Career Coaching & Guidance
A fortunate upbringing can have its downsides for business executives in Asia
Recently, a successful entrepreneur approached me for advice about his daughters, who are both in their 20s…….
Career advice
Practical guides for a Hong Kong career
Curated writing from operators, recruiters, and HR leaders — written for people building real careers in HK.
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Career Coaching & Guidance
Purpose: our compass in turbulent times
These are testing times for Hong Kong’s economy. The Hang Seng Index closed below 20,000 recently – a three-year low. …….
Career Coaching & Guidance
You won’t reach the top if you don’t set your sights high enough
Five years ago, while trekking in Nepal, I met a talented young woman who was at a crossroads in her career. After training as an actuary in the UK……
Career Coaching & Guidance
It’s time Hongkongers shed their fear of failure and followed their dreams
Singapore’s 50th birthday prompted some Hongkongers to reflect on our own progress and prospects. In many ways, Singapore and Hong Kong are sister cities……
Career Coaching & Guidance
Like father, like son? Egon Zehnder’s advice on succession in a Hong Kong family business
Family businesses form the foundation of the Hong Kong economy and are increasingly important in mainland China. Unfortunately, they also sometimes cause discontent and distress……
Career Coaching & Guidance
Now hiring: Hong Kong’s next-gen CEOs need to make crucial changes to maintain the city’s competitive edge
My job is to help find and develop leaders, so it’s not unusual to be asked to look for a new CEO. This week, however, I was called in by the chairman of a listed company with a search request that was groundbreaking. The company has been struggling to keep up with the pace of technological change in its industry – and risked being overtaken by disrupters and losing touch with its customers. So the board resolved to do something radical: hire a new, young CEO whose ability to innovate would matter more than industry experience or familiarity with the Hong Kong market.
Career Coaching & Guidance
Are daily chores bogging you down? It’s time for bosses to get out of the spreadsheet swamp, says Catherine Zhu
This week I spoke to a CEO on the day of his retirement from a company he had led for many years. I asked him whether there was anything he would have done differently. He didn’t hesitate. I’d take a longer-term view in my decision-making and be less obsessively focused on quarterly and annual performance.” He mused that, had he taken more time to reflect on long-term trends and brainstorm new business models, his company today might have been a few steps ahead of technologies and competitors that are reshaping the market.