Designed to provide students and recent graduates with a real-life taste of what it takes to lead a company, the Classified Post Shadow a CEO programme offers a unique opportunity for the winners to spend three days working alongside a senior executive. As part of Classified Post’s continuous commitment to help jobseekers explore their career horizons, the fortunate winners chosen today will be able to learn valuable lessons, and gain unique insights that they will be able to use as they embark on their own career journey.
The winners will spend three days experiencing the world of business through eyes of Peggy Choi, the founder and CEO of Lynk, a global knowledge-sharing platform, Terry Chan, chief digital officer of Storellet, a company which helps clients build up their digital infrastructure for business growth, and Bonnie Chan Woo, chairperson and CEO at Icicle Group Holdings, a leading cross-media branding and marketing company with offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Manila.
Following the submission of a resume, and a short essay of up to 350 words entitled “Why I should be selected for the Shadow a CEO programme,” Classified Post will allocate six finalists to each of the participating companies, from which three winners will be selected. The selection criteria are based on areas such as the applicants’ educational backgrounds, their achievements, their extra-curricular activities, their internships, and any awards they have won. The selection process also takes into account the applicant’s attitude, enthusiasm and career aspirations.
During the three days the shadow spends with Bonnie Chan, he or she will be able to ask her how inbound foreign brands and outbound Chinese brands are adapting to markets foreign to themselves, how Hong Kong is serving as a creative production hub for foreign and mainland Chinese brands, and how brands are increasingly using online content and social media influencers to connect with their target customers.
The shadow assigned to Peggy Choi will be able to ask questions about her personal motivation, and the philosophy that led to her establishing a global-knowledge sharing platform that is disrupting the way business decisions are made. Renowned for his ability to drive brand images and identify new business opportunities and partnerships, the shadow that spends three days with Terry Chan will have a prime opportunity to find out what lies behind his axiom, “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.”
The Shadow a CEO Programme, which was created in 2014 with the support from participating organisations, has become a highlight of the Career Forum, because the unique programme provides unforgettable opportunities for students and CEOs. Previous participants highlighted how they were inspired by the way the CEOs they followed were able to encourage a free-flow of ideas and innovation inside their organisations.
The shadows gain in-depth insight into the business, as the CEOs often share their vision and mission plans during C-suite meetings, and they also learn by interacting with management and employees. Former shadows have also commented on the diligence and resilience that it takes to succeed as a business leader. CEOs have commented on how they value conversations during the shadowing activities, because the time they spend with their shadows provides them with an opportunity to understand what drives the next generation.
