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Sam Kima is proud to have developed a rewarding career in the finance industry, a field he was encouraged to enter following advice from his father in the early 1990s. He comes across as modest and sincere, though delight in his achievements is evident on a wall of his office filled with certificates spotlighting his proficiency to trade in the markets.



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“I’m still thriving in this career after more than three decades, winning accolades, awards, spanning Asia to Europe,” he says, indicating a further shelf packed full of trophies highlighting his business success.



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Kima established Sam’s Investment Office in London in 2015, and also plays a huge role in sales and marketing as senior vice-president of First Gold. Jakarta-based PT Cyber Futures Indonesia, which specialises in forex, gold and derivative instruments, is another company that banks upon his expertise. He is also a professional senior analyst working under TraderHub Jakarta.



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His formative years undoubtedly gave him an international outlook highly suited to the world of finance. Born in Hong Kong and further raised in California, he went on to study at the London School of Economics. He now spends his time shuttling between Hong Kong and Indonesia as well as Europe and Los Angeles, which he describes as his second home. He converses with a slight American twang, and with his strong physical presence, he easily commands attention when he articulates sentences in a deep, booming voice.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Carnegie confidence</h3>



Perhaps this innate ability to fill a room with his presence stems from the Dale Carnegie training he undertook at the outset of his burgeoning career. It was a decision that helped him achieve a better life. “Dale Carnegie is super amazing,” he says. “It has considerably influenced me on how to deal with people, colleagues, friends and clients. It guides you to be a smarter person with integrity and morality.”


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He believes such training is all-important when developing a career in a people-centred occupation like finance, and credits the course with nurturing a whole raft of skills. “It develops communication, confidence, problem-solving, emotional intelligence and self-awareness,” he says.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Caring spirit</h3>



A sense of integrity is also fundamental to Kima’s attitude to work and his desire to partake in community service. For instance, every Tuesday he volunteers together with a group of influential community leaders to help serve food to more than 500 impoverished elderly people in Hong Kong. He believes these kinds of activities make someone a more positive person with other knock-on effects: “The better your character traits mesh with your career, the more productive and positive your job performance will be.”



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He also reveals that he is a passionate believer in self-care and investing in activities that nurture body and mind. “This is not in a selfish way,” he adds.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hungry for more</h3>



Kima likes to set and achieve goals, and his early banking career was spent mastering economic fundamentals like how technical charts play a big role in clients’ decision-making, and how various financial products, forex, gold and silver fluctuate according to data and news. He thrived on the adrenaline rush, constantly learning about the markets, and this made him hungry. “It is an amazing field and I loved what I experienced and was doing,” he recalls of the time.


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This hunger has stayed with him. One can sense he is constantly checking the newswires to sense the market direction. The day of our meeting was soon after the terrible events in Israel and he noted a flight to the dollar as investors sought security in an uncertain world.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The fear factor</h3>



Shifting assets to the security of gold is another phenomenon in turbulent times, especially when the fear of inflation is pervasive. “As inflation occurs, investors increasingly turn to gold as a hedge, driving demand and price upwards,” he explains.



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His team is part of a tightly interconnected network spanning Australia, Indonesia, the UK and Hong Kong in the rapidly developing investment brokerage field. Live analysis reports by their expert advisors on their state-of-the-art 24-hour trading platform can be the difference between clients making a profit or loss in the most lucrative forex and precious metals markets, according to Kima. He also states they can offer the most competitive spreads and that industry leaders from the Asia-Pacific region turn to his team for their wealth management and analysis reports.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Internet immediacy</h3>



He believes one of the main reasons why gold and forex investing is so easy – and attractive – is its accessibility. “Anyone with an internet connection and a computer or mobile device can access the market. Forex and gold brokers provide traders with trading platforms that allow them to buy and sell currencies, view charts and access real-time analysis and news,” he says.



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His services aim to reduce the time it takes for an order to be routed to the servers for execution, something known as latency. “The high liquidity of forex and gold means that transactions can be completed quickly and easily, and that spreads are often very tight – meaning the underlying market price won&#8217;t have to make a significant positive move in order for your trade to be profitable,” he says.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get-rich-quick worry</h3>



As he sits in his office in front of a shelf crammed with a bust of Mao Zedong, beautiful Chinese figurines and a lovely model of a traditional sailing boat, he talks earnestly about the dangers of naive and small investors who do not do their homework before putting their savings into investment vehicles. He is acutely aware that the reputation of the financial sector has taken a battering over recent years, and passionately believes that credibility is all-important when dealing in finance. Indeed, he reveals that he did an interview warning of the dangers of cryptocurrency just prior to the great unravelling.


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He fears inexperienced investors post- Covid are exhibiting a dangerous get-rich-quick mentality, and perhaps with this concern in mind, he makes sure his investor clients first go through demo accounts to trade without using real money. “We must make sure that prospective clients are well educated about our markets and understand the fundamentals prior to putting funds in the real market,” he says.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top track record</h3>



For our photo shoot, he dons an assortment of strikingly coloured suits, and there is certainly the showman side to his persona. In a wistful moment, he yearns for the return of the big pre-Covid society bashes. But he knows what traits are most important: “You will not find one bad review on a search engine about the companies I am involved with,” he reveals with immense pride.



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“Integrity, loyalty, reviews, honesty and track records are the main ingredients and reasons for investing with us,” he adds.



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Interview by: Neil Dolby Photographer: Jack Law Videographer: Jack Fontanilla

Financial Fair Play: Whether metals, forex or other financial products, investment guru Sam Kima values integrity above all

In times of challenges, Female Entrepreneurs Worldwide (FEW), together&nbsp;with Gafencu and De Beers, worked together to interview several&nbsp;influential women who can inspire us to shine bright, no matter how dark&nbsp;the shadows sometimes seem. We believe that the strength of a&nbsp;woman&#8217;s spirit is as resilient as that of a natural diamond itself, born&nbsp;through hard work and under intense pressure.
<figure id="attachment_68021" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68021" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-68021 size-full" title="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-alison-chan-el-azar/" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle alison chan el azar" width="466" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-200x258.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-217x280.png 217w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-120x155.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-400x515.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68021" class="wp-caption-text">Alison Chan El Azar wears Portraits of Nature by De Beers High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-alison-chan-el-azar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alison Chan El Azar</a> 
HK Influencer
Alison didn’t always know what she wanted in life, but&nbsp;she knows that she can do something big, something&nbsp;important. She is always working to be a better version&nbsp;of herself &#8211; just like a natural diamond &#8211; when it&#8217;s&nbsp;polished and incorporated into a piece of jewellery, it&nbsp;will transform into a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
Read more <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-alison-chan-el-azar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
<figure id="attachment_68020" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68020" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-68020 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-Thirty30-creative.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle victoria tang-owen Thirty30 creative" width="466" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-Thirty30-creative.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-Thirty30-creative-200x258.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-Thirty30-creative-217x280.png 217w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-Thirty30-creative-120x155.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-Thirty30-creative-400x515.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68020" class="wp-caption-text">Victoria Tang-Owen wears De Beers Jewellers&#8217; Enchanted Lotus High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-victoria-tang-owen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria&nbsp;Tang-Owen</a> 
Founder of Thirty30&nbsp;Creative &amp; Victoria Tang Studio
Victoria understands that “starting a business is tough,&nbsp;especially being a women-owned business. It takes&nbsp;courage and discipline.” I like the touch and feel of&nbsp;rough diamonds, understated yet powerful. Just like in&nbsp;life, some things do not have to be polished or perfect.&nbsp;
Read more <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-victoria-tang-owen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
<figure id="attachment_68019" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68019" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-68019 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle ruth chao RCS" width="466" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-200x258.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-217x280.png 217w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-120x155.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-400x515.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68019" class="wp-caption-text">Ruth Chao wears De Beers Jewellers&#8217; Ellesmere Treasure High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-ruth-chao/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruth Chao</a> 
Founder of RCS
&#8220;We are what we think. We become what we do. Creating&nbsp;for businesses with positive impact and meaningful&nbsp;causes is what fuels my fire of creativity.&#8221; The strength of&nbsp;Ruth is like the stunning diamond jewellery she is&nbsp;wearing &#8211; rare, finite, and extremely difficult to find.&#8221;
Read more <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-ruth-chao/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
<figure id="attachment_68022" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68022" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-68022 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-diana-chou.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle diana chou" width="466" height="600" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-diana-chou.png 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-diana-chou-200x258.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-diana-chou-217x280.png 217w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-diana-chou-120x155.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-diana-chou-400x515.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68022" class="wp-caption-text">Diana Chou wears De Beers Jewellers&#8217; Portraits of Nature High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-mentorship-ruth-chao-how-to-10-tips-find-a-mentor/">Diana Chou</a> 
Chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA)
Diana Chou, the founder and Chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group, (DGA), has over time been a strong leader and mentor for up and coming female entrepreneurs.&nbsp;“When you see a natural diamond, you don’t know its brilliance until you have to shape it, polish it, before it will shine. This is just like a woman going through life, and they need to be polished before they can shine”.
Read more <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-mentorship-ruth-chao-how-to-10-tips-find-a-mentor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;

Women’s Resilience: As tough as natural diamond

We all need a little humour to make life a little bit more tolerable sometimes. As the old adage goes, “laughter is the best medicine”. Indeed we have scientific research to back that up. Especially in trying times and difficult situations, it helps to let your hair down and have a good old belly laugh.
Or even a gentle chortle. As comedian and political satirist Jon Steward once said, “Comedy is in the middle of a traffic jam, getting everybody moving again.” This time around, though, we’re turning the attention from ourselves and on to some of the most laughable events to have made headlines this year…
<h4>Musk be a Mistake</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68340" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="479" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2.jpg 2048w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-200x137.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-800x547.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-410x280.jpg 410w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-768x525.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-1024x700.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-120x82.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-500x342.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-400x273.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-600x410.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Elon-Musk-Twitter-sues-Elon-Musk-2-1200x820.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
At one point or another, especially after a few too many pints, many of us have had the experience of tweeting something we’d later regret. Except, in most occasions, it doesn’t result in a billion-dollar lawsuit. The same can’t be said about Tesla CEO Elon Musk however.
After months of buzz around Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s claims to buy Twitter, the quirky SpaceX founder has finally declared that he will not be pursuing ownership of Twitter after attempting to terminate a signed merger agreement in April. As a result, Twitter has sued the business magnate for backing out of a US$44 billion acquisition.
Sniping back at the social media platform, Musk has accused the company of misleading him with inaccurate data, obfuscating facts, not notifying him of layoffs and executive changes, as well as refusing to hand over “useable” user data – all of which allegedly constitute a “breach” of the agreement, according to Musk’s lawyers. As the case goes on, if found liable, Musk will be obliged to pay a US$1 billion break-up fee according to the agreement.
<h4>Bagel Wars</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-68342 aligncenter" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="496" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM.jpg 2125w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-200x142.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-800x567.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-395x280.jpg 395w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-768x544.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-1024x726.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-120x85.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-500x354.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-300x214.jpg 300w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-400x283.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-600x425.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-06-16-at-2.27.51-PM-1200x850.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Money, muscles and bagels. Hong Kong is known to be one of the safest cities in the world, with murder and theft cases being comparatively lower than other cities. However, a recent scuffle between two establishments has turned sour and you bet social media was quick to catch on.&nbsp;
In June, the infamous Bagel War was the talk of Kennedy Town and almost every English media in the city. Mendel’s, a New York bagel shop went viral on social media for a video they posted to their Instagram page in which men in black shirts were seen blocking entry to the store and telling customers that they were not allowed in, while employees can be heard yelling from inside to customers that the deli was in fact open.
The establishment had accused rival Schragel’s founder Rebecca Schragel of having hired security to harass customers and employees. In the video, customers can be seen struggling to pass through – dodging and pushing their way past the burly men. While many customers and supporters of the eatery were enraged, some found amusement in the turn of events.
It was cleared that Rebecca Schrage, a majority shareholder of Mendel’s was suing her partners for financial disputes.
<h4>It&#8217;s Not Over Until It&#8217;s Over</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68343" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Sri-Lankan-Preside-nt1400x-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="466">
Nobody wants to be broken up with on text or over the phone. However, that didn’t stop the head of state of Sri Lanka to pack up and flee the country in the wake of anti-government protests in July.
It was confirmed By Mahinda Yapa Abeywardenena, the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, that Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had sent over his resignation through e-mail and fled to Singapore on a flight from the Maldives.
Abeywardenena has told media that “we cannot accept such an email at face value” and that the legality of such a declaration needs to be legally verified, ascertained and officially confirmed. The state is expecting a paper copy of the letter but is expecting the letter to come through at a later time as it would be sent from Singapore.
<h4>It’s Türkiye, not Turkey</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68344" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia.jpg 1656w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-200x200.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-100x100.jpg 100w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-800x800.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-280x280.jpg 280w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-768x768.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-120x120.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-500x500.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-66x66.jpg 66w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-400x400.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-600x600.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/resized_cc95c-c5b68fffmotiongraphicstemplatemedia-1200x1200.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
When you think of Turkey, what springs to mind? If you say a large gobbling bird, you’re not alone. Most of us have all been guilty of associating “Turkey” with the thanksgiving dinner table rather than paying any mind to the actual country. In fact, if you type it into Google, you’re quite likely to see pages worth of the large game bird.
As such, the government of Turkey had formally advocated to officially change the country’s name to Türkiye (pronounced tur-key-yay), even producing a video commercial of the movement. It doesn’t help that the word is also alternatively defined as “a stupid or inept person”.
The name was changed to reframe the country’s image and connect it to its cultural roots. The process of the country’s renaming had began in December 2021 when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a statement saying, “The word ‘Turkiye’ represents and expresses the culture, civilisation, and values of the Turkish nation in the best way.” In June, The United Nations officially recognised Turkey as Türkiye and had implemented the change shortly after receipt of the request.
<h4>Behind Every Dream is Cartier</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68347" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier.png" alt="" width="700" height="408" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier.png 898w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-200x117.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-800x467.png 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-480x280.png 480w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-768x448.png 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-120x70.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-500x292.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-400x233.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany-vs-Cartier-Cartier-600x350.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68348" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tiffany.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="453">
Contrary to high end jeweller Tiffany &amp; Co.’s tagline: Behind every dream is a dreamer, a recent legal battle between the high-end brand and competitor Cartier has pit the two luxury brands against each other.
In march Cartier accused Tiffany &amp; Co. of stealing trade secrets of the brand’s bespoke jewellery collection. According to a complaint filed in a New York state court in Manhattan, Tiffany had hired an under qualified junior manager to learn more about Cartier’s High Jewelry collection, in which pieces cost from US$50,000 to US$10 million.
The manager also happened to be a former executive worker for Cartier and was hired despite her six-month non-compete agreement. She was then fired after five weeks. Tiffany had since denied all allegations Cartier has made thus far. Although this isn’t the first legal battle between the two, it’s still a saucy affair to see two major league brands go head to head.&nbsp;
<h4>Metabirkins? Nadabirkins!</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68349" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/metabirking-1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="393">
As vague as the lines are between reality and the metaverse, to luxury conglomerate Hermès, the boundaries of copyright is clear.
In January, Hermès sent artist Mason Rothschild a cease and desist letter and filed a lawsuit in federal court in the Southern District of New York for alleged trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and cyber-squatting.
This lawsuit followed a sale by the artist of reinterpreted Berkin NFTs, coined the word “Metabirkins”, within the metaverse. The NFT features furry renderings of Hermes’s iconic Birkin handbag.&nbsp;Artist Mason Rothschild has since claimed his First Amendment right and right to artistic expression, stating that the Metabirkins are not explicitly misleading.
&nbsp;
<h4>Much Ado About Nothing</h4>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68352" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Kim-Kardashian-kkm-k.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="508">
If there is one thing the infamous reality TV family The Kardashians is known for, it’s controversy – and there is a lot – enough propel the family into global fame. For what exactly? Absolutely nothing, allegedly.
Which is ironic since the most famous of the Kardashian-Jenner clan Kim Kardashian has been criticised for an interview in which she advised women who want to make a successful career in business with this statement: “I have the best advice for women in business,” she says. “Get your f&#8212;&#8211;g a&#8211; up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.
The punch line here is that the family has been called out several times in the past, including by Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters for having no talent or any particular expertise or professional background. Yet, for two decades they have become a household name across the globe and cashed on millions for their Keeping Up with the Kardashians reality show in which they do, well…nothing…
&nbsp;
Text: Staff Writer

Celebrating the year’s most hilarious quips, anecdotes and happenstances

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<video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-68094-1" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2210/2210_GMHK_Interview_SimonMa.mp4?_=1" /><a href="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2210/2210_GMHK_Interview_SimonMa.mp4">https://www.igafencu.com/video/2210/2210_GMHK_Interview_SimonMa.mp4</a></video></div>
Hong Kong-born, Shanghai based, art veteran Simon Ma shares his vision of creating harmony through art with his recent travelling Drago Cavallo Exhibition
From a young age, you painted under the guidance of Chinese master Fan Tzu Teng. How did that shape you? 
I was lucky to have him inspire me, and not just in painting. He also inspired me to become a good person. We believed that whatever you paint first comes from your heart, then flows through your hands – manifesting how we think and how we look at the world.
“Harmonise” is a word he always reminded me of. To harmonise with nature and with people, regardless of their background, whether they are rich or poor. This way, you allow yourself to view the world from all angles, looking at everyone and every situation from the top down, left to right and from front to back as well. He was my master in matters of the mind, too – an extremely kind and an open person, he believed that we should do charity work, with a pure heart – that is what would help one be a good painter.
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For a time, you had your own company in Shanghai, Ma Design. What propelled you to make the transition from architect and urban planner to artist?
I started painting when I was seven years old, and I played music when I was 13 years old. After that, I attended boarding school in the UK and then studied architecture and urban planning at University College of London.
It’s hard being an architect. I prefer being an artist because I don’t have to just work for the client. As an artist, I can actually create anything I like, without limitations or boundaries. I started sculpting and exhibiting my work to the public in various locations around the world. To me, this is the more interesting part of art and creation, it is much more meaningful to me [than architecture. I put them there like an architecture but in miniature forms.
You recently launched a large touring artistic installation, Drago Cavallo, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Could you tell us more about this?
Winfried (Engelbrecht-Bresges), the CEO of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, called me and wanted me to come back to Hong Kong to do the Drago Cavallo – Travel Around HK exhibition as part of the SAR’s 25th anniversary.
We thought the city needed new energy, something to bring everyone in harmony. The mythical dragon horse (‘drago cavallo’ in Italian) is the spirit of China – one of the eight mythical beasts that symbolises inspiration; and I think people all over the world like horses.
I actually created these lovable Drago Cavallos during Covid-19 to give people hope and new energy. So, we brought back 10,000 Drago Cavallos and are planning on displaying a 25-metre-high Drago Cavallo next year.
I’m working very hard on this, trying to harmonise Hong Kong society – in different districts and also in schools, where students can paint Drago Cavallo and understand the spirit of the two animals (dragon and horse). The cool thing about this project is that it will harmonise society through art.
The Jockey Club has also been very supportive. We are also hosting a competition, and asking everyone to join the competition and try to set up one Drago Cavallo for each district.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68096 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9767_p-e1664802337739.jpg" alt="" width="466" height="699" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9767_p-e1664802337739.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9767_p-e1664802337739-200x300.jpg 200w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" />
<blockquote>
&#8220;I prefer being an artist because you can actually create anything you like, with no limitations, no boundaries. This is much more meaningful to me [than architecture]”
</blockquote>
You have a strong affinity with horses. Could you share with us why that is? 
The horse is the most beautiful animal. They are energetic, international and always moving forward. They never complain though they can have a temper, too; when they want to, they just go. I see myself as somewhat of a horse whisperer. I go around the world, to places like Mongolia, to see horses. And when I find them, they are like my friends. You have to build a friendship with horses before you can paint them. I paint from inside them; I’m painting their vision.
You divide your time between your Hong Kong studio in Wong Chuk Hang and Shanghai. What differences have you observed between the two major cities? 
I have been in China for 23 years. Shanghai is a very fast-growing city and full of energy. Whereas Hong Kong has stopped for the past three or four years; it’s actually becoming less international. If you look at the government in Shanghai and the local community, there is such a respect for art and its artists. But looking at Hong Kong, one might question how many good artists there are in the city. Shanghai, on the other hand, has so many ‘West Kowloon’s, not just one. And there are 20 or 30 more museums as well.
But Shanghai is not an easy place to survive in as an artist. You have to be very good at what you do, you have to be really good with people, and you have to be really good with the market as well. You have to be ahead of the market rather than follow it. We change because of our environment, but the environment doesn’t change because of us.
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You have collaborated successfully as an artistic designer with international brands, such as Porsche and Ferrari. How did that come about? 
I think these international luxury brands are looking for a Chinese artist who can connect with people internationally and locally. I understand both cultures – especially the Italian mindset, and I can instil Chinese art into their luxurious products harmoniously; it goes beyond just mixing two things together.
You’re also pretty active on Instagram. What value does social media give you as an artist? 
I am encouraging my team to be active on all social media platforms because it’s better to share and let more people appreciate your art. Why keep art to yourself? Open up and let people see it.
<blockquote>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-68099 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9916_p-e1664790444742.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="1050" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9916_p-e1664790444742.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9916_p-e1664790444742-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACK9916_p-e1664790444742-600x900.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /> 
“I am like the horse whisperer. I go around the world, to places like Mongolia, to see horses. And when I find them, they are like my friends. I’m painting their vision”
</blockquote>
If you could go back in time and meet anyone from the past, who would it be? 
My auntie, who passed away four years ago. She gave me my name ‘Simon’. And also, my master, Fan Tzu Teng. I would pay a million dollars to have dinner with them again, because as you get older, you realise the number of people you love gets less and less. Fan Tzu Teng is like my father. He had no son, so I was like a son to him. When I approached his body at his funeral, I knelt down; I knelt all the way to his body. There were a few hundred people there and they all stood up. This is the highest respect I could give to my teacher.
When do you get your best ideas? 
I always get my best ideas when I’m having a shower. I feel light, like I’m being purified by water – and all my spirituality emerges.
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Do you still play music? 
I love music. I still have my band in China. I used to write music before I got too busy. I’m a left-handed drummer (like Phil Collins) as well as a singer. If you ever hear me sing, you’d be surprised. Music is my life. It helps to create good art.
Thank you.
&nbsp;
(Interview by: Robert Murry; Photographer: Jack Law; Art Direction and Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma;&nbsp;Videographer: Jackie Chan; Venue: Simon Ma Gallery)
&nbsp;

Art veteran Simon Ma’s vision of creating harmony through art

Diana Chou is the founder and chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA) while Anna Wong and Ines Gafi are founders of Female Entrepreneurs Worldwide <a href="https://www.thefewgroup.com/">(FEW)</a>. Diana also sits on the board of directors of FEW from the early years and she&nbsp;always shared with them that&nbsp;sometimes we&nbsp; need to experience&nbsp;setbacks in order to learn and grow &#8211; it&#8217;s&nbsp;like a caterpillar that undergoes a&nbsp;transformational process to become a&nbsp;butterfly. 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-68136" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="446" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2-200x127.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2-600x382.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2-439x280.jpg 439w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2-120x76.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2-500x319.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2-400x255.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Anna: “Diana is a wonderful mentor&nbsp;because she shares her life, experiences,&nbsp;and struggles. She let me see how she&nbsp;manages the ups and downs in her life.&nbsp;She invites me to her business meetings&nbsp;and friends gatherings. She let me see&nbsp;how she runs things.&#8221;
Ines: &#8220;Diana is a great inspiration, as she&nbsp;inspires us to pay it forward and mentor&nbsp;other younger women. And we are&nbsp;constantly looking for more great&nbsp;business and corporate leaders to&nbsp;mentor our members.&#8221; 
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-68135" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="446" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1-200x127.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1-600x382.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1-439x280.jpg 439w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1-120x76.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1-500x319.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/1-400x255.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" />
Also read: <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-hongkong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women&#8217;s Resilience: As tough as natural diamonds</a>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">10 Tips to invite successful people to be your mentor</h3>
<ol>
<li>Do not look like a helpless and miserable young woman.</li>
<li>Dress &#8220;one level up&#8221; &#8211; if you are just a manager, you could dress like a future director in the office; If you&#8217;re an entrepreneur, please dress&nbsp;like a successful entrepreneur.</li>
<li>Show them that you have the talent to do it through your work ethic&nbsp;and achievements.</li>
<li>Sell your passion and bring in positive energy to people&#8217;s life.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Demonstrate you&#8217;re doing something to drive a positive impact in&nbsp;society, as they want to give back to the society too.</li>
<li>Be genuine. You get to truly love the people you’re with. Try not to&nbsp;make friends with people because of their status or money.</li>
<li>Invite them to a coffee meeting. Tell them sincerely about what you&nbsp;admire about them and want to learn from them.</li>
<li>Join platforms like FEW or other business associations based on&nbsp;your needs.</li>
<li>Say thank you or send a gift for their guidance and trust in you.</li>
<li>No need to rush into any relationship. You also need to know that&nbsp;if you can work and communicate well with the person who’s goingto help guide you.</li>
</ol>
&nbsp;
Read more from other inspirational female entrepreneurs in Hong Kong&#8230;
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-alison-chan-el-azar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alison Chan El Azar, Hong Kong Influencer</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-victoria-tang-owen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria Tang-Owen, Founder of Thirty30&nbsp;Creative &amp; Victoria Tang Studio</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-ruth-chao/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruth Chao, Founder of RCS</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu female entrepreneur total circle diana chao 600x337

10 Tips to invite successful people to be your mentor

<figure id="attachment_68023" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68023" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-68023" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle ruth chao RCS" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1-600x399.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-ruth-chao-RCS-1-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68023" class="wp-caption-text">Ruth Chao, Founder of RCS, wears De Beers Jewellers&#8217; Ellesmere Treasure High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“I&#8217;m fascinated by depth, creativity, love”</h3>
</blockquote>
The turning points that created the life I have Today:
<ul>
<li>When I quixotically applied to the art department of British Vogue 13 years 
ago that kickstarted my creative career.</li>
<li>When I co-founded my first company with Antonia Li at the age of 25 that 
began my entrepreneurial path.</li>
<li>When I founded my second company at the age of 30 to keep building the 
creative dream.</li>
<li>Each turning point in my life stemmed from moments of courage.</li>
</ul>
3 practical ways I improved my confidence:
<ul>
<li>Choose to believe in the positive.</li>
<li>Trust in the process.</li>
<li>Let myself to just simply be.</li>
</ul>
Top 3 things I do to motivate myself
<ul>
<li>Appreciate the past.</li>
<li>Daydream about the future.</li>
<li>Enjoy the present.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-hongkong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women&#8217;s Resilience: As tough as natural diamonds</a>
&nbsp;
Read more from other inspirational female entrepreneurs in Hong Kong&#8230;
<blockquote>
<ul>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-alison-chan-el-azar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alison Chan El Azar, Hong Kong Influencer</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-victoria-tang-owen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria Tang-Owen, Founder of Thirty30&nbsp;Creative &amp; Victoria Tang Studio</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-mentorship-ruth-chao-how-to-10-tips-find-a-mentor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diana Chou, Chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA)</a></li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu female entrepreneur total circle ruth chao 600x337

Women’s Resilience: As tough as natural diamond- Ruth Chao

<figure id="attachment_68026" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68026" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-68026" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle victoria tang owen" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-600x399.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-victoria-tang-owen-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68026" class="wp-caption-text">Victoria Tang-Owen,&nbsp;Founder of Thirty30&nbsp;Creative &amp; Victoria Tang Studio, wears De Beers Jewellers&#8217; Enchanted Lotus High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“I adapt very easily. I can be comfortable in any sort 
of situation you put me into”</h3>
</blockquote>
Two important men in my life&#8230;
<ul>
<li>I was working for my father and&nbsp;was always overshadowed by him,&nbsp;and not allowed to cry in front of&nbsp;him. He said: &#8220;Excuses are just&nbsp;excuses. Fix it. Face it.&#8221; I had to&nbsp;constantly prove my creative&nbsp;output to him. All of&nbsp; these make&nbsp;me stronger Today.</li>
<li>My husband is left-brained,&nbsp;strategic and business-minded — a great planner. We complement&nbsp;each other so well in each single&nbsp;aspect, which is beautiful.</li>
</ul>
Starting a business is tough, how I did it..
<ul>
<li>Have a genuine passion for what&nbsp;you do, not falling into habits of&nbsp;working simply to work.</li>
<li>Commit to it 100%. If you don&#8217;t&nbsp;believe in it, no one does. Stand on&nbsp;your own feet.</li>
<li>Find the right partner and people for&nbsp;you to work and surround yourself.</li>
<li>“You are what you give, not what&nbsp;you are given&#8221; is what I was told in&nbsp;my early adult life.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-hongkong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women&#8217;s Resilience: As tough as natural diamonds 
</a>
&nbsp;
Read more from other inspirational female entrepreneurs in Hong Kong&#8230;
<ul>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-alison-chan-el-azar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alison Chan El Azar, Hong Kong Influencer</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-ruth-chao" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruth Chao, Founder of RCS</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-mentorship-ruth-chao-how-to-10-tips-find-a-mentor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diana Chou, Chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA)</a></li>
</ul>

Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu female entrepreneur total circle victoria owen tang 600x337

Women’s Resilience: As tough as natural diamond-  Victoria Tang-Owen

<figure id="attachment_68025" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-68025" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-68025 size-full" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1.png" alt="Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu total circle alison chan el azar" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1-600x399.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Womens-Resilience-As-tough-as-natural-diamond-gafencu-total-circle-alison-chan-el-azar-1-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-68025" class="wp-caption-text">Hong Kong Influencer Alison Chan El Azar wears Portraits of Nature by De Beers High Jewellery Collection</figcaption></figure>
<blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">“I&#8217;m adventurous, determined, and spontaneous”</h3>
Alison didn’t always know what she wanted in life, but she knows that she can do something big, something important. She is always working to be a better version of herself &#8211; just like a natural diamond &#8211; when it&#8217;s polished and incorporated into a piece of jewellery, it will transform into a truly one-of-a-kind piece.</blockquote>
My Struggles:
<ul>
<li>I was feeling dark and lost in my&nbsp;teenage years, as my parents got&nbsp;divorced&#8230;</li>
<li>Thinking how to transition to the&nbsp;next chapter in my life and conquer&nbsp;the fears.</li>
<li>Give up other aspects of my life for&nbsp;being a full-time mom and my kids.</li>
<li>Who am I outside of mom, outside&nbsp;of my kids?</li>
</ul>
How I conquer my hard times:
<ul>
<li>It’s okay to feel lost and have doubt&nbsp;in certain stages of your life.</li>
<li>Waking up every day feeling&nbsp;motivated is just unrealistic. Do not&nbsp;pretend everything is alright.</li>
<li>You don&#8217;t need to be perfect or a&nbsp;billionaire.</li>
<li>It’s all about accepting where&nbsp;you’re at.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Exercise and be grateful.</li>
</ul>
What I&#8217;m looking&nbsp;for now:
<ul>
<li>I believe I can do something.</li>
<li>I look for something on the side besides being a mom.</li>
<li>I want to live a happy and simple life with purpose.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Also read: <a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-hongkong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Women&#8217;s Resilience: As tough as natural diamonds</a>
&nbsp;
Read more from other inspirational female entrepreneurs in Hong Kong&#8230;
<ul>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-victoria-tang-owen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victoria Tang-Owen, Founder of Thirty30&nbsp;Creative &amp; Victoria Tang Studio</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-womens-resilience-ruth-chao" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ruth Chao, Founder of RCS</a></li>
<li><a href="//www.gafencushop.com/female-entrepreneurs-mentorship-ruth-chao-how-to-10-tips-find-a-mentor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diana Chou, Chairman of Dragon General Aviation Group (DGA)</a></li>
</ul>

Women's Resilience As tough as natural diamond gafencu female entrepreneur total circle alison chan el azar 600x337

Women’s Resilience: as tough as natural diamond- Alison Chan El Azar

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-65443-2" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2204/2204_GMHK_Interview_DarrinWoo.mp4?_=2" /><a href="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2204/2204_GMHK_Interview_DarrinWoo.mp4">https://www.igafencu.com/video/2204/2204_GMHK_Interview_DarrinWoo.mp4</a></video></div>
From vintage cars to blockchain technology, Woo Hon Fai Group investment mastermind Darrin Woo steers smartly into the future
<figure id="attachment_65505" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65505" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65505" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money.jpg" alt="Woo Factor Gafencu interviews Darrin Woo four generations of family money" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-600x399.jpg 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-400x266.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65505" class="wp-caption-text">Darrin Woo wearing Chinese jacket by G.O.D.</figcaption></figure>
You helm the Woo Hon Fai Group. What’s the background of this company and how do you see its role today? 
Woo Hon Fai Group is a single-family office named after my grandfather, who was the founding chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and a former president of the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society. Today, our office manages capital on behalf of more than 30 family members across four generations. As the eldest grandson, I am accountable to a big family, and I am currently the third-generation family member leading the office. Our core business, Lee Cheong Gold Dealers, started in 1950 and remains active today.
As managing director of WHF Group, what comes under your purview? 
My areas of responsibility are wide-ranging and divide broadly into two categories: managing financial and human capital. The former involves overseeing legacy investments (some of which date back over half a century), real-estate investments and core businesses, as well as sourcing, allocating and monitoring new and existing investment opportunities, including hedge funds, private equity and venture capital. Managing human capital encompasses developing and implementing succession planning strategies; identifying and retaining talent both inside and outside the family; managing our family businesses; and continuing our family legacy. Our office also provides concierge services to meet our family members’ daily needs. I lead a team whose roles include such responsibilities as corporate administration, accounting and finance, tax and estate planning, property management, investment management and domestic staff management.
<figure id="attachment_65503" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65503" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65503" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-4.jpg" alt="Woo Factor Gafencu interviews Darrin Woo four generations of family money (4)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-4.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-4-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-4-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-4-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-4-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65503" class="wp-caption-text">Darrin Woo wearing Jacket, top and pants by Hugo Boss;&nbsp;Shoes by Mr P., courtesy of Mr Porter</figcaption></figure>
What are the benefits of being raised in a prominent family, and the drawbacks? 
Growing up in a prominent family meant we enjoyed great privileges. My grandfather entertained a lot and we got to meet other prominent families and develop multi-generational friendships. Hong Kong was, and to a certain extent still is, a city where who you know is just as important as what you know, I’m grateful for the exposure and my childhood experiences. 
I was born in San Francisco, did my schooling in Hong Kong, and went to university in the United Kingdom [studying town and country planning at University College London]. The message that with privilege comes responsibility and the paramount importance of giving back to society were inculcated throughout my formative years. Both my family and I have an active philanthropic programme that supports causes across the globe.
Can you elaborate on some of these? 
Our family’s philanthropy programme began with the founding of TIACC Woo Hon Fai Secondary School in 1987 in Tsuen Wan. One of the more notable – and meaningful – gifts in recent years was a US$15 million pledge by my late father [David Woo] to the University of California at Berkeley, which ensured the preservation of the old Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive building. This was renamed Woo Hon Fai Hall and today houses the Bakar BioEnginuity Hub, an incubator with 40,000 square feet of labs and office space for life-science research, innovation projects and start-ups. My father graduated from UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design in 1967, and was a resident architect for the firm that constructed the building. It is with great regret that he passed away last year, and he never got the chance to see Woo Hon Fai Hall in its present glory.
On a personal level, I recently supported a joint research studio between the University of Hong Kong and UC Berkeley, an innovative collaboration with an interesting comparative model to deliver design strategies for urban resilience and climate change in both Hong Kong and the San Francisco region.
<figure id="attachment_65502" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65502" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65502" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-3.jpg" alt="Woo Factor Gafencu interviews Darrin Woo four generations of family money (3)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-3.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-3-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-3-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-3-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-3-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65502" class="wp-caption-text">Darrin Woo wearing top, pants and shoes by Mr P., courtesy of Mr Porter</figcaption></figure>
Aside from your work with the family business, you’re also involved in a new fintech startup. Tell us about this. 
Blockchain technology and digital assets have seen tremendous growth with the promise of reinventing the finance industry. While physical gold bullion trading has been around for thousands of years, professional investors today are becoming interested in digital assets like cryptocurrencies, and I believe this trend will continueto grow. A big part of my job is investing into and for the future. One recent investment I made is in Volmart, a pioneering hybrid risk manager using TradeFi, AI and blockchain technologies to offer investment solutions for private banks, asset managers and prime brokers.
If you had a spare million to invest right now, where would put that money? 
Capital preservation is my number-one priority. Real assets, financials, real estate and commodities offer superior risk-adjusted returns under the current inflationary environment and cycle of rising interest rates. I would buy gold bullion bars, not only because we are in the business, but I believe they are an important hedge against risks associated with financial systems and fiat currencies. The recent surge in gold prices amid the tension between Ukraine and Russia is proof that gold continues to be an effective hedge against geopolitical risks. The vintage-car market continues to perform well, too, and shows little correlation to the stock market. Even if your vintage-car investment isn’t financially profitable in the end, the joy you derive from driving one on the open road on a sunny afternoon is priceless.
<blockquote>
Even if your vintage-car investment isn’t financially profitable in the end, the joy you derive from driving one on the open road on a sunny afternoon is priceless
</blockquote>
How did you passion for collectible cars begin? 
It goes back as far as I can remember. As a child, I lived and breathed toy cars, from pushing Matchbox die-cast versions to assembling static models and building petrol-powered remote-controlled buggies. I was desperate to start driving during my teens, so I arranged lessons in advance and took my driving test on my 17th birthday, the first day I could legally drive in the UK. It was a first-time pass, of course! Vintage cars are my true passion – I admire their aesthetic beauty, quality craftmanship and pure driving experience. I am a member of the Classic Car Club of Hong Kong as well as the Royal Automobile Club in the UK. I like to share my experiences on my personal blog, Motor &amp; Co.
What are the standouts in your collection and your most cherished car memory? 
My collection includes a 1927 Bugatti Type 35B pre-war race car, 1957 Fiat-Abarth 750 GT Zagato, 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman, 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT, 1983 BMW Alpina B9 and 1992 Lancia Hyena Zagato. I am fortunate to be the custodian of these highly collectible cars – many are limited editions and rarely available for sale. 
Just before Covid, I took an intercontinental road trip with my son, Marc – this is one of my most memorable car journeys. We started in a small town called Arese in Italy, and passed through Switzerland, Germany and France, crossing the Channel on a car ferry to the UK. The 1,500km drive took us through some of Europe’s most beautiful and most rugged countryside. We visited historic towns off the beaten track like Baden-Baden, Colmar, Reims, Rouen and Caen.
We met some great people along the way, and the highlight was a visit to Champagne house Taittinger, where we were greeted by Clovis Taittinger, a family friend who is at the helm of this legendary family business. 
Your wife, Bonnie Chan Woo, is a successful entrepreneur.
<figure id="attachment_65501" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-65501" style="width: 466px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-65501" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-2.jpg" alt="Woo Factor Gafencu interviews Darrin Woo four generations of family money (2)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-2.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-2-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-2-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Woo-Factor-Gafencu-interviews-Darrin-Woo-four-generations-of-family-money-2-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-65501" class="wp-caption-text">Jacket, top and pants by Mr P., courtesy of Mr Porter</figcaption></figure>
How did the two of you meet? 
As clichéd as it sounds, we met on the plane when we were teenagers. Those were the days before email and WhatsApp, so we communicated the old-fashioned way through writing letters – we still have many of the original letters at home. Our relationship developed over 14 years before we officially got married in 2005.
How has Covid impacted your family’s jet-setting lifestyle? 
Last year, I spent nine months in the UK and the rest of it in Hong Kong, 42 days of which were in hotel quarantine. Bonnie, Marc and I were hardly ever in the same place due to our various travel engagements, but we are still very grateful for the time we had together and can’t complain.
Can you pass on a few tricks on how to cope with isolating and quarantining? 
That’s a difficult question to answer; different people have different tricks. Living in a confined space over long periods is both mentally and physically straining. I find having a room with a view and direct sunlight helpful. The ability to see activities in the outside world helps combat loneliness and exposure to sunlight elevates my mood. I keep busy with Zoom meetings during the day and relax in the evening watching Netflix and listening to podcasts and audio books.
<blockquote>
Living in a confined space over long periods is both mentally and physically straining. I find having a room with a view and direct sunlight helpful
</blockquote>
What are your top-three quarantine must-haves (apart from basic necessities). 
JIA Everywhere – delicious meals from the JIA group restaurants delivered right to your hotel; Muo Wireless Bluetooth Speaker by KEF – amazing sound in a sleek design; and Amazon Audible – A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is a great quarantine companion.
Thank you.
&nbsp;
(Interview by: Nikita Mishra Photographer: Jack Law Art Direction and Styling: Jhoshwa Ledesma;&nbsp;Videographer: Jackie Chan Venue: Hutong Hong Kong Cover look: Suit by Ring Jacket and button-up shirt by Pye)
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Woo Factor Gafencu interviews Darrin Woo four generations of family money 600x337

Darrin Woo: On road trips, collectible cars and managing the Woo Hon Fai group

<div style="width: 640px;" class="wp-video"><video class="wp-video-shortcode" id="video-61941-3" width="640" height="360" autoplay="1" preload="metadata" controls="controls"><source type="video/mp4" src="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2111/2111_GMHK_Interview_StephanPudwill.mp4?_=3" /><a href="https://www.igafencu.com/video/2111/2111_GMHK_Interview_StephanPudwill.mp4">https://www.igafencu.com/video/2111/2111_GMHK_Interview_StephanPudwill.mp4</a></video></div>
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As Vice Chairman of TTI, Stephan Pudwill aspires to deliver revolutionary technology for a more positive world. As a father, he hopes to instil that same passion in the next generation&#8230;
In the decade since Gafencu last interviewed you, you’ve become Vice Chairman of Techtronic Industries (TTI). Can you summarise what your company does? 
TTI was founded in 1985 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1990. When we began, we were an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), developing products for large retailers around the globe. But we realised early on that if we wanted control over our destiny, we needed to acquire our own brands, so that’s what we did. Today, the majority of revenue is generated by our own companies. We’ve evolved into a technology company with a portfolio of globally recognised brands developing and producing cordless power equipment and labour-saving devices. Building up our brand portfolio allowed us to generate enormous goodwill and recognition in the brands themselves, as well as cementing relationships with customers and better serving their needs. Importantly, from a sustainability standpoint, we are achieving levels unheard of in the industry through our proprietary lithium-ion battery technology, brushless motors and sophisticated electronics.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61994" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6.jpg" alt="Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic Industries (TTI) (6)" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6.jpg 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6-120x80.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6-500x333.jpg 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6-400x266.jpg 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-6-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></a>
What comes under your purview as TTI’s&nbsp;vice-chairman? 
Everything in relation to running the company, which I do together with our CEO, Joseph Galli. Joe’s based in the United States and I’m here at our Hong Kong headquarters. When you look at our organisation and how it’s run, it’s very complementary, because even though we are listed here, a big portion of our revenue is generated in the US, and a significant portion in Europe as well. We spend a lot of time on organisational development, constantly striving to strengthen our global management team and focusing on our long-term strategy. We cover the entire globe, so are constantly on the phone or in Zoom meetings. Pre-Covid, we would also travel frequently, visiting the operations, discussing product strategy and spending time with the project managers. My father, Horst Julius Pudwill [Chairman of TTI], is deeply involved in driving the long-term strategy and spending time with customers.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61998" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10.jpg" alt="Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic Industries (TTI) (10)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-10-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /></a>
What are some of the benefits and challenges of working in a family-owned business? 
One of the unique benefits of working together with my father is that our interests are 100-percent aligned. He’s the major shareholder; I’m also a shareholder. Our focus is to drive the business as best we can and create shareholder value. Are there challenges in terms of running the organisation? Absolutely, that’s very common when running a large business, but overall, TTI has delivered outstanding results. When you look at how the company is structured and the executive management team that is in place, I couldn’t imagine it operating any better than it does today. We set extremely high goals and we strive to achieve them. 
Of course, my father and I sometimes have different points of view on certain matters, but our close relationship means that we can discuss them and various approaches to doing something. We have spirited debates and dynamic exchanges, but in the end, we walk out of the room 100-percent in agreement.
<blockquote>
“From a sustainability standpoint, we are delivering levels that are unheard of in the industry today”
</blockquote>
Can you tell us about some exciting upcoming projects you’re working on right now? 
How much time do we have to talk about this, because we have so many projects in the pipeline! We are expanding our manufacturing and distribution footprints; we’re also focused on new product development. We have such a prolific range of new and exciting products launching in the coming months and years.
One area that is really exciting for me is our lithium-powered lawn and garden products. Traditionally in the industry, outdoor power equipment has been gasoline-powered, so from an environmental standpoint emissions are high, and there’s also a lot of noise. What we’ve achieved are sustainability levels that are substantially better and reduce both emissions and noise significantly. Certain states in the US are considering restricting the use of gas-powered equipment, so this, for us, is quite game-changing. This is just one example among countless others of what we’re now developing. We are looking forward to transforming the world in the industries we serve with environmentally sustainable products that are more efficient and safer to use.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61990" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2.jpg" alt="Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic Industries (TTI) (2)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-2-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /></a>
How has TTI weathered the ongoing pandemic? 
I always like to remind people that we were already doing an amazing job before Covid. The company was outperforming the market and any of our competitors. What has Covid done? Well, we’ve mastered the process of running TTI over Zoom, and that is a testament to the strong managerial processes in place. Another big area of growth is our online business, which was already growing rapidly pre-pandemic, but it’s picked up further, whether that’s through the digital strategies of our retail partners or our internal ones. 
There’s certainly more complexity of physically being at meetings, but we’ve learned the effectiveness of holding them via Zoom. Back in the day, we’d have a few major meetings a year in person, but now, we’ve learned that you can hold them more frequently with more people. In some instances, we even get opinions and ideas that we otherwise wouldn’t receive. I’m not saying that Zoom will replace physical meetings – it’s so important to meet face-to-face with your team and your clients – but I think this digital element will roll over after Covid passes.
Since you last spoke to Gafencu, you’ve also become a dad. How has this changed your life? 
Well, I’m now married to a fabulous woman and we have two amazing sons. I’ve always been very focused on work and running the business, but now family plays an extremely important role in my life as well. My kids, especially my elder son, is highly interested in what I do. He loves coming to the office and playing with the tools in our showroom. I love engaging with them, whether that’s through playing sports or having them watch me work. I think instilling the importance of this ethos of hard work, and an understanding of how life works in general, is critical.
<a href="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-61996" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8.jpg" alt="Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic Industries (TTI) (8)" width="466" height="700" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8.jpg 466w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8-186x280.jpg 186w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8-120x180.jpg 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic-Industries-TTI-8-400x601.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px" /></a>
My parents inculcated great values in me when I was growing up. They made sure to create an environment where you could maximise your potential and have as many opportunities to excel as possible, and I’ve tried to do the same with my sons, while at the same time ensuring they have an international upbringing.
<blockquote>
“Instilling [in my sons] the importance of this ethos of hard work and an understanding of how life works is critical”
</blockquote>
As the only child of one of Asia’s most prominent families, what kind of legacy do you hope to pass down to your children? 
In terms of succession planning, obviously you want to structure things so that the company is organised and functioning well. That way, there’s a real legacy for them to get involved with in the future. Beyond that, as I mentioned, the most important thing is to instil great values in my kids. So, we’ve created an atmosphere where they understand the value of hard work, and tried to foster their interest so they want to be engaged and involved with the family business. It’s something that I think I’ve done pretty well. Of course, only time will tell, but my eldest son is already very keen, and loves talking with his grandfather and learning more about the business from him.
If you could speak with your younger self, what’s the one piece of advice you’d share? 
I would say: think big, be bold, set impossibly hard targets and do absolutely everything to deliver on them.
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If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be and why? 
Steve Jobs. As a business leader, he did what a lot of people aspire to do – he changed the world. He developed and made products that had such a positive impact on the lives of so many. In particular, I’d want to pick his brain about product development, his philosophy on innovation, market disruption, talent, and scaling from small to big. I would also be interested in his vision of where he sees technology 20 years from today.
Finally, tell us a secret about yourself. 
I’m a huge aviation enthusiast. I have a flight simulator at home – and I’m not talking about a computer monitor, it’s actually a full-on cockpit of a Boeing 737. I love flying in it, and my eldest son also shares my passion, so we sit together, programme destinations and fly together, which is a great way to bond.
Thank you.
&nbsp;
<h6>Interview by: Tenzing Thondup; Photos: Jack Ngai</h6>

Gafencu_people_interview_TTI_stephan_pudwill_Techtronic Industries (TTI)

Tag: people