Twists and Turns for the Better
In face of the abruptly changing business landscapes in China, staying ahead of the curve sometimes requires career redirection. Embodied the spirit of innovation, three CUHK Business School alumni made a bold pivot in their career paths and charted new courses towards success with their true passion.
Adam Tong (IBBA 2011)
Public Servant,
Yinchuan People’s Government
Cherry Lu (MBA 2004)
Founder & Executive Partner,
RedHill Capital
Vincent Cheng (EMBA 2022)
CEO,
Ocean Science (Hong Kong)
Q1. Tell us about your career redirection.
- Adam: I founded my own IT business in Hong Kong after graduation. As my understanding towards the strategic progress of the Belt and Road initiatives enriched over the years, I decided to move to Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and contribute to its development as a public servant.
- Cherry: As a clinical medicine degree holder in the private healthcare sector, I was initiated into the burgeoning venture capital market during my MBA study and found healthcare investment my true calling. After a 13-year tenure in the field, I founded my own company in 2018.
- Vincent: Previously I have tapped into different trades, from frozen food and logistics to chemical imports and private tuition. Recently I decided to stop hopping around and settle with start-ups on marine and medical technology.
Q2. Why did you decide to take such a big leap?
- Adam: While Northwest China gave off the impression of a backwater region, it had its very own potential waiting to happen. My entrepreneurial experiences and business acumen boosted in first-tier cities could come into play here and bring the impact I wish to see.
- Cherry: I always look beyond the present and plan in reverse, and this change of professional pursuit came natural to me given my passion in entrepreneurial pursuits. Starting a business in the context of a downward market trend is not easy, but you can only gain a new perspective outside your comfort zone.
- Vincent: Business opportunities for entrepreneurs are plentiful in China, but I learnt from my EMBA study that success is sometimes more about quality rather than quantity. We all know that technology will completely change our lives, and filling the gap between research and product incubation in the field is how I can harness my strengths to create greater value.
Q3. What kind of business potential do you see in your current capacity and how can Hong Kong tap into that?
- Adam: The industrial structure in Ningxia is rather primitive, and so I think its major potential lies in the innovation and technology sector and the creative industry, which still lag the national economy and rely heavily on foreign service providers. There is a huge need for Hong Kong talent in these ends.
- Cherry: The healthcare industry in the Greater Bay Area is venture capital’s new promised land. With issues like ageing population and AI technology development factored in, the industry will undergo a revolutionary transition and Hong Kong will be able to leverage the synergy in the region by pouring in its talent and academic resources.
- Vincent: Hong Kong is blessed with cutting-edge research and a comprehensive policy framework, while mainland China boasts solid industry infrastructures and a vast market. With borders fully opened, collaborations within the region will help consolidate the strengths of Hong Kong as an innovation and technology hub.
Q4. How did your study in CUHK Business School empower you to navigate changing business landscapes?
- Adam: I was supported by my professors and mentors along the way, and they guided me through all my twists and turns. CUHK Business School was the gateway to my entrepreneurial dreams, and I still benefit from the experiences and social network it enabled.
- Cherry: My start-up proposal for a business plan contest during my MBA study turned out to be the prototype with which I started my venture capital investment career. I learnt from this twist that uncertainty and possibility are two sides of the same coin. With a firm grasp on the rigid market demand, you can always identify the right opportunity.
- Vincent: The EMBA programme taught me the importance to stay grounded and make all efforts to strengthen our subject expertise. We are living in an era of “always-on” transformation, and only through a solid grasp of details can we push our intellectual boundaries to lead changes.
Thinking of advancing yourself in the next normal? Explore what’s in your future with CUHK Business School’s programmes.
The interviews first appeared in CUHK Business School Alumni Portal, abridged with permission from the School’s Alumni Affairs and Development Office.