ALOK JAIN

The CEO & Managing Director of Trans-Consult has his fingers in plenty of different pies –though none are likely to contain meat.

You have been in Hong Kong for quite some time: what’s the biggest change you’ve witnessed (apart from the obvious)?

e biggest change I have seen concerns people. I came here in 1995 and the city was full of aspiration. A young graduate could work for a year or so and scrape enough to put a deposit towards their rst tiny apartment, which they would upgrade every few years. With sky-rocketing property prices and almost stagnant starting salaries of young graduates, this has completely changed. Now most young people seem to be living with their parents when they start working, and buying their own home appears almost totally out of reach.

I also notice the proliferation of cars in Hong Kong now and every problem associated with high car usage –congestion, illegal parking and road rage. is was almost non-existent 30 years ago.

From time to time you must get asked for restaurant recommendations: pick your favourites. As a lifelong vegetarian, this is a very selective question.

e FCC and the Yacht Club are my favourites. I love the Lobby Lounge of the Ritz-Carlton for its amazing views. For Chinese: Kung Tak Lam (Shanghai vegetarian) or Qi House of Sichuan.

Are you city slicker or country boy?

Both, which is why I love it here. I travel all over the world for my work but have yet to nd any other city which matches the juxtaposition of landscape that I nd in Hong Kong.

Transport figures large in your CV: what does Hong Kong need to improve in that sphere?

Are you ready to devote the entire magazine to this topic?

Let’s start with good things. Hong Kong is one of the most walkable places on this planet, with the highest amount of public transport usage. Our unsubsidised trains and buses are uniquely positioned and envied all over the world. ey are clean, comfortable, reliable, reasonably safe and fairly a ordable. ey make the city run like clockwork.

On the negative side, car usage is increasing, causing congestion and creating issues like illegal parking or occupation of space not meant for private vehicles. Despite harbouring the ambition of becoming a tech hub, in comparison to other cities, we are far behind in putting a technological layer on our public transport system. Government departments responsible for transport regulation take a fairly conservative approach to technology adoption. New energy and clean fuel applications are almost non-existent. In comparison, in Shenzhen all the buses and taxis have been converted to electric vehicles. eatre is something I always wanted to do, and in 2008 we started Teacup Productions, a not-for-pro t South Asian theatre company. We have seen many adaptations of Hamlet in Hong Kong but we have not attempted it ourselves. All our productions are conceived, written, creatively produced and dramatised by Hong Kong artists in English. We have staged many productions, and our fully home-grown theatre has attracted lot of love and acclaim. at looks like a trick question with a big caveat. My safe advice would be to have fun. Every youngster must believe they are invincible and possess the power to change the world. Use this power to pursue your passion. n

Hong Kong’s red minibuses pioneered on-demand, exible-route, exible-fare transport. With the insertion of a technology platform, this could be easily morphed into a state-of-the-art, clean transport system but despite introducing a pilot before the pandemic, we stand pretty much at the same place where we began.

You’re also involved in the theatre: did you ever play Hamlet?

When were you happiest?

I am quite a contented person, so it is hard to put it in relative terms. However, when our family adopted Aryaman in 2002, the joy was unparalleled. He is now 20.

Finally, a piece of advice for any teenager or 20-something who has read this far.