Feature
2
HKUST Alumni News 2014
Two generations of alumni come
together to discuss the similarities and
differences of running a business –
and how HKUST helped equip them
to face challenges.
W
ith HKUST now into its third decade, distinctly different generations
of alumni are now established in the outside world. Today’s
graduates face business and social environments that are very different to
those experienced by alumni 20 years ago, thanks mainly to the influence
of new technologies.
An observation of generational differences took place recently
when four graduates came together to talk about their successes and
challenges. One on hand, there was Wesley Lee, BBA Finance, CEO of
Xinyi Solar Holdings Limited
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, who graduated
in 1999, and on the other Leo Wong, BBA Marketing, Ben Chan, BEng
Computer Science and BBA Management, and Conrad Lo, BBA Finance,
co-founders of music app Sensbeat – Leo and Ben graduated in 2014 and
Conrad in 2013.
Wesley has followed a traditional career path in the industrial sector,
but his vision and understanding of markets has led to success at a young
age. It hasn’t been easy and he has had to steer the company through
tricky waters. Leo, Ben and Conrad took a riskier route; they set up
their startup while still at University and not least among their earliest
challenges was the need to find a balance between study and work.
Today, both Wesley and Sensbeat are award winners. Wesley
was recently been named in the Young Industrialist of the Year
Award 2014 by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, and
received the Science and Technology First Class Award in
Wuhu City in 2012. Sensbeat has been honoured as Champion
of HK Young Entrepreneur Challenge 2013, Grand Prize of Ignite
Entrepreneur Challenge (International Category) 2013 and “Top 5
most innovative app in 2013” by Global Mobile Internet Conference.
When the four entrepreneurs came together in the boardroom of
Xinyi Solar in Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, the rapport was
immediate, despite the generation gap. All were proud of their common
link of HKUST, and were intrigued by their companies’ differences and
eager to share their stories.
TWO GENERATIO
TWO PATHS
