Focus・The GBA
HKBU has nurtured over 148,000 graduates since its inception in 1956 and many have made their mark in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). In this section, we are pleased to feature alumni who have been thriving in the GBA and to share their experience on how they capture business and career opportunities there.
Sharing by Alumnus Eric Koo King-fung, Senior Director – Development, Greater China & Mongolia of Hilton Hotels & Resorts
The Journey in the Hospitality Industry in Mainland China
Alumnus Eric Koo is currently Senior Director – Development, Greater China & Mongolia of Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
During his undergraduate years at HKBU, alumnus Eric Koo King-fung (Business Administration) successfully got placed in an internship programme at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the US. The internship experience in the US not only widened his exposure, but also sparked his interest in learning more about the China market.
In 2008, about 2-3 years after graduation, Eric learnt that Pacific Coffee was hiring Assistant Area Manager in Shanghai and he was eager to give it a try, which unveiled his journey in the hospitality industry with a focus on the Mainland. Following the seven months of experience in Shanghai, he worked in the Hong Kong office of the same company in the capacity of Business Development Manager of International Franchise Development. Later on, Eric worked in Shanghai again by spending almost nine years in IHG Hotels & Resorts and focused on business development in Greater China. In 2020, he joined Hilton Group, an international hospitality group which operates over 7,000 hotels worldwide under its 19 hotel brands including Conrad and Hilton, as Senior Director – Development, Greater China & Mongolia. While he is currently stationing in Hong Kong, he needs to travel to numerous cities in the region for liaising with business partners.
Eric meets with his colleagues from different regions.
1. Please briefly describe your work in the hospitality industry with a focus on the Mainland market. How would you describe your working experience in the Greater Bay Area (GBA)?
It is absolutely fascinating that I have been able to spend more than a decade of my career in hotel development in some of the world’s leading hotel chains. Working in one of the fastest developing economies in the world makes my job even more intriguing. Some of the main duties of my role include identifying and evaluating potential hotel development opportunities in the Greater China area, negotiating contracts with hotel investors, and ensuring that the hotels meet the company’s and brand’s standards when they welcome their first guests. Over the years, I have got the opportunities to visit more than a hundred cities in Mainland China to experience the authenticity of each city by studying their historical and recent developments and communicating with the local people.
In recent years, the GBA has provided numerous career development opportunities for young professionals from Hong Kong and worldwide. Apart from sharing the same language, it is, in general, fast-moving like Hong Kong, where decisions are made and implemented quickly with due consideration. The working culture in the GBA tends to be more practical with a candid attitude, which is a perfect stepping stone for graduates to live and work in other regions in Mainland China.
And more importantly, you would find it much easier to enjoy food in the GBA with friends, colleagues, and clients if you are not a big fan of spicy cuisine like me. Sharing a table of enjoyable food is a very important occasion to strengthen relationships both professionally and personally.
Eric participates in a team meeting in Mainland China to exchange experience and insights with colleagues.
2. As you have experience in the China market for over 10 years, what is the most significant change you have witnessed in Mainland China over the years? What is your view on the outlook of the GBA development, especially for young people to start their career there?
The development pace and scale in the Chinese market is second to none. The market completely evolves every three to five years. For instance, one of the most amazing changes with a huge impact on my life was the completion of the extensive network of High Speed Rail over the last decade, while I was living in Shanghai. It basically changed the way of living and the efficiency of travelling within China.
Meanwhile, over the last decade, Chinese consumers have been getting more and more sophisticated. Unlike their previous generation, they are no longer satisfied with necessities, and are more aware of the quality of goods and services, personalised experiences, spiritual fulfillment, health implications, and environmental impacts in general. There is no doubt that China’s thriving consumer market has been and will continue to be an engine of global growth in many categories in the years to come.
The GBA offers opportunities for young people to pursue their dreams and aspirations, in the context of a larger and more diversified market with a rich pool of talents and resources. Such a platform can serve all kinds of startups to prove its product and service with its approximately 86 million population in the GBA. Each of the 9+2 cities in the GBA has its own advantages and limitations, and the synergy between the cities would maximise the potential of the GBA.
The GBA is still in its early stage of development which allows young people to ride on the fast track of development for their career. Lots of favourable support and policies are being introduced to help incubate the businesses in their infant stage. It aims to be the next growth engine for the economy in the medium term which is an incredible opportunity for accumulating practical experience, supply chains, partnership network and market knowledge.
3. Since you have dealt with both colleagues from Hong Kong and the Mainland, what are the essential qualities that Hong Kong young people need to possess for working in the GBA?
The world becomes more competitive than ever, in which we can learn basically everything whenever and wherever with a few clicks. Personal qualities can bring you far to your own destiny. For qualities that can help navigate the journey successfully and joyfully, I try to use “G-B-A” to put forward my modest ideas that may guardrail you along the journey.
Generosity: an attitude to bring people together collaboratively. Generosity serves like a glue to put things tight and solid. Respecting the differences between each of us would enable the team to bring out the greatest synergy. It provides a great platform to build trust among individuals to exchange ideas and strengthen relationship on a mutually beneficial basis.
Bold-minded: to create your own destiny. We are now living in an era of creating new things, such as AI, crypto, NFT, metaverse and so on. All these came from imaginary ideas and were followed by committed execution to make them happen. Somehow things may not always go as expected which means it is time to refine your strategy. Don’t hold all the traditions tight but diligently craft for a better world.
Authentic: staying true to yourself. Pursuing your own dreams would always be the easiest to get you closer to success. It brings you extra motivation to strive for better results and creates excitement on every milestone with a strong sense of accomplishment. It is also a process of self-understanding to learn your own boundaries and limitations such that you know when to bring in the right resources to make you go above and beyond.
