruikshank

Eric Szweda

Mark Green

Rick Truscott

PRESIDENT Tara Joseph EX-OFFICIO GOVERNOR Walter Dias

CHAMBER COMMITTEES Apparel & Footwear

Entrepreneurs/SME

China Business

Communications & Marketing

Food and Beverage

Gareth Brooks

Laurie Goldberg

Ben Simpfendorfer

Anita Davis

Veronica Sze

Lynne Sprugel

Cynthia Chow

Jin Ling

Heather Bach

Peter Johnston

Ball

Infrastructure & Construction

John Siu

Corporate Social Responsibility

Intellectual Property

Environment

Genevieve Hilton

Gabriela Kennedy

Jim Taylor

Hans Leung

Victor Tse

Rachel Fleishman

Financial Services

Anna-Marie Slot

Sally Peng

Seth Peterson

Energy

Law

Rick Truscott

Chiann Bao

John Zadkovich

Jessica Bartlett

People and Organizational Culture

Ian Chung Pharmaceutical Caroline Johnson Grace Lau

Innovation & Technology

Stephen Leung

Patrick Kirby

Peter Liu

Women of Influence

Jen Flowers

Wendy Zhang

Jennifer Parks

Leonie Valentine

Transportation and Logistics

Anne O’Riordan

Real Estate

Gavin Dow

Young Professionals

Robert Johnston

Geoffrey Siebengartner

Jamie Ford

Colin Jones

Oscar Wong

Lauren Chung

Janice Lao

Jasper MacSlarrow

Rebecca Terner Lentchner Song Jia Ning

Trade & Investment Barrett Bingley Tatman Savio Herman Cheung David Chao

Michael Frank

Insurance & Healthcare Hanif Kanji Amelie Dionne-Charest Invest in USA

Education

Eric Szweda

Virginia Wilson

Taxation Ivan Strunin

Abigail DeLessio

Peter Guang Chen Wade Wagatsuma

Nicolas Gordon

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AmChamHK

11 • 2018

www.amcham.org.hk

AMCHAM Means Business

Members Directory

Over 500 pages in three major sections, including a complete guide to chamber services, corporate sponsors and AmCham Charitable Foundation. This directory lists about 1,350 members from about 660 companies and organizations.

ISBN 978-962-7422-78-5

LC 98-645651 NON-MEMBER PRICE Local Delivery HK$1500 Overseas Delivery US$195 Shipping costs: Local HK$45 (per copy) US/International US$50 (per copy)

MEMBER PRICE HK$800 US$105

    AmCham Member   Name: Title:   Company:   Address:     Tel: Fax:     Email: Website:   copy(ies) of Members Directory     Total: HK$/US$ (postage inclusive)   payable to The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong  check#    Bank:    Charge to AMEX (US$) Diners (HK$) Visa (HK$) Master Card (HK$)   Cardholder's Name:   Card#   Expiry Date: Issuing Bank:         Signature: (Not valid unless signed)    The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong 1904 Bank of America Tower, 12 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong.

Tel: (852) 2530 6934 Email: hchung@amcham.org.hk

New Business Contacts The following people are new AmCham members: Company Name

First Name

Last Name

Position

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

Matthew

Puhar

Partner

BCD Travel Hong Kong

Lily

Agonoy

Managing Director

Jonathan

Csanyi-Fritz

Sales Manager

C&C Consulting Ltd

Anand

Chandran

Managing Partner & CEO

Chevron Companies (Greater China) Ltd

Stanley

Song

General Manager

China-United States Exchange Foundation

Audie

Wong

Executive Director

CIGNA Worldwide Life Insurance Company Limited

Jim

Heng

Chief Distribution and Strategy Officer

Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Ltd

Anita

Chiu

Vice President APAC Public Affairs & Policy

Jwee Tat

Lee

AVP, Sustainability Affairs

Dow Jones & Co

Toby

Doman

Communications Director, APAC

Harbour School, The

Daniel

Blurton

Associate Managing Director

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd, The

Mark

Kordes

Head of Sales Process Management, Group Wealth Management

Instinctif Partners (Hong Kong) Limited

Wai Ling Crystal

Chan

Managing Partner & General Manager (Greater China)

Institute of International Education

Wallace

Ng

Senior Program & Operations Manager

Mayer Brown

Robert

Woll

Partner

Newtimes Development Ltd

James

Chidwick

EVP Operations

PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting Hong Kong Limited

Jaelyn

Kwan

Partner, Consulting

Carolyn

Wong

Senior Marketing Consultant

REVĪVŌ Wellness Resorts

Amy

Leung

Sales Manager

Shadow Factory

Bryant

Robinson

Group Account Director

Sino Pride Development Limited

Paul

Lam

CEO

State Street Bank & Trust Co

Jonathan

Wallenberger

Acting Head, Regulatory, Industry, and Government Affairs

The Mekong Club

Silvia

Mera

Program Director

Tradewind International Factoring Ltd.

Goobi

Mak

Vice President of Sales

Alan

Wong

Managing Director

University of Chicago Booth School of Business in Hong Kong

Grace

Liang

Senior Director - Executive Programs, Asia Pacific

Virtual Control Ltd

Thomas

Bispham Jr

CEO

Visa Hong Kong Limited

Paulina

Leong

Head of Business Development, Hong Kong and Macau

Yusen Logistics

Gregory

Meisenheimer

General Manager - Supply Chain Solutions

AmChamHK

11 • 2018

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MEMBERSPOTLIGHT Name: Maxine Howe Job title: Director of Sales and Marketing Company: The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel Industry: Hospitality AmCham member since: September 2017

Where is home?

I was born in England but left when I was very young, so home is Brisbane, Australia. This is my 8th year in Hong Kong however I have not lived here consecutively – in between I lived and worked in Shanghai and Beijing.

Best thing about Hong Kong?

Hong Kong has a fast paced dynamic business environment and such a diverse business community.

Describe yourself in three words.

Loyal, outgoing, driven.

If I wasn’t a business leader, I would be…

I very much enjoy writing, food, wine and traveling to learn about new cultures, so actually I considered journalism (food and travel writing) as one of my career options. I secretly am a frustrated interior designer!

First ever job?

Where can we find you outside of work?

My brother employed me at the tender age of 8 to take over his household chores for a small retainer.

But seriously, at 14 I started working part time (Friday nights and Saturday morning) at John Stephens Pharmacy in Canberra. Mr. Stephens was such a dynamic business man, with amazing sales and merchandizing skills, and was generous to share his knowledge and teach our team by way of bi-weekly training sessions. I learned a great deal from him about sales and hospitality.

Each Sunday, I love to walk from my apartment on Canton Road to the Flower Market and choose from the huge variety of gorgeous blooms from around the world – enjoying a coffee along the way.

Favorite piece of advice?

One of my mentors shared a quote with me many years ago – “Good timber does not grow with ease, the stronger the wind, the stronger the tree” – and my mother – “A little kindness goes a long way.”

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‘A little kindness goes a long way’

Name something on your bucket list.

I have quite a few things on my list. African Safari, visit Cuba, work for a year in a philanthropic capacity for an NGO...

What attracted you to Amcham?

The opportunity to meet new people and share The Murray story.

AmChamHK

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MY FAVORITE AMCHAM EXPERIENCE

PETER J. LEVESQUE Group Managing Director, Modern Terminals

MY FAVORITE AMCHAM EXPERIENCE AmChamHK

11 • 2018

“My favorite part about AmCham over the years has been watching the impact that our members have on business, government and community.

Everywhere you look, AmCham members are making a difference by addressing critical business issues, supporting charitable causes or advocating for change. AmCham is a values-based network of business people who like to get things done, and it’s an organization that I’m very proud to be a part of.”

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COVER STORY

MIND YOUR HEAD Attention employers: It’s OK to not be OK

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COVER STORY

‘People should not be expected to work round the clock just because we have the technology which enables us to do so’

If the idea of talking about your feelings scares you, perhaps you’ll want to open up after looking at the facts.

Poor mental health costs the British economy between 74 billion and 99 billion pounds a year, according to a 2017 independent review commissioned by the government entitled Thriving at Work. While there’s no comparable figure for Hong Kong, the take home message for our city is the same: Ignoring mental health isn’t just bad for our wellbeing, it’s also bad for business.

To mark World Mental Health Day on October 10, charity groups, healthcare experts and industry professionals gathered at Linklaters’ Hong Kong office to exchange insights and stories on workplace mental health in the city.

The event was organized by the City Mental Health Alliance — Hong Kong (CMHA HK), a collaborative venture founded and led by businesses and experts in the field to raise awareness around the issue of mental health at work and enable businesses to take practical steps.

David Cruikshank, Asia-Pacific chairman of BNY Mellon and AmCham board member, represents one of CMHA HK’s 10 founding member companies.

Cruikshank has seen examples in New York where individuals have struggled with mental health issues and were able to get the help they needed. “Had these people worked in an environment where awareness and access to adequate support were limited, the prognosis might have been much worse,” he says.

Due to the stigma it faces in Asian cultures generally, mental health in Hong Kong isn’t consistently

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11 • 2018

recognized as a “real” illness by society, let alone in the workplace.

“In the U.S. there is more of a culture of speaking up when there’s a problem. In Hong Kong and many parts of Asia, the concept of saying that you are ‘not okay’ or discussing mental health issues could make you an outcast from your own family,” he says.

The first step for Hong Kong is to accept mental health as the serious issue that it is. The next step is being able to talk about it without fear of being judged or stigmatized.

In a survey of 394 working professionals jointly carried out by management consultancy Oliver Wyman, CMHA HK and The University of Hong Kong, over 30 percent of respondents said they had experienced mental health issues while working in Hong Kong.

Of those experiencing mental health issues, only 21 percent felt they could tell anyone. Fifteen percent of respondents knew of someone who experienced stigma in the workplace over a mental health issue.

The survey results validate assumptions that cultural support for mental health in Hong Kong and Asia generally lags behind other developed markets, says Cruikshank.

The survey also showed that over 75 percent of employees who had experienced mental health issues said they would still turn up for work. Workplace “presenteeism,” i.e. being present physically but not mentally, is what results, with productivity and quality of work taking a hit.

Cruikshank mentions having heard of examples where managers were unsure how to deal with staff who expressed work-related stress. He relays the following anecdote:

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COVER STORY

“This healthcare professional had a patient who reported feeling anxious and stressed in the workplace. Following advice and raising it with her manager, her manager responded by giving her a promotion, thinking this would make her feel more important. All it did was give her more work and even more stress,” he says.

On World Mental Health Day, BNY Mellon rolled out an internal video awareness campaign with the theme “It’s OK to say I’m not OK.” These kinds of internal initiatives send the message that it’s acceptable to speak up, and hopefully encourage employees and managers to offer support to their peers when they notice something isn’t right, says Cruikshank.

He adds that increasingly diverse workforces mean it is also important to recognize differences in background and knowledge, to ensure mental health awareness and support provided to employees is inclusive. BNY Mellon offers an employee assistance program to all its employees and their families which is available in every language.

David Cruikshank

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COVER STORY

Every movement needs to start somewhere. In this case, it should start from the top. “Having senior people drive the change is important. Senior staff in the training room hearing the same message as everyone else also sends the right message to junior staff that they are valued and mental health is important,” says CMHA HK CEO Dr Zoe Fortune.

Asking senior people to stand up in front of their staff to share their own experiences can also be extremely helpful although she describes that in the initial stages of her work, many of those who were involved in the conversations were expats. However, she feels the situation is changing in Hong Kong as both staff and businesses become more aware of the issue.

The CMHA HK uses their research to ensure that their materials are directly applicable to the HK context and will also be expanding training sessions to be conducted in Cantonese.

disabilities (including mental health ailments) to help them meet the requirements of their jobs. This may be through more flexible work arrangements or providing additional support when requested.

She suggests companies formulate a visible mental health policy that includes a clear explanation of where employees can find support, and to “plan work with people in mind.”

What else can employers do?

“Encourage employees to switch off outside of work hours. People should not be expected to work round the clock just because we have the technology which enables us to do so,” suggests an anonymous survey respondent.

Emma Pugh, Co-head of Employment & Incentives at Linklaters, says that from a legal perspective, there is a burden on employers in Hong Kong to provide reasonable accommodation to employees with

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COVER STORY

‘People with chronic mental health illnesses should not be allowed to come and work in Hong Kong – it’s too dangerous’

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AmChamHK

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COVER STORY

THE CURRENT PICTURE Where can you go in times of need?

Hong Kong only has about 390 registered psychiatrists, compared with around 2,200 in New York and London’s 1,500. According to the Hospital Authority’s website, the waiting time for a non-urgent, “stable” case booking at a public outpatient mental health clinic can take up to three years. For urgent to semi-urgent cases, the wait can still be one to three weeks.

If a psychiatric outpatient clinic receives a suicidal or acutely mentally-ill patient who needs to be admitted to intensive care, Castle Peak hospital in Tuen Mun and Kwai Chung hospital are the only institutions with inpatient facilities for longterm rehabilitation and intensive care.

The only other option is voluntary or involuntary admission to a public hospital’s psychiatric ward, where physical restraint of patients is commonly practiced, even if unnecessary.

There are no private hospitals in Hong Kong now offering an acute psychiatric emergency service.

Recently opened Gleneagles in Wong Chuk Hang has plans to be the first to open inpatient psychiatric facilities, but no date has been set at the time of writing. The planned facilities will cater to those who are chronically unwell, but in a stable condition.

One prominent healthcare professional who wishes to remain anonymous believes this isn’t doing enough to help. She thinks one area that needs addressing is acute inpatient psychiatric care for the expatriate and English-speaking community, as what ends up happening is that expats are admitted to the city’s already overburdened public system in which Englishlanguage standards leave much to be desired.

“For private hospitals to say they don’t have the facilities [for acute patients] is nonsense. The reality is that psychiatric care is not a big money spinner and it’s high risk, so they don’t want to get involved.

Why are private hospitals allowed to pick and choose based on what makes them a lot of money?” she says.

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Now what if you suffer from a minor mental health issue and want to see a clinical psychologist for cognitive behavioral therapy rather than a psychiatrist for medication?

Finding a psychologist for those who don’t know where to begin is much less straightforward here than in other developed economies, says Dr Hannah Reidy, CEO of Mind HK, a charity committed to improving awareness and understanding of mental health in Hong Kong.

The UK’s NHS for example adopts an interdisciplinary approach, where psychiatrists, psychologists and other health professionals work together to decide on the best course of action for the patient. By contrast, psychiatrists and psychologists in Hong Kong tend to work independently of one another, meaning it can take longer to identify the most appropriate treatment for patients, she says.

Also in Hong Kong, patients tend to turn to psychiatrists first simply because the cost of seeing a medical doctor is covered by most local insurance policies, whereas clinical psychologists’ fees typically are not.

“There will always be a place for drugs but they only treat the symptoms,” says Dr Reidy, who believes in a more holistic approach that starts with demystifying mental health within schools, the government and among the general public.

Progress is slow. When the government’s proposed Accredited Registers Scheme for Clinical Psychologists within Hong Kong comes into effect, psychologists not trained at either HKU or Chinese University will not be able to practice here. This will prevent most internationally trained psychologists from practicing within Hong Kong until further registration and requirements can be fulfilled, and might even put them off.

While this new regulation is intended to ensure rigorous standards for the profession, there is already a shortage of clinical psychologists catering to the international community.

COVER STORY

“People with chronic mental health illnesses should not be allowed to come and work in Hong Kong. It’s too dangerous,” says one healthcare professional who asked not to be identified. “If that’s the message that will make the Hong Kong government sit up and take notice then that’s what needs to be said.”

Changing attitudes Psychiatrist Dr Barry Connell says that when he moved to Hong Kong 28 years ago, there was a stigma attached to the discipline even within the medical profession itself. Psychiatry was widely considered to be “not real medicine.”

Addressing the global wellness trend, he says “we need to incorporate this part of our humanity into that term.”

A clinical psychologist in Hong Kong who asked to remain anonymous says that even her Englishspeaking Hong Kong Chinese patients with an international outlook tend to carry a fair amount of stigma around mental health. If not themselves then their families. Most turn up to see her with a GP referral based on physical symptoms — a fact she puts down to the propensity of eastern cultures to stigmatize and attribute mental health to physical wellbeing.

She says that for locals, having a mental health disorder is seen as something scary and serious, because it is not well understood. Within Hong Kong’s expat community however, the stigma is very different. “For expats here there is very much a ‘work hard, play hard’ culture, and having a mental health issue is a sign of weakness,” she says.

There are some signs that local attitudes are gradually changing. More than half of the visitors to Mind HK’s website view its Chinese-language version, and frequently search for resources on how to support someone suffering from poor mental health.

The final message is positive yet realistic.

“We’re never going to be able to eliminate stress, or mental health disorders. There will always be limitations. What we can wish for is more openness and communication, to limit the impact that poor mental health has on us,” says Dr Connell.

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AmChamHK

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Use caring statements Start the conversation with something that lets them know you care, like “I have noticed you seem down lately, is everything ok?” or even a simple “How are you?”.

TIPS to start talking about mental health

Start simple If having a face-to-face conversation about mental health feels hard, start simple: make a phone call, or send a message checking in so that they know you care.

Let them set the pace Opening up takes a lot of courage, show that you appreciate it. Let them lead the conversation at their own pace and decide how much they share.

You might be the first person they’re speaking to about this.

Don’t make assumptions While you may be happy to support, try not to make assumptions on their diagnosis or thoughts. They are the experts about themselves.

Focus on feelings Providing an outlet for someone to express their feelings may be more helpful than trying to solve their problems.

Treat them the same Avoid distraction No matter the method of communication, find a time and place where you’re both comfortable and can talk.

If an individual opens up to you about their mental health condition, they are still the same person regardless. They don’t want to be treated differently.

Be your usual self and act toward them in the same way you normally would.

For more mental health winformation and resources visit Mind HK’s website using the QR code.

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M Y P E R S O N A L M E N TA L H E A LT H S T O R Y LOSS TAUGHT OLIVIA PARKER AN IMPORTANT LESSON ABOUT WHY MENTAL HEALTH SHOULD MATTER TO US ALL

Laurence died on the 17th of October last year. We were on holiday in Laos, getting a break from Hong Kong, having moved here from London the previous January. On our fourth day, I had gone on a day trip by myself to visit an elephant sanctuary, and I returned to find him in our hotel room, just looking like he was asleep.

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five minutes, include music (which came before most other things), his friends, festivals, travelling, and anything that was fast or exciting or dangerous, or just ridiculous — he had a very unique sense of humor.

He had been taking various medications including anti-depressants, anti-anxiety pills and sleeping tablets, all prescribed by doctors in Hong Kong. It was a combination of drugs and alcohol that meant he accidentally overdosed.

After he told me he had depression, soon after we got together, I almost forgot about it because I never saw anything that I associated with the illness. I only began to really understand much later, shortly before we moved here. And it’s been more recently still that I’ve started to think about the role his workplaces played in terms of his mental health.

Had you met him, I am sure Laurence would have looked to you like someone who had nothing wrong with him — apart from maybe an addiction to e-cigarettes.

Laurence left the army in 2014 and went to work for KPMG in London as a project manager. By 2016 we’d started to think about moving to Hong Kong and were both looking around for other jobs.

He studied drama at university and then joined the army and did a tour of Afghanistan, so he was used to being on stage and facing difficult situations.

We were together for nearly five years and he was one of the most outwardly confident and direct people I’ve ever met. Some of the things he loved, which you would know after knowing him for just

There’s definitely no one reason why Laurence started to develop anxiety and worsening bouts of depression. There are many. But thinking about moving country, changing jobs, leaving our friends –— any of these things that so many of us have done to come here are stressful, even though we all think we should be able to deal with them fine.

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‘EVERYTHING WAS GREAT – BUT STILL , HE WAS IN THIS DEEP MENTAL DARKNESS HE COULDN’ T SHAKE’

A few times, Laurence told me, people at work had noticed something wasn’t right. He once took Xanax before one meeting because he felt so anxious, and was so doped that he almost fell asleep. Other times he would have to take a day off because he couldn’t face going in to the office or hadn’t slept at all. I knew he was also drinking a lot more than normal and when I finally got him to tell me why, he said he had been so dreading going to whatever social event it was that alcohol was the only way he thought he’d get through it.

He was lucky to have colleagues at KPMG UK who noticed something was wrong. One senior partner took him for a coffee one day and asked — really asked — whether he was ok. He told Laurence he understood because he himself hadn’t slept without sleeping pills for years, had dealt with anxiety and was seeing a psychologist. Coming from someone so senior, this had a huge impact. Other colleagues also looked out for him and he started to do the same for other people, for example paying attention if they said they weren’t sleeping, and checking in with them regularly.

More even than your friends or your partner, I realized that your colleagues who see you every day are some of the best-placed people to be able to tell if your behavior is out of character. And sometimes it’s easier to talk to them because they’re one step removed from your home life. KPMG also recommended psychologists and psychiatrists, who diagnosed depression and anxiety, and the company’s health insurance policy paid for them. This was something

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we totally took for granted but that actually was a huge testament to the fact the company was prepared to take mental health seriously, knowing the business benefits as well. This was all in the UK. Then we moved here. We really loved Hong Kong from the start, even though Laurence started to feel much worse quite soon after we got here. Again, there aren’t definitive reasons why, but his new job with Deloitte, working in client contracting, didn’t suit him and he seemed to almost spiral downhill. It seemed to me like his mental health was tied pretty closely to what he felt he was achieving at work and what he felt this said about him as a person.

I’d arrive home and find him feeling awful, and he couldn’t really say why. When you think of someone with depression, you think they have to stay under the duvet for weeks. He never did that but carried on going to work, going out with friends, going on holiday with me, though I could often literally see the physical effort it would cost him.

As you’ll know if you’ve ever lived with someone with depression or anxiety, it can be hard to empathize with them. I remember sitting on a beach, on a day off work. The sun was out, we had nothing to do, we loved each other, we lived in Hong Kong, everything was great — but still, he was in this deep mental darkness he couldn’t shake. We thought at the time it was because the anti-depressants he was taking were having odd side-effects as they settled in, but he tried a few others and nothing seemed to be the miracle cure.

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‘PLENTY OF US STILL THINK THERAPY IS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE REACHED ROCK BOTTOM, NOT FOR US’

We tried to get more help but kept hitting barriers.

Deloitte’s health insurance policy — and this is standard in Hong Kong — only covered a small amount of his psychiatrist bills, which pay for the medications. It didn’t cover any treatment by a psychologist, which is where you have the chance to talk through what’s going on as well as taking drugs.

I can’t say if this is true, but Laurence was also convinced he wouldn’t find support if he told people at work what he was going through, especially senior partners but also HR staff too. You can imagine he might be right about that: There’s still a huge amount of stigma here about mental health conditions, among both locals and expats. In work it is still something that’s taboo to bring up.

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really common view — plenty of us still think therapy is for people who have reached rock bottom, not for us.

I can’t say that therapy would definitely have helped Laurence. We tried to find other resources or things that might help but we didn’t know where to look and there were no obvious people to talk to or places to go. We needed information, specific for Hong Kong, and resources, and support, and it definitely wasn’t provided through work, the one place that had provided everything back in the UK.

There were other barriers to Laurence getting help, some more complicated. I can see that “self-stigma,” which is when you agree with the stereotypes about something, may have played its role, even though Laurence was quite good at accepting and telling our friends that he had depression and anxiety.

Laurence had wanted to set up a charity that would fill this gap, which he decided to call Help Me, because that’s all he could think when he was at his lowest point. This is why his family and I are now working on a virtual mental health assistant project, which will be called Help Me, and will sit on the new Mind Hong Kong website, drawing on all its resources in Cantonese and English to provide instant, clear information about mental health when people need it.

Talking it through with a therapist, though, was a different story. As well as the high costs and long waiting times — which are what deter many people in Hong Kong from going — maybe the bigger reason for him was he just really didn’t want to go.

He didn’t think it would help because he had his own impressions of what therapy was, and I think he was apprehensive about what it might bring up that he didn’t want to think about. Sadly, this remains a

In a work environment, we’re not necessarily among close friends. It’s not always what we think of as “real life,” even though it is real life. Mental health problems can obviously develop because of work, or in spite of work, or have nothing to do with work — but the benefit of the workplace, I think, on the most simple level, is that it is somewhere we physically turn up to regularly where there are other people who know us. That means it’s easy to see who isn’t

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there when they’re meant to be, or whose eyes have been bloodshot for a week, or who is acting out of character.

That means there’s a huge opportunity here, especially in Hong Kong where we’re really not addressing mental health at work yet. I think it needs to be part of a company’s culture, from the top to the bottom, to acknowledge and talk about mental health conditions in real terms, with their real names, as well as under labels like wellbeing or resilience. We should all know what these conditions are like and be aware of how to cope with them, or what to say to someone who might be struggling.

And if companies in the UK can offer full financial and other support to employees who need to see therapists and psychiatrists, I don’t know why we aren’t doing that here too. Mental health conditions

don’t discriminate, there’s no one who is naturally immune, and we’ve all seen the statistics and heard the stories about how serious this is. So these measures will be in all of our interests.

But on a smaller scale maybe we can all individually help each other too, simply by asking more often how someone is and listening to the answers, or by accepting that getting help is strong, not weak.

Work should be somewhere we know we are safe to talk about how we feel without fear of any stigma or other consequences. Then we might all be happier, maybe even work harder, and have lives in Hong Kong that are more stable and less vulnerable.

That’s the opportunity that Laurence saw, and it’s the one that I want everyone to see, on his behalf and mine.

This article is taken from a talk given by Olivia Parker to a CMHA HK event marking World Mental Health Day on October 10. She is deputy editor at Campaign Asia and sits on the board of the charity Mind Hong Kong.

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Give Me Shelter Hong Kong’s fast-paced lifestyle can easily tip into a dark side of substance abuse and addiction, writes Pedro Chan

‘It’s noticed when they start to unravel professionally and by that time they have already unraveled when it comes to their relationships and their private lives’ – The Cabin’s Dr Seamus MacAuley

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ADDICTION

When Rachel moved from New York to Hong Kong back in 2015 she thought she’d be simply swapping one international financial center for another. The most important thing was that she’d be leaving her “enablers” behind.

“My thinking was the work would be the same, and be what I wanted to do, and the pace of life would be the same but the bad habits, and people, would be left behind,” she says.

Things didn’t quite work out that way.

Rachel – not her real name – soon found Asia’s World City offered the same temptations – and traps – that she could find back home and soon the chemicals came into play, from alcohol, to cocaine and then on to the tablets that helped her grab a necessary few hours of sleep.

Hong Kong has a well-earned reputation as a fastpaced city where people push life to its limits and Rachel’s story is an all-too familiar one. “Functional addiction” in the workplace affects every sector of Hong Kong’s economy, say healthcare specialists working in the field. And work is often the last piece of an addict’s life to fall apart.

The world was recently given a shocking and gruesome lesson in just how low this kind of lifestyle can go with the double-murder trial of Rurik Jutting.

The British banker’s courtroom revelations of his extreme chemical abuse captured headlines, as did his claims that such behavior – among his peers in the finance industry – was commonplace.

cocktail. Expats in Hong Kong are the best paid in the world, according to an HSBC survey released last month, with an average salary of US$178,706 that’s US$72,000 above the global average. More than a quarter say they’re pulling in at least 50 percent more within two years of relocating here.

Hong Kong’s compact layout means temptation is never more than a few minutes away, while an army of low-cost babysitters makes it even easier to stay out just that bit too long just that bit too often. And if the warning signals don’t flash red in the official statistics, that’s because the problem gets lost in the crowd. Take alcohol: at around 2.8 liters of pure ethanol equivalent per year for every person over 15 years of age, Hong Kong is positively dry compared with America’s 9.8 liters or Britain’s 11.3. A significant portion of the local population is either teetotal or drinks very rarely and very little.

A senior member of the teaching staff at one of Hong Kong’s leading international schools said he had been shocked at the level of alcohol consumption since coming to the city to take on the role.

“The level of drinking, the level of tolerance I see among parents has simply amazed me. It’s off the scale,” he said. “And that has a clear impact on the children. Many expat children are given more freedom than they would have in their countries of origin, often with more money, and more opportunities to experiment with substances.”

On a far less sensational level, an expatriate lifestyle in Hong Kong can prove a particularly intoxicating

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Such behavior can impact on society as a whole and while figures on any effect addictions have on the Hong Kong economy are hard to come by, there have been a number of studies in the United States – and they make for some sobering reading.

America’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has estimated that alcohol abuse costs the U.S. economy around US$249 billion a year, while drug abuse piles on a further US$193 billion.

That’s more than Iran’s annual gross domestic product.

Those figures come as little surprise to Dr Seamus MacAuley, head counsellor at The Cabin outpatient addictions treatment center. MacAuley began

‘It is more socially acceptable to use prescription drugs than it is to use illicit drugs… for want of a better word, it’s more normal people who are attracted to these substances’ – Tim Lewis of Addiction Friend

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ADDICTION

Many users think prescription pills are safer because they’re less likely to be contaminated and dosages are more predictable, but they have proven particularly lethal when combined with other drugs.

focusing on treatment of addictions after retiring from the UK Royal Air Force in 2006. Since moving to The Cabin two and a half years ago, he has seen evidence of trends of abuse here that are being well documented in other parts of the world.

“In the United States in particular there are interesting figures on how much alcohol and chemical abuse affects the bottom line,” he says. “It’s well documented in mature western countries and I’m sure if you did the research in various other countries the figures would also be substantial. Without doubt it is going to be affecting the bottom line in Hong Kong.”

MacAuley believes the nature of the Hong Kong office environment has a lot to do with the problem, in terms of both how employers treat and deal with staff, and in terms of how honest staff are when facing problems.

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“I see a lot of people who are high-functioning addicts who maintain and hold down jobs,” says MacAuley. “And it is usually the job that’s the last thing to go. Most people will tend to hang on to their job. As far as I can see HR [human resources] have no respect for their employees so it’s a little bit like the Wild West. There’s also a lot of fear about what HR might find out if you take time off to deal with a problem.

“The culture is one of permissive abuse – certainly of alcohol. You’ll find that cocaine just happens to be the next one, that’s the next chemical. That’s part and parcel of the culture, the high-stress, highperformance culture.”

One of the problems Rachel highlighted when discussing how she and fellow co-workers dealt with the after-effects of a long night was the availability of over-the-counter drugs such as benzodiazepines

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for sleeping and/or to “take the edge off” any anxiety attacks.

Again, while reliable data on the use of highly addictive “benzos” and their ilk in Hong Kong are hard to come by, in the U.S. they are reportedly involved in more than 30 percent of all deaths by overdose when combined with other substances.

“The availability of prescriptions drugs over the counter is a problem here as it is in the United States, something that has been well publicized,” explains Tim Lewis of the Addiction Friend counselling service.

“Plus the fact that it is more socially acceptable to use prescription drugs than it is to use illicit drugs,

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and the way prescription drugs are obtained has less of the criminal element to the way it is done.

For want of a better word, it’s more normal people who are attracted to these substances. People are more comfortable using prescription medication than they are using drugs where they are not sure of the origin.”

In terms of first identifying that there is a problem, MacAuley says, when it comes to alcohol, more than five drinks five times a month is “problematic drinking.”

“The common refrain is ‘But that’s normal,’” he says.

“But you can top up with one or two drinks a day, and

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ADDICTION

“Sometimes the pressure comes from the family,” says MacAuley. “They come to us and they want to know how to deal with it. But you have to play hardball. People paper over the cracks for years, so the dysfunctional behavior around the consumption of chemicals hasn’t been challenged. But the change can only come when you say ‘This is not acceptable.’ To say ‘It’s just Hong Kong life’ is a pretty poor excuse.”

Just another day at the office… Hong Kong’s crime free streets, tolerant police and balmy weather make the city a binge-drinker’s paradise. (Photo by William, via Flickr/Creative Commons)

on it goes. There’s a blind eye to the nature of this going on as long as performance targets are met.

It’s noticed when they start to unravel professionally and by that time they have already unraveled when it comes to their relationships and their private lives.”

MOST COMMONLY ABUSED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

The simple advice is that if you feel there’s a problem, seek help, and if you are worried about someone, suggest they do the same.

Opioid-based painkillers Oxycontin, Percocet

oxycodone

Norco, Vicodin

hydrocodone

Anti-anxiety/sedatives Xanax

alprazolam

Valium

benzodiazepam Hypnotics

Ambien

zolpidem Stimulants

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Ritalin, Concerta

methylphenidate

Adderall XR, Mydayis

Dextroamphetamine and amphetamine

Dexedrine

dextroamphetamine

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CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE

Agent of Change Gleneagles CEO Dirk Schraven says this new type of private hospital can show the way to a more sustainable healthcare system

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CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE

By some measures, Hong Kong healthcare is the envy of the world: It ranked first in September’s Bloomberg Health Care Efficiency Index, gauged on factors such as per-capita expenditure and life expectancy. Thanks in large part to decades of universal access to low-cost public medical services, Hong Kongers can now expect to outlive anyone else on the planet.

But what the index fails to show is that they should also expect to spend a growing slice of their longer lives waiting for treatment or lying in the cramped wards of overstretched public hospitals.

from 60 percent of the total three decades ago to around half today.

Which is odd, given the simultaneous uptake of private health insurance. Around half of Hong Kong people have some kind of medical cover today. They just don’t use it.

“A lot of patients do not dare to go to private healthcare because they have no idea where their bills are going to end up,” says Schraver. “They’re concerned that their insurance may not be sufficient.”

And they’d mostly be correct.

“The Hong Kong public healthcare system is of good quality but completely overburdened,” says Dirk Schraven, chief executive officer of Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital, the 12th and newest addition to our private hospital sector – and the first in more than two decades. “They are so overburdened that it is very hard for them to sustain this model going forward.”

The government has ambitious plans to upgrade existing facilities and build new ones, adding more than 9,000 hospital beds as well as other hospital services in coming years. But history suggests that simply opening the spigot of public spending is unlikely to prove a sustainable fix by itself. A 9.5 percent jump in the health budget this year adds to a more than fivefold increase in spending since 1989, yet from 2010-17 average waiting times at A&E jumped by more than half to 114 minutes.

And in fact, public spending has significantly outpaced total healthcare expenditure as the government made up for lagging contributions in relative terms from private funding, which has fallen

Reimbursements can vary widely based on a complex and confusing pricing matrix, the level at which fees for procedures are capped, as well as the ward picked by the patient. Recent estimates reckon that 70-80 percent of claims are reimbursed. But that can leave a sizeable amount for the patient to pay – and little clarity about just what those costs are going to be.

The government has launched an initiative to increase transparency in prices at private hospitals, but according to a report published this year by Bupa, there were significant inconsistencies in the range of data hospitals chose to reveal and the lack of like-forlike price comparisons would mean the disclosures won’t help patients in choosing a provider.

It’s not just the unclear and unpredictable cost of treatments that needs fixing.

“There’s no clarity on outcomes, there is very little information for patients to make any judgements,”

‘We are going to be the first private hospital to provide inpatient psychiatric services’

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‘A lot of patients do not dare to go to private healthcare because they have no idea where their bills are going to end up’

says Schraven, who came to Hong Kong after a fiveyear stint as chief operating officer at one of the Netherlands’ biggest hospital groups. “The private sector in Hong Kong is a relatively opaque, relatively conservative system which did not have a lot of incentives to change.”

Which is why when the government sought bids for the new private hospital project, it included detailed demands for very transparent clinical governance to make sure there is a standardized approach and collection of data sets to help monitor quality and outcomes.

So while the 500-bed Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital’s gleaming new site in Wong Chuk Hang bristles with the latest array of scanners and other high-tech medical kit, and the spotless facilities can sometimes feel more like a five-star hotel or high-end mall, what sets it apart is an unprecedented level of oversight, governance and operating guidelines.

For example, the government stipulated that Gleneagles must offer certain categories of services that are in demand but under-resourced.

“We are going to be the first private hospital to provide inpatient psychiatric services,” Schraven says.

“Nobody else [in the private sector] does that. There is demand, we think. Nobody does it because, to be honest, you don’t make much money from it, it’s difficult to do, has the risk of stigma and outcomes are difficult to manage ... It’s not the standard business for a private hospital to be in. One reason

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we are comfortable doing it is because we do offer these services within the group.”

The stipulations that grabbed most media attention were that 70 percent of inpatient bed days must go to Hong Kong residents, and 50 percent under medical packages that offer a fixed price and are designed to be wholly or almost wholly covered by the sort of policies sold by major insurers in the city.

“We want to make sure the patients have upfront price security. We try to price our packages so that they are almost entirely covered,” Schraven says. If there is a complication during an operation and the patient requires further treatment, then the hospital underwrites that risk, he says.

Gleneagles now offers more than 120 such packages.

The one for a laminectomy – typically involving the removal of part of the vertebrae to relieve nerve pressure – covers a five-day hospital stay and costs HK$95,000. Adventist gives a guiding range of HK$202,000 to HK$336,657 for a 2.4 day stay, based on historical data; St. Paul’s is a 3.4 day stay at HK$111,816 to HK$181,887.

So, a model that encourages those who can afford private treatment to use it and so eases some of the congestion on the public system. At the same time, also allowing insurers to offer products their customers can use without fear of hidden costs they will end up paying. A slam dunk, no?

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CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE

“If you have a provider offering and an insurer paying for it, it doesn’t mean that adoption will take off by itself,” cautions Schraven. “For packages to work you have to have an ecosystem that’s working.”

in care patterns. Trainees need to be trained, and in order to train you have to be more aware of the processes and protocols,” Schraven says. “In a teaching hospital there is less variance.”

While the benefit of packages may be clear to the big insurance companies, they still have to put in some work to ensure their products are aligned with Gleneagles. They also must get the word to their armies of individual agents – there are almost 64,000 in Hong Kong. And both need to incentivize patients to use the new model and to ensure there is no funding shortfall.

Clarity in pricing, implementing a strict and comprehensive clinical governance model and improving consistency of procedures and treatments will all be underpinned by one thing: Data.

Doctors too need to buy into the model. And then there are the patients: “The problem with patients,” says Schraven, “is that when they’re not sick they don’t spend a lot of time thinking about hospitals.

And when they are sick it may be quite late to address the issue.”

Changing attitudes will take time. So too will expanding the hospital’s practice areas.

Schraven emphasizes the need to take a gradual approach, building a body of understanding and experience to ensure the packages are sustainable – in terms of pricing and the skills and expertise to maintain them and to deliver services that are consistent in terms of governance, procedures and the monitoring of outcomes.

Bupa agrees: “Hong Kong collects fewer financial, quality, and patient experience indicators than comparable developed markets,” it said. Better data collection would help develop clinical guidelines, reduce variance and inefficiencies, improve safety and strengthen clinical outcomes, it said. All of which would rebuild public trust in healthcare providers.

To be sure, the lack of robust data on quality and outcomes is a problem worldwide, Schraven says.

“Patients have no idea how good this heart doctor is versus that heart doctor... practitioners themselves do not have reliable data to look at,” he says, adding that Gleneagles is in a good position to become the leader for transparency in the Hong Kong hospital sector. “Moves towards standardizing measurement of treatments and outcomes are just beginning.”

Which is where the collaboration with HKU should pay off. The university provides advisory and oversight services, such as in accreditations of new doctors who want to practice at the hospital, as well as helping to establish clinical best-practices and operating guidelines. And Gleneagles becomes a training hospital that can pass on these evolving best-in-class practices.

“Around the world, the lesson with training is that you get more compliance with and more consistency

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Vagabond CEO Dirk Schraven’s epic 2016 roadtrip from the Netherlands across Asia proved not just the once-in-a-lifetime journey most of us only dream about, but created profound and lasting changes in his family’s relationships When Dirk Schraven and his wife told their nineyear-old daughter and son, 6, about their plans for the holiday of a lifetime, they didn’t get the reaction they’d been hoping for.

“We said, ‘Look, we’re going on a trip,’ and then we showed them the map. And my girl goes: ‘This is not exactly a summer holiday is it?’ No, it will possibly be the best part of a year, and she burst out crying.”

For Schraven, then 45, and his wife, this was it. Their chance to scratch the Big Itch. “Time’s flying by, kids are growing older, we’re often away. It becomes a bit transactional at home – when do you go to bed; when do you do sports; have you done your homework – rather than any meaningful, significant block of time which can meander in different directions,” he says.

“We’ve always had this idea that at some point we’d take the plunge.”

The Plunge Buy a second-hand Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 – sourced from Austria. Kit it out with bunkbeds. Hightail it out of Amsterdam and through Europe (this wasn’t that kind of Grand Tour). From Istanbul, head east.

Avoiding the badlands of southern Turkey. Georgia.

Armenia. Iran. Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan. Tajikistan.

Kyrgyzstan. China – taking in Xinjiang and the Tibetan plateau. Laos. Cambodia. Thailand. Malaysia.

Singapore.

About those tears?

“Their teachers were really supportive. My girl’s teacher said, ‘This is fantastic. You need to go and do this, you’ll never get this chance again,” he says.

“When a teacher says this to a kid, it has an impact.”

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CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE

They had sought the school’s views on whether it was feasible to take the two youngsters away for such a long trip and – most importantly – whether they could rejoin the school without having to repeat a year. Time spent on the road would also include home-schooling but this was ok – there wasn’t really a fixed schedule. Having the van meant there was also space to bring toys and other comforts from home.

Iran

True enough, the children soon came around to the idea.

“Iranians are far more liberal and far more relaxed than the public perception of them,” Schraven says.

“Iran is extremely safe and the people are fantastic, super hospitable, super warm. The first thing they tell you is ‘don’t believe everything you read in the papers.’”

The Payback “A major point of the trip was to see the world, but the other big part of the whole thing was to spend decent time as a family. And that turned out to be much more impactful than I had imagined.

“I honestly feel I have a different relationship with my kids after the trip than before because I spent so much time with them during that period and we discussed basically everything that’s on their minds.

And because you have so much time together, everything comes up and you don’t need to cut them short and, as a result of that, they become much more relaxed.

“When you spend nine months on the road, and you don’t even have a program, it’s not that your parents are home. It’s that there are four of you in a car and the car’s quite small. And you sleep in the car half the time.

“So many discussions about them, and about us.

Feedback about what they like, what they don’t like: ‘I find relative to before the trip, you’ve changed here, here and here, and we like that.’”

What didn’t they like about you?

“Often not there, not always available to go to sports…

“Mood swings…

“A bit too critical without having listened to their full story.”

[Schraven’s honesty here is a little discomforting: I can imagine the ghosts of my own children’s pasts reeling off the laundry list of my shortcomings. Can you?]

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They drove into Iran during Ramadan. The first people they met were an Iranian family on pilgrimage who were curious to know how the Schravens had arrived in their Mercedes van. “We should have lunch,” the Iranian father had suggested. Fasting doesn’t apply to travelers – whether from Amsterdam or closer to home – so the pilgrims and tourists were equally exempt.

While the country’s back in the news today for all the wrong reasons, Schraven says his experience of Iran was eye-opening.

“Their civilization is extremely rich. I knew that from reading, but to experience it was absolutely fantastic.”

A broken axle on the Sprinter highlighted the effects from years of economic isolation: Without the supply chain for parts, they had to source a replacement from Dubai. Fortunately, Schraven says a friend there who travels frequently to Tehran was able to bring them the part in his hand luggage.

Thank gosh for Osh The things you learn at 3,000 meters: It turns out that the emissions filter in a diesel van won’t operate properly above those levels. In Tajikistan, the Sprinter’s electronic engine-management system began to protest. At first it shifted to “limp home mode,” Schraven says. Then it shut down altogether.

“We got towed behind a huge truck into Kyrgyzstan, then we basically slid down the mountain into Osh.” By bizarre coincidence, they found the Kyrgyz city overrun with Mercedes Sprinters. “Every other car in Osh is a Mercedes Sprinter,” he says. “Literally, they’re all over the place. They know these cars inside out.”

Into China China isn’t known as the friendliest of destinations for the free-roving traveler. To get permission to cross its territory the Schravens had to provide a full

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itinerary – the one they gave being so extensive that it allowed them pretty much to roam freely, he says.

Not even a day of illness,” he says. “That was our biggest piece of luck.”

You also have to pay for the privilege of taking an official guide with you, which turned out to be one of the trip’s biggest expenses. People typically get around this by travelling in convoys with one guide between them and by minimizing the time spent in China. The Schravens didn’t want to do this and so the hapless guide sat in the Sprinter while they meandered their way from the Kyrgyzstan border through Xinjiang and taking in the Tibetan plateau in Sichuan and Yunnan before crossing into Laos.

And the trusty Sprinter?

“We had him with us for at least six weeks. He even brought his own tent,” Schraven says. “The first time he put his tent up my son had to help him because he’d never slept in a tent before.”

The Aftermath

What about health?

Being in the healthcare sector, Schraven jokes that he had worked out where all the best hospitals were along the route, and had detailed escalation and evacuation plans in place. They also had full insurance cover, which didn’t end up costing a lot – it was more a question about there to find the right policy. And, of course, they had an enormous first-aid and medical box.

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The family’s home for nine months? At the end of a multi-country road trip, you must ship the vehicle back to the country of origin – and pay a big deposit to the licensing authorities to ensure you don’t just abandon it when you’re done. But even with that cost, Schraven says they didn’t lose much from the 20,000 euros spent on the van. In fact, they sold it to a surgeon in his old hospital, who did basically the same trip together with his brothers and a sister.

Before setting out, Schraven and his wife had agreed they wouldn’t even think about their next career moves while on the road. About three-quarters of the way in, Dirk received an email from his old boss at Gleneagles group in Singapore saying they had some opportunities coming up in the region, so he told him he wouldn’t be able to talk about that until the end of the trip.

Which, happily enough, was in Singapore. The rest, as they say, is history: Schraven’s old boss is now his new boss after winning the role as CEO of Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital. With both husband and wife

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CORPORATE MEMBER PROFILE

taking up new and challenging careers in Hong Kong, you might assume that their lives are pretty much back where they began.

While returning to the world of work inevitably means restoring some of the old restrictions and limitations on family relationships there have been lingering benefits, Schraven says.

“It’s very easy to go with the flow. It’s very easy to slip back into that mode,” he says.

“We make a deliberate effort to set aside time for quality engagement as a family. We try to recreate the feeling of the trip.

“It’s easier abroad than at home, because at home you’re stretched in 25 directions. When you’re abroad there’s basically an empty agenda. You have much more time at weekends or on holidays, and there are far fewer obligations.”

Wow, if only I could…

“We’ve had many people say ‘Well, that’s really great that you did it, but I wouldn’t be able to afford it.

“That is, if I may say so, nonsense,” he says. “The biggest issue is the opportunity cost of the salary.

On the other side, your costs go down substantially.”

Daily spending in Central Asia was minimal, with the family sleeping in the van about half of the time and eating street food. When they did spend time in cities, Schraven says they stayed in cheap, basic hotels, in part to keep the kids grounded and show them life was not all about luxury.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, he concedes.

(They were fortunate in being able to let their home in Amsterdam.) But the upfront costs are not as great as people imagine.

“You have to make some concessions. You just have to find a mode where you can make it work. With a bit of savings, a bit of planning and a bit of luck, you can do it.”

But most of all, he says, you have to want it.

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RETAIL

The

A meal and mini-golf at Strokes

New Retail

Hong Kong’s malls are fast becoming spaces for living first, shopping second

Hong Kong’s favorite sport is getting some brand new arenas, and you have millennials to thank for it.

“Shopping malls are being increasingly designed as centers for community. Shopping almost becomes secondary,” says Kevin Tranbarger, Asia-Pacific Head of Retail Projects for JLL, one of the world’s leading real estate companies.

Unlike their Baby Boomer parents, the millennial generation (born between 1981 and 1996) value interesting experiences over ownership of material goods, and are willing to travel far and wide for the perfect Instagram picture. Even if it is just to the mall.

Whether it’s installing virtual fitting rooms, mini-golf

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courses or even a go-kart racing track inside their premises, retailers and F&B outlets are becoming increasingly creative in their quest to hold the attention of millennial shoppers who expect more from their day at the mall than just a satisfying purchase.

Worth the investment? If you consider that millennials comprise 25 percent of the Asia-Pacific’s total workforce population and spending power, then definitely.

Work, rest and play A key part of Tranbarger’s role is to help mall operators optimize their environments for the modern consumer.

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RETAIL

Kevin Tranbarger

Today’s mall operators have to think and compete like retailers. They have to consider their marketing, tenant mix and how to differentiate themselves from the competition, he says. Pacific Place in Admiralty is one example of a mall that’s found a successful balance in its mix of tenants between entertainment, fitness and health, F&B outlets and office space.

“People want to go somewhere for entertainment, have something to eat and make impulse buys,” he says.

Tranbarger, who studied architecture in college, knows how physical design can influence consumer psychology and behavior. “From an architectural point of view, the common areas in malls have

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traditionally been quite cold and open. Now they have displays pulling from different retailers that are going to draw you in and entertain you with interactive programs — everybody wins,” he says.

F&B outlets have also jumped on the interactive experiences bandwagon. You can play a round of mini-golf while you wait for your food at Strokes in Causeway Bay, or load up on cocktails in between turns at Tikitiki bowling bar in Sai Kung.

Then there is the prolific mushrooming of health and fitness outlets all over Hong Kong’s popular shopping districts. Appearing, in many cases, on the graves of former high-end designer stores. The global wellness movement being yet another trend that

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RETAIL

‘To create a brand that people aspire to be part of, there are the “soft” aspects… things that can’t be communicated online’

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RETAIL

mall operators cannot ignore if they want to retain their millennial customers.

In any case, knowing your customer and where they shop is key — no two malls should be the same.

“What won’t work is the ‘cookie cutter’ approach to retail still used in China, where the thinking goes ‘this one worked, let’s build another 20 of them,’” says Tranbarger.

Let’s get physical We’ve all heard of the Retail Apocalypse — the fearsome name given to the viral closure of brickand-mortar stores in the West, starting with North America back in 2010. Eight years on and things don’t seem to be looking up, with store closures in some countries hitting an all-time high in 2017, according to the Global Retail Trends 2018 report by KPMG. Just last month, the famed Sears Holdings became the latest victim when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Tranbarger, a 20-year retail career veteran, isn’t buying into the gloomy prognosis that physical stores are on their way out. Quite the opposite.

“People still like to interact with other people,” he says, citing Italian food hall/marketplace Eataly in New York City as an example of a place where “Likeminded people coming together brings people together.”

Then there is the aspiration factor.

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“People still want to explore and want to touch [products]. For retailers wanting to create a brand that people aspire to be part of, there are the ‘soft’ aspects… things that can’t be communicated online,” he says.

Take luxury retail, a market Tranbarger knows well after a stint as vice president of DFS Group, the Hong Kong-based group best known for its duty free luxury outlets at airports worldwide and which is now owned by LVMH. Tranbarger’s time at DFS taught him that when it comes to luxury the mainland Chinese still prefer to shop in-store rather than online. This explains the staying power of highend luxury brands in areas of Hong Kong frequented

by Chinese tourists, such as Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui.

“When it comes to luxury, it is harder to tell the story online. The layer of service, like the customer service rep bringing you a glass a champagne while you shop, is missing,” he says.

Bricks and clicks Why did e-commerce ever threaten the physical shopping experience if the latter is still so crucial?

Tranbarger says having an online strategy has become increasingly key in getting people off their couches and into stores, and that even the e-commerce stores are realizing they need a physical presence where customers can interact with the products.

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RETAIL

GRANA’s now-closed The Fitting Room

‘Losing a customer costs 10 times as much as gaining a new one’

Hong Kong-based online fashion store Grana is a great example. The brand opened its first physical story in Sheung Wan in 2015, which allowed customers to try clothes on before purchasing them online or in-store for at-home delivery. The aim was to address the problem of online shoppers returning goods because they didn’t fit, and dissatisfaction with what came in the mail versus what they saw online, founder Luke Grana told Inside Retail at the time.

The Fitting Room has since closed, but Grana continues to host pop-up stores year-round globally to boost awareness of its online store. This omnichannel strategy seems to be working — after four years in business and having secured capital from investors including Alibaba, the company now ships its clothes to 70 countries worldwide, Luke Grana said last month.

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Technology helps retailers get people through the door, but it also allows for greater personalization of products — something millennials appreciate and are willing to pay a premium for. Think customdesigned sneakers — a dream turned to reality for sportswear fans at the Nike store in Tsim Sha Tsui.

It’s a lot to take in, but Tranbarger feels confident in the future of retail and is reassuring that bricks-andmortar isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. His advice to worried retailers is to know your customer, have a clear vision and to view challenges as opportunities.

Finally, to view the customer in terms of their net worth over a lifetime and not per transaction.

“Losing a customer [on this basis] costs 10 times as much as gaining a new one,” he says.

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PLAY

Today

Learn for

LIFE

A trusted British education within a purpose-built primary school offering an ambitious and immersive curriculum.

School is now open in Tseung Kwan O, we are accepting applications for children aged between 3 and 11.

Call our admissions team to arrange your school visit Call +852 2480 1500 or email enquiries@shrewsbury.hk www.shrewsbury.hk

Exceptional People • Outstanding Opportunities • Academic Excellence 49

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ICYMI

Sun Tong, of the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs

The group meets Long Guoqiang, Vice President of the State Council’s Development Research Center

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Jiang Haiying, of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs

ICYMI

Security was tight for the meeting with CPPCC First Vice-Chairperson Zhang Qingli, with the group filing in in strict order, but nowhere near as tight as it was for the briefing at the U.S. Embassy. No cameras allowed, so no photos for that one

The group also met AIIB officials including Vice President Sir Danny Alexander

Beijing Doorknock October 22-23, 2018

AmCham’s Beijing Doorknock took place last month. From their luxurious Grand Hyatt base, delegates set out for two days of back-to-back meetings with Chinese officials, regulators and policy-setters.

See our website for more details and pictures.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR

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Women of Influence conference - Nov 16 Join our signature annual WOI event promoting workplace female leadership and gender parity in Hong Kong and Greater China. It’s a day to reflect on how far we’ve come and be inspired!

The conference will feature: • Keynote by The Honorable Barbara Franklin, American government official, corporate director, and business executive. She served as the 29th U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1992-1993 to President George H.W. Bush • Conversation with Vanessa Friedman, Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic for The New York Times • Performance by the Hong Kong Ballet • 20+ leaders in the Hong Kong community speaking in the breakouts and workshops throughout the day Venue: Grand Ballroom, Level 2 Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong Finance Street 8, Central Hong Kong

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Time: 8:00am - 2:00pm

Tickets: Member: HK$1,980 Non-member: HK$2,600 Corporate table: HK$25,000

Greater Bay Area: Opportunities in Commercial Real Estate - Nov 20 The Greater Bay Area (GBA) consists of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and nine cities in Guangdong Province. Supported by the PRC Government’s policies and infrastructure developments, the Greater Bay Area is positioned to become the world’s largest bay area economy.

Marcos Chan joined CBRE in 2014 and is currently Executive Director and Head of Research for Hong Kong, Southern China and Taiwan Research. He will discuss: • Three areas of growth in the GBA • Commercial real estate opportunities • Where the GBA currently stands Venue: AmCham 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong

Time: 8:00am - 9:30am

Tickets: Member: HK$180 Non-member: HK$320

Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon - Nov 22

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Join AmCham’s leadership team, Board of Governors, and 30+ special guests from the Hong Kong Government for our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon.

In accordance with the family spirit of a traditional American Thanksgiving, there will be no formal speech or program, just an opportunity to enjoy relaxed conversations with our members and guests over excellent cuisine.

The luncheon is also a time for the Chamber to show its appreciation and support for the Hong Kong Government officials we have interacted with over the past year. Come and be a part of it!

Venue: Island Ballroom, Level 5 Island Shangri-La Hotel Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central Hong Kong

Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Tickets: Member: HK$800 Non-member: HK$950

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The “WeChat Effect”: Compliance Risks of Mobile Messaging and Social Media Apps - Nov 27 Instant messaging and social media apps such as WeChat, WhatsApp and QQ are having a profound impact on the way people communicate around the world. These mobile communication tools offer significant benefits, but they also open the door to serious compliance and regulatory risks, many of which have never been encountered previously.

Our discussion will include: • Key compliance risks associated with instant message and social media apps • Pros and cons of allowing employees to use WeChat and similar apps in day-to-day communications • How to harness instant messaging and other mobile technologies for enhanced compliance monitoring Venue: AmCham 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong

Time: 12:00pm - 1:45pm

Tickets: Member: HK$390 Non-member: HK$550

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Year-end U.S. Tax Planning for American Expatriates in HK - Nov 29 The financial issues faced by American expatriates differ from those of Americans living in the U.S. in many important aspects, especially with respect to taxation and estate planning issues.

Jessica Cutrera from The Capital Company, Ishali Patel from Buzzacott Expatriate Tax Services and Davis Lusk from Lusk Moore Group Limited will share important information on year-end tax planning, IRS Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures, and strategies in which American expatriates can use to address their unique estate planning needs.

Venue: AmCham 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong

Time: 12:00pm - 1:45pm

Tickets: Member: HK$390 Non-member: HK$550

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Game-changing Mobile App to Reduce Personal Air Pollution Exposure - Dec 4 • Do you ever wish you could plan your daily commute to avoid the worst pollution on

bad air days?

• Which air pollutants are you most sensitive to and how could you reduce contact with them?

• Is it really helpful to stay indoors when the air quality is bad outside?

There’s an app that takes care of all these questions for you.

PRAISE-HK aims to empower the public with personalized air quality and exposure health risk information. To learn more about the app, and get a jump-start on a healthier life, come join us as lead scientist Alexis Lau of HKUST introduces it to AmCham for the first time.

Venue: AmCham 1904 Bank of America Tower 12 Harcourt Road Central, Hong Kong

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Time: 12:00pm - 1:45pm

Tickets: Member: HK$300 Non-member: HK$450

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

AGS Group (AGS)

www.agsgroup.com.hk

10/F, Central Building, 1 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong | E: info@agsgroup.com.hk | T: (852) 3478 7280 | F: (852) 3011 6352

Company Profile

Miss Ada Cheung, Managing Partner

AGS Group (AGS) is a privately owned executive search firm and we have the pleasure of working with a number of Fortune 500 companies in Asia Pacific and United States in helping them identify and recruit key talent in Hong Kong and around the region. While we are majorly specialized in recruitment for property and construction, banking & finance, hospitality and retail sectors, our talent search also covers a wide range of functions:

Ada started her career as a Management Trainee in Banking and advanced as Senior Advisor before she joined the Dun & Bradstreet – an US listed Credit Rating Company. Her last position was the Principle Consultant there. She started her recruitment career since 2007 and finally settled in with AGS as one of the founding member.

• • • • • • • •

Real Estate & Facilities Management Public Relation & Communications Finance & Accounting Professional & Corporate Support IT & New Technology Human Resources Board & Strategic Advisory Legal Support

We focuses to build “depth” with clients, working with them in more locations and more levels in their organizations, anchored on a give-and-take approach and unrelenting commitment to put clients’ interest ahead of ours. We have proved to be efficient since we know the market better: Our number of days to complete assignments, is much shorter than that of other international search firms.

We committed to developing the best local resources with world-class standards. Our consultants are all composed of local talent with strong local networks and intensive knowledge of the local market. We are empowered by a well-integrated Asia-wide network that enables us to pool resources with greater speed and responsiveness, reduce cost of hire for clients, provide value-added services and work as a team seamlessly across borders – over 20% of our searches are Pan-Asia searches.

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With more than 20 years’ working experience in commercial, Ada has a strong proven track record in technical hiring and executive search. She has built trust and strong partnership with the property developers, luxury hospitality operators, global retail groups and semigovernment organizations in Asia Pacific, by helping them identify and recruit key talent in local and regional level.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS LIMITLESS AS THE LIVES YOU’LL TOUCH

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Asianet Consultants (HK) Ltd

www.asianetconsultants.com

702-704 Wilson House, 19-27 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong | E: info@asianetconsultants.com | T: (852) 2530 0130

“The future of your business is in the hands of the people that you hire today.”

— Akio Morita, Sony

Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Australia as well as in Europe and USA.

Who We Are Executive Search • Senior Positions • Specialists with specific technical skills Talent Mapping • Building Talent Pools for Projects • Mission Critical Specialist Positions Competitor Market Intelligence • Organization Structures • Business Intelligence

How We Operate We systematically search for the people you need. We do not advertise. We have a long track record of success in recruiting high quality senior executives and have accumulated a database of over 10,000 high quality candidates.

Mark Geary Chief Executive

Who We Are Asianet Consultants is a specialist executive search company which has been in business since 1988. The expertise of our consultants together with our considerable database and our in-depth assessment methods means that we are able to attract the best people quickly and cost effectively.

Few companies have the resources and expertise to do this in-house. Asianet has the experience to act in partnership to assist organisations to develop and implement recruitment solutions regionally and globally. Over 78% of our searches represent repeat business which evidences the trust and respect that Asianet has earned from its clients.

We have offices in Hong Kong, China and Thailand. We also have partner offices in India, Bangladesh, Malaysia,

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We know where to find the good people, especially those that are not actively seeking a new job, but are open to considering an interesting new opportunity. Our research is carried out in-house by a research team of 10 staff who speak English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Korean. Recruiting in the Asia Pacific region can be a challenge because of the culture and the language. Operating in counties like China and across SE.

Why We’re Different Asia has highlighted the critical need for candidates with increased levels of technical and managerial capability requiring competencies in multi-tasking, multi-cultural management and interfacing with local governments for both Asian and Expatriate executives.

Asianet offers clients a different approach to other firms in the talent acquisition industry whereby we are able to provide our clients a combination of executive search, talent mapping and competitor market intelligence.

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Barson Executive Search

www.barones.com

15/F, Island Centre, 1 Greate George Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong | E: brad.miller@barsones.com | T: (852) 9027 0477 Office: (852) 3575 0820

About Barson Executive Search Barson Executive Search has over 20 years of experience in executive recruitment for Banking, Wealth Planning and Trust and Professional and Corporate Services in Asia through Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing Guangzhou, Taipei and Singapore. The founder was the regional leader of one of the first international search firms to be granted a license to conduct executive search services in China in 2003 and subsequently grew offices through Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. Barson Executive Search offers a strong team of experienced consultants specialists in their field and capable of working with clients anywhere in Greater China from Hong Kong.

This detailed and targeted approach ensures that we are “tapping on the shoulder” each potential, experienced and successful candidate for the role and is the most accurate and successful recruitment methodology to identify those experienced, successful and culturally aligned candidates for any strategic or technical role.

As part of its long-term commitment to the Asia market, Barson Executive Search assists clients with all of their executive search needs and is committed to the growth and success of the client’s corporate strategy through the identification and attraction of the most suitable executive leadership team. We have expertise in working with multinational as well as small to medium sized and in particular new start up companies for their growth and development in Hong Kong and Asia. In addition to providing tailored executive recruitment services, Barson Executive Search offers consulting advice on recruiting the ideal talent for a client’s business in Hong Kong, China and Singapore and how this differs in its cultural methodology to other international markets.

About Barson Executive Search Barson Executive Search has over 20 years of experience in research based, targeted, senior search recruitment.

Through the process of identification of the experienced candidate market, we approach and discuss the specific client position with each experienced candidate in the market and deliver a shortlist of the most suitable and interested candidates within a 4 - 5 week timeframe.

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Brentwood International Consultants Ltd.

www.brentwood-co.com

Office 1201, 43-59 Queen’s Road East, Admiralty, Hong Kong | E: Info@brentwood-co.com | T: (852) 2111 2600 Brentwood offers a comprehensive package including Executive Search Service and Board Advisory.

Executive Search Service We specialize in placing Senior Executive positions in Retail, Finance, Property and Manufacturing industries for both local Chinese firms and multi-national companies since 1995. Our assignments normally command an annual remuneration package of US$90,000 (HK$700,000) to US$380,000 (HK$3,000,000). Our assignments are not limited to China, but also span across wider regions including Asia Pacific.

Board Advisory Consultancy Our management consultancy arm provides comprehensive merger & acquisition services to represent clients who wish to acquire, divest or combine a business segment. Our role includes locating prospective businesses, analysing the businesses and driving negotiations to a successful conclusion.

Global Network We are the China and Hong Kong representative of a global network with offices in over 30 countries in Europe (Western, Central and Eastern Europe), Asia (China, Malaysia, and Singapore), Australia, South Africa and America (Argentina, Chile, Mexico and USA).

We focus on senior management positions, different from a Human Resources Agency. We do not post advertisements as the Human Resources agencies typically do.

Candidates

Therefore, confidentiality is significant and agency advertising is unlikely to attract these “high-caliber candidates” We target high performers who are: 1. Senior management level with stable employment history, 2. Well-known with good reputation and achievements in the market, 3. Constantly traveling within China and overseas and are too busy to do job-searching and submit resumes.

When these senior executives look for a new job, they prefer being represented by executive search firms and conduct their job search in a high confidential manner before they resign.

We have known these high caliber candidates personally for many years. Therefore, our successful rate is very high.

Clients When there is a new job opening, client is least likely to approach its competitors’ employees. We are experienced in searching the “former” employees of their competitors.

Hence, our client will not offend their friendly competitors.

We identify and approach the right candidate on behalf of our client using our company name “Brentwood” instead of theirs, to avoid sensitive details, rumors and noise being circulated within the industry. Hence, confidentiality is maintained.

If our client approaches the same candidate six months later, candidates will not feel offended.

The industry is small, most of the senior executives and business owners know each other well.

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Fiducia China

www.fiducia-china.com

15/F Overseas Trust Bank Building, 160 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong | F: +852 2810 4494 | T: +852 2523 2171

Related HR Services

For foreign investors, establishing and growing a business in Greater China is challenging and rewarding. Not only are regulations, market characteristics, and talent pools different – they are also in constant flux.

As a stable, independent, family-managed business, Fiducia Management Consultants has supported midmarket firms to navigate changes and seize opportunities in China for over 35 years. We are proud to have worked with many of our successful and satisfied clients for decades.

With four teams located in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, Fiducia combines international expertise and local know-how to provide Accounting and Tax Advisory, Trade, Corporate Services, Market Consulting, and Executive Search.

Our spectrum of HR solutions goes beyond just helping you find the right talent, enabling us to meet the diverse HR needs of your China business. We also offer the following related services: • Assessment Centre: through a customisable methodology, we help you identify leadership potential within your existing senior management team, as well as accurately evaluate the capabilities of candidates • Outsourced HR: we take over your HR functions in an ongoing or project basis when your in-house capabilities don’t match your needs, covering recruitment, contracts, team management, terminations, and other tasks • Talent Mapping: we map candidates and organisational structures of key competitors to obtain insights that enhance your search strategy • Payroll & Expat IIT Service: we help you handle your company’s monthly payroll, as well as individual tax filings for expats to ensure compliant, timely, and accurate results Get in touch with our Executive Search Team!

Executive Search Our dedicated Executive Search practice helps you find exceptional people who are in tune with your corporate culture and business needs in China, by offering the following advantages: • Industry Specialisation: we have deep expertise in the chemical, med-tech, automotive, machinery, and other sectors • Powerful Network: we leverage our extensive database of potential candidates and solid industry network • Deep China Knowledge: we understand China’s HR landscape and provide the local insights you need • Close Engagement: our strong working relations with clients are built on trust and flawless communication • Strict Confidentiality: our strict guidelines ensure that every project is handled with integrity and full confidentiality • Multinational Team: our Chinese and Western consultants seamlessly manage the cross-border needs of MNCsundertaken are completed with placement, and placements are guaranteed in the first 12 months.

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Stefan Kracht Managing Director contact@fiducia-china.com +852 2523 2171

Thaddaeus Mueller Director tmueller@fiducia-china.com +852 2258 6612

Alexander Vnuk Consultant avnuk@fiducia-china.com +86 21 6389 8267

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

FocusCore Recruit

www.focuscoregroup.com

T: +852 3958 2815 | Whatsapp: +9500 1682 | E: hk@focuscoregroup.com

Accelerated recruitment for companies with rapid growth or transformation For foreign investors, establishing and growing a business What type of employers do you partner with? Commercial organisations within diverse industries including American eCommerce, legal, retail, real estate and technology companies.

How do you find the best people whilst saving time and money?

Traditional recruitment process: 12 to 14 weeks:

CVs Received

CVs shortlisting

Screening interview

HR interview

Line Manager Interview

Final Interviews

FocusCore’s Talent Accelerator: 5 to ten working days:

Meetings Booked

Final Interviews

What do your clients say? ”FocusCore identified a GM for Hong Kong and I was able to have an offer accepted within just three weeks from my first conversation .... accelerated executive search process cut through the usual delays and I was able to hire in record time.”

- CEO, global tech business What roles do you recruit for?

FocusCore’s service is fully inclusive:

• Accounting & Finance • Human Resources • Information Technology • Legal & Compliance • Marketing • Senior Executive

Advertising across multiple sites Sourcing (including head-hunting) Selection & screening Expectation management Employee Value Proposition In-depth Interviewing Reducing Time to Hire Referencing

What do your candidates say? “I was impressed at the consultative approach as well as knowledge of the startup community in Hong Kong … emphasised not only the benefits of particular opportunities but also the challenges which I might face to ensure that I was fully informed … passion for accelerating the recruitment process … within three days I had an offer …I recommend the team at FocusCore for anyone looking for employment particularly within startups or for other high growth commercial organisations in Hong Kong.”

–Senior Manager at a Tech Startup

CASE STUDY: Tech start-up with regional head office in Hong Kong: Q4 2017 and Q1 2018 5 analysts, 17 x Associates, 5 x Senior Associates, 3 x Managers and 2 x Senior Managers and Director all hired in less than one week. All were screened and interviewed personally.

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

www.headsinternational.com Unit A, 11/F, On Hing Building, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, Hong Kong | T: (852) 3708 9539

Company Profile Heads International is a Tier-1 executive search firm with 12 offices across Asia Pacific, Europe and USA. We focus on finding and securing Board, C-Level and Senior Executive talent for Public, Private and Investor-backed clients.

Since our foundation in 1998, Heads has built an extensive ecosystem of global talent spanning the Real Estate, Digital & Technology, Retail & Consumer, High Tech Manufacturing, FinTech and Professional Services sectors. Having clients of various business sizes allows us to have a constant inflow of diverse talent from around the world, and so the ability to accurately qualify them for various roles and geographies.

Heads helps our clients find both core industry professionals as well as the globally spread-out, scarcely available talent who can help businesses with their digital transformation. We also understand the challenges and opportunities in Real Estate, having worked with multi-billion dollar Private Equity market leaders as well as regional players and investors.

Each of our six practices operate globally and seamlessly across geographies and stays attuned to each local market.

Results Our focus on the key sectors combined with our global reach, allows us to provide high quality of process underpinned by a creative and tailored approach to each client’s needs.

Our one global P&L model allows us to always establish the best delivery teams across the globe.

• • •

80% of our projects are follow-on assignments 50% of executives we place are promoted within the first three years 60% of executives we place stay for five years or more

Cassandra Lee Partner, Global Head of Supply Chain clee@headsinternational.com 852 6162 6554

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Gavin Ng Partner, Head of Professional Services, Asia-Pacific gng@headsinternational.com 86 139 16300064

Heather Grayson Partner, Global Head of Real Estate hgrayson@ headsinternational.com 852 9384 5128

Mike Goldstone Managing Partner, Asia-Pacific & Japan mgoldstone@ headsinternational.com 852 9463 3864

Paul Chau Partner pchau@headsinternational.com 852 9433 6756

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Lim-Loges & Masters

www.LimLogesMasters.com

1 Raffles Place #24-00 Tower 1, Singapore 048616 | E: PAT@LLMRecruit.com / Contact@LLMRecruit.com | T: (65) 6408 0656

TRANSFORMING COMPANIES, TRANSFORMING CAREERS. At Lim-Loges & Masters, we work exclusively with multinational companies seeking to transform their organisations through its people. As professionals specialising in Asia Pacific, we partner companies for the long haul to tackle challenges, minimise risks and manage talent, supported by our extensive resource network and a deep understanding of Asia Pacific’s businesses.

THREE SERVICES. ONE VISION At Lim-Loges & Masters, we own a strong moral obligation to champion companies and individuals in the marketplace and build their sustainability and livelihoods. Our processes are streamlined to secure tomorrow’s leaders and spur transformational change across every client organisation.

EXECUTIVE SEARCH We are an extension of your company’s resource department.

Our diverse network of top management candidates is gleaned from extensive search experience that began in the late 1990s. We handpick the finest talents across Asia to give you the edge in securing transformational leaders.

DISRUPTION MANAGEMENT At Lim-Loges & Masters, we work exclusively with multinational companies seeking to transform their organisations through digital leadership. As professionals specialising in Asia, we partner companies to tackle challenges, minimise risks and manage talent, supported by our extensive resource network and a deep understanding of Asia Pacific’s businesses.

TRANSITION MANAGEMENT We help you manage change driven by mergers, acquisitions and organisational restructuring. From designing talent competencies and coaching people to advising on corporate assets including employer branding

Ian Homer Head - Transition Management Practice (Coaching, Training & Development) Singapore

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11 • 2018

Lelia Lim Head - Executive Search Practice Hong Kong/Asia Pacific

and diversity in the work culture, we ensure a quality conversation for a smooth transition each time, every time.

We offer pro bono work in coaching on a case-by-case basis to non-profit organisations.

YOUR BENEFIT The Lim-Loges & Masters’ Advantage Exclusive Focus Our exclusive focus on senior executive positions ensures clients receive our undivided attention in their drive for business transformation.

Asian Experts, Local Knowledge Lim-Loges & Masters specialise in Asia Pacific. Through our familiarity with the region and diverse network, we gain access to the region’s top talents and give companies the local advantage. We work with the best.

Long-term Partnerships Effective change takes time.

We are long-term partners in our clients’ business transformation. We are here to stay in Asia.

Professionalism, Integrity, Quality We emphasise high confidentiality and client satisfaction in every search, supported by rigorous Reference Checks, Academic Verifications and On-boarding Coaching which forms an integral part of our service. Over 98% of the searches undertaken are completed with placement, and placements are guaranteed in the first 12 months.

Asian Currency We bill against local compensation to provide flexibilityin Asia.

Tay Lay Luan Head - Transition Management Practice (Organisational Design) Malaysia/ASEAN

Patrick Watson Head - Crisis Management Practice United Kingdom & Singapore

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Tricor Group / Tricor Executive Resources Limited

www.tricorglobal.com

Level 54, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong | E: exec-search@hk.tricorglobal.com | T: (852) 2980 1166

Tricor Group Tricor Group is Asia’s leading provider of integrated business, corporate, investor, human resources & payroll, and corporate trust & debt services. Tricor provides outsourced expertise that allows our clients to concentrate on what they do best – building business.

Executive Search Successfully identifying and recruiting talent can be a difficult and time consuming task, which is why companies come to us for their recruitment needs.

Organizations who appoint our professional services range from start-ups to multinationals and listed conglomerates.

Tricor Executive Resources has over the last 30 years built an unrivalled reputation for integrity and professionalism, based on providing the highest quality search services supported by in-depth specialist resources and expertise.

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We cover a wide array of industry sectors, including: • Banking, Financial Services and Insurance • Consumer Products (FMCGs) • e-commerce, IT and Telecommunications • Listed and Private Conglomerates • Healthcare and Pharmaceutical • Hospitality and Recreation • Infrastructure, Transportation and Logistics • Professional Services

Contact Fiona Yung Executive Director Tricor Executive Resources Limited fiona.yung@hk.tricorglobal.com

AmChamHK

11 • 2018

EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Wellesley

www.wellesleys.com

2408 Nine Queens Road Central, Hong Kong | E: info@wellesleys.com | T: +852 2521-0883

Wellesley is a regional Partnership with a long track record of collaboration with both large world-class global organizations and fast-growing emerging regional firms.

Trusted advisors regarding compensation trends, organization structure & design, and market intelligence managed within a bespoke business model.

Established Hong Kong headquarters in 2005.

Industry Coverage

Functional Coverage

Financial Services

All Major Functions

Consumer, Retail & Healthcare

All Major Functions

Technology, Media & Comms

All Major Functions

Wellesley Contacts

Sector

Rick Johannessen

Partner, Financial Services

Christian Brun

Partner, Financial Services

Loretta Chan

Partner, Financial Services

Jeremy Harris

Partner, Financial Services

Nicole Lui

Partner, Technology, Media & Comms

Angus Washington

Partner, Consumer & Retail

Wellesley Asia | Hong Kong | Mumbai | Singapore | Wellesleys.com

AmChamHK

11 • 2018

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EXECUTIVE SEARCH PROVIDERS

Executives’ Global Network (HK) Limited

www.hk.egn.com

Level 17, China Building, 29 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong | E: jwo@egn.com | T: (852) 3978 2636 Contact Person: John Wong

EGN Hong Kong creates relationships and share knowledge

“We build business relationships and share knowledge”

We are an independent, professional network of business executives. EGN Hong Kong is part of the international network, Executives’ Global Network (EGN) with members in 13 countries. EGN is thus the only network to offer knowledge sharing across disciplines, industries, management levels and national borders.

ADVERTISE WITH US Advertising with The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong allows you to communicate to the people who mean business in Hong Kong, U.S. and mainland China. We provide a variety of advertising options including our monthly magazine AmChamHK, our annual Members Directory and Living in Hong Kong - the guidebook for newcomers as well as digitally on our website.

AmCham HK • • • • • •

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Published for over forty years 98% of our readers reside in Hong Kong Current circulation over 2,300 in hardcopies per issue that includes members, complimentary requested and paid subscribers International audience (30-plus nationalities) Different editorial topics each issue, with special focuses and supplements Freely distributed via the online version on our website

Our Members Nearly 1,600 members (40 different nationalities) from over 600 organizations including multinational firms, small and medium enterprises, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations.

Advertising Inquiries Tom Chan E: tchan@amcham.org.hk

AmChamHK

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AmChamHK

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THE LAST PAGE

50/50 Vision...

Our 1978 special report on the coming digital revolution feels quaintly comical now. What will today’s digital disruption look like in these pages in 40 years? Or, better still, in five decades?

As AmCham nears its 50th anniversary, we are taking a deeper look into our past, not just to recognize how the chamber and its members helped shape the forces that transformed our planet – from shipping and global finance, to air travel and China’s engagement with the world trading system – but to remind ourselves of lessons learned and ask what they tell us about the path ahead. Oh, and to remember all the good times we enjoyed along the way.

Can you help?

If you, your family or your company have any photographs, documents or simply memories you would like to share, please get in touch at feedback@amcham.org.hk, +852 6291 8694 or tag us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram using the hashtag #AmCham50

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AmChamHK

11 • 2018

TO UR TO DA Y! BO OK A

STAMFORD NURTURES RISK TAKERS READY FOR LIFE BEYOND THE IBDP*

Limited spaces for 2018/19 entry – Contact us now!

Applications open for 2019/20 – Pre-primary to Grade 9 For more info: www.sais.edu.hk SCHOOL CAMPUS

25 Man Fuk Road, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong +852 3467 4500

ADMISSIONS OFFICE

Suites 4005-4007, Level 40, Two Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central, Hong Kong +852 2500 8688

Connect with us:

*Stamford American School has applied for International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme candidacy and will seek authorization for the school’s first graduating cohort.

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AmChamHK

11 • 2018

WE’LL

BACK YOU UP What can go wrong with the spine? It’s more than you realise! Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital provides one-stop professional services to soothe spine pain, offering a range of treatments for maladies such as degenerative spine conditions, lumbar spinal stenosis and scoliosis. Supported by a team of specialists, put yourself in our hands today and let us take care of you.

Contact us for more details now.

Getting to

GHK

Admiralty Station

Ocean Park Station

GHK

6 mins

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www.gleneagles.hk

1 Nam Fung Path, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong

AmChamHK 11 •Hospital 2018 Gleneagles Hong Kong