https://www.scmp.com/rss/275369/feed The annual Women Of Our Time magazine selects Hong Kong's 25 most inspirational and influential women, an exemplary and diverse group who have contributed to the city's success over the past year. It explores the influences that drive these women and how they have made a difference to society. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3170119/breakthebias-women-who-have-challenged-stereotypes-past-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3170119/breakthebias-women-who-have-challenged-stereotypes-past-year?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Mar 2022 08:05:50 +0000 Chinese fighter Zhang Weili is ready for an Ultimate Fighting Championship title. She could be China’s first UFC world champion if she beats title-holder Jessica Andrade of Brazil in their fight at the end of August. Zhang began her martial arts journey when she was six. https://www.scmp.com/china/chinese-fighter-zhang-weili-ready-ufc-title/article/3022865?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/chinese-fighter-zhang-weili-ready-ufc-title/article/3022865?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Aug 2019 09:58:05 +0000 These days it seems everyone is talking about politics, and Eva Cheng Li Kam-fun takes it a step further by trying to influence the government in policymaking. It’s not an easy task, but the former top business executive is determined to do everything in her power to serve the people of Hong Kong. Cheng has been doing so since January 2015, when she was appointed executive director of the Our Hong Kong Foundation, a think tank founded by former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa. It pools together... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2137389/woman-mission-hong-kong-corporate-hotshot-eva-cheng-gets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2137389/woman-mission-hong-kong-corporate-hotshot-eva-cheng-gets?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Mar 2018 09:03:45 +0000 Hong Kong-bred Maxine Ryan is the co-founder and COO of the world’s first cash-in, cash-out blockchain remittance platform, Bitspark. The company was founded in 2014 and has already received international recognition. “My co-founder and I were just exploring the idea of what bitcoin was,” Ryan, 24, says. “I don’t know what it was about the idea, but it was exactly what I was looking for.” She was so convinced that she dropped out of her degree in international relations about six months before... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/special-reports/topics/xxiv-2017/article/2120698/how-maxine-ryan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/special-reports/topics/xxiv-2017/article/2120698/how-maxine-ryan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Nov 2017 01:30:45 +0000 The first woman to achieve the status as a beer sommelier in Asia, Belle Leung, is restless and always on the lookout for challenges. Whether it was in her banking role, working in a private kitchen, or in her present position in fintech and co-founding HK Brewcraft, it is her ability to get things done that sets her apart. Leung feels honoured to be the region’s first beer sommelier, a title awarded by the US-based Beer Judge Certification Program. She has judged beers in Shanghai, Taiwan,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2119817/why-asias-first-beer-sommelier-belle-leung-ditched?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/2119817/why-asias-first-beer-sommelier-belle-leung-ditched?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Nov 2017 08:14:58 +0000 Hotelier and restaurateur Yenn Wong was only 23 years old and newly graduated when she helmed her first major project, designing the JIA boutique hotel in Causeway Bay. "It wasn't something that I planned, it was more of an opportunity that happened," Wong says. It was during the 2003 Sars crisis in Hong Kong that her father, Malaysian business tycoon Danny Wong, thought it was a good time to invest. "So, he bought that little building in Causeway Bay and he basically just said, 'OK, you want to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/1319145/hotelier-and-restaurateur-yenn-wong-how-crisis-launched-her-career?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/1319145/hotelier-and-restaurateur-yenn-wong-how-crisis-launched-her-career?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Tisa Ho was hooked on the arts after her debut performance in a show at kindergarten. Later on, her school, St Paul's Convent, launched an inspiring arts series that featured the whole spectrum of music, dance, drama and debates, and Ho spent most of her time involved with these programmes. "I had wonderful, inspiring teachers ... I got to act, I got to do make-up, I got to climb up and rig lights ... and I just had the greatest fun," says Ho, who is executive director of the Hong Kong Arts... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1319151/tisa-ho-force-behind-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1319151/tisa-ho-force-behind-hong-kong-arts-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Unlike most working mothers, medical researcher and professor Rossa Chiu Wai-kwan finds little difficulty in balancing her busy work schedule and spending time with her family. "Raising my children is the biggest research project of my life," she says. Mother to her seven-year-old twin daughters, Chiu has a regular schedule mapped out. She finishes work at 7pm, dines with her daughters, checks their homework and sends them to bed. "Whenever I am off my mum-duty I start thinking about work," she... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319170/raising-my-children-my-biggest-research-project-says-rossa-chiu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319170/raising-my-children-my-biggest-research-project-says-rossa-chiu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 There are only a few female professionals in the world who consistently make the list of the most influential or most powerful. Jing Ulrich is always on top of such lists. Educated at Harvard and Stanford universities, Ulrich serves as managing director and vice-chairwoman, Asia-Pacific, at JPMorgan Chase. For years, she has been considered the top analyst and commentator on economic and financial issues for China. Numerous accolades have come her way, with several notable ones among them.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/article/1319144/women-and-men-need-be-prepared-hard-work-says-china-expert-jing-ulrich?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/article/1319144/women-and-men-need-be-prepared-hard-work-says-china-expert-jing-ulrich?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 For award-winning actress Carina Lau Kar-ling, the glitter and glamour of the Cannes International Film Festival was nothing new. However, the difference at this year's event was that she was in the thick of the action as a best actress nominee for her performance in the film Bends. The highly rated, slow-paced drama, directed by first-time filmmaker Flora Lau, was screened at the world's premier film festival. Although Carina Lau didn't win the acting prize, her performance as a rich housewife... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319136/actress-carina-lau-gamble-took-her-cannes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319136/actress-carina-lau-gamble-took-her-cannes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Mimi Tang used to be a dreamer. "When I was young, I didn't have any solid career plans - I just daydreamed every day," says the woman who is now among the busiest female professionals in Hong Kong. Tang is president of Kering (formerly PPR) Asia-Pacific, which encompasses some of the biggest luxury brands in the world within its portfolio, such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Sergio Rossi and Boucheron. The executive, who just moments earlier threw on a chic Saint... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1319141/i-used-daydream-says-fashion-queen-mimi-tang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1319141/i-used-daydream-says-fashion-queen-mimi-tang?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 High-end jeweller and philanthropist Michelle Ong is a meticulous person and always prepared for business meetings and appointments. A case in point, days before our scheduled interview, Ong had already replied to our advance questions via e-mail with detailed answers that had us wondering whether a follow-up meeting would be necessary. "I always like to be prepared," she says in a matter-of-fact tone, as we finally sat down for the interview at her office in the heart of Central. Her diligence... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/article/1319153/michelle-ong-world-renowned-jewellery-designer-and-charity-worker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/article/1319153/michelle-ong-world-renowned-jewellery-designer-and-charity-worker?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Pansy Ho learned from a very early age how to manage projects. It was when she was at a Catholic secondary school in Hong Kong that the daughter of casino magnate Stanley Ho was encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities and manage projects. Now the managing director of Shun Tak Holdings, Ho manages the various business units of a group that is worth billions of dollars. Her most recent achievement was the listing of MGM China Holdings, of which she is chairwoman and executive... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1319139/pansy-ho-influences-have-driven-her?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1319139/pansy-ho-influences-have-driven-her?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Elaine Lo's career exemplifies the rise in Hong Kong of professional women, whose efforts have made this city one of the best in Asia for them. Lo, Asia chair and senior partner at Mayer Brown JSM, has worked for the law firm for more than 30 years. She has handled major mergers and acquisitions (M&A), some of which have epitomised the mainland's changing face. She first went to the mainland in 1983, when the bamboo curtain was opening up and foreign businesses were being allowed in. Her task... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319169/elaine-lo-pioneering-lawyer-her-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319169/elaine-lo-pioneering-lawyer-her-way?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 A rallying cry to career women with ambition has been sounded again across the corporate globe, and this time the voice is loud and clear, coming from Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg through her recent book Lean In, which some have described as reigniting the stalled feminist revolution. She continues the conversation of the need for more women in executive roles across the business spectrum worldwide, a subject that will not go away until the game rules are equal for men and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319131/equality-rules-battle-corporate-world-and-household-revitalised?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/1319131/equality-rules-battle-corporate-world-and-household-revitalised?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Showbiz is a hard business to be in if you’re a middle-aged woman, even when you have bucketloads of talent. It’s what makes Deanie Ip Tak-han’s awards for A Simple Life such an inspiration for other actresses who perhaps have been told once too often that they were past their prime. “I remember when I first started acting I was told that I wasn’t young enough, tall enough and pretty enough to make it in the movie business. And it is true that leading roles are almost always played by young,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/node/1056982?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/topics/women-our-time/node/1056982?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Oct 2012 06:58:28 +0000 When Anita Fung Yuen-mei became HSBC's first female CEO for Hong Kong in September last year, she inherited a hot seat. The lender had just announced 3,000 job cuts in Hong Kong and the pressure was on to ramp-up the bank's presence in China. This did not detract from Fung's relish in taking up the role. "For me it is a great honour to be the first woman to take up the role of CEO of Hong Kong at HSBC, being the group's flagship business," she says.  She derives a certain amount of pride at... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049555/anita-fung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049555/anita-fung?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Oct 2012 04:00:00 +0000 Alexa Lam knows better than most that life is a series of highs and lows. For 14 years, she has navigated through the volatility and crises of Hong Kong's rollercoaster stock market, attempting to protect the city's investors. It has not been skirmish-free. The deputy CEO of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) once famously incurred the wrath of Hong Kong's male-dominated brokerage sector when she attempted to curb risky margin financing. Friends and colleagues explain that for Lam, this... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049601/alexa-lam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049601/alexa-lam?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 On a panel at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival last October, Nansun Shi was asked if she had ever been treated differently from men and if there was discrimination in the industry. "I've never felt inferior. It's not about inferiority or superiority - it's about how good you are at what you do," the producer told her audience. "In film production, it's about teamwork and each person is just as important as the other." And, in the annals of Hong Kong's film history and its international reputation... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1056917/nansun-shi-its-not-about-inferiority-or-superiority-its-about-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1056917/nansun-shi-its-not-about-inferiority-or-superiority-its-about-how?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 You only need to be around Joanna Hotung for a few minutes to realise her enthusiasm for whatever she is undertaking. Whether discussing her work with children in the creative arts or bringing awareness of juvenile diabetes to the fore, her energy and passion is apparent. Founder and director of KG Group, which comprises youth arts organisation Kids' Gallery, Star English and more recently Face Productions, and co-founder of the Hong Kong Juvenile Diabetes Association, Hotung credits her mother... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049564/joanna-hotung-child-educator-passion-creative-arts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049564/joanna-hotung-child-educator-passion-creative-arts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Two minutes into our conversation and it's clear Melissa Mowbray-d'Arbela selects pioneering business projects based on ethical choices. Still, reaching out for help is not beneath her. "Self-doubt is important. You'd be arrogant to presume you have all the answers. The key is trusted guides and voices." She is chief executive of Filligent, a cutting-edge biotech firm based on new ideas and products to address unmet health needs around the world. One of Filligent's main products is the bio-mask,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049574/melissa-mowbray-darbela-key-trusted-guides-and-voices-says-ethical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049574/melissa-mowbray-darbela-key-trusted-guides-and-voices-says-ethical?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Jennifer Cheung always liked cooking, yet it was a career in the competitive world of banking that helped her take her passion to transform the direction of the dessert industry in Hong Kong and build a reputation as serving some of the best cupcakes in town. After high school in the United States and studying at Harvard, Cheung returned home to Hong Kong to begin her career as a banker in equity markets. Soon she was working 100-hour weeks. "At the time I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but it... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049593/jennifer-cheung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049593/jennifer-cheung?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Ella Cheong is recognised as one of the best intellectual property (IP) lawyers in Asia, a pioneer who has set up offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore and Malaysia. However, success for Cheong is measured not in offices, but in terms of personal happiness. "People often ask me where I get so much energy," she says. "It's because I enjoy every moment of my life. I think if you don't enjoy what you are doing any more, you should just quit. Immediately." Cheong specialises in intellectual... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049583/ella-cheong-single-mother-who-became-pioneering-property-lawyer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049583/ella-cheong-single-mother-who-became-pioneering-property-lawyer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 The slogan "Your hand can make a difference" on So...Soap!'s bottles says it all. It is its founder Bella Ip Chi-kiu's mission to promote a sustainable future with her eco-conscious, handmade soap brand. The bottles are recycled from polypropylene plastic bottles. Customers can return their empty bottles, which are reused. The brand's natural soap is a blend of saponified plant-based oils, natural essential oils, magnetised nano-filtered water and alkaline substance. With a crew of six soap... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049582/bella-ip-soap-maker-clean-eco-conscience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049582/bella-ip-soap-maker-clean-eco-conscience?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Asked how she stays so upbeat when faced daily with the enormity of global need, Sally Begbie remains contemplative but energised, affected but realistic. "You have to be as wise and thoughtful as you can be, because it's as possible to get it wrong as get it right. At the times you doubt, you just listen, particularly to those you are trying to serve," she says. Begbie, a public relations consultant, and husband Malcolm, a chartered accountant, set up the Crossroads Foundation in 1995. "We... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049571/sally-begbie-charity-founder-humble-need-serve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049571/sally-begbie-charity-founder-humble-need-serve?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 When she writes, playwright Candace Chong Mui-ngam draws inspiration from where her mind flees to - the reality we all live in. By meeting different people and understanding their perspectives, she has been able to create plays close to many hearts. "My work is not just about myself," she says. Chong's original scripts, including The French Kiss (2005), Murder in San José (2009) and The Wild Boar (2012), are feted for their depictions of the human psyche and relationships, through which she... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049584/candace-chong-playwright-who-draws-inspiration-complicated-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049584/candace-chong-playwright-who-draws-inspiration-complicated-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Suzanne Ho Chan Sut-ying, Emeritus Professor of public health and primary care at the Chinese University (CUHK), has dedicated her career to the study of women's health and helping women achieve better physical, social and mental being. "Health professionals should empower women to take responsibility for their own health," says Ho, founding director of the Centre of Research and Promotion of Women's Health at CUHK. The centre's staff provide evidence-based services such as screen tests for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049580/suzanne-ho?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049580/suzanne-ho?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 What does it take for a woman to achieve success in Hong Kong's highly competitive work environment? Quite a lot, it transpires. Nevertheless, in a city that is uniquely supportive of helping women advance their careers, it is entirely possible. It's an environment that can offer rich rewards in terms of both remuneration and career advancement. However, unlike locations where those rewards can come with a heavy price on family life or childcare responsibilities, Hong Kong offers an altogether... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049549/perfect-balance-how-hong-kongs-career-women-combine-work-and-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049549/perfect-balance-how-hong-kongs-career-women-combine-work-and-family?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 When Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor started out in the civil service 32 years ago, she never imagined that one day she would be in the number two position as chief secretary of Hong Kong. "I always wanted to work in the public sector, so when I was about to graduate from the University of Hong Kong 32 years ago, and when peers started to apply for different types of jobs, I only applied for a job in the civil service - nothing else," says Lam, who was appointed chief secretary by new Chief Executive... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049557/carrie-lam-i-count-myself-very-fortunate-be-given-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049557/carrie-lam-i-count-myself-very-fortunate-be-given-opportunity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Chelsia Lau Ka-po always liked drawing. When she was a little girl on Lantau, she used to get out her crayons and display her pictures in her parents' restaurant, in Mui Wo. Few diners realised that this little island girl with a love of form and colour would one day design cars for millions of people worldwide, and become one of the style icons of China's booming automotive industry. Lau is now chief designer of Ford's design strategic concepts group in Shanghai. She found her 20-year vocation... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049560/how-flair-drawing-led-chelsia-laus-career-top-car-designer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049560/how-flair-drawing-led-chelsia-laus-career-top-car-designer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Journalists tend to be on the outside of a story, looking in. For Lisa Genasci, it wasn't enough. She wanted to be more involved. So began the switch to philanthropy in 2006. The former Associated Press writer and freelancer founded and heads the ADM Capital Foundation, which manages funds for investors who want to contribute to charitable projects. Genasci established the foundation for the partners at ADM Capital Foundation, a Hong Kong-based investment adviser with US$1.7 billion under... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049585/lisa-genasci?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049585/lisa-genasci?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 She may be credited with transforming the dynamics of the cake and luxury bar scene in Hong Kong, but Bonnie Gokson has never let go of her natural sensitivity and attention to detail. "I see my work as a service and I try to give the best in what I do. I try hard not to be that 'metal' hard woman in business. As a woman, I still like to be gentle, soft and feminine, but sometimes I must admit it's extremely difficult, especially in my field," she says. A serial entrepreneur and one of Hong... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049565/bonnie-gokson-style-icon-gentle-touch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049565/bonnie-gokson-style-icon-gentle-touch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 It may be some time before the world of finance is dominated by women, but Sein Chew is ever hopeful. "We are still waiting for an old girls' club to take on the old boys' club," the founder-president and chief executive of global investment firm Unity Asset Management quips. "But times are changing." Part of her determination in climbing the career ladder has come from the desire to succeed in a traditionally male-oriented business, but she admits ambition alone is not enough. "It is more than... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049575/sein-chew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049575/sein-chew?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Jennifer Liu Wai-fun has an eye for design, thanks to her architectural training. She also has a passion for coffee and building a brand that reaches out to the community. After studying architecture at Cornell University, Liu returned to Hong Kong and was soon working with clients mostly based on the mainland. When the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic hit in 2003, her perspectives started to change. "I wanted to see more of Hong Kong, to be in touch with the public more. And so I... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049596/jennifer-liu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049596/jennifer-liu?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Betty Lee Ching-wan's well-known public relations, marketing and corporate communications career has spanned more than 35 years. Yet, across the varied industries that Lee's society-defining campaigns have worked to promote, she's never once applied for a job. Rather, it's her energy and need to represent the community that has seen her successfully evolve. "I have enjoyed every part of my career, which has always been a part of my own personal development," she says. "Each stage of my career... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049572/betty-lee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049572/betty-lee?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Christine Fang Meng-sang discovered at a young age that helping others makes life meaningful. Inspired by her late father, Harry Fang Sin-yang, a prominent orthopaedic surgeon whose devotion to the rehabilitation of the disabled touched many lives, Fang has made creating a fair society and empowering people in need her goal. "Life is more than living an easy and happy life of your own. The joy that I see in people who have overcome difficulties [motivates me]," says Fang, chief executive of the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049603/christine-fang-social-services-professional-inspired-her-late-father?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049603/christine-fang-social-services-professional-inspired-her-late-father?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 There are brands that mistreat animals in the name of fashion but, for Johanna Ho, looking good doesn't have to mean sacrificing the environment. The fashion designer jumped on the green bandwagon after she reclaimed her 15-year-old label from a Japanese investor in 2010. "Having two young daughters made me realise I want to do my part for a sustainable future through my label," says Ho, whose children are aged six and three. Ho looked into shaping her brand into an eco-conscious one. Today, her... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049561/johanna-ho-dont-give-when-going-gets-tough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049561/johanna-ho-dont-give-when-going-gets-tough?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Set up as a public entity, the Asia Art Archive actually began as "a personal project to solve a personal problem", says Claire Hsu, the archive's co-founder and executive director. The idea was born out of her frustration at locating reference material for her dissertation on contemporary Chinese art at the University of London. "Despite the fact that so many developments were happening in the field, no one really documented them," says Hsu, who developed an urge to "fill a gap" in the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049591/claire-hsu-artistic-visionary-preserving-asias-art-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049591/claire-hsu-artistic-visionary-preserving-asias-art-history?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Eleanor Kwok was a trader without a store when her landlord tripled her basement shop's rent in 1989 and she could not afford the rise. But she and husband Simon regrouped, found another suitable shop in Wan Chai and gradually built up a cosmetics empire that turns over almost US$100 million and enabled the couple to be named on the Forbes Asia list of Hong Kong's 40 richest people for the second consecutive year. "I have a 'can do' attitude because I believe everything can be done as long as we... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049562/eleanor-kwok-cosmetics-entrepreneur-can-do-attitude?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049562/eleanor-kwok-cosmetics-entrepreneur-can-do-attitude?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Emma Reynolds may not always have achieved what she set out to do, but it never stopped her from trying. When she set up her first business at the age of 23, there were many sceptics. "There were some people who didn't think it was a good idea, or came up with reasons why I shouldn't do it," she explains. By the time she moved on to her next venture, a financial crisis was looming. She lost everything. "When I moved to Hong Kong to start the third business, people told me to learn from the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049556/women-thrive-passion-fuel-professional-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049556/women-thrive-passion-fuel-professional-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Lee Wai-sze says receiving the bronze medal for the women's keirin at the 2012 London Olympics was the proudest moment of her life. "I was touched and overwhelmed to see the Hong Kong flag rising," says the 25-year-old cyclist. "I am so proud to be a Hong Kong athlete and representing the Hong Kong people at the games." She is only the fourth Hong Kong athlete to win a medal at the Olympics, following Lee Lai-shan's windsurfing gold medal in 1996, and the silver medal that Li Ching and Ko... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049602/lee-wai-sze-i-am-so-proud-be-hong-kong-athlete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049602/lee-wai-sze-i-am-so-proud-be-hong-kong-athlete?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Agnes Chan Sui-kuen says a professional should possess three Ps to move ahead in a career: passion, patience and persistence. The first female Hong Kong and Macau regional managing partner at big four accounting firm Ernst & Young has forged ahead, thanks to these qualities. The past year or so has been the crowning glory for Chan and one she describes as "most memorable". On the personal front, she was chosen as a member of the Election Committee, from the accountancy functional constituency,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049573/agnes-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/article/1049573/agnes-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000