bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Ben Kwok

PRINCE CHARMING MAKES A RARE OUTING BUT KEEPS MUM ON WEDDING BELLS

Life with PCCW is much more fun with Prince Richard back on the stage to host his annual results press conference.

It has been quite some time since chairman Richard Li Tzar-kai came out to face the music. Yesterday's rare outing was probably due to a profitable year.

He was immediately challenged, with the first reporter asking about his three-year absence.

His answer was short: 'There aren't any changes. The media and my friends asked me to take some questions, and I'll make myself available.'

The restless Mr Li would not just sit down and listen; he actually tackled half of the questions, giving interesting answers. Quizzed by reporters about his 3G game plan, he made a joke about his father's rival telecommunications company.

'Unlike other companies - some of them may be our competitors and they have operations overseas - name withheld - we do not believe in investing heavily in 3G and incurring losses,' he said. 'We don't believe it [3G] is so overwhelming that we will incur heavy losses. Even many of our high-end users are still happy with 2G.'

Like his father Li Ka-shing, Richard waved his hands to bid reporters farewell.

Final question: 'Are you getting married this year?'

He smilingly pointed at the reporter without making a comment. He has obviously learned a lesson from his father, and this time he would not be misquoted.

NOW GETS SCOOP ON PCCW RESULTS

One reason  Richard Li made a public appearance could well be related to last week's launch of  Now's Business News Channel (BNC), which carried a live podcast of the PCCW press conference.

A  BNC reporter asked if PCCW would earn  more  this year after a drop in its subscriber churn rate  and a more stable business.

Group managing director Jack So Chak-kwong responded by promising to try his utmost to achieve growth, carefully avoiding a specific target (which would have set off regulatory alarm bells).

Interestingly, BNC's television rivals and the wire agencies complained they were scooped in the release of PCCW's reported figures. Maybe Mr So could promise a more level playing field next year?

NO TIME FOR BOARD MEETINGS

Now back to Richard Li's insurance flagship. How much involvement do non-executive directors have in Pacific Century Insurance?

Its corporate governance report showed that three of the four independent non-executive directors missed at least half of the six board meetings. City University president Chang Hsin-kang participated in only two board meetings, while University of Hong Kong's Professor Richard Wong Yue-chim  and non-executive director Mico Chung Cho-yee, who is also chairman of property investor Capital Strategic, missed half of the board meetings.

SFC CHAIRMAN REFUSES TO PLAY DOCTOR

Could Charles Lee Yeh-kwong take up the chairmanship at the Securities and Futures Commission?

Curious reporters yesterday asked SFC chairman Martin Wheatley if he knew whether  Mr Lee, who is reported to be a leading candidate for  the job, would  take up the new appointment or would he rather take his doctor's advice  and relinquish  all his public positions.

'We are good friends, but I am not his doctor,' Mr Wheatley said. 'Sorry, I can't comment on his health.'

RESORT MANAGER DOESN'T LET GO EASILY

General Electric is famous for sacking the worst-performing 10 per cent of its staff every year. In contrast, Westin Resort Macau has not fired any staff member in the past five years.

Tune in to podcasting.scmp.com for our first Macau podcast and listen  to our interview with general manager Akram Touma (left), who is leaving Macau for Shanghai in his new assignment under the same hotel family, the Starwood Group.



Lai See