Adventures of Working Abroad in Hong Kong
Interview with Janey Leung
By Lauren Koch & Sarah Wai,The Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Had you ever planned to move to Hong Kong previously when you were in Canada?
ung e L y e n a J al Audit
ent, Intern Vice Presid ancial Asia in if L Sun e F
Janey first joined Sun Life Financial in Toronto in 2005 as a Director in Internal Audit responsible for the Canadian Group Benefits and Group Retirement Services portfolio. In 2014 Janey and her family moved to Hong Kong where she is accountable for audit work related to the Asia Business Group and also leads the Sun Life Financial Asia’s Internal Audit Team. Prior to joining Sun Life Financial, Janey was a Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Audit and Assurance Group and a Senior Manager in Internal Audit at the Bank of Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Janey holds a Bachelor of Commerce with a Specialist in Economics from the University of Toronto. She became a Chartered Accountant in 1999.
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I arrived in Hong Kong in January 2014. Prior to October 2013, I never thought I would leave Toronto. My husband and I had had discussions as to whether we would move to other countries, but always concluded that we had too large of a support system – family and friends – in Toronto to leave. When the opportunity arose to work in Hong Kong, however, the conversation with my husband did not last long before we concluded that Hong Kong was “the place” to be and that if we were to ever relocate Hong Kong was the ideal place. We thought it would provide us with an opportunity to gain international exposure at an accelerated pace. On a personal level, it was an opportunity for my children to see where our family came from, to experience the stories they heard from their grandmother and other relatives, and be immersed in a place where they could learn Chinese and experience Asian culture firsthand.
You have worked in Canada for most of your life. How does working in Canada differ from working in Hong Kong? Someone said to me when they learned that I was moving to Hong Kong: “Janey, I know you work hard, but you don’t know anything about working hard until you are in Hong Kong.” I laughed not yet knowing the number of evening conference calls in which I would be participating. I have been inspired working in Hong Kong – everyone around me is driven, entrepreneurial, and does what it takes to get things done. It’s been quite motivational. Hard work, in this environment, is easy. Working smart and focusing on the right things at the right time is the differentiator. Being relevant, positive and building a network are key. Hong Kong has a high networking culture.
You have been in Hong Kong for less than a year. How do you feel about it? Were there any challenges upon your arrival? How did you overcome these difficulties? Sun Life and my colleagues made my transition to Hong Kong easy. The most challenging issue we had was integrating our kids and getting them enrolled in schools. I am fortunate to have a supportive and persistent husband who followed up on everything. Thanks to my husband, both our kids are happy in their new school. He volunteers at their school and has built a social network for himself and the kids.
What aspects do you enjoy most in Hong Kong? I have had a great overall experience in Hong Kong. People here are extremely welcoming and helpful. I was running late for a meeting once and hailed a taxi and the taxi driver said it was close by and tried to give me directions. I wasn’t clear on where to go, so he stepped out of the car and walked two blocks with me to show me. I was grateful for his help. My original image of Hong Kong was very metropolitan. I was surprised to find that Hong Kong is actually very family-friendly with trails and lots of green space. There are a number of playgroups, parks, and activities available for kids throughout Hong Kong. My kids love water sports and they get to do more of that in Hong Kong than in Toronto with the warm weather, proximity to beaches and convenient transportation system.
Would you consider staying in Hong Kong for retirement? I would say it all depends on opportunity. There are still many years ahead before I start thinking of where I will settle in retirement. At the moment, I am happy where I am in Hong Kong. I can see myself here for the next few years.