The BUddy Post – HKBU Alumni Affairs Office

During his undergraduate years at HKBU, alumnus David Ho Kin-ting (Business Administration) demonstrated his talent in Fintech by winning the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund 2020 and was recognised by IFTA FinTech Achievement Awards 2020 – Excellence by Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia (IFTA). After graduating from HKBU, David began his career as a Consultant at EY, one of the Big Four professional services networks in the world, where he participated in digitisation projects for multinational corporation clients. Later on, he continued to develop his career in digital transformation in the capacity of Business Analyst at MarshMcLennan, a global professional services firm, headquartered in New York City with operations in insurance broking and risk management.

1. Please elaborate with some examples what digital transformation is. How does digitalisation relate to our daily lives?

Digital transformation is the integration of digital technologies into various aspects of an organisation or society. By investigating the existing manual processes and developing appropriate solutions, digital transformation not only enhances work efficiency but also creates a new value driver to generate revenue.

For example, in the insurance industry, digital transformation has led to the development of innovative insurance products and services. Insurtech companies leverage on digital technologies to offer personalised insurance coverage, simplified claims processes, and real-time risk assessment. This enables customers to conveniently purchase insurance online, submit claims through mobile apps, and receive faster claims settlements.

In the consulting industry, digital transformation has enabled remote collaboration and better client engagement. Virtual meeting platforms and project management tools facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among team members and clients, regardless of geographical locations. Consultants can leverage on data analytics and visualisation tools to provide data-driven insights and strategic recommendations to clients more effectively.

Digitalisation also impacts our daily lives through various applications and services, such as mobile banking apps, e-commerce and social media platforms. All these examples illustrate how digital transformation has permeated multiple aspects of our lives, making processes more efficient, convenient, and accessible.

2. How has the demand for digitalisation changed over the years?

The demand for digitalisation has grown significantly over the years, driven by several factors. Firstly, technological advancements have made digital solutions more accessible and affordable. The increasing penetration of smartphones, the availability of high-speed internet, and the decreasing costs of computing power have made it easier for individuals and organisations to adopt digital technologies.

Secondly, altering customer expectations and preferences has played a crucial role in driving the demand for digitalisation. Customers now expect personalised, seamless, and convenient experiences across different touchpoints. They demand instant access to information, products, and services through digital channels. This has driven businesses to invest in digital capabilities to meet these expectations and stay competitive.

Thirdly, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the demand for digitalisation. Lockdowns and social distancing measures manifested the importance of digital technologies for remote work, online learning, telehealth, and virtual interactions. Organisations that were previously hesitant to embrace digital transformation have been compelled to adopt digital solutions to ensure business continuity and adapt to the new normal.

Moreover, the benefits of digitalisation, such as increased efficiency, improved decision-making, enhanced customer experiences, and the ability to leverage on data for insights and innovation, have become more apparent, leading to a higher demand for digital transformation across industries and sectors.

 3. From your experience, what are the key factors for driving successful digital transformation?

In my experience, successful digital transformation requires careful planning, execution, and a focus on several key factors:

1. Collaboration: Internal collaboration among functional teams is usual in our industry, and a common mistake is to only focus on our own plate instead of looking at the big picture. Everyone has their own priority, so communicating the mutual goals and clarifying the roles and responsibilities are essential to set up a reasonable expectation on the results.
2. Partnerships: The value creation chain of digital transformation involves both internal and external parties. Establishing partnerships with technology providers, investors, clients and other relevant stakeholders can help present a full picture on how the value is delivered throughout the transformation process.
3. User-Centricity: Putting users at the centre of efforts is vital. We should understand user needs, preferences, and pain points to design digital solutions that deliver values and enhance the user experience. Interactive sessions for users are necessary to demonstrate how they can use the new solutions to solve their problems and bridge the gap between developers and users.
4. Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Digital transformation is an ongoing process. As part of the organisations or society, we should continuously learn and stay updated on emerging technologies and industry trends to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

After all, successful digital transformation requires the change of mindset to embrace technologies to unlock the full potential of innovation, growth, and success in the digital era.