For the past decade, Mr Ng has been the top fan of both Sir John and the HSBC, according to company insiders, and his name is well known among its board members. Why? Well, how many shareholders do you know writes a Chinese poem and then recites it for the board during its annual general meeting?

Hence, it is a mystery why HSBC has not sponsored grateful shareholders such as Mr Ng to attend its London AGM to serve as a model to its usually critical UK-based shareholders.

It is safe to say that an informal HSBC AGM cannot be properly concluded without Mr Ng's congratulatory speech, a practice that started in the days of former chairman Sir William Purves in the 1990s.

So what should Sir John expect today? Already, we have heard praise from around the world about how Sir John is the banker of bankers who helped HSBC become 'the world's local bank' through some well-timed acquisitions. We bet that nothing, not even a $4.50 share-price collapse, can stop Mr Ng from joining the chorus.

gems aglitter for ex-taipan

Former Hutchison Whampoa taipan Simon Murray also has something to be happy about.

His private equity arm GEMS has attracted US$100 million from the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ), the investment arm of the Japanese government, in its first significant private equity-house deal outside the country. Last month, DBJ bought 15 per cent in GEMS, and yesterday raised that to 20 per cent.

The fund's portfolio, which is committed to invest US$470 million in Asia, included China's Grace Semiconductor, Japan's e-Bank and Hong Kong's Compass.

Mr Murray still owns 40 per cent of GEMS which he founded in 1998 with an initial value of US$20 million. The DBJ deal effectively values his fund at US$500 million - not bad for a retiree.

sell maestro bang on target

Even if you think David Webb is not a particularly good stock picker, we believe his sell recommendations deserve some respect.

Last month, Mr Webb warned about restaurant chain Hon Po Group - and the stock has fallen 57 per cent so far. Yesterday, he singled out Growth Enterprise Market-listed B&B Group and its subsidiary, Aptus Holdings.

Readers will have to be resourceful enough to source his detailed research about how uncomfortable he was with the prospects of Aptus alliance with PetroChina's parent CNPC, as well as honey-trader B&B's expansion into the mainland lottery business.

Here's his conclusion: 'Don't bet on B&B. If you really want an investment with an almost-certain negative return, then put the money in Mark Six instead.' We wouldn't be surprised if the Hong Kong Jockey Club hired Mr Webb as its Mark Six mascot.

visionary taking the long view

Here's one for your eyes only - and your wallets, too. So-called vision trainer Leo Angart, who developed an eyesight-improvement method here some 10 years ago and has since traversed the globe to promote his approach, has been trying to organise a two-day workshop for $2,800 a person.

Unfortunately, the take-up rate has been so dismal, forcing him to postpone the workshop to July. To give our readers a preview, so to speak, here's some wise advice from Mr Angart.

Also tune in for an interview with Cathay Pacific flight attendant Tammy Or who went an extra mile to change an elderly passenger's adult diaper during a long-haul trip to Alaska which won her a best service award from Cathay Pacific, the Airline of the Year.