SUSANNA CHIU

Director and Group Chief Representative, Eastern China

Fung Group

What does your company do?

Fung Group is in supply chain management. It starts with initial ideas and encompasses product design, product development, sourcing the right materials from global suppliers at the right price, and conducting compliance in the factories that we have engaged. It also involves the monitoring of production, providing logistics solutions and services, and goes all the way to distribution and the licensing of brands and retail outlets. It is an asset-light model, and our business is worldwide with many international clients.

What sort of brands or products are associated with Fung Group?

We deal in consumer goods including fashion apparel, shoes, handbags and accessories, furniture, home decor, gifts and premiums, toys, and children goods. In addition to sourcing for third-party brands, our retail group also own brands including high-end menswear such as Cerruti 1881, Kent & Curwen, and Gieves & Hawkes.

What activities do you have planned for your shadows?

We plan to give the shadows an experience of what it’s like to work at a high level in China by letting them spend a few days in Shanghai with our senior management. With China being a large market and Hong Kong being a part of it, it is important for our young generation to get early exposure to this huge potential.

What do you hope your shadows will get out of the experience?

I hope they will ‘see’ China through their personal experience and how vibrant its business economy is, so that they can equip themselves for their future careers.

What leadership skills or lessons are you personally hoping to impart?

I hope to show them how to communicate in cross-cultural environments, to provide solutions, and to think “how to” instead of “why not to” – basically to develop a “can-do” mindset.

What skills and experiences are you looking for in applicants?

We expect our shadows to be open-minded, flexible, creative and adventurous. They should be ready to learn new things and to take initiative, yet always be mindful of the details.

What is the job market like for graduates in your industry?

There is a lot of career potential especially as we are talking about “agile supply chains” nowadays, with digital being part of the core infrastructure. I hope more young people will go back to basics to the core of the supply chain industry, and bring a fresh outlook to the trade. We hope we can offer more opportunities for graduates to have roles in ‘Industry 4.0’, which is the way the manufacturing world is going.