EXCHANGECANADA HONG KONG

Vol.13

A Publication of The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

Special Feature“Influential Women of Our Time” Award:

Dr. Janet De Silva

Your Chamber

Your business ConneCtions

This issue of EXCHANGE again provides some snapshots of our Community and its work. If an important part of our mission is to build commerce among

our members as they seek to grow their businesses, an important way we accomplish this is by providing a forum and a meeting place for our members.

A meeting place helps individual members connect with one another and companies connect with other companies. Through dialogue, areas of common interest can be identified while trust and confidence are built. Communication via the internet has become omnipresent in our businesses but face-to-face dialogue remains essential for building relationships.

Some of the Chamber forums are first and foremost business forums. The China Series 2014, sponsored by KPMG, continued with two events over the past few months, “Urbanization in China: Profound Impacts”, organized by our China Business and Property Committees. At “Chinese Enterprises Going Out”, speakers shared their views on the initiatives Chinese firms are taking as they “go global” and build international brands.

To create a stronger community, the Chamber often partners with other organizations. In June, the Chamber’s Entrepreneur and Small Business Committee and InvestHK held a discussion forum “The Trends and Types of Companies Entering and Investing in Hong Kong: Macro and Micro”. Speakers from four organizations contributed: CoCoon - Born to Fly; The Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium Business; HSBC; and InvestHK.

In May, the Chamber’s Property Committee in conjunction with the British and American Chambers presented a discussion panel on Double Stamp Duty. Panelists included the Honourable Andrew Leung (Member of the Legislative Council), Louis Loong (Secretary General of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong), Timothy Pierson-Smith (Managing Director of the Executive Counsel Limited.), the Honourable Abraham Shek (Member of the Legislative Council) and David Webb (Founder of Webb-site.com).

While EXCHANGE highlights a number of our larger events, the Chamber boardroom also hosts many smaller events each week. For instance, recently, our Entrepreneur and Small Business Committee presented “A New Business Prospect for Our Young Generation: The Business Case for Video Game Development”. The interactive session provided an overview of the video game industry but also focused on the everyday business and practical applications of video games. Gary Mar, (Alberta’s Representative in Asia) led the Q & A Session while our special guest, the Honourable Victor Oh, (a visiting Canadian Senator), played an active role in the lively discussions which followed.

Three roundtable discussions on Hong Kong’s Air Quality and the Future Fuel Mix for Electricity Generation have been hosted this year by the Chamber’s Sustainable Development Committee as it continues to focus on research and advocacy on sustainability issues.

A new Chamber forum is The Women’s Network for women in business and women entrepreneurs. The first meeting on May 15th was hosted by Elizabeth L. Thomson, a Chamber Governor, together with Madeleine Behan and Jennifer Chua, respectively the Chamber’s Secretary and Vice Chair – External.

Other Chamber forums are predominately social – a celebration of our strong and vibrant community. The Chamber’s Annual Ball, sponsored by Manulife, on May 24th with a welcome address from the Honourable Ed Fast, Canada’s Minister of International Trade was a resounding success for all those who attended. In June, far from the annual festivities on Parliament Hill, the Chamber’s celebration of Canada Day, sponsored by Air Canada, Sun Life and Lan Kwai Fong Group, was filled with enthusiasm and energy.

Our next large social event is the annual Terry Fox Run on November 8th together with Renaissance College and co-sponsored by the British Columbia Trade and Investment Office and Manulife. Please join us in raising money for cancer research by participating directly or by donating.

Canada’s iconic sport, ice hockey also features large in our Hong Kong community as chronicled in this issue of EXCHANGE. For decades, Chamber members have been actively involved in the promotion and development of ice sports in Hong Kong. Our members, Bruce Hicks, John Laroche, Bernard Pouliot, Gregory Smyth and Shane Weir narrate the story so far.

Forums at the Chamber can also be about sharing experience on what has worked and what has not. In this issue’s Leadership Column on Sharing Experience and Success, Dr. Jan De Silva, Dean of Ivey Asia, the Hong Kong campus of one of Canada’s preeminent business schools, provides insights gained from her multifaceted management career in Asia. Dr. De Silva was recently named as one of the “Influential Women of Our Time” by the South China Morning Post.

Also sharing their experiences as Canadians who are successfully building careers in Hong Kong are Mati Pouliot, Sales Director, Asia for GEE who also serves as the Chamber’s Treasurer and three of the Trade Commissioners from the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macau: Lynn McDonald, Janice Vogtle and Cynthia Carlone. The Chamber is pleased to welcome Lynn McDonald as an ex-officio member of the Chamber’s Executive Committee in her new role as Senior Trade Commissioner. The partnership between the Consulate and Chamber is important in ensuring the vibrancy and success of the Canadian business community.

Finally, we are also pleased to welcome all of our new members - please join me in ensuring that they are integrated well into our community. Over the years, Canadians have established or been instrumental in a variety of businesses based in Hong Kong. Together, we will continue to build the Chamber as a vibrant, network-enhancing, business opportunity creating, advocacy-oriented organization.

Enjoy EXCHANGE – send us your thoughts.

John R WittChairman

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

EXCHANGE

Chairman’s Message1

CONTENTSVol.13

Gold Sponsors

Ruby Sponsor

Platinum Sponsors

01 Chairman’s Message02 The Chamber Committee Reports

03 UpdateonDoubleStampDuty

04 RoundTableDiscussionsonHongKong’sAirQualityandFutureFuelMixforElectricityGeneration

06 JointCanChamInvestHKDiscussionForum:TheTrendsandTypesofCompaniesEnteringandInvestinginHongKong:MacroandMicro

07 CanadianFoodFair

07 ANew Chamber Forum:TheWomen’sNetwork 

Advocacy08 FutureFuelMixforElectricityGeneration

Sharing Experience and Success: Leadership Column

10 SpecialFeature:“InfluentialWomenofOurTime”Award:Dr.JanetDeSilva

Adventures of Working Abroad in Hong Kong14 InterviewwithTradeCommissionersfromtheConsulate

GeneralofCanadainHongKong

16 InterviewwithMatiPouliot

Focus on Members17 TheRoadofIceHockeyinHongKong

20 CanadianInternationalSchoolofHongKong:NewHeadofSchool

23 5ThingsYouShouldKnowWhenChoosingInternationalMedicalInsurance

26 AshtonCollege:NewCanadianImmigrationRegulation

28 Modern,Connected:YukonNaturalBeautyandMineralWealth

30 GrowthofGreaterChinaBusinessAviationMarketSparksDemandforExpertServices

32 LearningtheWaytoaBetterTomorrow

Community Networking34 TipsToKnowWhenConsideringSportsForYourKids

36 HongKongTradeDevelopmentCouncilServicePromotionDirector:JennyKoo

40 WorkingTogethertoOutrunCancer

Professional Development42 AchievingEffectiveCorporateCommunications

44 Event Highlights46 Welcome New Members

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Canada Hong Kong Exchange is published in every four months. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the opinions of the publishers. All published material is copyright protected. No parts of Canadian Hong Kong Exchange may be reprinted or reproduced without the written permission of the publishers.

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Editorial BoardMadeleine BehanPhilip LeungCarol Chan

AdviserWendy-Tong Barnes

Advertising ContactCarol ChanCharles Zimmerman

Project ManagementMeipo Yeung

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Vol. 13Published by

Executive CommitteeJohn R Witt ChairmanBrian Lau Vice Chairman – InternalJennifer Chua Vice Chairman – ExternalIrene Chu SecretaryMati Pouliot TreasurerAdam KhemiriBarrett BingleyChris RobergeDon RobertsFabien Jeudy Gina HudelGuy CloutierHendrik RosenthalHenri ArslanianJean-Baptiste RoyLynn McDonaldLawrence Nutting Michael NardellaMichael Yong - HaronRichard Brown Vanessa MaVictor Yang Wai Ho WongWayne LeeWendy Tong- Barnes William Said

Governors’ CounolDaisy Ho Head of Governors’ CouncilAllan MathesonAllan ZemanAndrew TurczyniakBernard PouliotBruce HicksDavid ArmitageDavid KongDavid M Nesbitt David McMaster Dr. Eliza C. H. ChanDr. Hari N. HarilelaDr. Janet De SilvaDr. Patrick Y.B. FungDr. William YipDr. William W.H. DooElizabeth L. ThomsonJames Ian BurchettJoe NgJohn ChehJohn W. CrawfordLawrence HoLincoln K.K. LeongMichael Y.K. ChanPatrick LamRamon YuRaymond ChowRichard SiemensRobert CookStephen ChuVictor Apps

The SecretariatPhilip LeungPresident

email : philip_leung@cancham.orgphone : 2110 8728Carol ChanFinance & Operations Manager

email : carol_chan@cancham.orgphone : 2110 8708Sarah WaiAdministrative Assistant

email : sarah_wai@cancham.orgphone : 2110 8700Janice IpEvents & Membership Manager

email : janice.ip@cancham.orgphone : 3695 5021Amanda HoDeputy Events Manager

email : amanda_ho@cancham.orgphone : 2110 8738Sarah ChengCommunications Manager

email : sarah_cheng@cancham.orgphone : 2110 8711Barbara MokMembership Service Manager

email : barbara_mok@cancham.orgphone : 2110 8722

EXCHANGE

The Chamber2

However, from 2003 to 2010, the Hong Kong residential property market saw a fantastic run-up in prices with an average return of

+179% – that’s between July 2003 to December 2010 (RVD index). In response to this, the Government decided in November 2010 that it would eschew its traditional laissez-faire approach (after all, this is not the first rapid rise in real estate prices Hong Kong has witnessed…). It also introduced what would be intended as a series of “cooling” measures. These included:

• the Special Stamp Duty (“SSD1”), introduced in November 2010, with a “holding period” tax ranging from 5% to 15% of the residential property value;

• the Special Stamp Duty (“SSD2”), introducted in October 2012, with a “holding period” tax ranging from 10% to 20% of the residential property value;

• the Buyer’s Stamp Duty (“BSD”), implemented in October 2012, targeting non-Permanent Resident investors with a 15% tax; and

• finally, the Double Stamp Duty (“DSD”) in 2013.

It was a classic case of “treat the symptoms, not the disease.” The causes of the problem, in this case, are a lack of affordable housing stock, due to poor planning on the part of the previous Government, and a wave of global liquidity (and an HKD/USD peg) in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis.

As is often the case, the law of unintended consequences struck again whereby the SSD and the BSD simply led to a decline in transaction

volumes (rather than price). It futher drove investors to commercial properties which were then free of the Government’s new tax regime.

Enter the DSD, a tax so ill-designed that a sheepish administration announced it on a Friday afternoon in February 2013. Shortly after its announcement, the Chamber’s Property Committee began to take a vocal stance against it on behalf of members and the business community writ-large.

The Chamber’s DSD Advocacy Efforts

1. In May 2013, the Chamber submitted a position letter to the Bills Committee1. The Entrepreneur & Small Business, Financial Services and Property Committees co-signed the Chamber’s position paper. Many local and multi-national organizations also submitted letters at the same time. In the letter, the Chamber:

• Agreed that property speculation can have adverse effects on Hong Kong

• Requested a carve-out for owner/occupiers and long term investors (+3 year hold period)

• Expressed concern regarding Hong Kong’s competitiveness as increased occupancy costs resulted from landlords pushing through stamp duty charges to tenants (in a supply-constrained market)

2. On June 13th, 2013, the Chamber was invited by the Bills Committee alongside twenty other organizations to provide feedback directly to the Committee.

3. Following that, on July 3rd, 2013, the Chamber hosted a panel event with keynote speakers from both public and private sectors discussing the implications of the DSD.

One year after its announcement, the DSD continues to be debated by the Bills Committee.

4. With no legislation yet enacted, on May 13th, 2014, the Property Committee organized a second debate on the DSD alongside AmCham and BritCham. Local and international media were present as sector and political experts debated the ongoing challenges presented by the DSD. Notable for their absence (despite multiple invitations), were members of the Government.

To conclude, these taxes serve as a perfect example of why the Government should not be in the business of micro-managing a well-functioning and competitive market. Our Committee believes that it should return to the business of fostering investment, promoting competition and providing public services for those in need, that is, all principles that have served this city well over these many prosperous decades.

The Chamber’s full position letter can be found online at http://www.cancham.org/forums/posts.aspx?group=87469&topic=640178&page=1&hhSearchTerms=&#post_640178

Free market principles have long been the bedrock of competitive capitalism in Hong Kong. Many a fortune has been won, and lost, in a city that gives no quarter to state support and intervention. Despite these principles seemingly engrained in the local DNA, the HKSAR Government (“the Government”) has implemented three property tax measures that, combined, add up to more than 20% of the gross transaction value. These measures fly in the face of a free market where buyers and sellers can set asset prices as they see fit.

1 A Bills Committee is formed for all prospective legislative measures. It collects feedback and makes recommendations to LegCo on a pros and cons of a prospective piece of legislation.

Report drafted by Michael Nardella and edited by Stuart Mercier

on behalf of the Property Committee

Update on Double Stamp Duty

Vol.13

Committee Reports 3

The Sustainable Development Committee (“SDC”) hosted several events this quarter.

1. On April 30th, Ms. Christine Loh, Under Secretary for the Environment in Hong Kong, visited the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (“the Chamber”) to exchange ideas on improving Hong Kong’s air quality, in response to an earlier advocacy paper submitted to the Government by the Chamber on this subject.

2. On May 7th, Dr. C.W. Tso, an adjunct professor in the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, and Mr. Ron Chung, a senior strategic planning manager at CLP Power Hong Kong, were invited to discuss the considerations and issues related to the future fuel mix for Hong Kong’s electricity generation.

3. Furthermore, Mr. C.T. Wan, Managing Director of the Hong Kong Electric Company, attended a round table discussion with the SDC on June 6th to share his views on the Goverment public consultation for the city’s future fuel mix.

Improving Hong Kong’s Air Quality:

Hong Kong’s air quality, generally referring to the emission concentration of key air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), particulate matters (PM2.5 and PM10), is similar to other cities in Asia but worse than most urban areas in advanced regions such as North America, Europe and Australia. The silver lining is that such air emissions have been in decline since 2004. To drive continued environmental performance improvement, the Hong Kong Environment Bureau (“the Environment Bureau“) has been

collaborating with local and international experts on air quality and health research in order to develop evidence-based solutions, in addition to local emission control initiatives in various sectors as well as strengthened cross-border collaboration with neighbouring regions.

The Chamber recommends that the Government should strengthen community education with respect to the health benefits and medical savings of air quality initiatives in order to increase the community’s willingness to finance future air quality improvement initiatives. The Government should also clearly articulate which measures would be required and the associated costs/benefits that would arise under each initiative.

The Chamber specifically urges the Government to focus on implementing the Clean Air Plan, as well as other viable initiatives, within definitive target dates. For example, the Government should introduce Low Emission Zones (LEZs) at busy corridors for all vehicles by 2017. LEZs would increase the demand and penetration rate of hybrids and electric vehicles. Concurrently, non-hybrid/non-electric vehicles may also be considered to enter the LEZs under an electronic road pricing scheme. This change would improve air quality by changing people’s behaviors using incentives while still giving them freedom to choose what they drive.

Another initiative recommended for the Government is to mandate the use of electric buses in a small number of busy corridors such as Nathan Road and Hennessy Road as a pilot scheme. Electric buses have been successfully implemented in several European and American cities.

Round Table Discussions on Hong Kong’s Air Quality and

Future Fuel Mix for Electricity Generation

By Nicolas Glaudemans and Joseph Law,on behalf of the Sustainable Development Committee

EXCHANGE

Committee Reports4

Finally, the Chamber recommends that best practices in environmental initiatives can be shared with neighbouring regions to accelerate the improvement in regional air quality.

The SDC will continue the engagement with the Environment Bureau on this very important topic. Outreach on this topic will also be expanded to other government departments such as the Transport & Housing Bureau and the Development Bureau.

Determining Hong Kong’s Future Fuel Mix:

The future fuel mix for electricity generation in Hong Kong is an important decision that will shape the city’s future energy policy and affects not only its power industry, but also the entire economy.

The Government proposed two options in its recent public consultation on the subject.

• Option 1, Hong Kong would import more electricity from the Mainland power grid.

• Option 2, Hong Kong would increase its local natural gas-fired generation.

The roundtable discussions hosted by the SDC invited speakers to discuss the merits and drawbacks associated with each of the options. The speakers also analyzed each proposed option under the major energy criteria: reliability, cost and environmental performance.

In summary, the Chamber is of the view that the future fuel mix for electricity generation in Hong Kong is an important decision that will shape the city’s future energy policy and affects not only its power industry, but also the entire economy. Based on the information given in the public consultation paper and on other sources of public information reviewed, the Chamber has drafted the position paper to the Environment Bureau, with full text being summarized in the Advocacy section in p. 8.

The SDC will continue to focus its research and advocacy work on sustainability issues. Further research and potential advocacy subjects include water sustainability as well as sustainable food supply.

Vol.13

Committee Reports 5

applications to open international accounts, finding the right trading partners and a lack of finance for working capital and local support. One of the solutions was that the account should be internet-based and should be made available in a multi-currency platform to allow them to travel anywhere. Another suggestion was they could acquire capital through government special funding programs and banks. Finally, intelligence by specialists and trade services about the global markets and partners should be made available to this group of start-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs who want to go global.

Mr. Theodore Ma, Co-Founder at CoCoon-Born to Fly Ltd.One of the main aims of setting up CoCoon is to connect with people from the various areas of the entrepreneur, start-up and small business community. Broadly speaking, Hong Kong is a great place for this community to integrate well with businesses that are already very well established. Theodore quoted an example that CoCoon hosted events where members are provided with the opportunity to showcase their services in a short presentation for them to pitch for talent, customers, and suppliers to reach potential investors.

Mr. Simon Galpin, Director-General of Investment Promotion, InvestHKTalking about InvestHK’s role in promoting the rapid growth in startups, Simon mentioned the importance of bringing in more founders of new companies from around the world. A possible approach to encourage this growth would be looking for high net worth individuals to put their investments into supporting startups and encouraging them to become angel investors instead of investing in the more traditional bonds and stocks. He finally urged the government to ensure that more new international school places should be created to beat the growing demands as a result of the increasing number of start-ups arriving in Hong Kong.

On June 12th, 2014, the Entrepreneur and Small Business Committee (“ESBC”) hosted a Discussion Forum jointly

supported by

• Invest Hong Kong (“InvestHK”);• the Hong Kong General Chamber of Small and Medium

Business (“HKGCSMB”);• International Business Banking, HSBC; and• CoCoon-Born to Fly Ltd.

This event was sponsored by Baker Tilly Hong Kong.

SynopsisRecently, InvestHK has increasingly supported smaller, entrepreneur-led businesses to set up and expand in Hong Kong. At the same time some of the world’s largest companies however are now choosing to put not just regional offices, but certain global functions here.

The main presentation by Simon Galpin gave an update on which source markets these investors are from and which sectors they are in. This was followed by discussions of a Panel with a focus on the resources and support that are available to start-ups, entrepreneurs and small business in Hong Kong.

Panel Discussion – A SummaryMr. BK Chow, Honorary Secretary, HKGCSMBOverall, HKGCSMB provides information about government policy, trade shows for specific industries and also potential clients. Various types of resources of support come from presentations by experts who share their experience with beginner entrepreneurs.

Mr. Philip CHIU, Director of International Business Banking, HSBCStart-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs who want to go global generally encounter various barriers and challenges, including

Joint CanCham InvestHK Discussion Forum: The Trends and Types of Companies Entering and Investing in Hong Kong: Macro and Micro

Report drafted by Sarah Cheng and edited by Madeleine Behan, on behalf of the Entrepreneur and Small Business Committee

EXCHANGE

Committee Reports6

The Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao in collaboration with YATA Supermarket organized a Canadian Food Fair from August 12th to 25th, 2014. The Fair showcased a wide array of premium Canadian food and wine at the Shatin location. Other stores located in Tuen Mun, Taipo, Tsuen Wan, San Po Kong, and Mongkok also focused on Canadian meat and seafood items including Canadian beef, pork, mushrooms, lobster, scallops, crab and mussels. Canadian produce also included peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and cherries.

Canadian Food Fair at YATA Supermarkets

Vol.13

Committee Reports

The first meeting on May 15th, 2014 was hosted by Elizabeth L. Thomson, a Chamber Governor, together with Madeleine Behan and Jennifer Chua, respectively the Chamber’s Secretary and Vice Chair – External. The Network plans to offer a series of events, discussion panels and training programs on a quarterly basis starting from October 2014.

A New Chamber Forum:Congratulations to The Launch of The Women’s Network for Women in Business and Women Entrepreneurs

7

Background

In response to the public consultation document on Future Fuel Mix for Electricity Generation (“consultation document”) by the HKSAR Government (“the Government”), the Sustainable Development Committee (“SDC”) of the Chamber is of the view that the future fuel mix for electricity generation in Hong Kong is an important decision that will shape the city’s future energy policy and affects not only its power industry, but also the entire economy. The Government proposed two options in its recent public consultation on the subject:

Option 1: Import more electricity through purchase from the China Southern Grid Co. Limited (“CSG”)

Option 2: Using more natural gas for local generation

Analysis and comparison of the options

ReliabilityOption 1 is untested in Hong Kong and given the reliability of CSG’s network in Guangdong province is not at the same level as Hong Kong, careful consideration must be made to ensure Hong Kong’s supply reliability is not compromised. Option 2, on the other hand, has a proven track record and can be implemented in a shorter timeframe (five years) instead of ten years for Option 1.

SafetyIn terms of safety performance for Option 1, the SDC expresses concern about whether the safety risks of power generation would simply be outsourced to a company outside Hong Kong, that as stakeholders, we would have no control over. While for local generation under Option 2, the safety performance of the power companies can be well-regulated and monitored effectively by the Government and Hong Kong stakeholders.

Environmental performanceUnder Option 1, local emissions are effectively reduced by “shifting” local power generation to the Mainland. However, this raises a moral question whether this would just be a NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) approach of sending away emissions to the Mainland. In addition, it is not certain that the overall regional air quality would improve, especially when the major fuel for power generation in Mainland China is still coal. For Option 2, there is higher confidence and control of the emissions from local natural gas generation, but natural gas

Extracted from position letter to Secretary for the Environment

Future Fuel Mix for Electricity Generation

EXCHANGE

Advocacy8

is still a net positive generator of carbon emissions even though it is at half the level compared to coal-fired generation.

Cost concernsFor cost structures, although the Government indicated the cost would be similar under either option, Option 1 is expected to involve an up-front investment in a cross-border interconnection facility to enable the import from the South China grid. The costs of such import may not be appreciably influenced or controllable by Hong Kong since the Mainland power sellers subject to their own generation costs, the cost for building new infrastructure for power transmission as well as other elements such as Value-Added Taxes or potential carbon-related costs. Option 2 is expected to involve a smaller, up-front investment for additional local gas-fired units but tariffs would be affected by the availability and cost of natural gas.

Potential impact on local industry and economyOption 1 may have impact on the ability to retain engineering talent in Hong Kong and may incur loss of economic activity, because a significant portion of power generation business would be shifted into the Mainland permanently.

Based on the information given in the public consultation paper and on other sources of public information reviewed, the Chamber believes that increasing local gas generation will be the pragmatic and effective way to improve both Hong Kong and PRD air quality in meeting the Government’s policy targets by the early 2020s. The question of whether Hong Kong should build a designated transmission line to increase the importing of electricity from the CSG needs further review and analysis before the Chamber can provide a qualified and informed opinion on the matter.

In addition, the adoption of energy efficiency and conservation (“EE&C”) is also critical for the success of future energy policy. With proper adoption of EE&C, load growth could be slowed and the need for building new generators could be deferred. Hong Kong has been promoting EE&C for years and its elements are becoming more important in many buildings nowadays. The Chamber is of the opinion that renewable energy has not been given an appropriate role in the future fuel mix proposed by Government. Viable renewable energy projects should be pursued wherever sensible and therefore, a target renewable energy proportion should be integrated into the mix. In addition, the Chamber believes that the Government can do more to raise public awareness through education, public campaigns and to incentivise more innovation and adoption on EE&C.

In summary, in absence of detailed information on the impact on reliability, regional environmental performance and affordability of Option 1, the Chamber supports that any change in Hong Kong’s fuel mix is supported by cleaner local gas generation as proposed in Option 2 but supplemented with renewable energy and EE&C.

About the SDC

MissionThe mission of the SDC is to be a leader and innovator in promoting Hong Kong’s sustainable development.

Vision1. Build awareness of sustainable development among

Chamber members and the Hong Kong community and provide opportunities for members to engage in and implement sustainability initiatives that support the Chamber’s priorities.

2. Formulate and promote the Chamber’s position on relevant policy issues relating to the sustainable development of Hong Kong.

3. Partner with business, the Government, NGOs and the community to further sustainable development.

Objectives1. Implement engagement, learning and sharing

opportunities and high profile events to enable the Chamber and its members to contribute to Hong Kong’s sustainable development.

2. Feature Canadian business solutions and values wherever possible.

3. Engage in constructive and high impact policy advocacy.

For more information, please visit http://www.cancham.org/group/SDC

Vol.13

Advocacy 9

Dr. Janet De Silva is well-known in our community. She has over ten years of CEO experience in China and Hong Kong. She currently leads the Hong Kong campus and Mainland China operations of Canada’s premier business school, Ivey Business School, with responsibilities for the school’s overall development

and expansion in Asia; and, serves on a number of corporate and not-for-profit boards.

Jan has received many honours throughout her career. She is recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 most Powerful Women; was named Asian Business Executive in the 2006 American Stevie Awards for International

Business and; to the 2012 inaugural Diversity 50 List of Board Ready Women by the Canadian Board Diversity Council. This month In October of this year, the South China Morning Post recognized her as one of the

“Influential Women of Our Time” for her contributions to education. Drawing on her experience, let’s explore her views on women in business.

Special Feature:

“Influential Women of Our Time” Award:

EXCHANGE

Sharing Experience and Success: Leadership Column

By Vivian Wan and Carol Chan,The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

Dr. Janet De Silva

10

How long have you worked in Hong Kong? What were some of the challenges you faced when you first arrived and how did you overcome them having worked both in Hong Kong and Canada?

I moved to Hong Kong in December 2000, transferring here as CEO of Sun Life Financial Hong Kong. It was a terrific role that provided an opportunity to gain international experience.

Quite frankly, I never found any of my challenges to be gender related. In my early days in Hong Kong my challenge was developing awareness of the cultural and work style differences between Toronto and Hong Kong.

For instance, in Toronto, it was common practise to hold a business meeting over lunch with staff while in Hong Kong that was not the case. It took my team a few days to work up the courage to tell me I’d made a ‘faux pas’ in bringing an agenda to lunch. Lunch in Hong Kong is a more social opportunity to personally get to know your luncheon guest.

And, I learned that culture shock works both ways. My Hong Kong colleagues believed that no Canadian was a match for the quick pace of Hong Kong. After all, the business environment was much more relaxed in Canada, right? Well, they soon learned that was not the case and jokingly suggested I must have some HK ancestors in my family tree.

An unexpected surprise was the accessibility of the business community and the amazing networking culture of Hong Kong – networking on a supercharged scale compared to Toronto. And, speaking of networking, I believe I was only in Hong Kong 11 days before then the Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Dave Armitage, called me for lunch. Now, I have to confess, my only exposure to a business chamber had been the one in Oakville, Ontario, where we lived before Hong Kong. That chamber was renowned for organizing the annual mid-night madness events for local retailers. Imagine my surprise to learn the breadth and depth of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the largest association of Canadian business outside Canada. Thanks to Dave, my involvement with the Chamber became my fast-track to acclimatizing to Hong Kong.

Is it easier to establish a female presence and excel in the corporate world here in Hong Kong or in Canada and why?

I have truly never found gender to be an issue, although it has created a few humorous moments, in many parts of the world. What I have found important, in any role, was to demonstrate my ability to contribute to the success of the organization particularly when I was the youngest person on the leadership team. One of my earliest leadership roles in Canada was a major organizational change assignment that impacted the organization’s cross-Canada branch offices and their long-serving managers. In my first few months in the

role, several of the managers observed that they had daughters older than me, but, as the changes took hold and we began to experience some success, the conversation shifted.

One inevitability of senior corporate gender imbalances is the honest mistakes caused by stereotypes. Like having a conference organizer, in the U.S., try to escort me to the spouses’ shopping trip when I was supposed to be giving a conference keynote address. Or, when the CEO of Cathay Pacific flew the heads of the international business chambers in Hong Kong, to Beijing, for meetings with the Chinese government. The Chinese Minister’s aid, was embarrassingly surprised to learn I was head of the Canadian Chamber and not the CEO’s wife as he tried to escort me to another part of The Great Hall. Being able to laugh it off helps relieve the other party’s embarrassment or inject some fun into a team, like being reminded by the gents on the leadership team that I needed to allow a longer break as more of them needed to line up for the men’s room than I did for the ladies.

There has long been a gender imbalance in senior roles. How were you able to overcome this? Why aren’t more women?

My current role at Ivey has given me a chance to look at this in-depth and has also provided an opportunity to try to address this. The reality, today, is that organizations are seeking diversity – diversity on their leadership teams and in their boardrooms. Surprisingly, what I observe is an “aspiration gap” that is limiting the talent pool of experienced women for these roles.

In Hong Kong, for instance, many women step out mid-career to care for parents or to help their children progress in their education. The exam bias of HK’s local education system results in a number of women leaving the workforce to tutor their children. During those years away women forfeit the career experience required for progression to more senior roles.

Global averages indicate that women are not making the same investments in executive development as men. Where women are equally represented in undergraduate degree programs, in Executive MBA programs – programs that round out leadership skills and experience – globally, women comprise only 27% of the class. In a recent Ivey graduating class, 40% of the students were promoted or joined a new organization within months of graduating. So, if women aren’t part of the class, they are not benefiting.

In response to this, Ivey Asia partnered with The Women’s Foundation here in Hong Kong. Through this partnership, The Women’s Foundation has provided 10 scholarships for aspiring women to join our EMBA program. The first of three of these scholarship recipients will be graduating in May and one of them has already been promoted. We will be watching them with interest as their careers progress.

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Sharing Experience and Success: Leadership Column 11

In answering how I overcame gender imbalance in my career there is a common success factor claimed by most women in business – that is, to marry “well”! Not rich (although rich is nice-to-have) but to marry well is to have a husband who fully supports and encourages your career. My husband, Yves, really has been the success factor for me. He was patient while I completed my 2 years of EMBA studies earlier in my career – an experience that gave me the confidence to pursue more senior roles. He supported our decision to move to Asia in 2000 even though he gave up a role he loved in Canada. And, he made it possible for me to take on a very difficult and challenging assignment when I led Sun Life’s joint venture in China. Challenging, because it meant I had to live in a different city than the family, seeing them only on weekends – Yves made it possible.

What can corporations do to support women growth in business?

As I mentioned earlier, diversity is highly sought after by many corporations. Major organizations are actively developing and supporting women leaders through internal networks, mentorships or signature programs like Goldman Sachs acclaimed “Reboarding Program” for women returning to the workplace. The “Best Companies for Women” in Hong Kong are recognized, annually, through the Women of Influence Awards. However, I believe the best support for women in business, is other women – encouraging them, acting as role models and sounding boards. To succeed in business, women need to accept this requires balance, control and outstanding multi-tasking abilities. Having a peer group and mentors to explain that this is the reality and share their coping strategies is the most powerful tool for enabling more women to aspire and pursue success in business. Women like Helena Morrissey, mother of nine children, CEO of Newton Investment Management and Founder of The 30% Club – a group of UK Listed Board Chairman who have committed to better gender diversity on their boards.

Talking about role models, who is your role models?

There are many people I admire but talking about woman-to-woman role models, the first one would be Su Mei Thompson, CEO of The Women’s Foundation (“TWF”). She has evolved this into a highly respected organization supported by multiple, major corporations that is focused solely on the advancement of women and girls in Hong Kong. She brought The 30% Club to HK and actively involved me in her women on boards initiatives. It was through this connection that the Ivey TWF Scholarship program was conceived, because if we don’t have more women with the experience and skills to hold more C-suite positions than how can we hope to have a pipeline of experienced women to fill the needs of The 30% Club for more women on boards?

Helena Morrissey, as mentioned above, is super mom, super career women and super-influencer. With nine children to my one child – if she can do it why can’t more of us?

And, the woman with the toughest, high profile job in town at the moment - Carrie Lam –a warm, engaging, solution-oriented leader who does not shy away from tough jobs. She cares deeply about the people of Hong Kong and is well-informed and passionate about the need for change to better the circumstances of the low income majority that is the demographic of Hong Kong. She is also a very astute leader – something I have experienced first hand. Rather than dictating decisions she is accomplished at posing the right questions so that government departments work together to find solutions.

What’s the best advice that you have received in that you wish to pass onto our readers? Are there any resources or tools that you’d like to share with other women in business to make the path a little easier?

Well, in addition to “marrying well” which we’ve covered before, the most important advice I received was about a week on-the-job in Hong Kong. Following a lunch with some potential business partners, my boss (a very accomplished international executive who just happened to be male) sat me down for a chat. He said it was clear that I was a very capable North American business “man” but to succeed in Asia, I would need to act as a successful Asian business “woman” – keep the energy and drive, but learn to focus on relationships first. A ping-pong luncheon discussion that compared experience and wins in other markets was not going to work in Asia. This very wise, inspirational mentor is still a very good friend of mine.

And, my final personal advice to other woman in business is to get involved in the community. Being active, for instance, in the Chamber provides a priceless opportunity to roll-up your sleeves, make a difference, build your network and create a personal brand within the community.

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Did you ever dream of working in Hong Kong previously when you were in Canada before your arrival here?

Lynn: Growing up in Vancouver BC, enjoying many friendships with people of Hong Kong origin, I always hoped for a chance to visit the city. My interest grew when I had the pleasure of sharing a room for two years at the United World College of the Atlantic in the UK with a student from Hong Kong who introduced me to many aspects of Cantonese culture- and also to mooncakes! Later on, as my career in the Canadian foreign service began to focus increasingly on international trade, I developed a strong desire to work in such an influential centre for international trade and commerce.

Jan: I’m fortunate that this is my second assignment in Hong Kong. I worked in the Consulate General’s Foreign Policy and Diplomacy section from 2000-2003. My husband and I loved the pace of life and work, the efficiency, and the many friends that we made here. In 2012 when I was offered a return to Hong Kong, I was given a couple of days to think about it but there was no need - my husband and I accepted immediately.

Cynthia: As a young trade professional, a posting in Hong Kong is a dream come true. Working with the Chamber and such a vibrant business community will surely be an enriching experience. I’ll be working in Hong Kong for at least three years and hope to become well acquainted with all that the city and its people have to offer.

What is working for you living and working in Hong Kong? Which aspects of Hong Kong do you enjoy most? (e.g. Advantages/ Winning edges)

Lynn: It has been a month since our arrival and my family and I are thoroughly enjoying Hong Kong. As we explore the city, we’re appreciating the vibrancy of Hong Kong and of course, the food. From a work perspective, I’m finding the professionalism and initiative of HongKongers to be very impressive. It’s also great to have the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the Consulate General to further advance Canada’s prosperity agenda in Hong Kong, Macao, mainland China and the rest of Asia.

Jan: I would have to agree with Lynn that my favourite part of living here is the people. Hongkongers tend to be internationally focused which opens up enormous opportunities for us as trade facilitators. Hong Kong attracts talent from around the world and people tend to be generous with their time and expertise. As a result, it’s a fascinating location from which to follow international markets and commercial developments.

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Adventures of Working Abroad in Hong Kong

Interview with Trade Commissioners from the

Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Lynn McDonald as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee in her new role as Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao. She joins Janice Vogtle, Consul and Trade Commissioner, and current member of the China Business Committee; and Cynthia Carlone, who will be arriving in Hong Kong in November 2014 as Vice Consul and Trade Commissioner. Together they lead a team of 12 talented and highly-experienced locally-engaged Trade Commissioners to support Canadian commercial interests, assisting companies with international business development, innovation partnerships, and investment.

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What are the challenges upon your arrival? How have you overcome them?

Lynn and Jan: As part of Canada’s rotational Foreign Service we’re fortunate to receive relocation support and the Consulate General in particular has been very helpful with our transition to Hong Kong. As a result we have not experienced many challenges professionally or personally.

Cynthia, How are you preparing for your upcoming move to the SAR?

Cynthia: I’ve always been fascinated by Hong Kong. The city’s reputation as a world-class metropolis and gateway to the Asia-Pacific region is well established in the Canadian consciousness. I’ve been preparing to take up my duties as a Trade Commissioner with intensive language training and specialized courses for months. As I’ve learned more about Hong Kong’s history and its culture of entrepreneurship, as well as its deep ties with Canada, my anticipation and excitement has only grown.

Have you worked in other countries before apart from Hong Kong? How is Hong Kong compared to these places?

Lynn: I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work for three years at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland and for four years at the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC.

Jan: Before joining the foreign service I studied and worked in Zimbabwe. I have done what we call a short “temporary-duty” assignment at Canada’s High Commission in Accra, Ghana, and two, three-year assignments at our regional office in Toronto.

Lynn, Jan and Cynthia: The location all three of us have in common is Ottawa, our headquarters city. All of these locations are obviously very different geographically and culturally from Hong Kong but that’s what makes our time here so interesting.

Any final thoughts for Chamber Members?

Jan: I’d like to add that I’m delighted to welcome Lynn and Cynthia to the team. Lynn brings a wealth of leadership and experience in trade policy and management; Cynthia brings her language skills and her experience in trade law; and I look forward to continuing my work in investment attraction and trade development. I think our skills complement each other well and we look forward to collaborating with the Chamber, its members, and Canadian business to support further expansion of the vibrant trade and investment relationship between Canada and Hong Kong.

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How long have you lived in Hong Kong? When did you arrive in Hong Kong?

I have been living in Hong Kong for the past five years. My wife and I decided to move from Montreal, Quebec, to Hong Kong for some adventure in 2009. I must say we have been very lucky ever since we arrived. We have been involved in rich professional experiences.

Did you ever dream of working in Hong Kong previously when you were in Canada (before your arrival)?

I came to Hong Kong in 1992 for a part-time internship for three weeks. I was only required to work for half a day, so was able to experience Hong Kong working life as well as travel around to discover the region and its culture. I fell in love with the city and decided that there needed to be a way for me to return in the future. It was just a matter of coming back at the right time and doing something I would be interested in.

Have you worked in other countries before apart from Hong Kong? How is Hong Kong compared to these places?

I have worked in both Europe and Canada. Both were great training grounds with strong corporate cultures where a young graduate could learn. In terms of growth and opportunities, Hong Kong comes ahead, in particular when it comes to middle management. Hong Kong is frenetic and dynamic thanks to its quality as a hub where people from different backgrounds meet to do business. These opportunities in turn generate great opportunities for solid managers to deliver.

What were some of the challenges you faced when you first arrived and how did you overcome them?

Hong Kong is a place that is very easy to adapt to. The most difficult part is air pollution and it is really a big concern for my wife and me, as for many others. We do our part by not owning a car, using the public transports or walking. We also recycle as much as possible with a company called HK Recycles.

What are the advantages and disadvantages working in Hong Kong?

One of the advantages is that Hong Kong is well located in the region. Being four hours away by plane from many countries in Asia, it makes my

Interview Conducted by Jocelyn GarridoThe Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

Interview with Mati Pouliot

life much easier since I have to cover clients residing anywhere between Japan and Australia.

What would you like to see Hong Kong do more as your “home”/“ideal city”?

For Hong Kong to be my “ideal city” and remain my “home”, I would want it to continue to be as cosmopolitan as it is - speaking a number of different languages and home to a diverse number of nationalities. It will ensure that it stays vibrant and remains easy to do business with the rest of the world. It would also be great if Hong Kong could make its mark on the cultural front. It has improved, but could offer so much more. A simple look at the other Asian metropolises should be an inspiration. My last thought is of course on pollution, the city has to speed up its efforts and take an active role in advocacy in the region. What a great area for Hong Kong to make its mark.

When you retire, would you rather spend your retirement life in Hong Kong or Canada, and why?

Probably a bit of both, but actually it is a long way down. There are too many opportunities ahead to think about retiring.

Mati Pouliot is Treasurer of the Chamber. He is also a member of the Executive Committee.

Mati is an active member of the CFA Institute and the HK Association of Financial Analysts, plus sitting on a number of boards of Asian based companies. He was previously the President of the Montreal Section of the Hong Kong Canada Business Association. Mati holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mining from McGill University. Mati has over a decade of experience in assisting entrepreneurs and corporate teams manage development across Asia, Europe and North America. He first joined ArcelorMittal, one of the world’s leaders in steel and iron ore producer, as a Financial Analyst and worked in the Sales & Marketing after relocating to Asia. Before joining ArcelorMittal, Mati also held various senior positions in the venture capital industry in Europe and North America. Currently he works as Sales Director in Asia for GEE, a provider of inflight entertainment content and internet connectivity for the airline industry

Mati PouliotSales Director

GEE

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Hockey in Hong Kong has evolved significantly during the past thirty years: the ice rink has developed from an

L-shaped one near the Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park to the professional experience of Mega Ice in Kowloon Bay, while the number of players grew from two teams mainly from the West to now over a thousand people of the Asian region, as well as with a number of successful leagues including the China Ice Hockey League (“CIHL”), the Hong Kong City League, MageICE Super League, etc. When being asked if anyone can ever imagine that ice hockey would grow into this scale in the city nowadays, “Certainly yes! Why not?” Bernard answered without hesitation.

In the past……

Back to 1980s, when hockey was first played in Hong Kong, it faced several constraints, namely the lack of players, venues and ice time. Bernard described it as “quite a magical time” that it was just a group of friends who wanted to play hockey

The Road of Ice Hockey in Hong Kong

By Jericho Handcock and Carol Chan, The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

and they did it under fog, poor air-conditioning in early hours of Sunday morning. Hockey provided a remembrance of home for these players, who were predominantly Canadians living on the complete other side of the world from home. These players eventually started the Can-Am Ice Hockey Hong Kong Association.

With the kind help of:• Mr Bernard Pouliot, Chairman, Quam Limited• Mr Bruce Hicks, Managing Director, TPIZ Resources Limited• Mr Gregory Smyth, Director, CIHL• Mr John Laroche, Chairman, HK Typhoons Ice Hockey Club• Mr Shane Weir, Consultant, Weir & Associates Solicitors & Notaries Public

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In the early years, it was difficult to find other teams to play against as there were only two crowds in Hong Kong. The other team was a group of locals run by Jimmy Chim, whom Bruce honored as the godfather of ice hockey in Hong Kong, and the two teams were only allowed to play once a year in the early days.

Another opportunity to play finally came. In 1985, the Can-Am group made the first international tournament in South Korea, which fielded a United Nations army team, the Korean national team, a university team, and the Can-Am team. In the first year of the tournament, the teams even had a chance to play at an outdoor rink near the North Korean border. Bernard joked that the Can-Am players had difficulty competing against younger, stronger teams and the team lost the tournament. Despite the loss, it was still one of the fondest memories of early hockey in Hong Kong among several of the Can-Am players.

The Can-Am players knew they needed a better venue than the only rink at the Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park, which also housed a small zoo. Progress was eventually made in 1986 with the development of Cityplaza with an ice rink. However, Cityplaza was not just an ice facility and it was not setup for ice hockey: a small rink with a steel rail along the inside of the boards but without nets to catch shots, resulting in a number of broken windows and shop signs.

One significant achievement by the Can-Am Ice Hockey Hong Kong Association was the first Ice Hockey 5’s, a five-on-five tournament in 1994, and Shane recalled that at that time there were only four teams in the tournament, one of which being the local team. Later on the tournament grew immensely into what is now known as the MegaICE Hockey 5’s, the largest ice hockey tournament in Asia, with teams competing from over 15 cities in Asia, Europe and North America

What Is Happening Now……

“Recreation is the DNA of Canadians,” Bruce commented and Canadians devoted so much effort and resources in brining the sport to town. In order to root the sport in Hong Kong, they realized that it could not be accomplished without the engagement from children in the local community. Therefore, the culture of ice hockey has experienced a paradigm shift with the influx of children learning to play, which is contributed by the success of youth programs such as the CIHL’s Intern Program and Royal Bank of Canada (“RBC”) Adopt a School Program, and the Hong Kong Typhoons’ Hockey Development Program supported by the Society for Community Organisation (“SoCO”).

“Hong Kong is definitely several years ahead of anywhere else in Asia, in terms of hockey development, and with all the

support, organisation and volunteers putting in the time and effort, hockey has been successful in Hong Kong,” Gregory said.

With the support of league sponsor, Quam Group, the CIHL launched the RBC Adopt a School program in 2011 and invited different schools from Hong Kong to be part of a CIHL double header. There is a dedicated RBC Adopt a School fan zone for students and they can have an opportunity to try on CIHL jerseys, hold a hockey stick and learn about the game before the game, while lucky students may also have the opportunity to take part in a shootout in between games. For some students, the fun on-ice shoot-out is the first time they have ever been on the ice; for others, seeing the CIHL in action is enough to make them sign up to play ice hockey.

The program was further supported with the introduction of CIHL Intern Program, which provides talented Canadian hockey players with opportunities in Hong Kong, by being involved in coaching youth hockey and playing in the CIHL. As mentioned by Gregory, the program targets two aspects: injecting fresh talents into Hong Kong to raise the game level and helping the young players transiting from university into business by gaining work experience. Several players have decided to stay in Hong Kong after the internship and have taken up a role in the teams that drafted them to contribute further to the league and the sport in the city.

With a view that local kids give continuity and to ensure that hockey in Hong Kong is more accessible to young players, the Typhoons started the Development Program by subsidising five kids each year for full gear with coaching and ice time to experience ice hockey. Later on, it worked with the SoCO to expand the program to two hundred children coming from the grass-roots level with a chance to play hockey. John mentioned that the program provides players with the equipment and coaching required to pursue the sport, while simultaneously promoting the values of teamwork, commitment and health.

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With the seeds planted in the early days, there has been a corresponding increase in the number of locals playing and in the number of local or Chinese coaches, which will help create a stable platform for the future of hockey in Hong Kong. The integration of locals into the sport means that hockey is embedded into the local culture of Hong Kong.

Apart from regularly working with CIHL and hosting an annual event by bringing in participants to watch the CIHL Championship Hockey Game “Quam Cup” in Mega Ice, the Chamber has done something never before done in Hong Kong. In 2013, with the coordination from the Alberta provincial government, Bernard and David Sarju, the Ball Chair of that year, the Chamber flied some of the NHL’s former stars, accompanied by the Stanley Cup, to celebrate the Annual Ball “Hockey Night in Hong Kong”. With the presence of hockey players in town for that week, the hockey week started off with an ice hockey clinic for children hosted by Meco Hockey at the MegaIce ice rink and followed by a ball hockey tournament in the Canadian International School of Hong Kong with local Chinese schools to give students a chance to taste what hockey was all about.

Challenges now……

Hong Kong is home to six ice rinks. However, there is only one “official-sized” ice rink. Despite of its size, it is not able to host Olympic qualifying hockey or figure skating events. It does not meet other requirements which are necessary for hosting these events. Also, the availability ice time is still limited for hockey because of the interest from both public skating and figure skating. That explains why the number of ice hockey players is still limited due to the lack of additional ice sport facilities. There is a need for a larger, ice sport focused facility to help build ice sports, including hockey in Hong Kong and in Southern China.

In order for hockey to get to the next level of maturity in Hong Kong, a larger venue needs to be established that is dedicated

to the sport- a pursuit that began in the early 1990s. In recent years, several active members of the Chamber have been actively leading an effort to promote development of a world class ice sports facility for the Hong Kong community – the “ICE Center Project”. A new ice sports community center could bring broad social, health and economic benefits for Hong Kong while helping to satisfy the huge demand for new ice sports facilities. The ICE Center could also pull together Hong Kong’s many ice sports organisations and become the headquarters for recreational and elite level ice sports in our community, allowing international ice sports competitions to be hosted by Hong Kong.

On the other hand, given the limited ice time now, leading to high ice costs that may refrain the local’s less fortunate children from participating , finding sponsorship from corporations is another challenge for hockey teams in Hong Kong. Currently, the Canadian community is heavily involved but it has to escalate to another level with support from all companies in the town, regardless of where they originate from, to engage the local community for the future and further growth.

As hockey continues to gain in popularity among young people and local communities, the sport will thrive in Hong Kong, expanding from the foundations laid thirty years ago. With the support hockey has received from the Hong Kong community, there is no doubt its future looks promising, not only in Hong Kong but in Asia.

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Canadian International School of Hong Kong: New Head of School

Dr. Gregg MalobertiHead of School

Q. Can you tell us about yourself, including why you became an educator and your journey to CDNIS?

As a student in a Liberal Arts college, I was encouraged to become a lifelong learner. I believed then as I do now that the field of education is a natural occupation for a person who loves reading, writing and thinking. Reflecting on that choice, I’d have to say that it was the love of learning that drew me to teaching. But it is helping young people discover their potential that sustains my interest in education.

I visited Hong Kong for the first time in 1990 and since then I have travelled back at least once a year for student recruitment, alumni relations and fundraising. During my 15-year tenure as Dean of Admission at Lawrenceville, I personally interviewed as many as 40 Hong Kong students each year and reviewed even more applications. Interestingly, the students that always stood out the most, and the ones I remembered best were the students from CDNIS. The CDNIS students would always choose to talk about their school with great pride and more often then not, talk about their friends, their teachers, teams and clubs and the accomplishments they achieved together in groups rather than as individuals. Now, after being a part of this school and learning more about its culture, I understand why our students are so community minded.

Q. How did you feel once you found out you would be the new Head of School at CDNIS, as well as thoughts about moving to Hong Kong?

I was thrilled. My wife and I have always been interested in overseas opportunities and Asia was the natural choice for us as Hong Kong has always been our favourite city in the world. I find the energy of Hong Kong intoxicating. There is no other city in the world that

Dr. Gregg Maloberti was announced as the fifth Head of School at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong (“CDNIS”) in February of this year, with his appointment beginning officially on August 1st. Prior to joining the school, Gregg served as Interim Head and Director of Institutional Advancement at Ross School in New York. But as the Chamber discovered during a recent sit-down interview with Gregg, his journey to CDNIS began over a decade ago.

moves at such a fast pace and a high frequency. I also find Hong Kong to be an incredibly friendly city and an easy place to be a stranger. Hong Kong is a forward thinking, multicultural city that engages fully with industry and commerce from all over the world. I never feel more globally connected than when I am in Hong Kong.

Q. Has this position been what you expected when you took it?

In my view, CDNIS exceeds its reputation. I am absolutely in awe of the calibre of teachers and staff the school attracts. I have had the luxury of serving some of America’s finest schools and I can say without a doubt that CDNIS staff are absolutely first rate. After being at CDNIS for just a few weeks, I can see why we attract and retain these very talented and outstanding teachers who are passionate about education and have a deep reverence for learning. International schools are often known for being transient and CDNIS is not. A number of staff initially signed-on for a two-year appointment but have ended up staying at the school for 10, 15 or 20 years or more. Notably this year, seven former staff members returned to CDNIS after teaching elsewhere in Hong Kong and around the world.

Q. What is the major difference you have noticed by being in this position in Hong Kong, compared to your previous one?

In the past, I worked at American schools that made themselves more diverse by inviting students from abroad to join a dominant culture. CDNIS is a truly international and multicultural community and I find it far more interesting to be immersed in a more complex student population. At CDNIS, it is not about where you are from; it is about who you are and where you are going.

Interview conducted by Jocelyn Garrido and Vivian Wan,The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

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Focus on Members20

Q. Has there been any aspects that you did not expect?

I was really impressed with the level of positive parent involvement. Our Parents Association, CISPA, is the most organized, dedicated and welcoming Parents Association I have ever encountered. Their outreach to new parents is extraordinary and their support of the teachers and staff is generous and helpful. The Parents Association not only supports the educational aims of the school, but plays a vital role in hosting many events and celebrations that make the CDNIS experience enjoyable and memorable for everyone.

Q. What are your three main goals as Head of School?

My first responsibility as Head of School is to watch, listen and learn. I intend to be a very diligent student and learn as much about the culture of the school as I can. Secondly, the school’s mission which is to develop responsible global citizens and leaders through academic excellence is important to me. I want to make sure we remain deeply committed to our mission, because it will serve our students well in the future. And finally, I want people in Hong Kong and around the world to recognize the comprehensive education students receive at our school. Not only do CDNIS students achieve some of the highest IB results in the world and gain admission to the most selective and competitive universities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and elsewhere around the world, but they leave our school as outstanding, compassionate leaders of tomorrow who are inspired to make a difference in the world.

Q. What strengths do you look for in your teachers and in your students?

I look for similar qualities in both teachers and students in that they are full of passion, fuelled by curiosity and thrive on relationships that develop around common interests and through discovery. I believe at the very centre of the learning journey is the relationship between the teacher and the student. That relationship gives students the confidence to take risks, try new things and trust their instincts.

Q. How will you transform CDNIS to be the school of the future?

My impression is CDNIS is a school that is already thinking about the future. When our students enter the workforce, they will most certainly be participating in a global society and economy. The school is actively preparing our students to engage the world. With more than 40 nationalities represented in our student body, one could say CDNIS is already a microcosm of a global society. Our students have countless opportunities to form rich connections with different cultures and we encourage them to embrace the value of diversity. Furthermore, I know our teachers will continue to look at innovative ways to inspire our students through a shared passion for learning. One example is our frequent integration of technology into the curriculum. Currently, our Chinese Studies Department is developing their own interactive software and apps for teaching and learning Chinese. This is the kind of innovation that has earned us various

distinctions, including being one of the first schools in Asia to be named an Apple Distinguished School.

Q. How will you encourage your students to learn beyond the classroom?

I think the teachers and staff at the school already do a wonderful job of instilling in our students that learning does not just take place inside the classroom walls. Our students are also involved in a number of service learning projects. These endeavors are a terrific opportunity not only for our students to help those less fortunate, but more importantly, for them to learn that even the smallest gesture of kindness can make a huge difference in other peoples lives. When our students return to the same service projects year in and year out, they really begin to appreciate the positive contribution of their volunteer efforts.

Q. How do you think CDNIS differs from other international schools in Hong Kong? If I were a parent in Hong Kong contemplating a school for my children, why would I choose CDNIS?

Like Canada, CDNIS is truly a diverse and multicultural community infused with some of the best values for which Canada is well known – being polite, open-minded, tolerant and friendly people, with a sense of humour and a love for all things on ice. Globally, I believe one of the things people from other countries admire most about Canadians is how accepting Canadians are of others. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a model for other countries to follow when it comes to protecting the rights of all people and ensuring everyone is treated equally. And I can say without a doubt that everyone at CDNIS definitely embraces these qualities.

From my experience, parents often choose a school based on outcomes such as test scores and university placement. I know our students’ results will satisfy even the most discerning parent. Parents should choose CDNIS because they want their children to become active learners in a supportive and engaging community. There is a remarkable energy level and joy that flows in and out of our school everyday and I do not know any parent who would not want their child to be a part of that. And I am glad we have over 1,280 families who trust our school to develop their children into responsible global citizens and leaders.

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While CDNIS is internationally known for its excellence in education, it prides itself on being a small family-style organization. The school offers a range of other benefits you won’t find at other international schools, such as small class sizes that help teachers provide individual attention. Students are encouraged to maintain a balance between academic work and extra-curricular opportunities, with sporting and cultural achievements valued equally. The school offers a plethora of extra-curricular activities, which are more wide-ranging than any other school in Hong Kong with these activities utilizing spectacular facilities including laboratories, art, music and drama rooms, a 25-metre indoor pool, gymnasiums, fitness rooms, numerous outdoor playing surfaces and a spectacular 604-seat theatre.

Languages also play a big part in the curriculum, with mandatory Mandarin as well as optional courses in French. CDNIS’ Chinese Studies Department stands as one of the finest among English language schools in Hong Kong with CDNIS students scoring amongst the highest IB Chinese marks in the world. An appreciation of Chinese culture is also instilled in students through an abundance of cultural exchange opportunities.

Fast Facts:

CDNIS was established in 1991 and has evolved from a small campus of 81 students to a school with over 1,820 students and 290 staff representing more than 42 nationalities.

The 31,000 square metre campus is spread out across 14 levels.

CDNIS is a through-train International Baccalaureate World School. It offers the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Years programmes in addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (“OSSD”).

As a non-profit organization, all the school’s funds are reinvested to continually upgrade and improve the school’s facilities and learning resources.

CDNIS is an Apple Distinguished School. This merit is reserved for schools that meet criteria for innovation, leadership and educational excellence while demonstrating a clear vision of exemplary learning environments.

Members of the Class of 2014 were the school’s fifth cohort of IB Diploma graduates.

Unlike other Hong Kong schools who hand-pick which students can take the IB Diploma Programme, all CDNIS students are enrolled in the IB Diploma Programme and all write the IB DP exams.

From the Class of 2014, two students achieved the full mark of 45. Nine students placed in the top 1% of the world, scoring a 43 or higher, while 31 students achieved a score of 40 or higher. Twenty students received the Bilingual Diploma and 93% of the students achieved an IB score above the world average of 29.

Members of the Class of 2014 were accepted into universities around the world. Nearly one third or 29% are now studying in the UK, 28% enrolled in Canadian universities, 25% are attending US universities, 7% elected to enroll in a Hong Kong university, 3% in Australia and 6% choosing post secondary institutions in other countries including Netherlands, Korea, Sweden, Malaysia, Germany and Switzerland.

Two out of three students from of the Class of 2014 are attending a Top 100 University according to the QS World University Rankings.

CDNIS students were accepted into outstanding universities including:Boston College, Cambridge, CUHK, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, HKU, HKUST, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins, London School of Economics, McGill, Middlebury College, Notre Dame, NYU, UC Berkeley, UCLA, University College London, US Naval Academy, USC, University of Toronto.

Members of the Class of 2014 were offered more than HK$16m in scholarships to attend various universities around the world. Thirty of those scholarships were worth HK$100,000 or more, seven valued at HK$500,000 or more, one at HK$1.4M and the largest scholarship was worth HK$3.1M.

CDNIS has commemorated 16 graduating classes.

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H ere are 5 key issues to consider when going through the daunting task of choosing the right policy for you and your family.

1. You must know about medical costs in Hong Kong

What is the average cost of a General Patient and Specialist consultation? What is the difference in the average cost of a private/semi-private/standard hospital room? If you already have a network of health professionals or preferred hospitals, what are you currently paying for their services? With these costs in mind, it will be easier to assess whether the coverage and limits of the policy you are considering are adequate.

2. Is the policy lifetime renewable?

Some policies automatically terminate at the age of 60/70, leaving you with very few insurance options afterwards, especially if you have pre-existing conditions (risks of exclusions, surcharges or moratoriums). As the risks of having pre-existing conditions increase as your age, the sooner you purchase lifetime renewable coverage, the greater protection you have for the future.

3. The policy’s and the insurer’s track record

It is worth looking into the provider’s customer service reputation and financial stability. Are customers generally happy with claim reimbursements? Has the policy been on the market for more than 2 years? What was the premium’s annual indexation for the past 5 years? Be cautious as some extremely attractive insurance plans are simply not sustainable and can impose excessive premium increases.

5 Things You Should Know When ChoosingInternational Medical InsuranceBy Amelie Dionne-Charest, AD MediLink Brandon Hui, Groveland Financial Services

Amelie Dionne-Charest Brandon Hui

While Hong Kong is one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world, its private sector is also among the most expensive. If you have an international profile and you are looking for individual or family international medical coverage, bear in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all insurance policy. The challenge resides in identifying the insurance plan that corresponds to your current and anticipated medical needs, your future life plans and your budget.

4. Waiting time period

This is the duration of time from the commencement date of your policy where the insurance provides no coverage (usually for maternity, optical and dental services). Maternity waiting time periods, which are generally 10/12 months, are particularly tricky as different policies have different time period calculations. Maternity services are extremely expensive in Hong Kong and if you do not respect the waiting time period, you will have to pay for the services out of pocket.

5. International Coverage

While international medical insurance policies provide coverage anywhere in the world, some plans exclude certain zones or countries and do not allow you to keep the policy if you move back home or to another country. Depending on your known or unknown future life plans, you might want to consider purchasing medical insurance you can keep for the rest of your life, regardless of the country of residence.

Lastly, remember that there is nothing more important than health. Insurance policies are complex and it is difficult to compare different policies. Discuss your options with experts and do not wait until it is too late to be insurable at a reasonable cost!

Amelie Dionne-Charest and partnering broker Brandon Hui, Director & CEO of Groveland Financial Services. Amelie is the Co-founder & Managing Director of AD MediLink, which provides Healthcare Concierge Services to businesses and expatriates based in Hong Kong, France or Switzerland - www.admedilink.com

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Photo: Amanda Ho Sarah Cheng

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C anada’s need for skilled immigrants is further emphasized with the government’s “Express Entry” action plan set to

launch in January 2015.

“Express Entry promises to be a game-changer for Canadian immigration and Canada’s economy. It will revolutionize the way we attract skilled immigrants and get them working here faster, “said Minister Alexander of the proposed plan. The advantage of an Express Entry program is that the applications of immigrants who have valid Canadian job offers will be expedited.

In addition to the Express Entry program and many other overhauls to the Canadian immigration system, the government also wants to attract business people and in turn, investment capital. The program will be known as the Immigrant Investor Venture Capital pilot, which will be launched later this year.

“Our government is committed to attracting business people with the right skills and bringing in new investment capital that has a real impact on our economy,” said the Minister, “We look forward to the launch of a new Immigrant Investor Venture Capital pilot that will add true value and create a win-win scenario for both Canada and newcomers interested in making real investments in our great country.”

With the passing of Bill C-24, the government has taken the important steps towards regulating the Canadian immigration process. With the government’s emphasis on strengthening Canadian citizenship, the need for Regulated Immigration Consultants has never been greater.

Changes to the legislation include a new authority for the government to develop regulations to designate a regulatory body whose members will be authorized to act as consultants in citizenship matters and to monitor and collect information concerning citizenship consultants.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada will also develop regulations to specify what information applicants must include in their applications, including identifying their representative or consultant. Failure to provide this information may result in the return of their application. The new changes take a hard stance against immigration fraud with fines increasing up to $100,000 and/or five years in prison.

The best recourse for avoiding immigration fraud is to ensure that you are working with an authorized representative, one of which is a Regulated Immigration Consultant who has received accreditation from the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (“ICCRC”).

The Canadian immigration process is currently undergoing a major overhaul. The Canadian Government (“the government”), under the direction of Citizenship and Immigration Minister, Chris Alexander, is streamlining the immigration process in an attempt to increase efficiency and welcome more immigrants to Canada.

Ashton College:New Canadian ImmigrationRegulation

Minister Alexander unveils Bill C-24 the Strengthening Canadian Citizenship

By Emiko Yumoto and Shelby Petersen,Ashton College

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Regulated Immigration Consultants and Immigration Lawyers at the Ashton Collage CPD Seminar.

Ashton College is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The college offers both in-class and online programs and is internationally recognized for its value and quality of instruction, helping students reach their full potential in a variety of careers.

The college successfully delivers online programs both domestically as well as internationally allowing us to open enrollments to professionals across the globe.

For more information on how to become a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, please contact at inquiry@ashtoncollege.com

The ICCRC is the national regulatory authority designated by the government to safeguard consumers who seek and retain the services of consultants who provide immigration services to Canada. Established in 2011 with the express purpose of regulating immigration consultants, the ICCRC helps enforce Bill C-35 which made it illegal for any unauthorized immigration representatives to charge a fee or receive compensation in connection with immigration applications under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (“IRPR”).

Following Bill C-35, an amendment to the IRPR came into force on April 10th, 2012, authorizing Citizenship and Immigration, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to disclose information relating to the professional or ethical conduct of representatives, authorized under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to their respective governing bodies, when it is determined that the conduct of the person is likely to constitute a breach of their professional or ethical obligations.

A lack of knowledge or understanding regarding the constant changes in complex immigration laws and regulations can be detrimental to the application process and may lead to missed immigration opportunities with the worst case being that your application is delayed or refused.

Only Canadian citizens and Canadian Permanent Residents have the privilege to become Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants. The first step to become a Regulated Immigration Consultant is to take an Immigration Consultant Diploma Program.

Immigration Consultant Diploma Programs can be taken online through an ICCRC accredited institution. Following the completion of a diploma program, you are required to take an accredited English or French proficiency test followed by the ICCRC Full Skills Examination.

Experience Sharing

Louis Mak, who graduated from Ashton College in 2014, is a businessman located in Hong Kong. Throughout his travels through mainland China, Louis came across many families who wished to immigrate to Canada, but was unable to help them because he was not a Regulated Immigration Consultant.

After learning about Ashton College and the online Immigration Consultant Program, Louis decided it was the perfect fit for him, “Because this is an online program, I can finish my study while I continue to work full time in Hong Kong. The latest technology allows students to interact real-time during webinar classes online, and it is almost the same as physically being in a classroom because the visual and audio quality of the webinars is excellent. Most importantly, because all of the instructors are experienced immigration practitioners, they are very knowledgeable in their area of expertise.”

In addition, Louis commented that, “The Immigration Consultant Diploma Online Program at Ashton College offers tremendous flexibility to busy Canadian professionals who are aspired to become regulated immigration consultants. This program has taught us not only the laws and regulations governing the Canadian immigration policy, but also the ethics and integrity that every Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant should possess. With the knowledge and experience I have learned from the program, I look forward to becoming a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant soon and assisting prospective immigrants and students here in Hong Kong and Greater China.”

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M ineral exploration, development and production form the cornerstone of Yukon’s private sector economy. Born

of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush, the mineral industry flourishes today supported by streamlined regulatory processes, a stable political environment and favourable taxation, incentive and royalty programs. Following a record exploration spending in 2011, activity slowed as a result of lower commodity prices and associated difficulties in raising exploration capital. However, exploration is again on the rise and expenditures are anticipated to reach nearly $100 million in 2014. With the development of three mines since 2007, Yukon’s mineral production has grown steadily in recent years. In 2013, production increased for the eighth consecutive year.

Prior to the 2007, the commencement of production from the Minto mine in central Yukon, mineral production was predominantly comprised of placer gold mining with an annual production value ranging from around $40 million to about $60 million. In recent years, Minto production, along with the addition of production from the Bellekeno and Wolverine mines, has seen the annual value of mineral production approach a half a billion dollars. Mineral production is expected to total about $430 million in 2014, well above the historic annual average.

Yukon is a modern territory that provides residents with a world-class quality of life, visitors with much to see and do, and investors with tremendous opportunities. It is home to world-class mineral deposits and an established mining industry, outdoor and cultural tourism experiences that are in demand, and a dramatic landscape that has been featured in television and film. Investors enjoy significant advantages including a strategic global location, a strong economy, and a healthy business environment.

Modern, Connected: YukonNatural Beauty and Mineral Wealth

By Shay Kokiw,Government of Yukon

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Containing over 480,000 square kilometres, Yukon is home to more than 36,600 people. North of British Columbia and sharing a western border with Alaska, Yukon is connected to the world by an all-weather road network and shipping ports in both Canada and the United States. The territory’s location provides strategic benefits for its robust mining industry to export products to Asian markets. For example, the shipping distance to Shanghai from the nearby port of Skagway, Alaska, is almost 700 nautical miles shorter than shipping through Vancouver, British Columbia.

Yukon’s government and mineral industry work with investment partners outside the territory. Travel to China, hosting inbound Asian investors in Yukon and attending mining sector tradeshows, has led to significant investments by Chinese companies in Yukon-based projects. To date, these relationships have resulted in over $700 million in investments.

Yukon is also home to a vibrant film industry. From commercials and documentaries to feature films, many productions choose Yukon as a location for filming because of local talent, experience, equipment and most of all, for the fabulous northern locations. Productions choosing Yukon as a film location have access to a suite of funding programs. In the past, Yukon has played host to many celebrities such as Robin Williams in “The Big White” and Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black in “The Big Year”. Yukon is currently host to three television productions: “Gold Rush” for Discovery Channel, “Yukon Gold” for History Channel and “Yukon Vet” for National Geographic. These shows are airing in over 220 countries around the world.

Like the mineral industry, Yukon’s tourism sector is active year-round. Yukon’s history, natural beauty and unique cultural attractions draw over 350,000 visitors each year. Travellers arrive to enjoy the pristine wilderness and northern lights, as well as to participate in numerous festivals and cultural events. The art and traditional crafts of 14 First Nations can be found throughout the territory. Home to numerous painters, sculptors, carvers, musicians, writers and weavers, Yukon has one of the highest concentrations of artists and artisans in Canada. Looking ahead, the sector is positioned to benefit from increasing enthusiasm for adventure, eco-tourism and authentic cultural experiences. Welcoming many new and returning guests and providing a significant source of private sector employment, tourism continues to play an important role in Yukon’s economy and way of life.

Transporting core samples for analysis, Kaminak Gold Corporation Coffee Gold Project

Hauling ore from the Minto mine, Capstone Mining Corp.

Testing samples at Minto mine, Capstone Mining Corp.

Jack Black filmed The Big Year in Yukon

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I f you are a prospective aircraft buyer in the region, these developments will certainly be of interest to you. To the

general public, they are even more newsworthy because of their economic impact. Across the globe, the Greater China business aviation market is generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues for aircraft manufacturers and service providers and supporting tens of thousands of jobs, while within the region it is driving large-scale investment in business aviation infrastructure and services.

An Evolving Market

Statistics suggest that this significant growth that has taken place over the past seven years is only the tip of the iceberg. China, with 20% of the world’s population and increasing wealth, is now home to only 2% of the world’s business jets. The market potential that is still to be realized, in other words, dwarfs the growth achieved to date.

Some facts and observations about this important market follow:

• Mainland China is home to the most of Greater China’s business jets, with 248 of the 371-strong fleet at the end of 2013, followed by Hong Kong with 97, Taiwan with 15 and Macau with 11.

• One of the important decisions an aircraft owner must make is where to register his aircraft. Certain countries do not require the registrar to publicly disclose his or her personal information and other considerations, such as tax policies, are also relevant in choosing a country to register

one’s aircraft. Among the business jet fleet based in Greater China, 73% are registered under the local registrations of China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, the remaining 27% being outside the region.

• If Mainland China is to realize its full potential as a business aviation market, it will need to continue to invest heavily in the infrastructure that supports business aviation activities, and more importantly, it is doing so without question. Currently the country has 193 civil airports in service, of which 10 were completed in 2013. The plan is to have 244 airports in service by 2020.

• Due to airspace restrictions and the current lack of business aviation infrastructure in Mainland China, the business jets that have been sold in the region to date have tended to be large-cabin, long-range aircraft that can be used for international flights. Demand for smaller sized aircraft is expected to rise as the government eases its air space restrictions and the number of domestic, regional airports increases.

• A homegrown business jet manufacturer has yet to emerge in Greater China and the business jet market is currently served by eight international brands. Gulfstream of U.S. and Bombardier of Canada lead the pack in terms of number of aircraft in the Greater China fleet, with 38% and 30% market share respectively.

• The Gulfstream G-550 and G-450 are the most popular models in the region, with 64 and 46 aircraft respectively representing 30% of the total fleet in numbers.

Growth of Greater China Business Aviation Market SparksDemand for Expert Services

Between 2007 and 2013, the number of business jets based in Greater China grew from 64 to 371 aircraft, representing a nearly six-fold increase and average compound annual growth rate of nearly seven times the global average. This rapid growth was facilitated by a loosening of restrictions on airspace control and aircraft ownership, as well as by significant investment in airports for business aviation and related infrastructure.

By Asian Sky Group

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• In the corporate airliner category, the largest and most expensive jets, Airbus, had a significant lead as of the end of 2013, with 18 Airbus Corporate Jets in operation in the region compared to 7 Boeing Business Jets and 3 Embraer Lineage 1000’s. However, Boeing is expected to make up some lost ground in 2014.

• 55% of the total number of business jets based and operating in the Greater China region are being managed by 5 large operators, namely HNA Group, BAA, TAG Aviation, Metrojet and Jet Aviation. These companies manage business jets on behalf of companies and individuals, frequently offering them for charter service when the owners are not using them.

• The civil helicopter fleet in Greater China, including law enforcement and government sponsored Search and Rescue operations but excluding military applications, has nearly doubled in size over the past four years. The fleet now comprises 465 aircraft, of which 424 are based in Mainland China.

As the Greater China business aviation market grows in size, its nature is also changing, becoming more rational and complex. Whereas desire to enhance one’s image or status was by far the chief motivation for China’s aircraft purchases in the past, aircraft purchases in the region today are increasingly made for purely business or practical considerations, with the buyer carefully weighing the many factors such as costs of operation, mission needs, future values, etc.

At the same time, deregulation is creating more choices for buyers, including the purchase of pre-owned aircraft, which accounted for 47% of all business jet additions in the region in 2013. Pre-owned aircrafts are popular for a number of reasons, including the fact that the buyer does not need to wait for the aircraft to be manufactured as is always the case with a new aircraft purchase (delivery of a new business jet can take place after up to two years post-order for example). Pre-owned aircrafts are also often more affordable and their value does not necessarily depreciate with age and in fact it often appreciates.

Strong Need for Expertise in Maturing Market

The growing complexity of the market and the increasingly rational nature of its buyers is boosting demand for accurate, sound and timely information on aircraft technologies, management, financing, regulations and related matters. Such information will be crucial to a healthy future of business aviation in the region, as with any mature market, good information is the lubricant that allows the wheels of commerce to spin.

Asian Sky Group (“ASG”) is an independent aviation consulting firm which provides a wide range of services for both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. With the help of its exclusive partners, Avpro Inc., one of the largest business jet brokerage firms worldwide, AVIC International Development Corporation, the largest state-owned aviation enterprise in mainland China, and Avion Pacific Limited, a Mainland China-based provider of general aviation services with over 20 years experience, ASG provides unbiased aviation consulting services such as aircraft sales (aircraft acquisition or remarketing, selection, financing, ownership structure, registration and operator selection, inspection, appraisals, contractual support), completion management (cabin definition, facility selection, completion oversight, regulatory compliance), operation oversight (invoice analysis and owner representation), luxury charter, special projects and transactional advisory services.

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For the concept, while in broad terms this may be true, it is far from the whole truth.

These days international education has an important role to play in providing tomorrow’s workforce in an increasingly competitive global environment, where there is a growing need to be agile in adapting to changing demands.

At Yew Chung International School (“YCIS”), this philosophy is at the core of day-to-day teaching. YCIS believes in taking the best of East and West as students are encouraged to measure up to the school’s motto: “Align with science and technology, culture and art, love and charity”. By following this path, youngsters continue to develop individual character traits as they actively support the greater community.

The world is an amazingly diverse place, even in this time of globalization and homogeneity, and as such difference remains the best educator of all. In this context it is critical that all schools, international and national, deliberately set out to become more internationally minded in outlook if the students of today are to become “globally literate”.

In the past schools have tended to look outwards in ways which are often superficial and devoid of “risk taking”. Schools need to challenge the status quo and take students where they have not been before, to places about which they

know very little and where they may be uncomfortable and perhaps shocked by what they encounter.

These experiences need not necessarily be in real time and place, although such experiences are inherently richer this way. Astute use of technology and community partnerships can help foster such journeys to the unknown.

The paradigm of international mindedness should not be viewed as an ‘add on’ to the curriculum, or an elective subject, but rather as a vibrant and integral component of student educational goals and school practice.

There is also an economic imperative in this approach as students immersed in a culture of international mindedness and intercultural understanding are well placed to compete effectively and ethically in an increasingly globalised economy.

Learning the Way to a Better Tomorrow

The concept of international education is generally associated with privately owned schools hosting expatriate students or schools following a particular curricula model espousing an international perspective. Norm Dean from Yew Chung Education Foundation explains the benefits of a true international education.

By Norm Dean,Yew Chung Education Foundation

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Education has a key role to play in preparing tomorrow’s workforce and Hong Kong will look to remain at the forefront of creating forward-thinking initiatives that dictate policy.

Indicators show that Asia, in particularly economically, shows future predicted growth; and thus, expectations to meet these aspirations come with this. Future generations need to be able to advance with this huge expected growth.

Hong Kong, and indeed the rest of Asia, will need to produce young people who are adaptable, flexible entrepreneurs, as well as critical thinkers. Therefore, education must look forward and be progressive and flexible, able to provide such a future workforce.

Of course, as explained, Hong Kong already has an exceptional reputation for providing top-quality international education, but it needs to work on developing more critical thinkers to be better equipped for the challenges ahead.

From an overseas perspective the perception is academically Hong Kong, in particular, and Asia in general are very strong indeed. Test results demonstrate that our students are overall strong academically.

Learning, in traditional systems, tends to focus on exams, rather than all-round developmental areas preparing for an unknown future.

That is why when it comes to choosing the right education path for your child, it is vitally important to consider all options.

When selecting a type of education parents want their child to be safe, secure and happy, while developing good attitude skills and a good character for success. It is also important they have a sense of community and parents want to feel ‘my child matters most to the teachers’.

Asked what parents should consider, that they may not necessarily be aware of today, in selecting the right education to maximise opportunities for their child later, Mr Dean advises parents underestimate the curriculum that provides creativity and all-round development; some parents tend to consider a curriculum that focuses on academic achievements.

Children need to be agile and dexterous in their way of thinking and nurture the development of creative responses and critical thinkers – perhaps parents don’t think ahead of the importance and value of this in the long term.

Talking about overzealous parents, they act and behave overzealously from love that; they want the best for their child, but don’t quite understand a child’s learning process.

Perhaps they do not fully understand how to manage – how to engage with the full and natural learning journey. It is important to involve the parent in the learning journey to help them be proactively engaged with their child’s development.

Finally, looking ahead the development of international education over the next to 20 years, it is optismistic that it will grow unimaginably and rapidly.

Looking back at the last 10 years’ growth, such international education will only increase to meet the needs of the transient workforce and schooling will cater for more movement of a global workforce as the demand for this climate of education develops in the competitive world.

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Q. At what age should my child take up a sport?

I believe it is better for your children to take up sports at an earlier age. Once they are able to run around, they are able to kick, throw and learn the fundamentals of sports.

Children learn a new skill a lot faster than adults do and developing a skill is all about repetition, teaching the body the correct movement and fine-tuning that skill.

Another major benefit of sport at any age is the social aspect. Once your children start a class, they will make friends and build strong relationships with their coaches—both essential to their development.

Q. How should I choose a sports program for my child?

Learning to swim is essential for all children so swim classes are definitely worth-while.

I also believe that a mini-sports class where children are given the opportunity to develop a wide variety of sports skills is a great first sports program. Focusing them solely on one sport for example, mini-soccer, can limit hand-eye coordination and focus them on very specific skills, such as kicking.

I would recommend a mini-sport class from a young age and then let your children decide which sport they prefer when they get older.

Q. What should I do if my child prefers TV/IPad to outdoor activity?

This seems to be a common concern for many parents. I would try out a few different classes with your children to see which they show interest in. It may be helpful and more fun to do this with a group of your children’s friends so they learn sports together in a comfortable environment. I don’t believe parents should have to commit to a sports program for the whole season until their children have tried it out and enjoyed it, which is why we offer free trial classes at Sport4Kids.

Another tactic is to limit their time watching TV or playing computer games, and to make activity and healthy eating fun (ie. by playing at the park or beach together, or baking healthy treats with them).

As a parent, have you thought of when to bring your kid to sports? Or does your child prefer an afternoon with the iPad rather than playing outdoors? Understanding that there are a lot of questions from parents in this area, Adam Hunsley has selected the most popular questions from parents. Let’s explore the fun of sports with your kids.

By Adam Hunsley, Sport4Kids

Tips To Know When Considering Sports For Your Kids

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Q. Isn’t my 3 year-old too young for contact sports like rugby and soccer?

At 3 years old, even the rugby and soccer classes should be all about basic skill development and having fun. There should not be any real contact in classes at this age. The focus would be on skills such as balancing and coordination, and also on learning to interact, share and take-turns with other children.

Q. Is it healthy for children to be competitive at such a young age?

Competitiveness is very healthy when it is controlled; however controlling can be hard. We encourage children in our classes to be the best they can be but also teach them that respect for opponents and team-mates is very important. It is also important to recognize efforts other than winning, such as ‘Best team effort’, ‘Most improved’, etc. It is important that children have exposure to competition at an early age whilst also learning how to manage it as each child instinctively has different levels of competitiveness.

Q. What precautions should I take when my child is playing sports in hot weather?

It is very important that your children are well hydrated. Water with a pinch of salt and honey/ lemon is the best. A lot of the main-stream sports drinks are just full of sugar. Also bring along healthy snacks like a piece of fruit or some nuts/raisins for the half time break.

Q. How can I ensure their safety when my child is playing sports?

Safety is obviously a big concern when your children is playing sports. It is vital to choose a company that only hires qualified, experienced coaches who are all certified in first aid.

It is also important to ensure your children have the correct sports equipment and shoes—Crocs are a big no no! Check in advance if any special equipment is needed as they get older such as mouth guards or shin guards. Bringing plenty of water along with them is of course essential.

Adam Hunsley is the Operations Manager and Head Coach of Sport4Kids. He has been coaching sports to children and adults for over 14 years. Adam graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and teaches a variety of sports including football, volleyball, cricket, handball and gymnastics.

To learn more about Sport4Kids, please visit www.sport4kids.hk Chamber’s members receive a 10% discount off on selected classes.

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What made Hong Kong a premier service hub in Asia?

Hong Kong has a long history as a services-provider in our region. After the city’s manufacturing base started migrating to the Chinese mainland in the 1970s, these companies maintained their “front of house” operations in Hong Kong to take advantage of the city’s fundamental strengths as a free and open economy. At the same time, the Chinese mainland economy has expanded rapidly, attracting more overseas companies to establish their Asian headquarters in Hong Kong for their sourcing and export businesses. Hong Kong services have then flourished and also many overseas service providers have been attracted to Hong Kong.

As the mainland economy powers ahead, mainland China enterprises have become more active in seeking acquisition opportunities overseas, turning the country into the world’s third largest investor economy. Hong Kong, with its ability to provide sophisticated services, becomes a reliable platform for the mainland’s overseas investment ventures. As of 2013, 60% of China’s foreign direct investment was directed to or channelled through Hong Kong.

Under the new economic order, Hong Kong is playing a more important role as a two-way business hub and premier service-provider in the region. Today, services contribute more than 90 per cent of Hong Kong’s GDP, making our economy the most services-oriented economy in the world.

Hong Kong is firmly established as a world-class services hub in Asia. What does this mean for Canadian companies?

Let’s find out more from Jenny Koo, Director, Service Promotion at the HKTDC. Jenny Koo,Director

HKTDC Service Promotion

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What does this mean for entrepreneurs in Canada who are seeking to do business in Asia?

The great beauty about Hong Kong is its international characteristics. Hong Kong is a highly externally-oriented economy and few places have closer links to Hong Kong than Canada. As a service hub in Asia, Hong Kong can provide one-stop sophisticated services for Canadian companies, whether they are coming to Asia for the first time, looking for investment or seeking to expand their operations in the region and especially in China.

We have a full range of trade supporting and professional services to help Canadian companies in getting connected to their potential partners and clients, as well as expanding their business in Asia. For example, around 70 of the world’s largest 100 banks have offices in Hong Kong and more than half of the world’s top 50 law firms are represented in the city. Local and international companies provide all the financial services, legal services, accounting, logistics and design and marketing services that a company may need to get a foothold in a new market.

In addition, capitalizing on the mainland’s 12th Five-year Plan which highlights the importance of industrial upgrading and transformation, Canadian service-providers and technology companies could consider using Hong Kong as a base to tap the huge demand for services and technologies on the mainland.

As a trade promotional organisation, how has the HKTDC adapted to the pivot towards services export?

The HKTDC Service Promotion Department aims to champion Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s CBD and as a lifestyle trendsetter in the region. Of course, Hong Kong’s position as a gateway between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world is a two-way street, which means we also promote Hong Kong’s role as a reliable service-provider for mainland enterprises to upgrade their operations, raise capital and expand into overseas markets, including in Canada as well as emerging markets in Asia.

Not only do we promote services that are related to trade such as business support services like finance, logistics, legal, accounting services, ICT and so on, we are also promoting creative industries that add value to businesses. These include design, architecture marketing, branding, licensing, entertainment industries and intellectual property-related services, to name just a few.

How do you promote Hong Kong as a service hub?

The HKTDC’s main avenue for building up Hong Kong’s prominence as a service hub is through our world-class international events.

The Asian Financial Forum (“AFF”), was first held in 2007 and has since developed into the premier event of its kind in the region and a mainstay on the annual global financial calendar. Not only will participants of the AFF be provided with a host of intelligence-gathering and networking opportunities, but they will also gain access to a large and liquid pool of investment capital. Foreign companies can also find out at AFF how they can leverage on Hong Kong’s offshore RMB business platform.

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More recently, we launched the Asian Logistics & Maritime Conference (“ALMC”). Hong Kong is a vital logistics and maritime centre for our region with one of the busiest seaports in the world and the busiest airport for air cargo. Each year, the ALMC brings a wide variety of services providers and users, from manufacturers and distributors to retailers and brand owners from all around the world to Hong Kong in November.

Another world-class conference that we launched recently is the Business of IP Asia Forum, or BIP Asia, in December. It is organized to meet the growing interest and need for reliable intellectual property trade in our region. It is becoming more prominent as growing numbers of foreign firms entering the Chinese and Asian markets seek to protect their ideas, brands and trademarks.

The annual FILMART, as the largest film and TV market in Asia, has also firmly positioned Hong Kong as the regional entertainment hub. Each March, the market features a full range of content and services covering film, TV, digital entertainment, film financing, post-production and location shooting. It is an important marketplace in capturing the convergence of the content industry. Another multi-faceted event is the Inno Design Tech Expo in December, which brings together major players from the creative and technology sectors to meet and do business in an open and lively environment. On promoting technology, we also stage the ICT Expo every April. The Expo is a key event of the HKSAR Government’s annual IT Fest, and it serves as the ideal platform for international ICT solution providers to meet worldwide visitors and get connected with counterparts to enter the China and Asia market.

How are you planning to promote Hong Kong’s services industry to Canadian companies?

For AFF, we have welcomed some 200 Canadian participants over the years, including delegations organized by the Investment Industry Association of Canada and the M&A Club. At the last FILMART, the Canadian Pavilion was mounted and expanded by three times to house 18 Canadian film producing companies looking for export and co-production opportunities in the region. ICT Expo has also attracted more than 30 Canadian software and solution providers, with support from four provincial governments and the Consulate General in Hong Kong. I strongly encourage Canadian companies to participate at our events in Hong Kong to meet with their potential partners and clients.

To promote Hong Kong services to overseas companies, we also have the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” series of promotions. We have already staged these large scale campaigns in the UK, US and Japan.

We are very much looking forward to staging the first “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” promotion in Canada with a major event being organised in Toronto in June 2015.

The campaign will feature a large-scale symposium, thematic breakout sessions, business matching meetings and a high-level Hong Kong Dinner. Business opportunities of selling into China and Asia, Chinese outbound investment, RMB business, asset and wealth management and technology collaboration will be discussed.

A high-level delegation with more than 100 government officials and business leaders from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland will visit Canada. Sector-specific missions such as technology, food & wine and Chinese outbound investment will be organised to connect Canadian companies with their potential Hong Kong counterparts. Hong Kong service-providers will also join to provide on-site consultations. Do keep your ears and eyes open for more details of the event.

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Community Networking38

Title Sponsor:

CanChamHK is proud to announce its inaugural Innovation and Technology Series which will provide

practical, near-term insights and assessments for businesses in an especially interactive setting. The “Innovation and Technology Series” will consist of

five (5) Luncheon Events or Seminars.

CanCham Launches the:Innovation and Technology Series

Stay tuned for the event flyers and our website for more information on this exciting new series. Or, contact our offices for information on additional sponsorship opportunities for this series.

Schedule of the Series:

1.FEBRUARY2015:InnovationandTechnologyDevelopmentsinthePearlRiverDelta

2.MAY2015:TheMobileRevolution

3.JULY2015:TheCyberSecurityChallenge

4.SEPTEMBER2015:SocialMindshareforBusiness

5.NOVEMBER2015:AParadigmShiftinMobileCommunications

Who is Terry Fox?

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. He was an athletic teenage, who attended Simon Fraser University (“SFU”) in British Columbia. In 1977, Terry was 18 years old, diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer), and was forced to have his right leg amputated above the knee.

While in the hospital, Terry’s concern and compassion for other cancer patients, many of which being young children, inspired him to run the Marathon of Hope, a run across Canada with an aim to raise money for cancer research and to inform Canadians of the importance of finding a cure for cancer.

He recognized that funds for cancer research were desperately needed and he took himself to the limit for the cause. After 18 months and over 5,000 kilometres of preparation, the unknown Terry Fox began his run in St. John’s Newfound on April 12th, 1980. As Terry ran on, his actions began to draw attention and enthusiasm, and donations grew along with every kilometre he ran. However, after 143 days, 5,373 kilometres and passing through Canada’s Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Ontario, Terry was forced to stop running as the cancer had spread into his lungs.

Working Together to Outrun CancerCanadian activist, Terry Fox, inspired a country and founded The Terry Fox Run. Now in its fourth decade, the Terry Fox Run continues to motivate people around the world.

“It took cancer to realize that being self-centered is not the way to live. The answer is to try and help others.”

-Terry Fox

“Even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me.”

-Terry Fox

By Cherie Tong, on behalf of Terry Fox Foundation

Terry Fox passed away at the age of 22 on June 28th, 1981. Canada lost a hero, however his legacy was just beginning.

The Terry Fox Run

In 1980, Isadore Sharp, Chairman and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, contacted the Fox family and expressed his wish to continue Terry’s efforts. Mr. Sharp himself had lost a son to cancer and made a commitment to organize an annual fundraising run in Terry’s name.

The run itself is informal, which means that the distance often varies and is non-competitive. Participation is considered to be more important than completing the set distance and it requires no entry fee or minimum donation to participate.

Unlike most major fundraising events, the Terry Fox Run has no corporate sponsorships, in line with Terry’s original wishes and goals of creating public awareness, not marketing opportunities. During the Marathon of Hope, Terry turned down every endorsement he was offered! All Terry Fox Runs have no advertisements on any race related materials (e.g. t-shirts, signage, etc.).

Every year, millions of people in close to 25 countries participate in The National School Run Day, The Terry Fox Run, and Terry Fox fundraising events. To date, over $650 million has been raised worldwide in Terry’s name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world. Remaining true to Terry’s wishes, all funds raised in the runs will be directed to support cure-oriented, biomedical cancer research around the globe.

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Community Networking40

Terry Fox Run in Hong Kong

The Terry Fox Run in Hong Kong continues Terry Fox and the Terry Fox Run’s tradition.

The event was brought to Hong Kong by fellow Canadian, Bradley Davies, 6 years ago. Bradley is a cancer survivor and a teacher at Renaissance College. With the hopes to raise money for cancer research in Hong Kong and to raise awareness on the issue, Bradley started the Terry Fox Run at the school of which he teaches.

Last year, the Canadian Universities Association, SFU Alumni Association in Hong Kong and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce joined forces with Renaissance College and brought about the first ever Terry Fox Community Run in Hong Kong. Close to 250 participants came to Ma On Shan to continue Terry’s dream. The Chinese University of Hong Kong was the recipient of the funds raised in Hong Kong, which aided their research aiming to ultimately improving care for cancer patients.

All Terry Fox Run events in Hong Kong are volunteer-organized with no budget for expenses. The success of the events are credited largely to supporters such as individuals and/or organizations, who lend support financially and/or by gifts in kind through goods, services, and participants who raise donations and pledges for the cause.

“The running I can do, even if I have to crawl every last mile. We need your help. The people in cancer clinics all over the world need people who believe in miracles. I am not a dreamer, and I am not saying that this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer. But I believe in miracles. I have to.”

-Terry Fox, October 1979

This year, separate to run organized by the Renaissance Collage, an even larger community run took place with an estimate of 1,000 participants.

Hong Kong’s Paralympic Gold Medalist, Ms. Yu Chui Yee, is an avid supporter of the run. Ms. Yu also suffered from the same bone cancer that Terry had, and ultimately led to the amputation of her leg as well. However, the similarities between Terry Fox and Ms. Yu ended there as Ms. Yee is now a cancer survivor, who overcame her challenges to become a world renown wheelchair fencer who represented Hong Kong and won multiple gold medals in the Athens, Beijing and London Olympics.

Imagine the impact you can make by supporting the Terry Fox Run in Hong Kong. Join the event next year! Help us and help as many people as possible to recover from cancer!

Vol.13

Community Networking 41

The importance of corporate communications

Corporate communication is a discipline that is often being neglected in organizations. Across the business world, there has been a long-standing tradition of thinking that communication is a secondary activity. Other corporate functions such as sales, marketing, finance and human resources have direct impact on a company’s health and therefore demand immediate attention.

Although these other organizational functions are indeed essential for businesses to stay alive, a lack of corporate communication could be as fatal as a chronic heart attack.

In today’s competitive market, the future of any company critically depends on how it is viewed by its stakeholders such as shareholders and investors, customers, suppliers, media, employees, government and the general public. Reputation can be a company’s biggest asset – the thing that makes you stand out from the crowd and gives you a competitive edge. There is therefore a lot to gain if companies are able to utilise corporate communications as a strategic tool to build good relationships with all its stakeholders and gain a competitive advantage.

What do corporate communications do?

Corporate communication is one of the most important links between an organization and its stakeholders.

It has a management function that offers a framework for the coordination of all internal and external communications aimed at creating and maintaining favourable reputations with all stakeholders of the company. Companies use it to lead, motivate, persuade, and inform employees and the public.

For example, it is an effective way to communicate an organization’s brand value and mission to its target audience; to develop rapports with its employees and customers, to highlight the performance of the company and to advertise new products and services.

Functions and tools of corporate communications

Depending on the organization, corporate communication can include disciplines such as public relations, media relations, investor relations, employee relations and crisis communications.

• Public RelationsDeveloping relationships with customers and responding to public inquiries falls under the public relations function of corporate communications.

Corporate communicators may reply directly to emails and calls from the general public with questions about the organization. They are also responsible for managing a company’s website and social media presence, which includes customers’ comments online and requests for information.

Tools that are utilized by practitioners in this area include magazines, pamphlets, newsletters, flyers and other printed presentation materials designed for the general public. The sponsorship of events, organization of open days, or corporate video screening sessions are also ways to help raise the company’s profile.

• Media RelationsMedia relations may be the function that the corporate communication profession is best known for. Media relations professionals ensure that the organization as a whole is represented positively in the media.

They do this by drafting and issuing press releases, developing media kits and responding to media enquiries. They would also arrange for spokespersons to appear on television/radio programmes, set up press conferences and arrange for executives to speak at events.

Practitioners in this field also monitor newspaper, television, radio, websites and other media outlets frequently to find out what the media is saying about the company. As a matter of precaution, they would also develop strategies to address misinformation.

In the face of a challenging and rapidly changing global economic environment, some businesses have continuously performed well and managed to accomplish outstanding achievements. One of their keys to success is relatively simple: effective corporate communications. By Winnie Cheong,

Cheung Kong Infrastructure Limited

Achieving EffectiveCorporate Communications

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Professional Development42

• Employee RelationsApart from conveying a company’s messages to external stakeholders, most corporate communication professionals are also responsible for communicating internally with employees, aligning their views with the organization’s values.

Activities may include staff newsletters, writing emails/notices to announce company news and training opportunities, sharing stories on the company intranet, as well as organizing award schemes and staff outing activities.

Corporate communicators may also advise senior management on ways to improve their relationships with staff members.

• Crisis CommunicationsCrisis communications is designed to defend and protect the company when facing a public challenge to its reputation. These threats may come in many forms ranging from a natural disaster, an accident, to a negative media inquiry.

Corporate communicators often work with other staff members throughout the company to draw up crisis communication plans before disaster strikes.

When a crisis occurs, corporate communications professionals often function as advisers to senior managers in order to help them manage and solve the issue. They may also work with lawyers, government departments, police, politicians or communications specialists from other related companies when responding to a crisis situation.

How to draw up a Corporate Communications Strategy

How corporate communication is done varies by company and management. The first step in establishing communication activities for your company is to draft a thorough communication plan and strategy. A communication strategy sets out a clear framework for your activities, and helps you allocate tasks and goals to individual members in your team.

Drawing up a communications strategy is more of an art than science, so there are lots of different ways of approaching the task. Like anything else, the extent of communication activities depends on available capacity and resources. The most important thing is to have some kind of communication guideline in place.

You might wish to keep in mind the following elements in the process of drawing up your corporate communications strategy:

1. Objectives A well defined objective is the key to success of your

communications strategy. Before drafting your communication plan, start with an analysis to determine

what it is that you hope to achieve. All communication activities should be aligned to your organisational objectives.

2. Audiences It is important to identify the audiences whom you wish to

target. This is crucial as messages need to be tailored to be appropriate and interesting for different audiences. In addition, different groups of audiences are reached by different tactics and communication tools. For instance, your target audience could be people of a certain age group, gender, profession, or from different geographic areas. Your communication activities will become diffuse and have little effect if you fail to identify your target group.

3. Messages Consistency is key to your company’s communications

strategy. It should function as a guiding principle of all your communications activities – from emails to customers, content of press releases, messages conveyed in media interviews, to conversation with stakeholders.

To maximise impact, all messages must be clear and succinct. Otherwise your communication agenda might lack clarity and cause confusion.

4. Tools and activities Identify the tools and activities that are most appropriate

to get your message across. These may vary depending on your target audience and your message.

For example, a flyer will lend itself well if you intend to reach a more general public, while a power point presentation would be a useful tool if you intend to target investors.

5. Resources and timescales It is important to take into account your budget and

timescales when choosing communication tools in order not to miss deadlines or over-promise.

Always set legitimate levels of expectations and outline the case should you require more dedicated resources.

6. Evaluation and amendment Your communication strategy should be assessed and

revised on a regular basis. Conduct a communications audit to evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy.

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Professional Development 43

Financial Services Committee Presents: Confessions of a Professional Money LaundererMr. Bill Majcher, a former top covert operative of Canada’s RCMP, shared how he laundered millions of dollars globally over a twenty-year career for global criminal and terrorist organizations while working undercover. As Hong Kong is commonly used as a money laundering hub, Bill also described how financial services firms and offshore entities are used on a daily basis to launder large sums of money.

Colliers Presents: The Dangerous Stamp Duty Debate - ReduxThe Canadian, British and American Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong presented a panel on the topic of the Stamp Duty debate (Amendment) Bill 2013. Expert panelists included the Hon Andrew Leung (Member of the Legislative Council), Mr. Louis Loong (Secretary General of the Real Estate Developers Association of Kong), Mr. Timothy Peirson-Smith (Managing Director of the Executive Counsel Limited), the Hon Abraham Shek (Member of the Legislative Council) and Mr. David Webb (Founder of Webb0site.com).

KPMG Presents: China Series 2014 - Chinese Enterprises Going Out Mr. Honson To, Head of Transactions and Restructuring, KPMG China; Mr. Alastair Campbell, the Director of Asian Capital Partner; Mr. Robert Kwauk, Chief Reprerentative, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Mr. Stephen Wortley , Chair of McMillan’s Hong Kong office, shared their views on the attempts of Chinese firms to “go global” and build internationally known brands. This panel also discussed the financial, cultural, management and governance challenges for Chinese companies in the 21st Century.

Tuesday, May 13th, 2014 – KPMG Boardroom

Tuesday, June 10th, 2014 – JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong

Thursday, June 12th, 2014 –The Chamber’s Boardroom

Young Professionals Mentorship Programme Season II Closing CeremonyThe Consul General of Canada to Hong Kong and Macao, Mr. J. Ian Burchett, and the Young Professionals Committee, in association with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and CLP Holding, celebrated the closing of the second season of the Mentorship Programme.

June 19th, 2014 – The Official Residence of the Consul General of Canada

Photos by Amanda Ho and Sarah Cheng

EXCHANGE

Event Highlights44

KPMG Presents: The China Series 2014 - Urbanization in China: Profound ImpactsThe scale of urbanization in China is massive, accelerating and unprecedented and will have a profound impact on the economic and social fabric of China. The real estate industry in particular will be affected by this massive urbanization process.

Panelists, including David Ferry from KPMG, Chris Brooke from CBRE, David Faulkner from Colliers International, John Lam from Nam Fung Property Holdings with Simon Smith from Savills Hong Kong being the moderator, discussed how the urbanization process currently affects the Chinese property market, how companies can leverage the opportunities and deal with the challenges of urbanization in China.

Baker Tilly HK & Air Canada Present: Perspectives from Two Hong Kong Companies Who Successfully Raised FundsPanelists revealed how companies successfully obtained funding, handled investors and interests in their businesses as well as the particularities of the Hong Kong market when it comes to raising early stage funds.

August 27th, 2014 – The Hong Kong Club

Wednesday, June 25th, 2014 – The Executive Centre

Monday, July 14th, 2014 - The Hong Kong Banker’s Club

Alumni Series - Crossing Borders, Transcending Disciplines: Prof. Lap-Chee Tsui Looks BackProf. Lap-Chee Tsui articulated a very interesting life journey that began when he was a young boy in an obscure part of Hong Kong, developing into a world-renowned scientist in Canada, and then to the helm at the University of Hong Kong. He also described his early research interests, his ground-breaking work in identifying the gene defect causing cystic fibrosis, as well as the lessons he learned working across scientific disciplines and diverse cultures.

September 12th, 2014 – JW Marriot Hotel Hong Kong

Strategic Executive Search Group Presents: Leadership Series-Luncheon with Mr. Charles LiMr. Charles Li, the Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, gave an overview of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and how its key features have been considered. Moreover, Mr. Li shared many of his thoughts and insights into how Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect would gradually re-shape both Mainland securities market and Hong Kong market’s future.

Vol.13

Event Highlights 45

CORPORATE MEMBERS

Ashton CollegeMs. Emiko Yumoto, International Marketing Strategistinquiry@ashtoncollege.comTel: 1-604-899-0803www.ashtoncollege.com

Asian Sky GroupMr. Jay Shaw, Managing Directorjshaw@asianskygroup.comTel: 2235-9228Mr. Patrick Bouvry, Commercial DirectorMr. Jeffrey Lowe, General Managerwww.asianskygroup.com

Delmar Cargo InternationalMr. Ricky Ho, Managing Directorrho@delmarhk.comTel: 2363 4218 ext 309Ms. Kitty Ng, Business Development ManagerMs. Roxana Murguia, Business Development Representativewww.delmar-group.com/

Fiducia Management ConsultantsMs. Philippa Schwarz, Marketing ManagerMr. Stefan Kracht, Managing Directorpschwartz@fiducia-china.comTel: 2258 6613www.fiducia-china.com

Madepartners LimitedMr. Paul Belcher, Chief Executive Officerpaul.belchers@madepartners.comTel: 2522-8103Mr. Andrew Steadson, Executive Chairmanandrew.steadson@madepartners.comwww.madepartners.com

Mandarin Oriental Hotel GroupMs. Carol Lee, Financial Controller - Corporatecaroll@mohg.comTel: 28959104Mr. Kevin Whan, Financial Controller - Operationswww.mandarinoriental.com

Swire TravelMs. Mabel Leung, Senior Corporate Sales Manager – Greater Chinamabellaung@swiretravel.comTel: 2579-6589Ms. Aspasia Tsoi, Senior Marketing ManagerMs. Anita Chow, Senior Corporate Sales Supervisorwww.swiretravel.com/

The International Academy of Film & TVMr. Christopher Ng , Executive Directorchris@iaft.netTel: 5808-3445Ms. Huseina Tyebkhan, Director of EducationMr. Danny Li, Admissions Representativewww.iaft.net

Yukon GovernmentMr. Murray Arsenault, Deputy Minister of Economic DevelopmentMurray.arsenault@gov.yk.caMr. Terry Hayden, Assistant Deputy Minister of Economic DevelopmentMr. Mark Stephens, Senior Business Development Adviser, Department of

Edelman Public Relations Worldwide (HK) LtdMr. Bob Grove, CEO, North Asia

Ivey Business SchoolMs. Carol Zheng, Business Development Director

Yew Chung International SchoolMr. Norm Dean, Deputy Director

Sun Life FinancialMr. Sancho Chan, Vice President, Asset Liability Management Asia &

The Mira Hong KongMr. Sam Li, Assistant Director of Sales

Asia Travel Media GroupMr. Edmund Hui, Directoredmund.hui@360-asia.comTel: 3590-5039www.asiatravelmedia.com

Discovery Montessori SchoolMs. Christie Leung, School Supervisoradmin@dms.edu.hkTel: 2850-8006www.dms.edu.hk

Etonhouse International School Ltd.Mr. GimChoo Ng, Group Managing Directorenquiry@etonhouse.com.hkTel: 2353-5223www.etonhouse.com.hk

European PassportMr. A.C. Todd, Business Development Manageractodd@europeanpassport.euTel: 5808-5888www.europeanpassport.eu/

Housing JapanMr. Mitsuo Hashimoto, Presidentgerman@housingjapan.comTel: 03-3588-8861www.housingjapan.com

International Montessori EducationMs. Rita Pokrandt, Curricular Developmentritapokrandt@gmail.comTel: 2156-9033

Leading Organisations International Company LimitedMr. Christopher New, Managing Directormitya.new@leadingorganisations.comTel: 2251-1712www.leadingorganisations.com

PPP Company LimitedMr. Daniel Tan, Associate Publisherdaniel@ppp.com.hkTel: 852 22019714ppp.com.hk

ENTREPRENEUR MEMBERS

CORPORATE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

EXCHANGE

Welcome New Members46

Mr. Albert LoPartner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Mr. Andrew ChoiManagement Consultant, XBE Asset Managment

Mr. Andrew LamManaging Director, Pictet & Cie (Europe) S.A.

Ms. Angelika MehtaProject Manager, Avnet Technology Solutions

Mr. Edward BellSenior Commodities Analyst, The Economist Group

Ms. Elizabeth ThomsonChairwoman & Founder, Amber Foundation

Mr. Francois Allan RoyRegional Head of Compliance, Assicurazioni Generali S.P.A

Mr Garrick PoldGlobal Head, DHL ICS HK Ltd

Mr. Jeffrey ChauBusiness Consulting Principal, Fuji Xerox

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS

Ms. Connie YipAssociate, Pricewaterhouse Coopers

Mr. Hung Wai Jeffrey LamTechnical Consulting Manager, Oracle Systems LTD.

Ms. Janet Chow

Mr. James Thomson-Sakhrani

Mr. JP CoutureTrader, FECAT Limited

Mr. Julien Marc BreteauProduct Manager, A Plus International Services

Ms. Laura Graham

Mr. Lucian Lacau RodeanManaging Director, Limitless Education

Ms. Natalia LechJewellery Marketing and Sales, Haywards of Hong Kong

Dr. Neale Gilbert O’ConnorAssociate Professor, Hong Kong Baptist University

Mr Mark LamManager, KPMG

Mr. Phil Kwai Sum WongPrinciple Interior Designer, Phil&osophy Design Concepts

Mr. Ronald HoWaste Management Consultant, Environmental Resource Management

Mr. Thomas BoswellDirector, Boswell Capital Management LTD.

Mr. Clayton JohnstonDirector of Admissions, Brentwood College School

Ms. Louise Barrington

NON-PROFIT MEMBERS

Pan Asian Mortgage Company Ltd.Mr. Leland Sun, Managing Directorleland.sun@panasian.bizTel: 21671388www.panasian.biz

Refund Management Services (RMS) AsiaMr. Jaime Chua, Directorjaime@refundmanagement.comTel: 6690-1071www.refundmanagement.com

S&P Capital IQMs. Alexa Koyabashi, Sales Professionalakobayashi@capitaliq.comTel: 9139-6720www.capitaliq.com/home.aspx

Target International Projects LtdMs. Renee Soutargetinternationalprojects@gmail.comTel: 853 6632-3627www.targetinternationalprojectsltd.com

Timeswell MandarinMs. Tina Law/Chao Luo, Course Consultanttinalaw@timeswell.comTel: 2203-4389www.timeswell.com

Ms. Jennifer Kay ChanSales Representative, Forest Hill Real Estate

Ms. Joyce KwanHead of Corporate & Institutional Sales, ABCI Securities Co. LTD

Ms. Josephine WY ChanSelf Employed, Investment

Ms. Julie HuangHR Director,Kerry Holdings Ltd

Mr. Keith NeillPrincipal Consultant, Fuji Xerox

Mr. Ken Tsui VP of Corporate and Institutional Sales, ABCI Securities Co. Ltd.

Mr. Kishore SakhranChair, Amber Foundation

Ms. Laure Chetty

Ms. Lisa PoonSenior Environmental Engineer, MTR Corporation Limited

Ms. Louisa BenchManaging Director, Benchstrength

Mr. Manning DohertyManaging Director, Mount Kellett Capital

Mr. Martin LauAVP, Greater China Development at Manulife Financial

Mr. Michael KerrSoftware Solution Architect, Delta 360 Inc.

Mr. Padraig WalshPartner, Bird & Bird

Mr. Patrick ChanSolicitor, Boase Cohen & Collins

Mr. Ran ElfassyDirector, Sigei Media

Mr. Samuel AuDirector, Kopi Incorporation Limited

Dr. Simon Tao QuManaging Director, CIMB Securities

Ms. Tracey NguyenCFO, CompIndex

Mr. Timothy K ChowExecutive Director, Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C

Mr. Wai Hong WongAIA

Dr. Tom VinaimontDoctor, IHIVIT

Ms. Wendy ChanCorporate Account Manager, Dale Carnegie Training

Mr. Alexander Johnston MacIsaacResearch Assistant, University of Windsor

Mr. Alfred ShumManager, Pricewaterhouse Coopers

Mr. Allan KongOperation Director, ShoppingFive

Mr. Andrew LamAssociate Solicitor, Robertsons

Ms. Audrey KaoAssistant Manager, KPMG

Mr. Bryan Peter LeeAssociate, The Bank of Nova Scotia

Vol.13

Welcome New Members 47

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