Nick Ng Wai-lung, associate director of Convoy Financial Services, says he chose to work in finance as it’s a growth industry. He joined Convoy in 2006, after meeting his team leader on a training course. Today, he himself is a team leader who looks to inspire and lead others just as his former his team leader did for him. Ng identifies with the “work hard, play hard” ethos of the firm. He talks to Wong Yat-hei

What is your academic background?
I am a graduate of social sciences from Hong Kong Baptist University.

How do you start your day?
I check my e-mail and create a list of things to do en route to the office. Then I have my most important meal of the day – breakfast with my teammates. This is the best time for us to have leisure talk. I also find time to look at some market news. After this, I provide training for newcomers. Sometimes, I also spend time meeting existing or new clients to provide after-sales service. In the afternoon, I do some case study with my teammates, and assist them in solving some complicated cases.        

What does your job entail?
Financial planning, providing investment advice, and managing investment portfolios. Also, I explore business opportunities and expand my team. As a team leader, I need to train up my teammates to become professional financial consultants. 

What major challenges have you faced? 
It has been a challenge to strike a balance between my own job and assisting teammates with their jobs. Besides my normal duties, I need to train up my teammates’ technical skill and assist them in generating business.           

What have you learned about your chosen career and what are your plans?
My immediate plan is to train up more of my teammates to management level, to build a team of more than 1,000 people, and to develop the business and expand the team into the mainland. I also hope to obtain a CFP [Certified Financial Planner] qualification, and to get an MBA. I also aim to be promoted to deputy director. 

Any advice for those who want to enter the insurance industry?
For those who are interested in the financial planning industry, they need to be patient and hard-working, and should also acquire good networking and communication skills. Fluency in Mandarin is a real advantage, as the mainland is a market with huge potential.