THE ITALIANCHAM MAGAZINE VOL.10

ISSUE NO.10

italiancham MAGAZINE

Building the Future How will 2021 Look Like?

BUSINESS FOCUS

COVER STORY

HIGHLIGHTS

Payments in Emerging SEA Markets

A talk with different industries’ players

Digital Innovation Committee

YOUR CHOICE

470 lawyers 11 offices worldwide 20 specialist practice areas 7 desks dedicated to specific geographical regions

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Contents President’s Memo

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Business Focus

4

Art, Culture, and More

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Cover Story

8

Imperfect Cuisine

20

Italian Chats

22

Members Spotlight

26

Highlights

29

What’s On Hong Kong

34

What’s On Macao

36

Our Services

40

Publisher The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao 19/F, 168 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong Tel +852 2521 8837 email icc@icc.org.hk www.icc.org.hk Designer Michela Compagnoni Editorial Team Maria Teresa Brusco Silvia N’Guessan Federico Patelli

Chamber’s Patrons

Landor Associates Via Tortona 37 Milan I-20144 Italy Tel. +39 02 764517.1

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Approval signature - Firma per approvazione

LUCA CICO President of The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao

President’s memo Dear Members and Friends, As of today, we all are still coping with the unprecedented turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

2020 is coming to its end, and while there is the positive news on vaccines development, we still need to withstand some months of hardship with the necessary discipline as individuals to minimize the impact of potential new contamination waves, as businesses to stand strong and be ready for the opportunities which will present to us in the future “new normal”.

At the Chamber we never stopped delivering enthralling contents and tangible support to our members. We are pleased that our seminars, held in virtual formats, have been a success in terms of participation. Aside Italian food and fashion, our focus has been on innovation, sustainability and technology, the key enablers to strive in the current light-fast changing business context.

Among all our activities, we proudly supported the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong and the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong in the organization of the festival ITALIA MIA, The festival focuses on Italian art, cinema and gastronomy traditions, with a special attention given to the masterpieces of one of the most celebrated film directors of all times, the great Federico Fellini, which offered to the Hong Kong residents the unique chance to experience the true Italian Dolce Vita, and to feel Italy as close as it could be in the current circumstances.

This issue’s core topic is how to plan for the upcoming future.

Different businesses, operating in diverse industries, have kindly shared their 2021 strategies and actions: we hope this to be of inspiration to other companies on how to best manage and exploit the future challenges.

Lastly, hugely impressed by their commitment, ingenuity and flexibility demonstrated during this challenging year, I thank all our Members, Patrons, Sponsors and Partners in the local, Italian and global communities for their valuable support through these tough times.

As we have seen, the best ingredients for survival this year have been resilience and creativity, and they have made a difference between those businesses which have been able to reach success and those which could not resist the harshness of the current market.

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BUS I N ESS FOC U S

Launch of the cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme in the Greater Bay Area

By Bonn Liu, Partner, Head of Asset Management, ASPAC; Head of Financial Services, Hong Kong, KPMG China & Vivian Chui, Partner, Head of Securities & Asset Management, Hong Kong, KPMG China

T

he Wealth Management Connect Scheme is an initiative that was

processes must meet the regulatory requirements in all three regions.

jointly announced by the People’s Bank of China, the Hong Kong

• The design of the wealth management products (WMPs) must consider

Monetary Authority and the Monetary Authority of Macao. It

the risk tolerance of investors and whether they are qualified investors.

aims to facilitate the seamless delivery of financial services in the Greater

• Before selling WMPs, sales agencies must clearly explain to investors the

Bay Area (GBA), by promoting investment diversification and facilitating

risk management measures, relevant laws and regulations, and relevant

the flow of capital in the GBA, and strengthening Hong Kong’s status as an

provisions for the protection of investors’ rights and interests for WMPs in

international financial centre.

the different regions in the GBA. • Establish and improve their risk management systems to enhance the

The GBA has a combined GDP of USD 1.6 trillion representing a

timeliness and efficiency of risk alerts and reduce their risk levels.

significant growth opportunity for financial institutions. The growing wealth of mainland Chinese residents is leading to increasing demand

Wealth Management Connect is expected to drive greater product

for investment diversification to offshore assets; also, increasingly active

innovation, and may attract more international financial institutions to

northbound trading through Stock Connect and Bond Connect indicates

set up or expand their presence in Hong Kong and the other GBA cities to

that investors in Hong Kong are interested in mainland China’s capital

capitalise on these opportunities. This will likely spur more competition in

markets.

the region, which should raise the bar for product diversity and quality, and robust risk management.

Furthermore, in August 2019, the stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen agreed on the criteria for including Hong Kong-listed stocks with weighted voting rights in the Stock Connect schemes, and this has led to an increase in trading volumes.

KPMG China is based in 27 offices across 25 cities with around 12,000 partners and staff in Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Foshan, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Hefei, Jinan, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR. Working collaboratively across all these offices, KPMG China can deploy experienced professionals efficiently, wherever our client is located.

KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 147 countries and territories and have more than 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG global organisation are affiliated with KPMG International Limited (“KPMG International”), a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International and its related entities do not provide services to clients. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

In 1992, KPMG became the first international accounting network to be granted a joint venture licence in mainland China. KPMG was also the first among the Big Four in mainland China to convert from a joint venture to a special general partnership, as of 1 August 2012.

Additionally, the Hong Kong firm can trace its origins to 1945. This early commitment to this market, together with an unwavering focus on quality, has been the foundation for accumulated industry experience, and is reflected in KPMG’s appointment for multi-disciplinary services (including audit, tax and advisory) by some of China’s most prestigious companies.

Under Wealth Management Connect, cross-boundary remittance will be carried out in RMB. Cross-boundary remittance will also be conducted and managed in a closed-loop through the bundling of designated remittance and investment accounts. Through this mechanism, residents of the mainland Chinese cities in the GBA can directly use RMB to invest in eligible investment products distributed by banks in Hong Kong and Macao, and residents in Hong Kong and Macao can use offshore RMB to invest in eligible RMB-denominated assets distributed by mainland Chinese banks in the GBA. The consequence will be the strengthening of Hong Kong’s position as a global offshore RMB hub.

Wealth Management Connect is expected to provide investors with greater product diversity and asset allocation options, while also raising the bar for financial institutions in terms of product design, service quality and risk management. The regulatory authorities will introduce measures and establish robust mechanisms for regulatory cooperation, communication and coordination in order to protect the interests of investors.

Financial institutions should focus on these elements:

kpmg.com

• Their relevant products’ risk management, compliance and operation 4

B USI N ESS FOCU S

Payments in Emerging SEA Markets

By Bertrand Theaud, Founder, Statrys

W

ith SEA markets rapidly developing, businesses in these areas

access to global trade networks. However, problems also arise accordingly

are also adopting in the early stages of digitalization to catch

with this family business style. With understaffed accounting and

up with the market threats brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

unstructured finances, information such as banking details and access to financial resources become impossible to acquire from these companies.

In fact, according to the Future of Fintech in Southeast Asia, foreign

This will also prevent them from opening business accounts easily.

investment in SEA fintech companies has grown 7 times over the past 5 years. This provides tremendous growth opportunities for the Fintech

These businesses often trade with their neighboring countries or in the

industry in these areas, as well as develop longer lifetime-value with

West. This is where Fintech steps in with services like forex (in which

customers who are inevitably early adopters.

Statrys also provide) will become necessary in helping SMEs in these Asian markets reach their intended markets easily.

Statrys’ insights on the major market disruption emerging amid COVID-19

Although we are not operating locally in those neighborhood markets yet,

With the current US-China trade war, the landscape of the global business

we will soon extend our market coverage to these regions.

world is shifting with the trend of global trading repositioning in the area.

Despite the fact that an increasing number of manufacturers are relocating

Conclusion

to SEA countries, Chinese companies are still willing to reach out and

The South Eastern Asia area has shown promising signs in adopting and

trade with these businesses. An obvious way for these companies to conduct

implementing Fintech, even if Fintech in these regions remains in its early

business together is by starting with the central trading hub - Hong Kong.

days.

The COVID-19 pandemic is already accelerating the shift of this global

How Financial regulations around Fintech are ready to be eased as quickly

trading scene. With global trade slowed, businesses need to prepare for this

as the demand is increasing remains the only ‘challenge’ to make the change

sudden change in the market. Businesses are restructuring their logistical

happening.

networks and moving their manufacturing-base closer to the consumers as a more cost-effective solution. Consequently, products produced in Asia will

Despite this, Statrys is optimistic towards the market outlook in the future.

be more likely to be consumed back in Asia. This trend of local production and consumption is constituting an increase in payment volume.

Statrys’ engagement with the advanced markets of Hong Kong and Singapore Compared to the West, markets including Asia, South Asia, and South East Founded in 2018 in Hong Kong, Statrys began with the ambition to support SMEs and start-ups beyond borders with a smarter way to make payments. Statrys aims to unlock access to modern payment solutions by offering comprehensive services ranging from multi-currency business accounts, domestic & international payments, and direct market access to foreign exchange. With Statrys, SMEs and Start-ups can open their business account within 48 hours and start dealing in 11 currencies.

Companies can also minimize financial loss with Statrys’s competitive currency exchange rates and Forex exposure hedging. The Statrys payment platform leverages digital innovations to provide frictionless client experiences for routine transactions and superior client support for complex operations, as well as superb customer support when challenges arise.

Asia tend to have a trend of family-based business styles. These companies are traditionally run by family members and not by people working in similar fields or in a way that shares similar skills like other Western businesses do.

Personal connections also play a role in the vendor-customer relationship.

Although it is less so the case for developed Asian markets like Hong Kong or Singapore, most business accounts in these developed markets are still run by family-oriented entrepreneurs compared to their western counterparts.

Hong Kong acts as a great collection point for these small family businesses

statrys.com

in Asia since it provides relatively quick and easy business accounting and

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ART, CULT U R E A N D M OR E

Design Made in Hong Kong Giving voice to the new generation of designers and creating a bilateral

follow the growth of the new generation of Chinese designers who,

exchange between Milan and Hong Kong: with these objectives, the

in one of the most innovative and evolving global contexts, combine

“Design Made in Hong Kong 2020-2021” project develops a full

traditional techniques and knowledge with the operating methods of the

program of events, which began in October 2020 and will culminate

contemporary world.

during the Milan Design Week 2021.

With a complex system of physical and virtual tools, the research brings Born on initiative of Stefano Fossati, Director of the Italian Cultural

together three emerging Italian designers - Federica Biasi, Federico Peri

Institute in Hong Kong in collaboration with NMG - Association

and Sara Ricciardi - with as many educational institutions: H ​ ong Kong

5VIE, the program curated by Annalisa Rosso and Mr.Lawrence studio

Baptist University​,​ ​Hong Kong Design Institute​and T ​ he Hong Kong

does not only intend to export Made in Italy to Hong Kong, but also

Polytechnic University – School of Design​.

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ART, C ULTUR E AN D MORE

Mr. Lawrence is a consultancy agency for contemporary design based in Milan, founded by Annalisa Rosso, journalist and curator, and Francesco Mainardi, brand strategist, creative director and professor of Design Management at the Marangoni Institute.

5Vie is the Glocal Cultural Network of Milan, located in the oldest and most historic district of the city, which aims to develop new ways of public-private partnership to become the expression of a cutting-edge “system”. The 5Vie network is a meeting point for different creative cultures (art, design, fashion, crafts, food culture, etc); with the “5Vie art + design” project, developed for Milan Design Week, it has acquired international visibility and recognition as a reference center for research

Sara Ricciardi, Federico Peri e Federica Biasi

design.

The students’ projects are developed together with excellent partners: the Milanese Post Design gallery and the Chinese companies Bamboo

The Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong (ICI), currently directed

International (Group) Co. Ltd., TCL Multimedia Technology Holding

by Stefano Fossati, has been active since 2011 as an official Italian

Ltd and The Hong Kong Furniture and Decoration Association.

government body dedicated to the promotion of the Italian language and culture in Hong Kong and Macao through the organization of

The long-term exchange began with a series of webinars in which the

cultural events. Together with the Italian Cultural Institutes of Beijing

designers told not only their practice but also the whole complex design

and Shanghai, it is one of the three cultural agencies of the Italian

universe that Made in Italy is.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China. At the heart of ICI’s mission is the encouragement of the development of academic exchanges, the support of visual arts exhibitions and the promotion of Italian studies.

On the occasion of the next Business of Design Week in Hong Kong, the website www.designmadeinhongkong.com will be launched, which collects all the developments of the activities, an archive of past works

by Biasi, Peri and Ricciardi and some of the most iconic projects of Italian Design. To celebrate the Italian Design Day 2020 in Hong Kong, a round table will also be held on 30 November 2020 at 9.30 (CEST) in which all the actors involved - institutions, schools, partners, curators and designers - will discuss the perspectives of initiative.

But the ultimate goal of this long and complex process is to physically exhibit the students’ works during Milan Design Week, in the spaces of SIAM 1838, in the 5Vie Art + Design district and at the Post Design gallery. On this occasion we will finally see the completed works physically dialogue with each other.

Follow us on your favourite social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter – or subscribe to our YouTube channel to see some of our live events that you might have missed. facebook.com/iichongkong | instagram.com/italianculturalinstitute.hk twitter.com/IICHongKong | youtube.com/iichongkong

To learn more about upcoming Italian events you may contact: Italian Cultural Institute, c/o Consulate General of Italy Hong Kong Suite 3201, 32/F Central Plaza 18, Harbour Road, Wanchai - Hong Kong www.iichongkong.esteri.it | iichongkong@esteri.it

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Building the Future

How will 2021 look like?

8

“

Resilience has indeed been the key element for survival this year: with the forced shut down of stores and the strict measures of social distancing imposed on customers, only those realities keen on adapting have managed to survive�

After months of apparent stability, the world is facing the threat of a new escalation of the pandemic. It is hard to predict what will happen towards the end of the year and whether we will be able to commence 2021 living in a safer environment.

Though having had an impact on all branches of the economy, the spread of the virus has been more harmful for some industries than others, leading to a wide range of strategies put into action in different sectors. Each business has evolved in their own way to face the challenges arisen from the market, some focusing on a quick development of their digital store, others implementing their home delivery services.

Maintaining a positive attitude towards the future is becoming harder everyday, especially for the smaller businesses who are possibly the most hit among all. The present itself is marked by a deep uncertainty, and this can have a discouraging effect on the players who are already struggling in the market, but what is important is to try and be resilient. Resilience has indeed been the key element for survival this year: with the forced shut down of stores and the strict measures of social distancing imposed on customers, only those realities keen on adapting have managed to survive.

The cover stories we are going to present will each focus on a specific industry. They will provide insights on the approach every industry will take towards the current crisis in order to thrive in 2021. The stories will highlight the specific difficulties of each sector, the response to the challenges they have had to face, and what is going to be their strategy in the next year.

The focus will be on the industries of Hospitality, Retail, F&B, Human Resources and Travel, all very different from each other but equally hit by the severity of today’s crisis.

These stories, we hope, will inspire and give confidence to the many businesses out there who are struggling in these hard times, leading them to be creative and to innovate.

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What 2021 will look like for the hospitality industry

H

ow will you expect the f&b industry to be in 2021?

The good news is that this is not the end of restaurants. I am a big believer that restaurants are the last non digital frontier and that when the dust settles, the work we do in the restaurants will be even more important. Of course, there is going to be a new framework within which we

operate and that might be a period of team members in masks and with sanitizer bottles on tables. That is not what guests associate with fine-dining, or any dining atmosphere for that matter. But for good players, providing food and service at a high level is not going to be enough.

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co v er story

“This is not the end of restaurants.

There is going to be a new framework within which we operate and that might be a period of team members in masks and with sanitizer bottles on tables. That is not what guests associate with fine-dining, but for good players, providing food and service at a high level is not going to be enough”

By Syed Asim Hussain Co-Founder, Black Sheep Restaurants

of our restaurants and the stories that we tell cannot be recreated in a brown bag delivered to your doorstep, but the pandemic has required that we offer a meal delivery service for the foreseeable future. The weeknight meal plan, Supper Cult, takes the decision out of dinner for our guests.

We offer wholesome, restaurant-quality meals delivered directly to your door that you can feel good about.

Why did you decide to provide your own delivery service?

We started our delivery system GO back in 2018 because we wanted to control the entire process, from our kitchens to our guests’ homes. The aggregators are tech companies trying to play in a hospitality ecosystem which we just did not agree with. Delivery, even for us, with our own

I keep reminding my team that we need to remain vigilant and adhere

proprietary delivery system which means we aren’t affected by the large

to the protocols we have established, and that is the same whether at an

aggregator commissions, accounts for only around 5% of total sales. Even

everyday neighbourhood restaurant or a Michelin-starred institution. I

at the height of delivery when dine-in was suspended that number only

think you will see the effects on supply chains and menus, influencing

grew to around 10-12%, so delivery alone will not sustain us.

menus and what is possible in the fine-dining environment. Guests are used to certain gestures in fine-dining restaurants, like a sommelier physically checking a bottle of wine in front of them before serving, but those may have to fall away or be done privately to ensure guests are comfortable. What I mean is your somm’ might be in a separate room, removing their mask to smell and taste the wine before decanting and serving it to you at your table.

How has the implementation of the delivery/takeaway service changed the way of doing business?

We are a hospitality team, the magic that we create within the four walls

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Food delivery: a new opportunity and a new ally

H

ow will you expect the f&b industry to be in 2021?

2020 was a whirlwind of a year, not only for the F&B industry, but also for Classified and The Pawn. This pushed us to think outside the box and be more creative when it came to marketing and promotions. 2021 will continue to challenge us in different ways, particularly on how

we can accommodate our diners and ensure a safe environment when eating out. We can expect to see newer dining concepts popping up next year, with expectations of a more positive outlook, and also assume that people will place their focus on indulgence in the form of dining.

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co v er story

“Although the challenges may not disappear in 2021, we strongly believe that we will continue to persevere, adapt and if needed, pivot to meet our consumers’ needs with the help of our delivery service partners.”

By Claudia Cheung Head of Marketing and Communications, Classified Group

How was your experience with the delivery service provider and how you foresee the partnership in 2021?

This year, we really strengthened our relationship with delivery service partners, where we relied on each other to provide a seamless dining experience for our diners at home. Although the challenges may not disappear in 2021, we strongly believe that we will continue to persevere, adapt and if needed, pivot to meet our consumers’ needs with the help of our delivery service partners.

Having been so resilient this year, we believe the F&B industry will continue to come together to show Hong Kong how united and determined we are to survive through even the hardest of times.

How has the implementation of the delivery/takeaway service changed the way of doing business?

The delivery and takeaway service has taken a spotlight for the majority of the year. At Classified and The Pawn, we definitely had to adapt to being able to provide quality dining experiences out of a little brown box. We had to adapt when it came to cooking and preparing our foods, so we can ensure our standard is kept, even when there are a few additional steps in between our kitchen to the comfort of our diners’ tables at home.

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Post-Covid-19 Talent Strategies for 2021

T

he business landscape has changed with organizations changing the way they do businesses since Covid-19. Indeed, many organizations were not ready for the change and still reacting to the situation today. This Covid-19 is a test and wake-up call for many that were not proactively improving the way they run their businesses and manage their team. As an expert in employment background check and analytics, we have

worked closely with HR practitioners in the past months and concluded the following tips in their talent strategies to adapt to this new business environment:

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co v er story

“It is a good Time for Human Resource department to rethink and take on more strategic roles while utilizing external resources which can be effective and used in need basis.”

By Leo Ma Chief Operating Officer, eeVoices Limited

• A more agile team setting: Many organizations’ business models are

• Efficiency in recruitment & more rigorous screening process: Since

changing with their daily revenues fluctuating quite a lot with the confirmed

Covid-19, employers are hiring more carefully than before for every hire.

number of Covid-19 cases going ups and downs both domestically and

With video conferencing and other new technologies, employers are

internationally. Organizations are forced to require teams to be more

utilizing more efficient ways to maximize their recruitment ROI. As every

agile to solve business issues and new challenges. This includes being

hire is more critical, employers become more rigorous in their screening

more flexible in handling customer requests, coming up with new ideas

process thus conduct more reference checks and background checks for

to add value to customers’ changing business models, and restructuring

their new hires to ensure they are taking the right employees onboard. It

their team design such as employing more part-timers or utilizing more

is also a good time for Human Resource department to rethink and take

external resources than doing things in-house. Organizations empowering

on more strategic roles while utilizing external resources which can be

employees with agile mindsets will be more capable to survive and capture

effective and used in need basis.

new opportunities in this fast-changing business world.

Afterall, Covid-19 created various challenges for organizations. At same • Remote team and flexible hours arrangement becoming a feasible

time, to think positively, it may not be a bad idea for organizations to

option and norm: Productivities were affected in the first place when

revisit their status quo and make changes now to become more capable to

organizations were implementing the remote work arrangement. This can

capture new opportunities in the future.

be overcome with effective measures in work output and utilization of team collaboration software which emerged in the past 6 months since Covid-19. In this new form of remote working environment, many employees feel more job satisfaction and even more efficient with less time spent in transit. Thus, we foresee that organizations will continue having flexible hours arrangement and view remote team as a feasible option executed in a need basis.

• Work-life integration: Since Covid-19 with the remote working arrangement, employees are required to go for work-life integration, different from the previous work-life balance mentality. Employees are provided with more opportunity to integrate and synergize for their life and work than thinking to strike for the balance in the past.

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The reinvention of the hotelier’s sector

C

ould the ‘Staycation’ phenomenon be regarded as a new, permanent form of vacation?

‘Staycation’ is actually not a new term in the hospitality industry, but the demand of having ‘Staycation’ has been increasing in the past few months because of COVID-19. This pandemic has led us to cancel our business trips and vacations this year. And the world is moving towards

a new normal on how you will spend your vacations with your family and friends. The hospitality industry has been suffering waves of cancellations.

Currently the situation is slightly better in Hong Kong as people are looking and searching for safe ways to spend their holidays or special occasions.

With this in mind we have created unique and whimsical packages allowing locals to enjoy staycations together with their loved ones, family and best friends. Examples are our Sky High Staycation, Ritz-Kids Night Safari Stay, 520 I Love You romance package, Elevated Club Experience, Pawfect Stay, as well as educational and interactive programs such as Ritz-Kids Hoteliers and Junior Chef Cooking Class, where kids enjoy cooking workshops, learn

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co v er story

“This crisis gave us all the unique opportunity to spread love to one another, take care of our valuable guests, get closer to our community, and become even better hoteliers”

By Mr. Pierre Perusset, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong

hospitality norms. Marriott has created a Global Cleanliness Council teamed by in-house and outside experts in food and water safety, hygiene and infection prevention, and hotel operations. The council is developing a new generation of global hospitality cleanliness standards, norms and behaviors for our more than 7,300 properties. Deployed enhanced cleaning technologies at each property including electrostatic sprayers and the highest classification of disinfectants recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization to sanitize surfaces throughout hotels. When guests check into our hotel, they will notice a number of additions to our already stringent cleaning regimens designed to set an even higher standard of cleanliness for hotels.

Final thought: We need to continue to work together with our team of

dining etiquette, or to do household chores such as making-the-bed

ladies and gentlemen in being very creative and innovative in order to

and table setting. Frankly speaking, this crisis has also stimulated us to

create Ritz-Carlton guests for life and provide locals with many good

adapt on how we operate and manage our work force to ensure everyone

reasons to escape their home. This crisis is also a reminder for everyone to

keep their job. Nonetheless, we continue to engage in our community

stay connected to each other, be close to our community, and help those in

activities to assist those in need of food, personal protection equipment,

need. I feel grateful to be part of an amazing team of ladies and gentlemen

or other support. Of course once people can travel again, the “staycation”

at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong who, despite the difficulty of the crisis,

trend will reduce greatly as locals will be once again looking for overseas

strive every day to continue to deliver to our guests the legendary service

destinations.

for which we are known. This crisis gave us all the unique opportunity to spread love to one another, take care of our valuable guests, get closer to our community, and become even better hoteliers. All our ladies and

Do you reckon the ‘Staycation’ to continue to assist the local travel

gentlemen are also truly looking forward to being able to once again

businesses?

welcome our international travelers and create for them memories which will last a life time.

Yes the Staycation sort of limit stress level when organizing a trip, is also a great way to stimulate the local economy and presents a unique

We don’t know when the COVID-19 pandemic will be over or when our

opportunity to enjoy and rediscover our own beloved city of Hong Kong.

lives will return to some sort of normalcy. But we want our guests and our

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to raise our

ladies and gentlemen to know that when the time comes to travel once

hygiene standards to an even higher level with new protocols. Marriott

again, we will be ready to welcome them back to a safe and clean hotel

group has vigilantly elevated cleanliness standards and is changing

environment.

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The shopping experience from traditional to digital

F

or the luxury industry in the upcoming future, CRM is of incredible importance to achieve efficiency in every aspect of a business activity, considering that the cost of maintaining current customers is lower than attracting and acquiring new ones.

For costumers of the new generation, the current trend is to preferably focus more on the services per se and on the brand image conveyed by the company.

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co v er story

“For the CRM aspect, digital provided more accurate data for customers behavior. Based on their data, we could use more use more personalized strategies and create the unique shopping experience for them�

By Chowanne Kwong Senior Digital Marketing Executive, Maryling

E-commerce has become of more and more importance for the retail

journey on our site, we are looking into developing and implementing

industry. Our company created its e-commerce site recently, so we have

more personalized strategies to create a tailored shopping experience for

the first-hand experience to say that the starting-up expenses are quite

them.

high. Some of the steps in going digital is setting up the website, investing in data tracking tools, visual development and advertising, and each of

For example, we have observed that many customers visit and browse

them requires quite great an investment.

our e-commerce store but do not finalise the purchase. To address this phenomenon, we came up with personalized advertising and strategies to re-target the products in which they are interested. In this way the whole purchase journey can be more specific and meaningful to each and every customer.

On the plus side, investing in these new digital tools and skills is undeniably less costly than opening a new retail store.

From our perspective, e-commerce is very efficient for small businesses.

Regarding the CRM aspect, from the digital store can be extrapolated more accurate data about customers behaviour. Based on their shopping

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imp erfect c u i s i n e

By Accademia Italiana della Cucina

The Italian Christmas dilemma: Panettone or Pandoro?

As supermarkets fill up with Christmas sweets and cakes, the eternal dilemma comes back haunting us: better panettone or pandoro? A simple questions that divides Italians into two factions: the panettone lovers, rich of raisins and candied, symbol of abundance and happiness; and those who prefer pandoro, simple but rich in butter and eggs, with its distinctive star shape.

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imper f ec t c uisine

Panettone is a sweet, eggy cake that is traditionally dotted with candied and dried fruit. It was first created in Milano, though nobody is sure about how exactly it came to be.

The legend says that in the 15th century, a chef in service at the court of the Duke of Milano, Ludovico il Moro had mistakenly burnt the cake to be served at the end of a lunch, and, with no option left, he decided to instead serve a dessert made by one of the helpers, named Toni, who had quickly prepared a leavened bread with honey, adding in some raisins, flour, eggs, and fruits. The cake was much appreciated and was called with the name of its inventor, “pan del Toni” (Toni’s bread), from which came the current name panettone.

Today, panettone is one of Italy’s most anticipated holiday desserts.

The legendary recipe remains with cured dough studded with candied fruit. Not everyone actually likes candied fruit inside, so that today many confectionery companies offer variations only with raisins, or with delicious chocolate or cream fillings in various flavours. However, don’t dare telling a Milanese that you don’t like the original recipe or you’ll be in big troubles! Milan is in continuous transformation and it is important to see that certain traditions are so engraved in its history that they won’t ever change.

So . . . if you really don’t like candied fruits, check out the Pandoro below!

Pandoro is made from a rich, eggy dough. The cake is baked in an eightpointed star-shaped pan that gives it its signature form. It’s modelled after the mountains near Verona, where the cake was first made.

Its origins can be traced back to the Renaissance, when in the courts of the Venetian nobles it was used to cover the food with thin gold leaves, from which, therefore, the name “pan de oro” (golden bread).

The bread, however, gained popularity in the late 17th century, and many people were partaking of it by the turn of the 18th century. A patent was granted, and soon it was commercially marketed as Pandoro.

Pandoro is usually served with vanilla-flavored powdered sugar dusted on top, almost as a symbol of the “snow” on the top of the mountains!

Whether you will serve panettone or pandoro (or both!) at your Christmas celebration, you’ll be in good company – in Italy, every Italian family will be with you!

Merry Christmas from the Accademia Italiana della Cucina!

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina has been present in Hong Kong since 2012. The Delegation is headed by Mr Savio Pesavento and welcomes new members, individuals who are passionate about food and knowledgeable about Italian cuisine www.facebook.com/accademiaitalianadellacucinahongkong

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ita li a n ch at s

Christmas Surviving Essentials

By Dante Alighieri Society

C

an you already see the decorations in town? Can you already feel your belly growing and growing? Are Micheal Bublé songs already playing in shopping malls? Well, that means one thing:

Christmas is coming! And with our guide, you will be ready to live it as we do in the Bel Paese! So: sit down, grab a glass of hot chocolate and get ready for our top 5 Christmas surviving essentials!

Grazie mille, non dovevi!

Thanks a lot, you should not have!

…grazie mille, anche a te e famiglia!

So, after dealing with annoying messages, we now step forward to another huge Christmas deal: presents!

You already see it: it’s waiting for you right under the Christmas tree. That

…thank you, same to you and your family!

big, fluffy, badly wrapped present has your name on it. It’s a scarf or, even worse, another pair of those warm, non-slip, Hello Kitty socks. Everyone Christmas is, without any doubts, the most important festivity in the

is waiting for you to open that pack (also because they all know what’s

Italian calendar. It’s a day full of joy, presents, food and…chain letters! In

inside) and see the reaction on your face. That’s ok, we got your back; but

every single Italian family there is at least one person (usually a member

we do need a bit of cooperation in this one.

of what we call the “buongiornissimo caffè” generation) that spends the evening of the 24th of December preparing thousands and thousands of

So, first of all: remember when you were in school and you were chosen

messages to forward to every single contact in his/her contact list. The

as the tiny angel singing in front of all the students and parents during

message is the cheesiest you can imagine: glitters, puppies or babies in

the Christmas concert? Well, that’s the fake smile you have to get back to.

Santa Claus clothes, stars and, obviously, Comic New Sans font. So, how to deal with this kind of messages? First of all, stay cool: you cannot block

The sequence is easy: approach the present; unwrap it; SMILE; turn

your own auntie or a good friend of your parents for something like that.

around towards who gave you that WONDERFUL present and

Then, do exactly as we say. First, save a “grazie mille, anche a te e famiglia!”

(remember school, remember school, remember school…) say out loud:

message in your favourites list; hence, as soon as you see a message from

“Grazie, non dovevi”!

zia/zio or other friends, just forward it to them. They will be super happy to receive a reply from you, and you will feel much lighter silencing their

Everyone knows it is just a cliché, but at the same time it means a lot to us

contact for one year after doing your own Christmas good deed.

to have someone appreciating the present we are giving out!

You’re welcome: Christmas is safe for another year.

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Gli avanzi

ITALIAN CHATS

The leftovers

We know, it’s not a sentence that you can use in a conversation with an Italian during Christmas, but we are 100% sure that knowing this word will help you out a lot with one of the most important thing of Christmas in Italy: food!

Christmas is a day in which people forget about all those sacrifices they have been doing throughout the whole year in terms of diet, and just dive in every single dish they get at the table. And most of the times it’s not even for a single day: in many Italian regions, in fact, Christmas lunch is just a part of a two or even three days long banquet. It usually starts with an only seafood dinner on the 24th, followed by a gargantuan lunch on the 25th, followed by another lunch on the 26th.

Natale con i tuoi…

Christmas with your parents…

Spending Christmas with the family is something unique: it is what makes Christmas what it is. We all have amazing memories about our Christmas lunches at the table with the whole family, including those uncles or cousins you could only see during winter holidays, or even those relatives living abroad (zoom calls “the Italian way”). It is all so cozy and christmassy, isn’t it? However, brace yourself because the worst part is coming!

And that’s when the word AVANZI may come in super handy! If you are spending your Christmas with an Italian family, you can find a whole army of containers in the fridge with that label on: avanzi del 24, avanzi del 25 and so on. It is all precious food to be consumed, do not even think of asking “this is already two days old, can we throw it away”?

Unless you wish to face the wrath of nonna, who most likely had spent the previous two or three days labelling all those containers. And, we all know, lasagne and many other dishes get even better if they are reheated the day after!

Oh, almost forgot: get ready for some avanzi even after New Years’ Eve!

Quando ti sposi? E quando ti laurei? Quanti esami ti mancano? E la fidanzatina? (When are you getting married? And when is your graduation? How many exams left before you finish? And what about your girlfriend?). Yes, these questions and many others right while you were having your third slice of panettone or pandoro; right while you were already picturing yourself plopping on the sofa and taking one of those deep, deep naps. But now you are trapped: everyone at the table is waiting for you to reply, no way out. And there is actually no way out!

What to do? What to say? Yes, you could stuff your mouth even more, but you do not want to ruin Christmas for everyone else…so: take a deep breath and just be sincere. But do not worry: soon you’ll switch to the dark side, and you’ll be the one asking all those questions! It’s just a matter of time and patience!

Quindi, cosa fai a Capodanno?!

(So, what’s your plan for New Year’s Eve?!)

Let’s face it: planning is definitely not one of the features Italians are famous for. And Capodanno is definitely one thing a true Italian does not plan until the very last days. If you know an Italian who already has plans for Capodanno in September, do check his/her passport: he/she must be lying!

Jokes aside, Capodanno is a really common festivity in Italy, and we do like celebrating it. What we do not like (at all) is people asking what our plans for Capodanno are. Simple as that. Maybe because we are kindly trying not to reveal our plans, but mostly because we have simply no idea of what to do!

However, even if it is 23.30 on the 31st of December, do not lose faith: wear something red, grab a bottle of spumante and head to the main square of wherever you are. We can assure you that you will find music, fireworks and even boiling hot lenticchie and zampone waiting for you there!

However, Capodanno has a “rule” that can save your day: “no friend is left behind during Capodanno”. So, even if it’s 23.30 on the 31st of December, do not lose faith: you could receive that one phone call inviting you to some random location in the Alps. Now that’s your chance! Get ready, wear something red and make sure you bring spumante and lenticchie with you!!

For info on how to improve your Italian or learn it from scratch, you may contact: DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY 1/F Honest Building, 9-11 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong ladante.cc | dantealighieri@ladante.cc 23

M EM B ER S S P OT L I G H T

S

“Coming from both Hong Kong and abroad, our diners can experience a truly authentic gastronomic trip to another country or a taste of their home in Tuscany, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and more places”

&S Hospitality

How would you describe your company in 3 words and why?

How did Hong Kong respond to your high-quality distinguished services?

World-class dining experiences: S&S Hospitality embodies the essence of world-class, awe-inspiring dining experiences in Hong Kong.

Committed to the ever-evolving concept of innovative cuisine from Italy and around the globe, we aspire beyond exotic flavours, fresh ingredients and incomparable service with our talented teams and internationally renowned chefs at: SPIGA, FIAMMA, ALTO Bar & Grill, Harbourside Grill, Duck & Waffle, Monsoon oriental cuisine, Boticario Bar & Grill, Dragonfly, Bouchon Bistro Français and BRAZA Churrascaria. Since early 2020, S&S Hospitality redefines hospitality beyond imagination with its 10 restaurants, (rooftop) terraces and bars at prime locations on The Peak, Central, Causeway Bay and the Victoria Harbour waterfront, offering personalized service, captivating design and reward-winning menus. While our mainstay remains the exquisite dining experience, we also offer Hong Kong’s most picturesque venues for tailor-made corporate or private events that suit any occasion and continuously exceed expectations.

Our concepts have been hand-crafted to amaze the city’s most discerning crowds, taking guests on an immersive culinary journey with their unique designs, choice of ingredients and curated menus by our internationally renowned chefs and their teams. Coming from both Hong Kong and abroad, our diners can experience a truly authentic gastronomic trip to another country or a taste of their home in Tuscany, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and more places. Our restaurants, bars and terraces have been receiving great customer and media reviews and awards, creating a strong loyalty amongst our diners and industry friends who have become part of our S&S Hospitality family. Having built up a strong community of continuously growing S&S Elite Club members and subscribers of more than 44,000 loyal guests, we are proud to be seen as one of Hong Kong’s leading restaurant groups that is partnering with multiple high-profile brands, Chambers of Commerce and banks, embracing the Pearl of the Orient with its international and local crowds who inspire us to explore more and create new hospitality concepts never experienced before.

Tell us about a successful project you are proud of.

FIAMMA: One of S&S Hospitality’s latest projects that has been celebrated by guests as well as various renowned magazines from Hong Kong to Italy (SCMP, Reporter Gourmet, etc.) is FIAMMA by Enrico Bartolini. Located at the iconic Peak Galleria, FIAMMA showcases the culinary musings of Milan’s celebrity Chef Enrico Bartolini as his second restaurant in Hong Kong after SPIGA’s opening in 2016. Creating an ambience akin to inviting guests into the chef‘s kitchen, FIAMMA offers an enticing menu defined by Mediterranean seasonality, promising family-style Italian cuisine and a relaxing dining experience – indoors and on its al fresco patio. FIAMMA captures the essence of family dining with comforting, generous dishes that are ideal for sharing – from oven-fresh ciabatta baked daily, to half a dozen fresh pasta – all produced in-house. As monthly highlights for a truly Italian wine & dine experience, our Head Chef Paolo Olivieri and Group Sommelier Matteo Merea prepare bespoke wine dinners, featuring the finest recipes and wines from Italy’s favourite vineyards.

For a taste of “FIAMMA on the Go”, guests can also enjoy authentic delights from our takeaway counter offering “Grab’n Go” baked goods and refreshments, ideal for a picnic on the famous Peak Trail.

24

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International tax, wealth planning and corporate advisory services.

Fidinam (Hong Kong) Limited Room 1501, Prosperity Tower, 39 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong SAR www.fidinamgw.com info@fidinamgw.com

25

M EM B ER S S P OT L I G H T

C

“The colour of extra-ordinary”

ampo Marzio Roma 1933

How would you describe your company in 3 words and why?

What is the special relationship between Campo Marzio and Hong Kong?

EXTRAORDINARY: It is simply what we are. The “extra-ordinary” that can be found inside a daily routine, the glimpse of life that is behind a corporate meeting or a business trip. The “extra-ordinary” to show your personality no matter when or where.

Campo Marzio has been a constant presence in Hong Kong for many years. Hong Kong with its lifestyle and its lively environment is a perfect location for the values of the brand.

Nowadays, Campo Marzio has three stores in the territory: the first one has been opened in Queensway, Admiralty, the second one in Times Square and the third one in Tai Kwun, Central.

The Tai Kwun shop has been opened in December 2019 and became the flagship store. Tai Kwun is the liveliest area in Central, it used to be a colonial British police station and a prison, so the location is also full of history and it is the perfect crossroad between Western and Eastern culture. The features of this place inspired Campo Marzio to create something unique, a store that could be the meeting point between cultures and could be a special representative of the Italian lifestyle and values in the heart of Asia. That is why Campo Marzio often organizes exhibitions and events in the store, to offer to its clients a very harmonic and exciting atmosphere where people can have a full experience of the brand and its mission.

COLOUR: The collections of accessories, women’s bags, small leather goods, items for travel and work that combine versatility and Italian style, are created as objects of design in which timeless shapes meet the emotions of colour. Campo Marzio items are recognized all over the world for their shades, the color combinations and contrasts they are the result of an attentive study and a continuous research on the fashion market.

VERSATILITY: Campo Marzio always considers functionality as a fundamental value. Campo Marzio products are perfect for people always on the move, for those who combine a business daily life with stylish get togethers in the evening. Campo Marzio’s purpose is to offer to its client the perfect solution for all the occasions.

Tell us about a successful project that Campo Marzio runs.

The first collection created by the collaboration with the design house Pininfarina is a revolution in the history of the Campo Marzio brand. The capsule blends tradition, know-how and all-Italian design.

This collection is dedicated to those who are always on the go and are looking for practical and functional accessories, preserving their style and attention to detail. Clean-cut lines and details with strong personality give character to the capsule. The material used for the main body of the bags resembles calfskin. This, together with the perforated leather used on the handles and for the details, gives a sporty chic look to each product. Small orange elements emphasize the identity of Campo Marzio’s unique style.

Range: • medium backpack: with a slot for laptops of up to 13”; • large backpack: with a slot for laptops of up to 15,6”; • city bag: practical and elegant, perfect for a weekend trip; • weekender bag: the perfect combination of design and capacity.

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28

H I G H LIGHTS

Digital Innovation Committee The Italian Chamber of Commerce is glad to introduce the newly created

the right sharing of knowledge in the community, keeping the debate

Digital Innovation Committee.

and conversation between the players in order to become more and more relevant in the HK scenario.

The Digital Innovation Committee aims at creating a round table where professionals and companies join forces to create a productive relation,

How did business models change with the introduction of new

where the several aspects of the DigiTech world can be discussed and where

technologies and why is it important to accelerate a digital

practices of the digitalization process are shared among different actors

transformation?

of the market. New technologies are in fact driving the business model evolution and the big players have already started to be questioned from the

All business models have been influenced by digital in the last decade, as in

tech-based start-ups. The main industries such as retail, logistic, finance &

our daily life, so the companies have had to adapt its model to evolution.

banking and insurance have seen a tech revolution in terms of interaction

This evolution arrived after years when the businesses did just small fine-

channels, competitive scenario and customer behaviour.

tuning, not real evolutions, while now they start to understand that they have to reshape their model not only in terms of the business model but

We had a chat with the Chairman Mr. Antonio Colaci Vintani to get to

also internal model, to become more fluid and easy to adapt to the market

know more about the Committee and its mission.

needs.

Nowadays when a company thinks of starting a digital transformation, it

What are the functions of the Digital Innovation Committee and why is

is aware that it is mainly mindset changing: this aspect is underrated by

it important to discuss the aspects of the DigiTech world?

some people.

The digital and innovation committee was born from the idea to support

How did digitalization change the customer journey, and which are the

the Italian business community in this fast-changing world. Digital is the

most effective channels to reach consumers in a post-Covid world?

key for many businesses to compete in this market especially in the post covid era when the digital channels become the mainstream for customers

We moved from the classic consumer funnel process to a circular process,

and not an “innovative� channel. It’s important to keep the discussion alive

mainly thanks to digital channels and the new customer behaviour.

in the community to keep updated on all the main actors on how the

We cannot design a unique path from awareness to conversion; the brand

market is evolving and how to adapt the business to excel.

experience is becoming multi-channel and multi-level and today steering

As Digital and Innovation Committee we aim to work side by side with

the conversion is more complex than ever.

all the other committees to create synergic strategies and to serve all the

For the consumers, there is overlapping between private relation and brand

industries represented in the ICCHKM improving the digital knowledge

relation because they are using the same channels to send greetings to

and stimulating the digital evolution of the companies.

friends and to purchase a new t-shirt.

Social platforms and conversational apps like WeChat and Whatsapp are,

What is the role that this Committee can play in this period of

even more, the key channels for the brands and not only for retail brands

uncertainty and how can it help corporations and start-ups?

but also for bank and insurance that need to understand that to have a conversational business approach is becoming the key success factor.

Between corporation and start-up, there is a huge difference. Start-ups are digital native by vocation but they need networking and community to grow and perform; on the other hand corporations need to understand how to evolve and understand how is evolving this fast changing market.

We have to help both, creating adding value moments that can guarantee

29

HIG HLI G HTS

Gabriele Zanoni

Claudio Scarpantoni

Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director

APAC Director

BRANDING RECORDS

TFOUR

Are you ready for the new wave of digital customers?

Customer Service Experience during COVID-19

Due to the current scenario many habits have changed, including how

During the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to contact centres surged, as

we buy. Before the pandemic, the practice of buying online was not very

individuals seeked more information. Many industries are experiencing

popular among most consumers, with a penetration rate of about 15%:

unmanageable spikes in contacts volumes: in fact, overall online

now online sales are booming. The behavior is rapidly shifting, causing

penetration in China increased by 15–20%, while in Italy e-commerce sales

mass migrations to digital channels, and new customers are making their

for consumer products rose by 81% in a single week last March.

first online purchases during the quarantine.

Some consumers will be trying digital and remote experiences for the first time, but once they are acclimated to new digital or remote models,

New online consumers tend to have more doubts at the time of first

we expect some of them to switch permanently or increase their usage of

purchase, as they are not used to buying online, so businesses need to adapt

online stores.

quickly to bridge this gap. The biggest challenge is to lower the new buyers’

The organisations that manage this crisis by supporting their customers

barriers to purchase, by enabling trust and making websites more accessible.

will be the ones that come out of it with an enhanced, or at least protected

Luckily, new technologies and digital tools are in constant evolution to

reputation. According to a research, 48% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials

support the expansion of digital shopping.

consider email the best way of getting in touch with customer support. As many as 66% think a company’s customer service reputation is a critical

The experience is the key, which means increasing the ease throughout

factor while making a purchase decision.

the entire shopping journey, from landing on an e-store to receiving the

In the past few months, customer service teams saw the percentage of calls

goods at home. Therefore, a good strategy to create a frictionless digital

scored as “difficult” more than doubled, from a typical level of 10% to

experience would be to start anticipating the “next normal”: improving

more than 20%. Issues related to the pandemic — from unexpected travel

the user experience will increase performance overall and generate loyalty,

cancellations to appeals for bill payment extensions and disputes over

especially with new customers.

insurance coverage — dramatically increased the level of customer emotion and anxiety in service calls, making the job far more challenging compared

The crisis of COVID-19 is pushing the customer experience to a new

to normal times.

dimension. The migration has started, and more than half of new users are

The pandemic will end at some point, but we all must expect changes in

reporting an intent to permanently switch to online shopping, accelerating

consumption patterns and business models to outlast the immediate.

the behavioral changes that were already underway before the crisis.

30

H I G H LIGHTS

Alessandra Lombardi

Enterprises with on-premise servers

Business Development Manager

Enterprises who have invested significantly in cyber security and want to

7cento HK LTD.

keep their data and communication safe when work is performed remotely, find themselves dealing with user dissatisfaction when the sudden surge in

Remote working, together with the increased acceptance of BYOD (bring-

VPN usage creates performance issues. In this situation, employees end up

your-own-device) policies, have opened the door to a significant increase of

connecting to VPN only when strictly necessary, allowing some of most of

cyber risks. Here is two examples in which simple solutions can effectively

their work to happen in an unsafe environment.

address cyber security in a work-from-home environment: First league players within the cyber security services market, such as SMEs

PaloAlto, have developed innovative products to address such issues,

SMEs are more likely to be victims of cyber-attacks and rarely have

bringing together security, performance and scalability at the same time.

appropriate IT defences. For 20USD/month/user, Microsoft’s M365

Their “firewall-as-a-service” solution, run on Google servers, allows

Business Premium brings together email, cloud storage, and collaboration

employees to access their company’s servers, even from home, even from

tools, plus security features such as Data Loss Prevention, Multi-factor

their personal devices, within the same firewall protected environment that

authentication, Encryption and remote-wipe for lost or stolen devices,

they would enjoy at the office and no performance degradation, during

Anti-phishing, Anti-malware, Anti-ransomware and Mobile Device

their entire working day, without having to limit the use of VPN to a few

Management (MDM), in a platform that is easy to set-up, scalable and

apps only.

applicable to both corporate owned devices and private devices used for remote working.

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ItalianCham magazine

10th edition

120

articles

50

focus studies

35

interviews

2500

readers THANK YOU for your support

wh at ’s o n h on g k on g

by

Lia Campiglio

B

orn in a small countryside town of Piemonte (Italy), Lia Campiglio then left home and moved to Venice to study Oriental languages (Mandarin) at Ca' Foscari University. After living and studying abroad in Barcelona

(Spain), Beijing and Nanjing (PRC), in 2012 she decided to leave her Country and work in a competitive market such as that of Hong Kong. She is currently working at the Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong. While organizing cultural events related to Italian culture, arts and lifestyle she enjoys exploring the wonders of South East Asia.

Christmas is a major holiday in Italy and people celebrate lots of

nativity crib with the Holy Family and baby Jesus in the stable.

great, unique Christmas traditions. Natale tends to be a family-

Italian families usually build an entire scene or village consisting

centric holiday, a time to stay at home with loved ones. An old

of hand-made houses, bridges and shops, electrically powered

saying goes “Christmas with your family and Easter with anyone

wells, lights, and animals. Baby Jesus is only added to the scene on

you wish.” Customs vary from city to city, from which dishes

Christmas night.

are served, to when to open presents, making every region an interesting place to enjoy the holidays.

Underneath albero di Natale, on the pyramid-shaped ceppo, wrapped gifts are kept on display, along with candles and other

The Christmas season lasts about one month, starting on December

decorations.

8, the day of the Immacolata (Day of the Immaculate Conception of Mary) and lasting until January 6 - the Epiphany, celebrating the

December 13: Santa Lucia

visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. As an old saying goes: “Here is the Epiphany Day that carries the holidays away.”

The modern day celebration of Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy’s Day) is observed in some parts of Italy. Celebration takes place on Dec. 13, the day of her death. In Italy, a special devotion to St. Lucy

December 8: L’Immacolata

is present in the regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli, On the day of the Immacolata, traditionally the presepe (Nativity

Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Sicily - it is believed she has been

scene) and the albero di Natale (Christmas tree) are set up both

born in Syracuse. Lucia meaning light, Santa Lucia is the patron

on the streets and inside Italian homes and that is when some

saint of the blind, the eyes, the electricians, the oculists and is often

Christmas markets start. There are a few exceptions, though: in

invoked for eye diseases. As the patron saint of sight, she is also

Milan, trees are put up and decorated on Dec. 7, for St. Ambrogio,

solicited for sight problems.

patron of the city, while in Bari, the decoration party starts on Dec. 6 for San Nicola.

Santa Lucia is celebrated similarly to the Saint Nicholas tradition: she arrives in company of a donkey and her escort to bring the

The presepe consists of small, hand-carved figurines - caricatures of

good children gifts. Children are asked to leave some coffee and

politicians and celebrities are very famous in Naples - set in scenes

food for them and they must not watch her delivering gifts, or she

representing Jesus’ birth; it consists of more than just a traditional

will throw ashes in their eyes, temporarily blinding them.

34

wh at’s o n h o n g k ong

delivers gifts to children. Children usually hang out their stockings

December 24: La Vigilia

near the open fire or a window on the evening of Jan. 5 waiting for Christmas Eve is usually a family gathering: traditionally the

her visit.

cenone (Christmas supper) is served at home; presents are given on Christmas Eve or on the 25th. The menu of the cenone varies

In Hong Kong the countdown to Christmas festivities has officially

from region to region, but traditionally it excludes meat items and

begun, too! As Christmas is just around the corner, the town is

is based mainly on fish and seafood. The types of fish and how

offering festive markets and bazaars, special festive menus and

they are served vary between different regions in Italy. For dessert,

treats at restaurants and bars, and much more to get everyone in

there are all kinds of fancy holiday breads, such as panettone, filled

the holiday spirit.

with raisins and candied fruits, pandoro, and torrone (nougat), with honey or chocolate almonds or pistachios. Family parties continue

Most shopping malls will don Christmas decorations and put up

until almost midnight when everyone attends Midnight Mass

dazzling, intricate and large displays such as at 1881 Heritage,

services.

Harbour City, Langham Place, and the IFC Mall.

Every Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 2 to 27), The Langham will be hosting a Christmas market where people can buy presents from

December 25: Natale

Hong Kong-based craftsmen. K11 Musea will be presenting A Very December 25 is without any doubt the most important day on

MUSEA Christmas village in December, bringing the best cultural,

the calendar. On Christmas Day children open their gifts and it

art and festive retail shopping experience as well as Christmas

is permissible to eat meat. Usually it is cotechino, zampone, stuffed

entertainment. On Dec. 12-13, plan a trip to Lantau for the

cappone (capon), mixed roasts and tortelli in brodo (pasta in broth).

Treasure Island Christmas Market Extravaganza on Pui O Beach

People invite their family and friends for a large lunch that usually

or visit Famaland in PMQ (the former Sohofama) to shop for

goes on all day.

festive goods from local artisans; while on Nov. 22 and Dec. 6 discover the Weekend Markets at Discovery Bay with handcrafted

December 26: Santo Stefano

products, fair trade items, delicious treats and more.

Celebrations extend into Dec. 26 with the public holiday of Santo

The Nutcracker, the world’s most popular holiday ballet by the

Stefano (Saint Stephen’s Day), the day after Christmas and the Feast

famed composer Tchaikovsky, will be performed at the Hong Kong

of the first Christian martyr. Families often get together and eat

Cultural Centre - Grand Theatre from 17 to 25 December. This

leftover Christmas dishes and sweets.

sparkling Christmas tradition tells about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and wages a battle

December 31: San Silvestro

against the evil Mouse King.

The year ends with the celebration of New Years Eve (the feast

Along with these events, churches, restaurants, and hotels will

day of Saint Sylvester) when colorful fireworks light the sky as the

celebrate Christmas as well. Many of the excellent restaurants and

clock strikes midnight. In some old city neighborhoods people still

hotels will have Christmas celebrations and special dinners that the

observe the tradition of throwing broken household items out the

locals attend. Most Churches across Hong Kong - such as St. John’s

window.

Cathedral and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Central, St. Andrews Anglican Church on Nathan Road - will

There are a few more familiar traditions too, including veglioni

be holding traditional Midnight Mass services on Christmas Eve,

di Capodanno (New Year’s Eve parties), fare il conto alla rovescia

special Christmas-related programs about Jesus’ birth, and some

(counting down to midnight) and cheers-ing when the New Year

evening services.

arrives.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody!

January 6: La Befana or Epifania Although Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) and giving gifts on Christmas have become more popular, traditionally, children had to wait until Epiphany to receive their presents. In the Italian folklore, the Befana is a kind, ugly witch on a broomstick who

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wh at ’s o n m a c a o

by

Macau Lifestyle Media

M

acau Lifestyle Media is the company behind MacauLifestyle.com, a premium English digital publication dedicated to promoting Macau.

Founded by Katya Maia and Sally Victoria Benson, the website

was launched in 2016. MacauLifestyle.com offers unique and engaging content related to dining, events, arts, culture, and heritage. With a reader-friendly style supported by strong social media channels, it is easy to navigate and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Macau Lifestyle provides relevant, up-to-date information to the local community and tourists alike also featuring a comprehensive city guide and events calendar.

F est ive Even t s in Mac a u a n d Fa n ta sti c Ha p p e n i n g s in 20 21 Macau is a cosmopolitan city tangled in culture, history, and

has extended these exciting free activities till mid-December, 2020,

natural beauty. The best thing about visiting the SAR is that it’s

and it features 84 sessions of seven different shows.

compact enough for you to see a lot and enjoy so much with just a mini getaway or a weekend escape. Home to a diverse array of food,

In the Inner Harbour area, events include the tour “Dimensional

heritage sights, and sightseeing gems, find out what makes Macau

space: a walk through the Inner Harbour with Auguste Borget”–

an exciting corner of Asia. If you want to make plans to visit next

inspired by this French artist’s works–featuring ambient dancing

year, we’ve also compiled the fabulous new locations to add to your

performances and guided tours in the area of Patane Market.

itinerary in 2021.

“Truz-truz, Quem Atracou no Porto Interior?”, by the MW Dance Theatre dance company is a contemporary approach to dance.

“Returning by Boat”, by the Ieng Chi Dance Association. These events require booking; they run from Saturdays and Sundays, July 25–December 27, 2020, and it’s all free admission.

SOAK IN CULTURE AT THE TAIPA HOUSES-MUSEUM & BARRA There’s far more to Christmas in Macau than just the shopping and lavish hotel staycations. Make sure to stop by at the A-Má Temple and Taipa Houses-Museum. You just might be lucky enough to still catch the concerts, theater, performances, and urban wall painting in these areas. Due to the high popularity of this, the government

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wh at’s o n macao

dominate some of the oldest constructions in Macau. The visual representations easily display a blend of the east and the west. This festive season, these beautiful buildings will be decked in colors and decorations with nature’s beauty often found in the background.

Stroll around the city and discover the interesting stories that hide beneath these buildings.

Leal Senado 163 Avenida Almeida Ribeiro, Macau

ADD ART AND POETRY TO YOUR ITINERARY Immerse in some artistic exercise this festive season and make your way to the Mong-Ha Villas. Here you’ll find an interesting exhibition called “English Calligraphy & Poem Exhibition – 20+1: Portuguese Literature”. The exhibition has invited eight famous Western calligraphers from Macau and Hong Kong, to present over 30 masterpieces with the theme of Portuguese literature in different media. It also exhibits Western calligraphy tools. In addition, it presents the manuscripts of the Macau tour map in the form of “western calligraphy” and “illustrations in Medieval style”, putting

SAMPLE OUTSTANDING CHINESE CUISINE IN MACAU

together a “journey of Portuguese literature in Macao”. Exhibition

Macau’s food scene is a reflection of its brilliant cultural mix. While

runs from November 7, 2020, to January 9, 2021, and it’s free

the city serves flavors from around the world at every corner, a

admission.

truly immersive experience would be incomplete without savoring

For more information, send an email to info@laaom.org

a sumptuous Chinese meal. One will find the familiar and the

Mong-Ha Villas 55–61, Avenida do Coronel Mesquita, Macau

new, the classic and the reinterpreted modern version, regional and global showcase of this fine food right here in Macau.

Put Yí on top of your list. This dining spot is one of the newest kids on the block of fine-dining Chinese restaurants in the city. Located high above the magnificent structure of Morpheus, Yí offers unmatched views of and an unforgettable tasting menu blending authentic and modern Chinese cuisine.

Yí Level 21, Morpheus Hotel, City of Dreams, Estrada do Istmo, Cotai, +853 8868 3446, www.cityofdreamsmacau.com/yi

VISIT MACAU’S BUILDINGS OF THE PAST You might find the pacing of Macau different from Hong Kong because it moves to a uniquely different rhythm. Synonymous with its architecture are reminders of traditions, language, streets, and people–all a window to Macau’s past. The Portuguese arrived at this location sometime in the 15th century, but the city possessed a flair of its own before that with a natural landscape that captivates dwellers and visitors alike. Religious and government structures

37

wh at ’s o n m a c a o

the 96-meter Elizabeth Tower and spectacular clock face. Staying at this property will be a multi-sensory experience encompassing luxury and lifestyle.

The Londoner Macao Estrada do Istmo. s/n, Cotai, Macau, +853 2886 6888, www.londonermacao.com

EXPLORE MACAU’S BEST PUBS & DIVE BARS There is a plethora of fancy restaurants and sophisticated cocktail bars found in Macau. If you want a touch of local to your drinks and atmosphere, the Old Taipa Tavern is a good place to start.

Frequented by expats in the city, the friendly crowd will draw you in any day of the week. They serve all kinds of drinks, from wine to flaming shots! Add some nachos, fish, and chips, or even a lamb

THE ST. REGIS BAR

burger to satisfy your hunger after a stroll around the SAR. Watch

Spend the new year in sheer elegance at the newly refurbished

a game of rugby and you’ll surely find other patrons here just as

location of The St. Regis Bar. Cozy up at the stylish setting designed

enthusiastic and easy to mingle with. Share a drink with someone

by Hong Kong architect Steve Leung. Rich timber, supple fabrics,

to end the year here and it’ll surely be quite memorable.

and the earthiness of stone complete the glamorous surroundings

Old Taipa Tavern 21 Rua dos Negociantes, Taipa Village, +853

where guests can choose from an impressive list of specially crafted

2882 5221, www.facebook.com/ottmacau

artisan cocktails and beverages.

The St. Regis Bar offers guests three distinct private areas, each

EXCITING NEW LOCATIONS TO VISIT IN 2021

offering a unique bar experience, as well as the full food and

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

beverage menus. Of course, don’t leave without trying the everpopular Maria do Leste (Mary of the East) The Bloody Mary that remains to be the signature cocktail of the St. Regis brand.

The St. Regis Bar Second Floor, The St. Regis Macao, The Londoner Macao, Estrada do Istmo, s/n, Cotai, +853 2882 8898, www.marriott.com

THE LONDONER MACAO 2021 is bound to be exciting as The Londoner Macao opens its door at the center of the Cotai Strip bringing the excitement and charm of the Victorian era to Macau. Every corner has been meticulously designed making The Londoner Macao a true celebration of timeless British design. This project also represents Sands’ latest collaboration with David Beckham representing his first foray into this design field. The exterior facade is modeled after the iconic Palace of Westminster and Houses of Parliament, complete with

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