Ryan Sun is the managing director of Fotomax and the corporate resources director of Fuji Photo Products. He talks to us about his everyday focus at work and home, and also on the bigger picture in the photography industry.

 

You grew up in one of Hong Kong’s more high-profile families. How much of an impact did this have on your formative years?

To be fair, I think it was my parents who had more of an impact. I have always seen them as mentors. It was also their decision to send me to a US military academy, which taught me the real value of many things in my life. To a certain extent, I have always been in awe of my father. Now that I have children of my own, though, we are much closer. One thing that still inspires me is the fact that my mum and dad have been together for more than 50 years, but are still very much in love. From that, I hope I have learnt how to be a better husband to my own wife.

 

What can you tell us about your current role at Fotomax?

I worked on the business development side of Fotomax for two years before becoming the managing director. Now my role is very much about taking strategic decisions, evaluating the company’s performance and being responsible for the overall growth of the business. I also have to consider not only what is good for the company but what is best for the overall group. So, for instance, I wouldn’t give the go-ahead to open a Fotomax outlet right next to a Fuji Film shop, as we’re ultimately part of the same family.

In an age where there is almost a universal fixation on social media, has this devalued photography or has it retained – or even enhanced – its worth?

While there are now more people taking photos than ever before, often this is simply in the hope of notching up ‘likes’ and comments on social media. Beyond that, it often seems as though such photos are seldom cherished in their own right. That, however, is where we come in.

Let’s say every member of a family of four takes four to five photos a day. That’s around 600 photos per family per month. It’s our role, then, to print out these photos in a personalised format – such as in a photo-book – so that they can be cherished forever.

To that end, we have an online platform where people can upload all their photos easily and create a ‘memory book’. That way, even when your photos are old news on someone’s newsfeed, they’re still close to you.

What gets you out of bed every morning?

My daughter – Makayla – my family and my employees. I am always driven to do the very best for my family as I am a firm believer that there are no free lunches in

life. I see it as my role to work hard so that my family can enjoy some of life’s luxuries. For my employees, I want to provide a harmonious and happy workplace. Basically, I want all my staff to also be able to leave work on time and go home to their loved ones.

How does a regular day shape up for you?

For the past three years, I have been waking up at 7am, even on weekends, to prepare milk for my baby. Even though she’s now three years old, I still wake up at 7am so I can see her before she starts her day. Then I carpool to the office with my father and brother, catching up with them on work issues as we head in. With most of my day consumed by meetings, I make it a point to head home at 6pm sharp, so I have plenty of time to spend with my family and, in particular, with my daughter.

When it comes to your daughter, what are the occasions you treasure the most?

Well, my wife and I love taking her on holidays. We don’t take a nanny, as we want it to be just the three of us. After each trip, I create a photo album and Makayla just loves leafing through the pictures. She also loves going to Ocean Park, so it falls on me to take her there nearly every month.

Famously, you’re a collector of sneakers. How did that particular passion come about?

When I was a kid, I wanted to come up with a real style statement, something that would genuinely make me stand out. That’s when I discovered the Bape brand of really cool camouflage-patterned sneakers. This was just after I had completed military school, so it suited me to find something that reminded me of my life as a cadet. That’s how I started my collection and I now have 35 pairs of sneakers, all of which I still wear from time to time.

Tell us something about you that would surprise even those who think they know you well…

Well, don’t tell anyone, but I am really not much of a party animal. People think I am, but really I’m happiest when I am just at home, spending quality time with my wife and daughter.

 Thank you.

Interview by: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Venue courtesy: Fang Fang
Styling: San Wong
Photos: Neville Lee
Video: Lai Ty Yeung