With all the opprobrium heaped recently on certain high-profile financiers, it is easy to forget how much other members of the industry continue to do for the greater good of the community out of purely selfless motives.
Call it practical socialism or having a moral conscience, many individuals go out of their way to extend a helping hand and willingly accept the unwritten obligation to give something back through making generous donations, contributing their time and expertise, or both.
Entering semi-retirement, but still keen to remain actively involved, David Lui Yin-tat, non-executive vice-chairman of Schroder Investment Management (Hong Kong), intends to give as much time as possible to advising school and university students and, specifically, helping young offenders get back on their feet.
'The sad thing is that if young people get into trouble, they can be punished for life, though not really knowing where they did something wrong,' Mr Lui says. 'If they come out [of prison] with a criminal record, they have no chance in the finance industry and it is not easy to find any job, except maybe in labour intensive and low-wage type of work. It is pretty unfair.'
His involvement with rehabilitation services and advising New Territories youngsters having problems at school has been largely ad hoc. The plan, though, is to dedicate substantially more time to such initiatives as a practical way of passing on knowledge and helping others to learn, find work and climb the social ladder. It is also a way of putting society's interests above the emphasis on self-interest and individualism, which is still so prevalent now.
'I believe it is important to try to prevent younger people going astray and, if necessary, to help them face reality after being in trouble,' Mr Lui says. 'They still have a lot of future in front of them.'
