THE ITALIANCHAM MAGAZINE VOL.12

ISSUE NO. 12

UNLEASHING NEW POTENTIAL WITH A MODERN WORK CULTURE.

How Is Adaptive Work Culture Positively Energising Businesses?

2020

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2019

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2018

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2017

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2016

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2015

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2014

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2013

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2012

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CONTENTS President’s Memo

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Members Spotlight

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Cover Story

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Break Time

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Business Focus

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Talk Of The Town

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Art, Culture and Lifestyle

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What’s On Hong Kong

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Our Services

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Past Events

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Publisher The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao Room 1006-07, 10/F, OfficePlus @Sheung Wan, 93-103 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel +852 2521 8837 email icc@icc.org.hk www.icc.org.hk

Official Magazine Distribuitor

P President’s memo IVANO POMA

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

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PRESIDENT’S MEMO

“OUR CHAMBER CONSTANTLY STRIVES TO BEST SERVE ITS MEMBERS AND TO HELP ASSIMILATE THE ITALIAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY BASED IN HONG KONG INTO THE LOCAL SPHERE.”

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ear Members, Affiliates and Friends, It is with great pleasure that I introduce this issue of the ItalianCham Magazine.

Newly revised in its contents and format, this issue is dedicated to Modern Work Culture, specifically its potential in positively energising businesses.

In high hopes of the health climate improving, our staff and the recently elected Board of Directors have been working with great dedication in order to prepare our Chamber for the forthcoming post-Covid era.

Embracing the year of unprecedented change, in June, after more than a decade, the Chamber relocated its office to accommodate additional resources and to host more meetings and events at its premises.

In addition, among several newly introduced initiatives, our Chamber analysed the current Committees, revised the scope of work and implemented new rules for the selection of different Committee members.

Our Chamber firmly believes that, in addition to supporting Italian businesses, we must help our Italian members merge into the local community by participating and helping Hong Kong in its effort to thrive by integrating itself into the new context of the Greater Bay Area.

As you may have heard, in June, the Chamber organised the first Open Talks Series event. Moderated by Giuliano Castellano, Dr Allan Zeman and Dr Alberto Forchielli shared their thoughts and perspectives on Hong Kong in the era of the superpower struggle.

Individuals from the Italian and local business community alike attended this inspiring discussion.

To promote further exchanges, many more initiatives are currently underway. Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors, our staff and myself, our Chamber constantly strives to best serve its members and to help assimilate the Italian business community based in Hong Kong into the local sphere. As we count on your patience and support during these trying times, we will continue to plan different opportunities in accordance with the changing regulations.

Yours faithfully,

CHAMBER’S PATRONS

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

Generali Generali -

Company - Cliente Gener

Artwork - Esecutivo GV_P

Implementation - Esecuti

Recommended colours - C Pantone Goe 23 - 5 - 2 C

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Il presente documento è un fornisce un'indicazione del p ma in nessun caso si deve fa dei colori di stampa. I caratt

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MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT

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

What is the special relationship between Giuseppe Zanotti and Hong Kong?

Innovative design; Italian craftsmanship; high quality - Bringing a touch of magic into everyday life by breaking the rules of creativity while respecting the high quality and authentic craftsmanship of the Italian artisanal tradition is Giuseppe Zanotti’s lifetime commitment.

Giuseppe Zanotti likes Hong Kong very much. He thinks Hong Kong is a very important market for him and the brand. Hong Kong women and men are not scared to try new fashion trends. They seem to be interested in everything innovative, they are open to new shapes, colours and embellishments. He thinks Hong Kong fashionists represent where West meets East! Therefore, he loves to bring the most fashion-forward designs to Hong Kong.

Giuseppe Zanotti designs and manufactures high quality luxury shoes with the finest materials in Italy. Unique Italian product philosophy and unmistakable originality places the brand at the leading edge of the industry. Fashion-forward Giuseppe Zanotti shoes embody specific codes every season that make the product recognisable and sought after by the most demanding of clients.

Tell us about a successful project that Giuseppe Zanotti runs.

Giuseppe Zanotti is renowned for using different jewels for shoe designs. On 18 May 2011, Giuseppe Zanotti and Chopard Co-President and Artistic Director, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele unveiled what is dubbed the world’s most precious shoes on the red carpet. For Zanotti and Gruosi-Scheufele, the synergy behind the collaboration was immediate. Zanotti attributes a successful design aesthetic to his love for femininity and lightness. These precious shoes were finally auctioned off during the amfAR Gala (The Foundation for Aids Research) for EUR €180,000.

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MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT

NOTTI

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iuseppe Zanotti is an Italian luxury footwear and fashion designer known for his sculptural, jewelled heels and fashionforward sneakers. Through his eponymous label, Giuseppe Zanotti, the Italian-born Zanotti manufactures and distributes women’s, men’s and children’s shoes as well as small leather goods, handbags, jewellery and ready-to-wear. Available in 75 countries worldwide, Giuseppe Zanotti shoes are a red-carpet

favourite.

Defined by artisan craftsmanship, the brand’s quality is rooted in production carried out entirely in Italy. By harnessing the craftsmanship heritage of one of Italy’s most renowned shoe-making areas, in the space of just over twenty years, the company succeeded in making a strong mark on the international fashion stage.

The men’s collection was launched in 2012 and has proven successful in a number of key markets, with increasingly positive performance that has led to account for a sizable part of turnover. In early 2016, Giuseppe Zanotti launched the Giuseppe Junior collection, which features the brand’s unmistakable style: sneakers with a minime approach, bright sandals, ready-to-wear garments, handbags for all mums’ needs and backpacks for kids.

For almost a quarter of a century, Giuseppe Zanotti has mesmerised the worlds of fashion, music and entertainment with his signature mix of Italian allure and contemporary glamour.

What began with a collection of perfectly balanced and gorgeously embellished heels has grown into one of the premier luxury houses, yet, at the centre of it all, is Giuseppe’s boundless creativity and enduring love affair with footwear.

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MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT

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

Tell us about a successful project that NiRoTech runs.

Tailor-made supply chain; flexible; data-driven – NiRoTech is a start-up mechatronic contract manufacturer that was founded less than 8 years ago. Since the beginning, the company’s ethos has been to gain customers’ trust and credibility while remaining different from other organisations in the large EMS competitor arena.

Our smart production system is named the “OWL” - an intelligent production line. People always associate owls with wisdom and agility, with piercing eyes, a flexible body and a soft neck (360° vision). These characteristics perfectly echo the key features of this intelligent production line given its high flexibility, excellent agility to cater for different production requirements, stringent and precise production capacity and ability to operate continuously.

Five key “S.M.A.R.T” elements (Speed, Multi-function, Accuracy, Reliability and Traceability) can be seen in the production line, offering NiRoTech substantial efficiency in terms of enhancement and operation improvement.

Being able to deal with the disruption of the supply chain became an important factor to consolidate in a sustainable manner for the purpose of our growth. That is why NiRoTech’s ability to succeed and incur minimal disruptions can be attributed to our tailor-made supply chains, which are customised and unique to each product.

Nowadays, disruptions to the supply chain are becoming the new normal. Some have long-term effects that build over time, much like how rising wages in China have led to a shift in some manufacturing processes in Vietnam. Others may come out of nowhere and carry a long-term impact, such as a global pandemic, or a ship getting stuck in the Suez Canal, which carries a more immediate effect. This is why the word “disruption” can have a wide range of meanings and why we need a wide range of possible responses.

For this purpose, NiRoTech can manage the assembly phase in 3 different production sites: one in China, one in Vietnam and one in the recently built Industry 4.0 development in Hong Kong, named the “OWL”. The challenge then is to establish a resilient supply chain that provides a consistent satisfactory customer experience while being flexible enough to respond to disruptions.

NiRoTech is constantly exploring new technologies, changing business models and evolving customer expectations. At the same time, improving the demand sensing with richer and faster data signals to react to demand changes, resulting in a better inventory positioning. Ultimately, NiRoTech examines ways to facilitate real-time visibility and analytics, creating a consistent flow of information across the extended value chain. The goal is to build a more resilient and sustainable supply chain, flexible and appropriate for each specific situation and capable of meeting the customers’ needs in a changing environment.

Thanks to this project, we were granted the Gold Award (Reindustrialisation Award) from The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, supported by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Hong Kong Electronics and Technologies Association, the Technology Incubation Network and The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong.

What is the special relationship between NiRoTech and Hong Kong?

Hong Kong has been our headquarters since the very beginning in late 2013. We set up our first office in Kwun Tong and, more recently, our production facility in Yuen Long. The intention was to rely on Hong Kong not only for its role as an international, financial and logistic hub but also as a basecamp for a competitive smart manufacturing platform. Becoming a “Made in Hong Kong” manufacturer will allow us to achieve steady business growth, not only locally in the GBA but in the whole ASEAN market.

As an additional demonstration of our relations with Hong Kong, we have already started to move all of our facilities to the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. Our new office will be located in the DT Hub (3rd quarter 2021) and our production line in the so-called AMC – Advanced Manufacturing Centre (late 2022).

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MEMBERS’ SPOTLIGHT

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iRoTech was established in Hong Kong in 2013, as a partnership between Nicole and Roberto, sharing background and competence about manufacturing in Asia. Within a few years, it became a team of 40+ people, able to manage mechatronic production processes: quality, process engineering, purchasing, warehouse, logistics, and customer interface. NiRoTech is operating and looking to expand in the home appliance and automotive product market. NiRoTech’s mission is to provide ad hoc assembly services to our customers, as a core competence with the tailor-made philosophy.

Based on customer requirements, NiRoTech: 1. Scouts and identifies the right suppliers 2. Finalizes the assembly process 3. Manufactures and delivers the goods directly to customers 4. Or to customers distribution channels Since the date of incorporation, NiRoTech was focused to gain visibility and appeal in the mechatronic manufacturing market sector. Our strategy was based on “being different” compared to the multitude of EMS (Electronic Manufacturing Services) providers based in Asia. With our smart production, we finally achieved the target: becoming the first mechatronic manufacturing smart production in Hong Kong. The key success is the partnership with our customers starting from the product industrialisation phase and a worldwide well-established sourcing network.

As a small and mid-sized enterprise, NiRoTech is focused on 3 distinguishing factors: 1. Make automation a strategic priority 2. Focus on people as much as technology: consider and build the automation-related capabilities of our personnel, gather individuals’ expertise and embed it in the design of automation solutions 3. Develop an operating model that enables scaling: coordination across functions is one of the elements that will have the greatest influence on automation efforts

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COVER STORY

UNLEASHING NEW POTENTIAL WITH A MODERN WORK CULTURE. How is adaptive work culture positively energising businesses?

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COVER STORY The Rise of Technology-induced Change…

You would remember the giggles and guffaws brought

by Charlie Chaplin’s classic Modern Times, but what many of us do not have memory of is the pre-industrial times, depicted through the ordinary factory worker’s struggles in the 1936 silent film.

Once industrialised, the world that we were born into has undergone multiple evolutions in the brevity of a few decades. The advent of the Internet and the computer has restructured the way we work, communicate and interact within one organisation. Like a tsunami, the waves of technologies are forcing companies to adapt – essentially, it is a matter of whether to ride the waves or to be submerged.

Riding the Waves of Cultural Evolutions And those who are born into the new era are more often than not better at riding the new waves. Not only that, but they are also more proactive in responding to the new changes, refining them and pushing them towards sophistication, until these novel concepts become the past and give birth to yet another evolution. That is why each generation of workers, managers and consumers constantly hit the market with new demands, new expectations and new mindsets that companies need to respond to.

What is mind-blowing is that not a lot of time has lapsed since the time when the workplace was a rigid place, where employees conformed to cultural norms like wearing a shirt and tie, punching in at 9am and out by 5pm. A top-down structure was the order of the day and the employee’s work was summed up at the year-end performance review. Business was never “casual” until the 1990s.

Today’s workplace is a fluid, casual environment, where work-life balance is championed and, depending on the company’s culture, some employees might even come to work dressed in sweatpants from time to time.

Meet the “Modern Workplace” We Need In 2021, the modern workplace is increasingly also

“

serving as a breeding ground for societal changes, mindset evolution, and the indirect cultural factors that are redesigning the way we work and grow. Replacing micromanagement and top-down orders are employee autonomy and self-initiatives. The modern workplace is mobile and asynchronous, proactive and resilient, and takes responsibility for the wellbeing of employees and the local community. It is a place that is conducive to collaboration, mutual respect, diversity and inclusion, trust and accountability.

This cultural evolution is more than just a fad. It is here to stay, to create a more equitable and sustainable future.

Eyes Open Wide Now Open your eyes to new visions and take the lead. Ride the waves and turn your workplace into a platform where female leaders are empowered to break the glass ceiling and expedite their sustainable long-term vision.

Open your doors to an intergenerational workforce that can create the synergy of tech savvy and time-honored work ethics. Make room for a hybrid work schedule and workplace to optimise the potential of your employees, who are diverse in ability, intelligence, gender, ethnicity, and race.

From Charles Darwin’s work station in the Galápagos Islands to the modern-day world, the famous naturalist’s theory of evolution still rings true: adapt, survive, and thrive.

Make this year one where you build back better by adapting and embracing anything that improves collaboration, effective communication, and respect. Develop your own company work culture to welcome diversity and open-mindedness. Always stay flexible as the factors are constantly evolving and build an adaptable and modular environment for multigenerational synergy.

Riding the waves of the current cultural evolution, our members share their thoughts, experiences, and their solutions on the topic. Enjoy the read.

- REALLY, DID THAT REALLY EXIST? - YES, IT DID AND IT IS NOW A THING OF THE ANTIQUATED PAST.

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COVER STORY

Classified Group

GEN Z IN THE WORKPLACE

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s times change and companies evolve, growth within an organisation must consider how they cater to and groom the new generation that will be the future. Our culture and talent team in Classified Group has taken a few specific initiatives to further engage with Generation Z to foster loyalty and morale.

When it comes to Generation Z’s expectations for their career, salary is no longer their top priority.

Culture, work-life balance and career growth are what can retain or bring in this new generation of youth. We have been restructuring our organisation to ensure appropriate culture and career growth within the company to groom our next leaders. A few new initiatives include trust-building activities and buddy systems amongst newcomers and our longtime staff. These can help form strong interpersonal relationships and create a supportive and engaging culture.

With group expansion comes new roles and

possibilities for internal growth and external recruitment. Our priority for recognising talent has always been to prioritise fresh ideas and out-of-thebox perspectives. If our employees have a hunger for growth and a drive to upgrade themselves constantly, we would first look internally to cultivate their talents.

Increasing the interaction between the new generation with experienced leaders is essential to nurturing fresh perspectives between the two groups of individuals. We genuinely believe that the younger generation can expand the way they think by interacting with more experienced individuals. For the more experienced professionals, working closely with the younger generation will allow them to freshen their perspective and become more accustomed to change. We see this as a two-way coaching system where both sides can learn from one another.

This “whole-brain concept” is where both generations can understand their strengths and weaknesses and discover what they can learn from each other. When there is an understanding between the two groups,

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this is how respect is built and a holistic perspective is birthed.

At Classified Group, we are confident that no matter which generation you belong to or how many years of experience you have, all you need is an open mindset and the flexibility to adapt and keep up with trends. These are some of the most important aspects to foster when it comes to bringing in and keeping talent within the group.

“No matter which generation you belong to or how many years of experience you have, all you need is an open mindset and the flexibility to adapt and keep up with trends.”

By Kim Leung, Director of Talent & Culture, Classified Group

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COVER STORY

Ferrarini Pacific Limited Hong Kong

FEMALE LEADERSHIP OPENING NEW VISIONS

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he effect of gender diversity on business outcomes has been widely debated in the workplace. Studies have suggested that a diverse workforce signals an attractive work environment for talent and that gender diversity leads to more innovative thinking in the workplace.

Nevertheless, women are still underrepresented in leadership roles and are still considered an anomaly compared to men when in high positions of authority.

Ferrarini Group represents an exception to this trend in its headquarters in Italy and in its branches in Hong Kong as well.

The Ferrarini Group has been a family business since 1961. It is led by Lisa Ferrarini as Chairwoman alongside her sisters Licia and Lia as board members.

Lisa is also the Vice President of Confindustria Europe, the European section of the main association representing manufacturing and service companies in Italy.

“Female leadership styles are intentionally different compared to male ones”, Lisa says. “Women leaders

are more collaborative and inclined to dialogue. They pay attention to the details; they can be accurate and strict, just like men. However, the path is still long for women to be completely accepted as a competent business interlocutor. We need to transform our views of leadership. We need to improve our ability to recognise new opportunities and trends, developing new strategic directions for our enterprises. Women usually hesitate to go out on a limb. This is because they are more vulnerable and subject to society’s judgment. This is a limit for a female manager because a manager has to make decisions and sometimes has to take risks. Judging, evaluating and treating a woman the same as a man is fundamental to creating a new generation of female leaders.”

The food business has many examples of successful enterprises led by women all around the world and Ferrarini is certainly one of them. “We pick our management and employees referring to their skills and attitude and not looking at their gender. We always give the same opportunity to everyone and our Hong Kong branch is a perfect example of this.”

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Ferrarini and Vismara cold cuts and cheeses have been a landmark for Hong Kongese and Macanese people since 2010, in retail, consignment (Ferrarini Group manages 16 daily counters in Hong Kong) and food service. Out of 100 employees, 85 are women and, in particular, the office staff counts 15 women and 2 men only. All the management positions are held by women. Sales, purchasing and marketing key roles are all occupied by young women who lead their teams and create a friendly and efficient work environment.

There is a whole generation of women able to have a strong command and take strategic business and commercial decisions. Ferrarini Pacific believed in their skills and offered them the opportunity to improve and achieve their goals both in work and in life. “Having a brilliant career is important for any woman”, Lisa Ferrarini adds. “It can be the base to build a solid relationship, to guarantee support for their families, to obtain independence and to allow any woman to achieve their goals.”

“There is a whole generation of women able to have a strong command and take strategic business and commercial decisions.”

By Paolo Mainini, Managing Director, Ferrarini Pacific Limited Hong Kong

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COVER STORY

Kapuhala Space Ltd.

THE RISE OF CO-WORKING HUBS

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he concept of co-working spaces was born to offer a cheaper workspace option for entrepreneurs. Today, coworking spaces have become one of the most effective ways to make the most out of your time and to increase productivity. They are no longer only for start-ups, even big companies are moving to co-working spaces.

Here are three major reasons why major corporations are opting for this option: Cutting Costs The biggest reason why major companies are moving to co-working spaces is because of their attractive amenities. It also provides companies with a professional environment that scales according to their needs as their business grows. Instagram, Spotify and many others started in co-working spaces.

Companies that opt for co-working spaces tend to hire staff with flexible contracts but occasional meetings are still ideal. Mini boardrooms or semi-private office spaces come in handy for the occasional brainstorming or interviews that every company needs.

Networking Opportunities There has been an increase in professionals choosing to work in co-working spaces. There is a certain vibe that is not always found in traditional workplaces – the sense of innovation and motivation.

In a creative environment where new ideas could turn into potential projects and can be instantly connected with a larger community of supportive professionals, networking opportunities happen every day, all the time - from weekly lunches and yoga classes to just grabbing a coffee in the pantry.

Sharing Knowledge Co-working spaces regularly host talks by experts in different industries and businesses, allowing its tenants to gain knowledge and opportunities to network. These talks are often attended by nontenants as well. Some co-working spaces even host mentorship programs, something that a traditional office space is not structured to provide.

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“There has been an increase in professionals choosing to work in coworking spaces.

There is a certain vibe that is not always found in traditional workplaces – the sense of innovation and motivation.”

By Crystal Lee, Managing Director, Kapuhala Space Ltd.

CO-WORKING TRENDS 2021 1. Hybrid Co-working Spaces Hybrid co-working spaces continue to grow. If cost effectiveness is the main reason why people are moving to coworking spaces, for the very same reason, non-office premises are also starting to offer co-working opportunities when their space is not being used for their usual purposes.

In our world where everything has become a lot more flexible, businessmen want to maximise their rental value by transforming their spaces into multi-purpose areas. At Kapuhala, our fitness studio in Discovery Bay offers a gym and a co-working space to create a wellness-oriented facility. Every afternoon, during non-peak hours, there is a different group of regular clients who work on their laptops and spin away on exercise bikes.

2. Increasing Demand in Extra Services Co-working spaces are offering more and more additional services to their tenants. The 2021 global trends for coworking space services include children and pet friendliness, chartered accountant services, bank relations for business accounts and possible loan applications.

Different types of industry-focused co-working spaces are popping up too; professionals with similar backgrounds can work, collaborate and inspire each other.

3. In Touch with Nature Sustainability is at the very core of co-working and coworking spaces are becoming more inclined toward greenery. At the end of the day, the sharing of space and resources amongst many tenants is an act to minimise waste and to become more sustainable. Having plants inside the co-working space is also great for our cognitive performance, leading to better productivity.

We see this first hand. In our eco-resort Kapuhala Koh Samui and Sicily, smart workers immerse themselves in nature and work away from the city. We provide a hybrid space, combining hospitality and co-working to make a perfect environment for relaxation and productivity and conducive to networking with like-minded people who may later become great business partners in the future.

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COVER STORY

Ferragamo Hong Kong Limited

WFH GLOBAL TREND

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ast year, during the peaks of the recurring waves of COVID-19, companies had to implement new office work arrangements, such as reduced and flexible working hours, A/B shifts and work from home (WFH) to reduce the risk of contagion.

Most of these measures were unthinkable in the past and no managing director or HR director would have accepted them, worrying about the negative impact on employee productivity and even on work effectiveness. However, although with some setbacks, we found out that they worked! We were able to manage our companies and deliver a decent level of service.

While on some days we felt stressed out spending long hours in front of our computer screens doing video conferences, we came to appreciate having fewer unproductive meetings, less distractions, having our lunch at home and, above all, saving the commuting time by working from home.

Given the actual demise of tourism and the downfall of consumer demand, like many other companies in Hong Kong, last year, we had to implement cost saving measures, restructure our organisation and, unfortunately, dismiss some of our employees.

At the same time, we felt concerned about the employees who would continue working with us: how could we keep their morale high during these challenging times? How could we keep them engaged and remain consistent with Salvatore Ferragamo’s organisational core values: empathy, respect, passion, and well-being?

I recall that a young candidate applying for a vacant position asked whether our company had a WFH policy, saying that this was a prerequisite for her to accept the job: Gen Z are relatively demanding and have very different work expectations.

According to a McKinsey survey, at the start of this year, almost two-thirds of U.S. workers said that they wanted to work from home at least three days a week

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“WFH is here to stay and change our workplace in a permanent way!”

By Giovanni Di Salvo, Chief Executive Officer Asia, Ferragamo Hong Kong Limited when the pandemic is over.

Since last year we have launched many initiatives to keep our employees engaged and to enhance the working experience at our company. From March 2021, we have implemented a regional WFH policy on a trial basis to build a better place to work and to support our employees in all aspects of their life, both professionally and personally. Each office associate (except roles for which their duties have to be performed at the office, e.g., receptionist) can WFH one day per week (or two half days per week), subject to her/his manager’s approval.

The feedback has been very positive and the trial has shown that through effective coordination, the arrangement is successful and can improve productivity and employee wellbeing at the same time. We are now working on a group policy to extend the trial to a long-term policy of two or three days WFH. WFH is here to stay and change our workplace in a permanent way!

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COVER STORY

Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel and The St. Regis Macao

FEMALE LEADERSHIP OPENING NEW VISIONS

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anet McNab Multi-Property Vice President for the Sheraton Grand Macao, the largest Sheraton in the world with 4,001 rooms, and the adjacent luxury hotel, The St. Regis Macao with 400 rooms

With your long-awarded career, what is your advice for aspiring female leaders?

In the last decade, much has been accomplished for aspiring female leaders but there is still a long way to go. In general, I believe that women aspire to lead but are hesitant due to a lack of opportunities, connections, confidence and encouragement. Speaking from personal experience, I was lucky that early in life I encountered female mentors and role models who encouraged me to pursue my career in hospitality.

We need to empower women and help them reach higher positions. Behavioural traits that females possess, such as their nurturing attitude and ability to multitask are key characteristics crucial to managing businesses. When women become leaders, they bring skills, different perspectives as well as structural and cultural differences. This ultimately drives effective solutions. Their ability to deal with the finer details,

in particular, allow them to view the organisation of a business under a more refined lens.

Our young female leaders need to learn to adapt to their environment and persevere; to be confident in their capabilities and to never take no for an answer.

The attributes of the most effective leaders include the ability to promote effective communication, collaboration and respect. It is coherent that the path to leadership for both women and men should be characterised by the same qualities.

What is your perspective on the effects of female leadership?

As female leaders, we understand the institutional and cultural barriers that women still face in the industry. In the contemporary business landscape, women continue to face challenges, especially when it comes to balancing family and the demands of work.

This is particularly difficult when one works in the hospitality industry where long working hours are common. However, comparatively, the hospitality industry is one that embraces diversity and presents equal opportunities for all. That being said, we have still yet to see enough women in senior positions.

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“We need to empower women and help them reach higher positions.

Behavioural traits that females possess, such as their nurturing attitude and ability to multitask are key characteristics crucial to managing businesses.”

Interview with Janet McNab, Multi-Property Vice President, Sheraton Grand Macao and The St. Regis Macao

To reduce the gap, as the world’s largest travel company, Marriott International has initiated a program to bring women in Asia together to share experiences, challenge social norms and inspire each other to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Having women in leadership positions is a vital part of the company’s strategy for growth and success and reflects a broader commitment of enabling opportunities for all, both in and out of the workplace. Named one of the Fortune 100 Best Places to Work For ® in 2017, the Marriott has over half a million employees with a critical mass of women in leadership roles internationally.

What are the positive implications of female leadership for the future of employment?

It is imperative that we encourage and empower our female associates to build confidence, to develop their personal brand and to find a seat for themselves at the table. We need to reflect on how we can inspire the younger generation of women; manage the expectations of millennials and enhance corporate development programs that move more women forward, especially high-performing women who aspire to lead.

I think it is vital that we provide the kind of feedback that reinforces and builds confidence and high-performance, constructing empowered and effective networks with the

direct goal of generating opportunities for growth in female leadership.

At Sheraton Grand Macao and The St. Regis Macao, we actively participate in giving qualified women leadership opportunities. I believe that modeling leadership and building confidence through role models and networking is the way forward towards having more female leaders in the future.

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COVER STORY

Tablo

GEN Z IN THE WORKPLACE

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owadays, we often talk about teamwork, leadership and growth but how easy is it to navigate through the maze of social relationships in a workplace and how can one work in a team made up of different individuals, each with their own character, age and culture?

Our staff is indeed heterogeneous but what catches people’s attention has always been our large female demographic. While men generally see in black and white, women tend to discern shades of grey; we are creative yet adept at multitasking. From advising on table presentation and ascertaining the appropriate colour palette to achieving the correct packaging which, as known to many, is no longer simply just the product but a true “experience”, the creativity of certain employees in the food and beverage and luxury restaurant industry is an asset that can not be disregarded.

Our Team has recently been enriched with the arrival of a young Chinese girl from Chengdu, Rain, a fresh Art graduate who will cover the development of Chinese Social media. We can say that we have, in our staff, a creative representative of Gen Z in all respects.

But, what is Gen Z? Gen Z are individuals born between 1995 and 2010 and are seated between Millennials and the Alpha Generation. An important feature of Gen Z is their access to the internet since childhood. Identified as “digital natives”, individuals pertaining to this group are considered to be addicted to the use of technology and social media, which significantly affects their socialisation process.

We briefly asked Rain, our social media assistant, what it means for her to be the youngest in the team and what the main characteristics of her Chinese peers are: “I think as a young member in the team I have some space to use my creativity. However, the limit is that there are no peers to discuss or share thoughts with. My generation in China is the largest contributor to the luxury goods market. The young generation in China is beginning to cultivate their own tastes. Luxury companies should know this generation well. They like spending a lot of money on creative and exciting things.

Interesting, but let us dive deeper. The development of China has been defined as a real “economic miracle” that has given birth to a new generation of

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luxury-oriented consumers. This economic boom, in the emerging market context that has characterised China for years, has led many of the Chinese population to seek social recognition for their economic success; and the achievement of this “status-symbol” took place through the purchase of luxury products.

Among the youngest, seven out of ten individuals own real estate properties and are often supported by their parents for leisure or shopping activities. This generation is extremely attentive to detail, luxury-conscious and curious about starting new trends.

According to a recent study conducted by Bain & Co and Tmall Luxury, China is the only market in the world that has experienced positive growth during COVID-19 and the expectation is that by 2025, the Chinese will account for 50% of the global luxury market.

Western companies wishing to successfully enter this market will have to fully understand its consumers (not only in terms of language), defining an ad-hoc digital communication strategy capable of effectively reaching its target and communicating its brand proposition.

We are ready to accept this challenge!

“Western companies wishing to successfully enter the Chinese market will have to fully understand its consumers (not only in terms of language) defining an ad-hoc digital communication strategy capable of effectively reaching its target and communicating its brand proposition.

We are ready to accept this challenge!”

By Alessandra Zappaterra, Social Media and IT Specialist, Tablo

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BUSINESS FOCUS

B

usinesses have to deal with changing factors all the time, both externally as well as internally.

There are many factors causing change in an organisation, for example disruptive technologies, market crises as well as changes in the regulatory framework where a company operates.

Since change and uncertainty are unavoidable factors of doing business, building organisations capable of embracing it as an opportunity is important. Successful organisations have structures and processes in place to encourage change as a key component of an adaptive work culture.

Changes come from many sides Some factors that can stimulate change in a business organisation are new technologies, economic crises and regulatory changes.

Disruptive technologies Innovative companies are at risk of becoming out-of-date if they do not keep up with new technologies . For example, several photo camera companies that did not keep up with the digital camera trend had trouble staying current and afloat.

SUPPORTING YOUR ADAPTIVE JOURNEY

By Alessandro Pedrinoni, CEO Asia Pacific, Fidinam

In the financial sector, we have seen the impact of fintech on several businesses, such as retail banking, insurance, brokerage services, investment and wealth management.

expansion or relocation. In our service offerings, we always consider how regulatory frameworks, such as treaties, agreements and incentives can benefit our clients’ plans.

Crises A market crisis forces companies to change their business models.

In 2008, we saw the global financial crisis, which led to a series of changes in the banking and finance industry. More recently, we have the COVID-19 pandemic, which, of course, had a unique consequence whereby organisations all around the world had to suddenly change their way of working or even completely change their business model. Many businesses moved their products and services online as remote working and digital commerce became the norm.

A Double Tax Agreement (DTA) is a bilateral agreement between two countries to eliminate the double taxation of income. It lays down the rules for how revenue is divided and how tax will be imposed in each country. A DTA encourages cross-border investment, global economic growth and thus expansions of organisations.

Furthermore, it prevents tax evasion and allows taxpayers to claim relief for taxes paid overseas.

Regulatory changes With 60 years of professional activity serving clients investing and competing on a global scale, we have seen a constant change in the regulatory frameworks where our clients operate. Being proactive and adapting to new laws and regulations is the continuous factor defining success for organisations and investors.

Regulatory changes on a local, national and international scale can offer new and exciting opportunities, for example for business

Jurisdictions often have several incentives in place that can be interesting for organisations, for example to repatriate to Europe.

Italy has several fiscal incentives in place to attract Italian citizens who worked abroad back to the country, as well as attract new residents to move to Italy.

Free Trade Agreements (FTA) are treaties between countries to allow access to their markets by regulating the tariffs, taxes and duties on their imports and exports. An FTA makes entry into a market faster, encouraging organisations to become more competitive

BUSINESS FOCUS

Fidinam is an international firm, providing a wide range of services for companies, entrepreneurs and individuals.

We are here to help to design and implement your market-entry in Asia Pacific, to set up and to run your investments smoothly - so you can focus on your business’ core activities. We believe that in a constantly changing environment, knowledge and innovation are the key elements to achieve extraordinary results.

Our corporate solutions include accounting, company secretarial, tax filing, HR and payroll. Benefit from our operational advisory and digital solutions to manage your business efficiently.

Furthermore, Fidinam provides international tax advisory as well as wealth and estate planning for individuals and families.

Our multi-cultural team of professionals has extensive knowledge and experience of both Asian and Western ways of business. You can find our Asian offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney and we operate throughout Asia Pacific.

Looking for tailormade service and global resources? Fidinam can help.

www.fidinam.com

and attracts foreign direct investment (FDI). Last year, the EU-Vietnam FTA (EVFTA) came into force and is one of the most ambitious FTAs the EU has signed with a developing country. We have assisted multiple investors and companies in reaping the opportunities the EVFTA provides.

Conclusion To conclude, the following appropriate quote comes to mind: “My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere, you must run twice as fast as that.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland.

Successful organisations do not only focus on managing the current business model, they also lead change by keeping in mind the social, technological and regulatory changes external to the company and then quickly responding to any new opportunities. It is essential to note that circumstances are always changing; there is no final destination, it is a continuous journey. At Fidinam, we adapt ourselves and we are here to help our clients adapt too.

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BUSINESS FOCUS

T

he work landscape in the professional and business sector has changed immensely with the technological and cultural breakthroughs of recent years.

Digital transformation strategies and the adoption of flexible working arrangements are now quite common.

The pandemic has accelerated this trend, prompting many professional firms to rethink their business models and reimagine both employee and customer experience.

Bridging the Gap Instead of the traditional 9-to-5 in a fixed work location where employees are expected to attend to every detail manually, more and more businesses are adopting technology to automate their daily business flows. This not only gives employees greater freedom over when, where and how to work - it also improves operational efficiency. For example, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has now been widely adopted within the finance functions of corporations.

Its ability to automatically extract desired data from hard copy printouts, rather than relying on tedious manual extraction, can reduce errors and allow employees to focus on more value-added work.

ADAPTING TODAY’S WORKPLACE FOR TOMORROW - PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS SECTOR

By Desmond Wong, Partner, Tax & Business Advisory Services; Noelle Lee, Manager, Tax & Business Advisory Services; Catherine Lee, Manager, Tax & Business Advisory Services, from PwC Hong Kong.

Another example in the marketplace is customisable software which can streamline common business processes to further augment productivity. For instance, business users can request specific reports to be generated through a chatbot or other kinds of artificial intelligence. Critical information is extracted from the source system, distilled and analysed in the way the user desires before being summarised as instant feedback or a business report. These digital tools can minimise staff time, deliver error-free results and increase employees’ productivity.

Digital transformation is not merely about introducing digital tools into employees’ daily work. For professional services providers, digital products can be for both internal and external use, such as designing and implementing digital platforms that can streamline and simplify daily compliance tasks – not only for their own employees, but also for their clients. Repetitive work like bookkeeping & payroll, company secretarial work, and drafting simple legal letters can be done via a comprehensive digital tool, with minimal human intervention. Instead of providing all traditional professional services manually, certain client needs can now be addressed by employees using digital tools as the enablers.

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BUSINESS FOCUS

PwC Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR work together on a collaborative basis, subject to local applicable laws. Collectively, we have over 800 partners and more than 20,000 people in total.

We provide organisations with the professional service they need, wherever they may be located. Our highly qualified, experienced professionals listen to different points of view to help organisations solve their business issues and identify and maximise the opportunities they seek. Our industry specialisation allows us to help co-create solutions with our clients for their sector of interest.

We are located in these cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenyang, Tianjin, Dalian, Jinan, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Nanjing, Hefei, Suzhou, Wuxi, Wuhan, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Chongqing, Changsha, Kunming, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau, Haikou, Zhuhai and Guiyang.

At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We are a network of firms in 155 countries with more than 284,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services.

www.pwchk.com

The Right Environment Given an increasingly competitive market, innovation and technology are inevitable in today’s workplace.

Businesses around the globe are rapidly investing in new digital tools and technologies in order to be pre-eminent in their industry. To incorporate technology into their daily work, it is essential to equip employees with the necessary skills and know-how by providing them with training programs on popular automation tools.

The convenience that these digital tools and technologies bring allows employees to work with greater flexibility and agility than before.

In light of the global pandemic, potential changes to workplaces are needed. One such area is the mix of in-person and remote working.

Flexible working hours have also been in the spotlight recently, with many business giants already embracing the concept. Positive steps have

also been made in adopting hoteling office spaces, challenging the classic rows of cubicles and designing less conventional environments.

Employees are also drifting away from formal office dress codes while employers are shifting their mindsets in order to establish a new work culture. Changes are happening in every aspect of the working environment, from time to space to the mindset of the employer.

That said, there is no one-size-fitsall solution across businesses. It is crucial for management to determine the best combination of these factors to complement their technological adoption and flexible working arrangements while maintaining their company’s goals and values. There is no turning back from this new normal – it is time for businesses to adapt their workplace for tomorrow.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

I

have just returned from a long business trip to China, spellbound. I first stopped by Macao, where I visited the market and met local players in the retail and hospitality industries before spending two months in China to see new developments, meet business partners, and learn about new trends, particularly the evolution of e-commerce and the digital landscape.

Remaining largely a tourism economy, Macao, with its integration with China, is already on the path to recovery. Some specific categories (mainly hard luxury and generally high-end fashion brands) are faring fairly well in April and May with evidence to show that business is back to 2019 trading levels. If the city could nurture and capitalize on its own unique positioning, I believe that Macao will be able to deliver a quick growth in the retail sector.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

TRAVEL DIARY

By Filippo Gori, General Manager, GEOX Asia Pacific

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hina: The Un-stoppable Force of Transformation

The true surprise came as I stepped foot in China.

Having bid a temporary farewell to Shanghai in just a little over a year, the city struck me as barely recognizable.

For starters, our love/hate relation with the Volkswagen Santana has now come to an end! The credit goes to the municipality’s push towards electric vehicles, with cheaper number plates being the incentive. And it works like a charm – petrol-powered vehicles are almost out of sight. With less pollution coming out of gas-guzzling engines, decarbonising transportation has certainly been welcomed by city-dwellers, who now enjoy an improved air quality.

And really, why commute, when there is technically nothing that you cannot do with your smartphone? When visiting China today, those who marvel at the seamless ease with which you can book a taxi, schedule your pets’ grooming appointment, or arrange a COVID-19 test on a smartphone risk being looked upon as antiquated.

In the realm of digital transformation and e-commerce, transactional marketplaces such as Tmall and JD.com, seem to be paring back their growth as consumer traffic is quickly diverting to content-based apps and more interactive and exciting marketplaces like TikTok (Douyin) and POIZON (Dewu).

Despite being so well-connected, domestic travel and retail in Hainan are definitely a growth driver and, in my humble opinion, will remain so for a while.

Noticeable on the real estate side is an effort nudging towards proper zoning in

the city, so as to create self-sustaining areas complete with residential projects, offices, shopping malls, schools and, in some cases, universities. This explains why Puxi is pulled apart from the Xintiandi project on the east side (Rui Hong Xin Cheng, Hongkou district) to Gubei and Hongqiao on the west. The same is happening in Pudong, with the new Swire Project in Qiangtan being the talk of the town and likely to remain so for a while in Shanghai.

Subsequently, new shopping malls are clearly positioning themselves more as community projects, catering for the residential crowd and wealthy neighbourhoods rather than as glitzy monuments trying to attract tourists from cities nearby. What this means is that in some downtown areas, there is an over-supply of retail space. But, as always in development, there will be winners and there will be losers.

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ong Kong: Keep Up or Risk Being Left Behind

The time for Hong Kong to catch up with the sheer speed of development in China was yesterday. For e-commerce to thrive and the retail sector to achieve rapid recovery, the vaccination rate must increase and borders need to reopen for business and leisure travel to restart.

In the meantime, property developers need to devise ways to help local retailers weather this difficult time by being more open-minded about rental negotiations and opening discussions on adjusting rental agreement terms. On the other hand, business owners will benefit from managing their expectations on the speed of economic recovery, taking a slightly more conservative

approach for upcoming forecasts, and saving up for rainy days.

Unfortunately, the Hong Kong government’s recent changing of quarantine rules are posing an immense challenge for vaccinated travellers who wish to do business in Hong Kong, not to mention wreaking havoc on itinerary previously planned and hotel quarantine previously reserved. With not many incentives for people to be vaccinated, the Hong Kong government’s hope of increasing the vaccination rate may remain a pipe dream. Considering Singapore, the other financial hub in Asia, has just loosened its entry restrictions, Hong Kong stands to lose its competitive advantage.

Instead of frequently changing quarantine rules, the Hong Kong government can consider measures such as the Health Declaration Code, which is required for foreigners entering China. Travellers can apply for the code by logging onto a designated website via a computer or a smartphone, submit their personal information, declare their health status, and upload their negative COVID-19 test certificates, passports, itinerary and other required documents. This way, the government can diversify quarantine rules by actual individual risk level and not by the country where the travellers are flying in from, while still keeping potential carriers of mutated strains in check.

We hope the Hong Kong government, key players in real estates, and local business owners can put together a collaborative effort to ease the recovery of the retail sector in the near future. While safeguarding public health is important to speedy recovery, so are measures that are conducive to trade in Hong Kong.

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W

e should all be entitled to overcoming fears and fulfilling dreams, regardless of our condition, physical or economic. The sea has spectacular power in delivering these results. A Hong Kong couple of long time sailors have created the perfect reality to allow fears to be overcome and dreams to be realised for those who could not have access to this empowering practice.

Based at Hebe Haven Yacht Club, in Sai Kung, Sailability Hong Kong is a charitable organisation that has started back in 2009 its bi-lingual programs to provide a safe environment for people with disabilities or those dealing with challenges through illness, accident and other physically

TALK OF THE TOWN

limiting situations to learn to sail and to enjoy the extraordinary feeling of being able to move on the water. “It empowers people that have always felt limited”, says Kay Rawbone, who founded the NGO together with her husband, Mike.

A special needs teacher for decades, Kay has committed to this program growing worldwide to the point that she has brought Hong Kong into the top ten global initiatives regarding inclusive sailing.

“Joining our sailing programs”, says Kay, “increases independence, responsibility, social interaction and self-esteem, whilst learning a new skill and having fun within an inclusive setting. To date, over 3,000 different people have sailed with us, with many returning regularly, and we are now in the Top 10 busiest RYA Sailability Centers globally”.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

With Sailability, sailing and inclusion have already made a difference for people with disabilities in Hong Kong. But now, they have an even bigger dream.

By Valentina Giannella Author, Sustainability Advisor

SAILABILITY HONG KONG THE BIG BOAT PROJECT

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s Kay reminds: “Sailability is 100% Volunteer-led, does not receive any Government funding and relies totally on donations from local stakeholders, other charities, educational organisations and members of the public”. That of the financial support is a crucial issue for the future of Sailability. “Sailing, is a sport and recreational activity that is not always accessible to all also due to lack of finance and the many social barriers which exist. We break down barriers within the community offering financial and practical support, inspiration and encouragement; to make Sailing accessible to everyone”.

Sailability has managed to constantly grow over the years, not only for those who try sailing for the first time. “We have constantly improved”, says Kay, “to provide the necessary training to those having the right amount of ambition and determination to participate in local regattas, attend international events, represent their country and compete against the more ablebodied on a ‘level playing field’. Our sailors with intellectual and physical disabilities have already won one gold and three bronze

medals at International events. And they are looking to win more”. Fleet wise, they have grown from their first 2 boats in 2010 to 35 boats in 5 classes + 4 safety boats.

Today though, the time has come for a substantial step up in Kay’s Sailability plan: the Big Boat Project. An effort that brings in the picture an Italian yacht builder company, Solaris, founded in Aquileia in 1974. Sailing together is the best way to boost teamwork skills, and the sailing environment for special needs sailors requires a tremendous amount of research and development. The Big Boat is designed to become a “laboratory boat”, where to apply existing but also experimenting new assisting technologies.

These will be mainly related to study and develop devices to control the autopilot to steer the boat and will be extended to the winches to hoist and trim the sails. The Big Boat is a not-for-profit project that remains on paper for the time being, while is looking for a group of generous donors and sponsors to become a reality soon. The most appetible spaces on the boat, from main sail to boom, for example, are in fact dedicated to those companies and brands that are willing to pair their values with those of

Sailability, speaking to a vast audience during competitive and non-competitive events.

For more information on how to support the Big Boat Project, visit www.sailability.org.hk.

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TALK OF THE TOWN

HONG KONG FOOTBALL: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW The Editorial Board, ExplainerHK

F

ootball in Hong Kong Hong Kong’s die-hard football fans spent many midnights watching the European Championship in which Italy defeated England in a tense penalty shootout. Restaurants and sports bars showing major European league matches were swarmed with cheering fans, even during the pandemic. There’s no doubt that football is popular in the city but what do we know about the history and future of the professional football scene local to our beloved Hong Kong?

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TALK OF THE TOWN

T

he Old Glory Days

The history of Hong Kong football can be traced all the way from the early 20th century. Hong Kong reached international recognition in 1954 & 1955 when Hong Kong FA joined FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup respectively.

professionals declined from 450 to 250 as young talents struggled to justify a career as football players due to the short career span coupled with a generally low and unstable income.

The 1970s marked the “Golden Era” of the city’s football scene, a popular entertainment for both the rich and the poor back then.

Football pitches were often fully filled with spectators with local teams joined by well-known overseas players and managers. Hong Kong even entered the qualification round of the World Cup in 1974.

However, in the 1980s, the HKFA imposed an “all-local” policy that prohibited foreign footballers from playing for local professional teams. The policy change was a major blow to the football scene. Meanwhile, rapid economic growth provided plenty of entertainment for the public — as a result, the once loved sport slowly faded to the backscene.

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hat’s next for Hong Kong football?

The year of 2009 meant a great deal to the city’s football industry, with Hong Kong defeating Japan and winning a first long-awaited gold medal in the East Asian Games. The victory has ignited hope and optimism to bring Hong Kong back to its old glory days.

The Hong Kong Football Association has since launched a series of plans to revive local football. In 2015 and 2019, Hong Kong subsequently won the title of “AFC Developing Member Association of the Year” from the Asian Football Confederation.

C

The latest strategic plan, namely, “The Hong Kong 2034 Project” aims to get the city to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2034 by promoting the sport at all levels in the city. Simultaneously, with the whole city of Hong Kong joyous and excited about the recent breakthrough in the Tokyo Olympic games, the growing passion for sports will surely nurture our future football stars! hallenges to the Football Industry

Hong Kong took the 144th position in a recent global FIFA ranking, a ranking far behind other emerging Asians teams, such as Iran, South Korea, Qatar and Australia. Locals hoped for a “renaissance” of Hong Kong football, but there are obstacles and challenges that players and clubs have to overcome in order for that to happen.

Shortage of football pitches is not a surprise for anyone familiar with Hong Kong’s land use policy. According to the Hong Kong government planning guidelines, in 2019, the city met only 58% of the targeted number of public football pitches, which is short of 240 pitches.

Attracting talents for professional football is not easy for Hong Kong. In the decade leading up to 2018, the number of contracted

Art, Culture and More Defined by the Financial Times as “a masterstroke of cultural diplomacy” (with a bit of exaggeration, see: Gareth Harris, FT, May 14, 2021), the “Italians” exhibition organised by the IIC for the 2021 edition of Art Basel represented a novelty within the panorama of the Italian contemporary art market.

The dialogue between a public institution responsible for the dissemination of culture and art galleries is not easy.

The former has institutional objectives that traditionally are not inspired by market laws, while art galleries are economic operators who must encourage their practice of financial and market principles despite having a high cultural profile. However, it is evident that creative work, like other productive activities and protagonists, maintains a close dialogue with the market—an exchange of interaction and mutual influence.

For these reasons, when I took over the direction of the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong at the end of 2019, I started planning an event to promote Italian contemporary art by connecting with Art Basel Hong Kong. Its international

success is due precisely to a balanced fusion of high cultural proposal and business sense. A balance made possible not only by the quality of the curatorial choices, but also by the perfect and elegant organisation. Our initial project started in a pre-covid era, which now seems to belong to another century, and underwent continuous revisions as a result of the worsening state of the pandemic and the severe limitations of international travel.

It was Art Basel’s proposal to create collective booths that offered the ideal setting to achieve our goal by giving us the possibility of being present within the same fair as an institution as well as involving almost all the Italian galleries ordinarily present at the fair: Alfonso Artiaco (Naples); Cardi Gallery (Milan, London); Galleria Continua (San Gimignano, Beijing, Les Moulins, Havana, Rome, São Paulo, Paris); Massimo De Carlo (Milan, Hong Kong, London, Paris); Galleria Franco Noero (Turin); Galleria d’Arte Maggiore (Bologna, Milan); Mazzoleni (Turin, London) and Rossi & Rossi (Hong Kong, London).

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 Suite 3201, 32/F Central Plaza 18, Harbour Road, Wanchai - Hong Kong www.iichongkong.esteri.it | iichongkong@esteri.it

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ART, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE

“ITALIANS” AT ART BASEL HONG KONG 2021

By Stefano Fossati, Director Italian Cultural Institute - Hong Kong

A COLLECTIVE BOOTH OF 8 ITALIAN GALLERIES CURATED BY THE ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE IN HONG KONG Even the presence of eight galleries in a single space can be considered a novelty, as noted in the New York Times, “At art fairs, collaborative booths are unorthodox as galleries typically vie for attention and sales. These competitors have opted instead to collaborate in an unusual experiment driven by pandemic-related restrictions and conditions” (Sophie Haigney, May 21, 2021).

Reflecting on a possible development of the project and comparing ourselves with the many enterprising cultural operators present in Hong Kong and Italy, we came up with the idea to extend the presentation of Italian creativity beyond the visual arts sector to include design and fashion, two sectors that characterise the Italian style all over the world.

Fabio Cavallucci, the curator of the exhibition, was able to create, with the significant but necessarily heterogeneous artistic production made available to the galleries, “a good opportunity to cast a glance over the evolution of Italian art from the post-war era to today. Not aspiring to a complete representation, the itinerary touches on some of the cornerstones of Italian art: ranging from an old master like Giorgio Morandi whose landscapes and still lifes are synonymous of Italian quality, to some exponents of Arte Povera, the return to painting in the 80s and the youngest artists who emerged in the 1990s and 2000s.”

Design has been one of the main focuses of the Italian Cultural Institute program since 2019. The exhibition “Milan - Hong Kong Design: New Forms and Functions in Parallel with Italian Iconic Works’’ at the Pao Galleries in Hong Kong (26th March - 4th April 2021) was the result of an intense activity in terms of international collaboration and organisation.

Curated by Annalisa Rosso, from Mr. Lawrence Studio, and William Figliola, owner of the galleries Novalis (Hong Kong) and Memphis-Post design (Milan), the exhibition s h o w c a s e d masterpieces

by Italian design masters, new trends of contemporary Italian design, and projects by students and teachers from three Hong Kong universities (www.designmadeinhongkong.com).

For more information on the artists and artworks of the exhibition you can download the brochure from the website www. italianstylehongkong.com.

Since this aspect was the subject of direct agreements between the participating galleries, I do not know what the commercial success of the initiative was. However, we think we have certainly achieved the goal of offering the public of local art lovers, not just collectors, the opportunity to see important works of Italian artistic production up close. An opportunity that was built using a sophisticated commercial enterprise, such as Art Basel, but applying, at the same time, the dynamics of cultural promotion not strictly dependent on economic laws: “a balanced blend of high culture and business”, as stated in the Financial Times article.

“Italian Style”, the new project launched by our Institute, will present a series of initiatives that highlight not only the importance of the three sectors (visual art, design and fashion) that played a crucial role for “made in Italy”, but also their continuous dialogue and creative interaction.

“Italian Style” (to which the website www.italianstylehongkong. com is dedicated) will be a collective project that will contribute towards making the world of Italian creativity more known, a world that includes not only artists and designers, but also managers and entrepreneurs.

Imperfect Cuisine “Let food be your medicine and your medicine be food,” said the Hippocrates of Kos. Nutrigenetics has taken over and reworked the teaching of the father of medicine, looking for molecules similar to drugs in food, capable of weakening the genes of aging and enhancing those of longevity. The smartfood diet is based on these principles which, with its “intelligent foods”, aims to inhibit eating behaviors that increase the risk of getting sick and to prevent cardiovascular diseases, degenerative diseases, diabetes, and neoplasms.

Authoritative research has shown that “Longevity genes are activated when there is little food: they slow down the production of energy and are concerned with repairing the body’s tissues. It is as if nature had provided animals with a device to lengthen life when there is little food, waiting for better times. (...) But the calorie restriction is probably impossible for our species. It is drastic and would deprive us of an important aspect of our social life: sharing food “ (Eliana Liotta with Lucilla Titta, Lericette smartfood, Rizzoli, 2016).

have been cataloged, divided into 2 categories: 20 “longevity food”, able to stimulate genes that influence the duration of life, and 10 “protective food” which, if consumed regularly, protect the body from obesity and chronic diseases. To avoid, in a smart diet, is the abuse of alcohol and sausages; red meat should not be drastically abolished because there is no scientific evidence that the vegetarian diet prevents the risk of cancer, but in consumption, it is better not to exceed 500 grams per week.

Smart foods “talk” with the DNA and can limit the accumulation of fat by mimicking the effects of fasting: in practice, we eat but it is as if we did not. It was found that the state of health is influenced more than by the single food by eating patterns and, above all, the Mediterranean Diet and that geese seems to be the most protective. 30 smart foods

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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ART, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE

There is a European smartfood diet with scientific certification, that of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan. The IEO Team is directed by Pier Giuseppe Pelicci and coordinated by the nutritionist Lucilla Titta; the nutritionists and researchers Maria Tieri, Greta Caprara and Vittoria Ercolanelli are part of the group. The IEO Team combines the research activity in the field of nutrigenomics with that of dissemination, with the objectives of creating and disseminating messages shared by the scientific community, combating disinformation and information asymmetry, inducing an informed food choice to promote health and primary prevention and secondary. The IEO communication work is based on the 10 recommendations of the WCRF (World Cancer Research Fund) for the prevention of cancer, and on those recommendations

developed by other scientific institutions of international reference for the prevention of cardio-cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases.

The smartfood diet recommended by IEO describes the two main meals as a large dish (conceptual image borrowed from the Harvard Medical School in Boston), in which there is room, in rotation, for the longevity and protective food. “There are no obsessive rules. If once you don’t prepare the second course, it doesn’t matter. If you aren’t hungry, no effort. Whoever is used to skipping lunch should do it, whoever eats only a soup in the evening perseveres. The important thing is and don’t spend the day snacking on brioches, French fries and caramelle “(op.cit.).

THE SMARTFOOD DIET Longevity and disease prevention with smart ingredients accompany and to add to the meal. Combining legumes with cereals completes the protein profile of the meal: therefore, examples of intelligent recipes are pasta and beans, spelled and lentils, rice and peas. Another important rule is to reduce the consumption of salt, using elements that increase the taste, and the perception of sapidity, such as mushrooms, spices and aromatic herbs.

As for the proportions, about the half must be made up of vegetables and fruit, preferring fresh and seasonal products and varying the colors as much as possible; a quarter of cereals (preferably whole meal) and derivatives; a quarter of proteins (preferably vegetable, but also animal). Between meals, snacks based on nuts and oil seeds.

As a condiment, extra virgin olive oil and cold-pressed seed oils. To drink, water and tea (little or no sugar at all). Another report, the times of your meals: as regular as possible, possibly concentrated in a time interval of 12 hours (during the day), so as to give respite to the genetic pathways of metabolism.

Smart foods can become ingredients of health recipes, provided that they are used intelligently through appropriate conservation and cooking methods. Pairing is also of great importance. For example, vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron in the intestine, so it is advisable to use foods that are sources of vitamin C to flavor,

Italian Chats

W

elcome back all from Dante Alighieri Society Hong Kong! On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the father of the Italian language, Dante Alighieri, we want to continue celebrating him by presenting the famous Italian expressions that came straight from “Dante’s mouth”.

This year, we are indeed commemorating his death, but it is important to note his ongoing influence in the way we talk.

Keep on discovering with us the intriguing origins of Dante Alighieri’s immortalised expressions that we have inherited and are still present in our everyday conversations!

In the previous edition, we mentioned the pivotal role that Dante Alighieri had, and still has nowadays, in gifting and enriching the beautiful Italian language with words and expressions that we all, often “unconsciously”, still use. We have seen and analysed expressions such as: “Stai Fresco” - you can go whistle for it/Stay cool, “Il Bel Paese”- The beautiful country/Italy, “Cosa fatta capo ha”- What is done is done and many others.

So, now to prove how immense his legacy is, let us continue with our second series of Dante Alighieri’s word of mouth!

Let us begin with one of the most popular expressions from the Divine Comedy, one that every Italian would recognise:

Dante and Virgilio read this sentence at the entrance of the Inferno.

These words warn those who enter that there is no way out from the eternal Inferno.

Today, we use this expression ironically when getting into a place or a situation that can be dangerous, difficult or can cause us problems.

For example, many Italian students might say this sentence before entering the classroom to take an important and extremely difficult exam that they may not pass.

“Non mi tange”

literally translates to “it doesn’t touch me”, meaning “I don’t care”. We are in the Canto II of the Inferno and Beatrice states: “Io son fatta da Dio, sua mercè, tale, / Che la vostra miseria non mi tange” – “I am made such by God, of His grace, that your suffering does not touch me and no flame of this burning assails me”.

She pronounces these words to reassure Virgilio that anything happening in the Inferno will not hurt her. Carrying the same sentiment, we use it today when somebody does or says something bad and it does not bother us.

“Non ti curar di loro ma guarda e passa” (Canto III, Inferno). Dante and Virgilio are meeting the Ignavi; coward, lazy and indifferent people. This expression, which means “do not care for them, but look and pass” is widely used today to comfort someone when they are being insulted.

“Lasciate ogni speranza voi ch’entrate”

, translated as “Abandon hope, all ye who enter here” (verse 9, Inferno, Canto III).

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

ART, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE

“Galeotto fu”, literally “It was Galehaut”, is considered one of the most romantic quotations of Dante’s inheritance. Linked to the love story between Paolo e Francesca, it is an expression from the Inferno, Canto V: “Galeotto fu ‘l libro e chi lo scrisse” that could be translated as “The book and the writer both were love’s purveyors”.

Dante and Virgilio run into the luxurious souls and meet Francesca da Rimini, a cultured and elegant woman who is forced into a marriage with Gianciotto Malatesta but later falls in love with Paolo…her husband’s brother! The two lovers succumbed to the call of passion while reading the adventures of Lancelot when Queen Guinevere is pushed into the arms of Sir Lancelot

by Galehaut. For this reason, we commonly use the expression “Galeotto fu” to refer to whoever or whatever made us fall in love with someone: a love intermediary.

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“Fatti non foste a viver come bruti ma per seguir virtute e conoscenza” – “You were not made to live as brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge”. We are in the Inferno, Canto XXVI and it is with these words that Ulisses urges his friends to follow him on the difficult venture of going beyond the Pillars of Hercules, which, back then, was considered to be the end of the world. Today, the expression is used to incite people to live with values and virtue.

DANTE’S WORD OF MOUTH “Senza infamia e senza lode”

literally “without infamy and without praise” from Canto III of Inferno refers to a second-rate/mediocre job, person or thing. It is used by Dante with reference to those who refuse to take a position or express their opinion; those who are indifferent. Today, it is used to describe something or someone without any special qualities.

“Il Gran rifiuto”: “Vidi e conobbi l’ombra di colui/ che fece per viltade il gran rifiuto”. “I looked, and I beheld the shade of him Who made through cowardice the great refusal.” These are the words written in the Canto III of the Inferno by Dante Alighieri. Dante is referring to Pope Celestino V who decided to abdicate and refused to take up his responsibilities as Pope. Nowadays, this expression is commonly used, especially by journalists and newspapers, when, for example, a politician renounces his/her position in office.

…You are now ready to speak like Dante Alighieri. Don’t forget to practice these fascinating words and expressions with your Italian friends!

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

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.

SEPTEMBER

15

ART & DESIGN

until

Mythologies: Surrealism and Beyond — Masterpieces from Centre Pompidou The Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Centre Pompidou collaborated to showcase over 100 diversified art pieces through the exhibition Mythologies: Surrealism and Beyond — Masterpieces from Centre Pompidou. Curated

by Didier Ottinger, this exhibition explores the surrealist artistic world.

Founded by the poet André Breton in Paris in 1924, surrealism was an artistic and literary movement that claimed the Enlightenment (the influential 17th and 18th century intellectual movement) had suppressed the superior qualities of the irrational mind. The objective of this movement was to liberate thought, language and the human experience from the oppressive boundaries of rationalism.

Venue: Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui Info: www.hk.art.museum

Guests will have the exciting opportunity of viewing artworks by prominent artists, such as Giorgio de Chirico, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Max Ernst, Man Ray and Jackson Pollock.

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

26/12 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

29/04

deTour 2021 Design Festival Hong Kong’s largest creative festival is back! As an important concurrent event of the Business of Design Week, deTour celebrates young local designers and creative professionals. It presents a variety of exhibitions and events that bring together designers and creative communities in Hong Kong and abroad. This year’s theme is “Use(fu)less”.

Venue: PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central Info: www.detour.hk

Business of Design Week (BODW) 2021 Asia’s premier event for design, innovation and brands, Business of Design Week, will bring to Hong Kong a series of exciting hybrid programs and experiences. Each year, the BODW Summit gathers reputable design and business professionals from all over the world to explore how design empowers all aspects of our lives, from product, digital, space and communication design to culture and the city.

Venue: TBC Info: www.bodw.com

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

MID-SEPTEMBER

OCT. early

NOVEMBER

CINEMA

13-21

Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong The Sundance Film Festival: Hong Kong will return to the city for another year, bringing not only film screenings but also a series of workshops, seminars and panel discussions.

An important part of this film festival will be the Hong Kong Short Film Competition that will allow viewers to watch the winning shorts from local Hong Kong filmmakers selected by Sundance.

Venue: The Metroplex, 1 Trademark Dr, Kowloon Bay Info: www.hk.sundance.org

Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival (HKJFF) Launched in 1999, the Hong Kong Jewish Film Festival is an annual film festival dedicated to world cinema, focusing on Jewish life, history and culture worldwide. The festival showcases a wide range of feature films, documentaries and shorts that reflect and offer interesting and unique insights into the diversity of Jewish and Israeli life and culture.

Venue: TBC Info: www.hkjff.org

Witness our pizza come to life!

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From Naples to your table.

Photo Credit: Daniel Ly

A vibrant Neapoletan restaurant in the heart of Central, Gustaci Pizzalounge uses authentic Italian ingredients along with the wisdom of generations of pizzaiolos to serve you one of the most loved pizzas of the world.

Address: HG01, G/F, Block B, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

FESTIVAL NOVEMBER

26-28

OCTOBER

29-31 LATE OCTOBER

NOV. early

Shi Fu Miz Festival

Clockenflap 2021

Shi Fu Miz Festival is a music and art project created in 2016 by FuFu Creative, a Hong Kong based agency, and La Mamie’s crew from France.

This eco-friendly festival will not only feature the best underground electronic music but it will also organise eco-talks, beach cleanings and many other activities, including yoga sessions, gong bath meditations, drumming, silent discos, street art and farming.

After being cancelled in 2019 and 2020, the annual music festival Clockenflap will return in November 2021! Hong Kong’s premier outdoor music and arts festival is a three-day event with a collection of music and art creative experiences. The festival’s amazing setting combines grassy fields, harbor views and Hong Kong’s unique city skyline.

Venue: Central Harbourfront Event Space, Central Info: www.clockenflap.com

Venue: Sai Yuen Camping Adventure Park, Cheung Chau Island Info: www.shifumiz.com

Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival Running for more than 10 years, the annual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival is a lot more than a wine tasting event. Fans will be able to experience a fantastic line-up of online and offline gastronomic activities, including masterclasses with wine and spirits experts.

In addition, guests will also be able to enjoy exclusive offers from various wine merchants and restaurants.

Venue: Central Harbourfront Event Space, Central / Offline Info: www.discoverhongkong.com

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

SEPTEMBER

LOCAL FESTIVALS

21 SEPTEMBER

20-22

Mid-Autumn Festival Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the lantern or moon festival, takes place annually on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar; this year that day falls on September 21st. On this day, people believe that the moon is at its brightest and fullest size. Lanterns of different sizes and shapes are displayed as a symbol of light guiding people on their path to prosperity. Mooncakes, a pastry typically filled with sweet-bean, yolk, meat or lotus-seed paste, are traditionally eaten during this festival as well.

Venue: Victoria Park, Causeway Bay Info: www.hong-kong-traveller.com/midautumn-festival-lantern-carnivals.html

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance Tai Hang is home to one of the city’s unique festivities - the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, an incredible spectacle that takes place during the Mid-Autumn Festival. You can expect thousands of eager spectators admiring a dazzling display of fire and fury, where around 300 people parade a 67-meter-long dragon lined with sticks of incense from head to tail, enshrouding the neighborhood in a warm and smoky glow. Beside the fire dragon dance, you can also expect to see marching bands and parades with children dressed in traditional costumes.

Venue: Tai Hang, Causeway Bay Info: www.taihangfiredragon.hk

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

OCTOBER

06-10 OCTOBER

OPERA

19-21

Madama Butterfly Madama Butterfly, opera in three acts by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini (Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa), premiered at La Scala opera house in Milan in 1904. Set in Nagasaki (Japan), Puccini’s score follows the tragic tale of Cio-Cio-san, a young Japanese girl who falls in love with American naval officer Pinkerton, leading to devastating consequences. The opera will be organised as a co-production of Opera Hong Kong and Slovene National Theatre Maribor and performed in Italian with Chinese and English subtitles.

Venue: Grand Theatre - Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui Info: www.operahongkong.org

Xiqu Centre Original Production: Experimental Cantonese Opera “Farewell My Concubine” (New Adaptation) Blending traditional Cantonese opera techniques with contemporary stage and lighting design, this production of “Farewell My Concubine” reinterprets the legendary story of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu during the Chu–Han Contention (206-202 BC).

Xiang was on the verge of total defeat by Liu Bang who ultimately betrays Xiang in order to take the throne for himself. When Xiang finds himself surrounded, he begs his favorite concubine to leave. She refuses and dances for him one last time before committing suicide with his sword.

Venue: Studio - Xiqu Centre, 88 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui Info: www.westkowloon.hk

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WHAT’S ON HONG KONG

OCTOBER

24 EARLY-MID

SPORT

OCT.

Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon Established in 1997, the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon is a signature international event in the city’s sporting calendar. There are many categories within the event, however, the most popular are the full marathon (42km), the half marathon (21km) and the 10km run. Supporting inclusivity, the event is open to all levels of competitors. There is a Family Run, a Youth Dash as well as a 10km and a 3km Wheelchair Race.

Venue: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Info: www.hkmarathon.com

Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open Cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong Kong Tennis Open is back in town! This professional tournament is one of the biggest tennis events in Asia that tennis fans can not miss out on!

Venue: Victoria Park Tennis Stadium, Causeway Bay Info: www.hktennisopen.hk/en

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PAST EVENTS

TRUE ITALIAN TASTE – The Pomodoro Masterclass 23 March As part of the national campaign “The Extraordinary Italian Taste”, Pomodoro Masterclass promoted the essential element in Italian cuisines and Mediterranean diet within the project True Italian Taste. Guests were led by expert nutritionist, Michelle Lau, and Ciao Chow Restaurant’s Executive Chief, John Leung, on a journey to discover the health-giving properties of authentic Italian tomatoes and the recipes starring this versatile ingredient.

PAST EVENTS

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TRUE ITALIAN TASTE – The Tiramisù Masterclass 17 April Organized within the project True Italian Taste, part of the campaign “The Extraordinary Italian Taste”, Tiramisu Masterclass introduced this ultimate Italian sweet treat to the guests through the intuitive presentation about Tiramisu’s historical roots and engaging live demonstration of the original recipe conducted by Chef Marcello Scognamiglio at Grissini at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

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Italian National Day Party 02 June In the commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Festa della Repubblica, the Italian Chamber of Commerce hosted a celebration party at CRUST Italian with an exclusive menu of Naples and Amalfi’s tastes. Our guests enjoyed the cheerful atmosphere and network with each other while being served with the authentic Italian taste.

PAST EVENTS

PAST EVENTS

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ItalianCham Open Talk Series: HK in the era of the superpower struggle 10 June As the kick-off of the ItalianCham Open Talk Series, the Chamber invited Dr. Allan Zeman and Dr. Alberto Forchielli to share their insights on the international position of Hong Kong in the modern world. Over 100 guests joined the discussion and interacted with the speakers and moderator, Dr. Giuliano G. Castellano in this newly-introduced initiative to exchange ideas.

56

PAST EVENTS

TRUE ITALIAN TASTE – Authentic Italian Table 16 June Authentic Italian Table a special project within the initiative True Italian Taste, under “The Extraordinary Italian Taste” campaign. Chef Angelo Aglianò was invited to articulate a full Italian table in Tosca di Angelo and took our guests on a gastronomic journey of discovering the innovative recipes of Sicily’s cuisine with the use of highquality Italian agri-food products.

PAST EVENTS

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Summer Networking Cocktail @DiVino 14 July A signature event of the Chamber in collaboration with Italian Young Professional Committee provided our guests a chance to network with others from diverse backgrounds. They enjoyed the night of connection in DiVino Wine Bar & Restaurant with tasteful snacks and pleasant cocktails.

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PAST EVENTS

TRUE ITALIAN TASTE – Italian Liquor Masterclass 28 July Through this exclusive Masterclass our guests learned how to blend 3 cocktails with gin acquired form three different regions in Italy with the professional demonstration from an expert. In the aesthetic setting in Buffi DePadova Studio, they enjoyed not only a various Italian-produced liquors and its fusion but also a chance to recreate their favorite cocktails.

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