connected

The Boomerang Effect: Why Hong Kong's Best Talent Is Coming Back — and How to Recruit Them

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 19:41:10 GMT

Over the past few years, Hong Kong’s talent landscape has been defined by a narrative of departure. Between 2020 and 2022, the city’s labour force shrank by approximately 140,000 individuals as professionals relocated overseas in response to pandemic restrictions and shifting global dynamics.

However, as we move through 2026, a new and compelling narrative is taking shape: the era of the "boomerang employee."

Professionals who left Hong Kong are returning, drawn back by the city's enduring fundamentals, dynamic career opportunities, and a renewed sense of stability. Simultaneously, within the local market, employees who jumped ship during the "Great Resignation" are increasingly returning to their former employers.

For HR leaders and hiring managers, this boomerang effect represents a massive, largely untapped talent pool. But recruiting a returning employee requires a very different playbook than hiring a stranger.

The Macro Picture: Why Talent is Returning to Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s resilience is evident in recent global assessments. In the IMD World Talent Ranking 2025, Hong Kong surged moved to place globally and first in Asia, reflecting significant improvements in "appeal," "readiness," and "investment and development".

This renewed competitiveness is driving a tangible reversal of the brain drain. The government's aggressive talent attraction initiatives, particularly the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS), have yielded impressive results. By early 2026, nearly 280,000 professionals from around the world had entered Hong Kong under various talent admission schemes.

But it’s not just new talent arriving; it’s former residents coming home. Many who emigrated are finding that the "grass isn't always greener" abroad. As one returning professional noted in a recent letter to the South China Morning Post, after a decade away, the decision to return was driven by Hong Kong's "robust regulation, the rule of law, personal security, efficiency and a culture of hard work", qualities that have only grown more valuable in a fragmented global economy.

Add to this the recent issues in the Middle East and their impact on competing talent and investment hubs such as Dubai, and Hong Kong increasingly looks like a safe haven.

The Micro Picture: The Rise of the Corporate Boomerang

This return to familiar ground is mirrored at the corporate level. Across the broader job market, boomerang hiring is surging.

According to research from ADP, in March 2025, 35% of all new hires globally were returning employees, up from 31% the previous year. In highly competitive sectors like information and technology, the numbers are even more striking, with boomerang hires accounting for nearly two-thirds of new hires in some months.

Why are they coming back?

The Reality of the New Role: Many employees who were lured away by lucrative compensation packages during the peak churn of 2022 found that the reality of their new jobs did not match the promise.

Economic Caution: In a cautious economic environment, the familiarity and stability of a former employer become attractive.

Unfinished Business: High performers often leave on good terms for a specific career milestone (e.g., gaining international experience or trying a startup) and are open to returning once that goal is achieved.

The Business Case for Rehiring Former Employees

For employers, the benefits of rehiring a known entity are substantial, particularly in a market where precision hiring is paramount.

"Employees who have boomeranged back into the organization tend to ramp up much faster than new hires... their foundational understanding of the social systems that underpin the organization gives them a clear advantage over new hires who have to learn these nuances from the ground up."

Boomerangs return with "upgraded" human capital; they bring back fresh perspectives, new skills acquired elsewhere, and valuable insights into competitor operations or different markets.

How to Build a Boomerang Talent Pipeline

Despite the clear benefits, many organizations lack a structured approach to recruiting former employees. Treating offboarding as the end of the relationship is a missed opportunity. Here is how Hong Kong employers can actively build and leverage a boomerang talent pipeline.

1. Redefine the Offboarding Experience

The foundation of a boomerang hire is laid the day the employee resigns. If the exit process is cold, bureaucratic, or resentful, the door is permanently closed.

Conduct strategic exit interviews: Move beyond the standard HR checklist. Use the exit interview to genuinely understand why they are leaving, express support for their career growth, and explicitly state that the door remains open for a future return.

Identify "Regrettable Losses": HR and hiring managers should formally tag high-performing departing employees in their ATS or HRIS as "regrettable losses" or "eligible for rehire" to facilitate future outreach.

2. Establish a Corporate Alumni Network

Universities have long understood the value of alumni networks; corporations are now catching up. You don't need a massive, expensive platform to do this effectively.

Keep it simple and consistent: Create a dedicated LinkedIn group for former employees or send a quarterly alumni newsletter sharing company updates, major wins, and open roles.

Maintain the human connection: The most effective boomerang recruiting happens through personal relationships. Encourage managers to periodically check in with top-performing former team members, a simple coffee or message every six months keeps the connection warm.

3. Set Clear Expectations Upon Return

When a boomerang employee returns, it is critical not to assume everything is exactly as they left it.

Acknowledge the changes: The company has evolved, and so has the employee. During the interview process, have honest conversations about what has changed in the organizational structure, strategy, and culture since their departure.

Don't skip onboarding: While they don't need a primer on the company's history, they do need a structured reintroduction. Tailor their onboarding to address new systems, new team members, and their new specific objectives.

Conclusion: The "Welcome Back" Strategy

In 2026, as Hong Kong continues to reclaim its position as a premier global talent hub, the organizations that thrive will be those that view employment as a lifelong relationship rather than a single transaction.

By growing strong alumni networks, managing departures with grace, and actively engaging with former high-performers, companies can turn the boomerang effect into a strategic competitive advantage.

At ConnectedGroup, we can include the fact that, the best candidate for your future is someone from your past, within our search strategy. We are also experienced in targeting overseas candidates with prior Hong Kong experience or connections to meet talent needs. Reach out to our CEO, Mathew Gollop at mat@connectedgroup.com for more information.

References

Migration Policy Institute. "Brain Drain and Brain Gain in Hong Kong’s Population Shuffle." https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/hong-kong-migration-shuffle

IMD Business School. "World Talent Ranking 2025." https://www.imd.org/centers/wcc/world-competitiveness-center/rankings/world-talent-ranking/

China Daily. "Nearly 280,000 experts arrive in HK under talent admission schemes." https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/631059

South China Morning Post. "Letters | Why I returned to Hong Kong after a decade abroad." https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3327747/why-i-returned-hong-kong-after-decade-abroad

ADP Research. "Boomerang hiring makes a comeback." https://www.adpresearch.com/boomerang-hiring-makes-a-comeback/

MIT Sloan Management Review. "The Benefits and Risks of Rehiring a Boomerang Employee." https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-benefits-and-risks-of-rehiring-a-boomerang-employee/

HRMorning. "Boomerang Employee Strategy Powers HR Retention in 2025." https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/boomerang-employees/

Precision Hiring in a Cautious Market: How Hong Kong Employers Are Redefining What 'The Right Hire' Looks Like

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:35:47 GMT

Over the past year, executives in Hong Kong and across the broader APAC region have treated constrained hiring as a temporary pause, a rational response to economic uncertainty that would ease once conditions improved. However, as we move through 2026, that anticipated rebound has not arrived. Instead, limited hiring has solidified into a structural shift, fundamentally reshaping how organizations think about growth, productivity, and talent investment.

In this environment, the "low hire, low fire" reality is no longer a stopgap; it is the new baseline. The focus has decisively shifted from speed and scale to precision. Every headcount approval is scrutinized, every role is re-evaluated for its direct impact on revenue and growth, and the cost of a "bad hire" has never been higher . For HR leaders and hiring managers in Hong Kong, this means redefining what "the right hire" actually looks like and overhauling the processes used to find them.

The Shift from "Culture Fit" to "Capability Fit"

For years, if you wanted to hire well, "culture fit" was the answer. It often translated to hiring people who looked, thought, and acted like the existing team. However, in a market where every hire must drive tangible business outcomes, relying on a vague sense of chemistry is a luxury employers can no longer afford.

Leading HR teams are ditching gut feel for data-driven, structured interviews. Unstructured interviews, which often capture how well someone presents in the moment rather than their sustained performance, are being replaced by rigorous job analyses that clarify the behavioural and cognitive requirements of a role before any resumes are even reviewed.

"Traditional, unstructured interviews work the same way. They capture how someone presents in the moment – their confidence, charm and ability to make small talk – rather than the behaviours, work styles and decision-making patterns that drive sustained performance in a specific role."

Human Resources Director (HRD) Asia. "Gut feel is out, structure is in: Why HR leaders are rethinking interviews

By defining success in behavioural and outcome terms, organizations can build evaluation criteria that ensure candidates are scored consistently and fairly. This shift to "capability fit" or "cultural capability" ensures that candidates are evaluated on whether they can excel in a clearly defined job, rather than whether they feel familiar to the interviewers.

The Rise of Flexible and Contract Hiring

As economic uncertainty persists, employers in Hong Kong are increasingly adopting flexible hiring models to maintain agility while controlling costs. Contract hiring, once viewed primarily as a stopgap measure, has gained significant traction as a strategic workforce solution.

According to recent market insights, 34% of professionals in Hong Kong cite flexible work arrangements as their primary motivation for considering contract roles, while 28% view them as a strategic pathway to permanent employment. For employers, contract and Statement of Work (SOW) arrangements offer the ability to bring in specialized skills for critical projects, particularly in areas like digital transformation, compliance, and technology change, without the long-term commitment of a permanent headcount. This makes sense in the context of a market lacking transparency.

Navigating the Skills Mismatch and Salary Misalignment

Despite a cautious overall approach, 76% of employers in Hong Kong say growing their organization is a key strategic goal for the year ahead. However, achieving this growth is complicated by a persistent skills mismatch and a significant gap between candidate expectations and employer budgets.

A recent survey revealed that while 81% of professionals expect a pay rise of over 10% to consider a move, 83% of employers plan to offer less than 6%. This misalignment is prolonging hiring cycles and making it harder to secure top talent. Furthermore, 25% of organizations in Hong Kong report difficulty hiring junior and entry-level talent, the highest level in Asia.

To navigate this, employers must look beyond headline salaries. With 62% of employers ranking a strong benefits package as their most effective retention lever, strengthening the overall employment offer is critical. Additionally, flexible working arrangements have become a core expectation, with 61% of professionals in Hong Kong stating that flexible work helps improve their work-life balance, and 35% feeling more motivated to stay with their employer as a result.

The Imperative of Internal Mobility and Upskilling

With external hiring constrained and candidate expectations high, organizations are increasingly turning inward. Employee development, internal mobility, and retention are no longer secondary HR priorities; they are central to how companies sustain performance and adapt to change.

Rather than immediately looking outside when a role opens, forward-thinking organizations are assessing what transferable skills already exist internally and how those capabilities can be developed to meet emerging business needs. This requires Talent Acquisition (TA) to work more closely with Learning and Development (L&D) and workforce planning teams, transforming recruiters into internal matchmakers.

This internal focus is particularly crucial as AI adoption accelerates. With 24% of organizations in Hong Kong widely deploying AI in 2026, three times higher than in 2025, understanding and applying artificial intelligence has become a critical skill across all sectors. Employers must invest in upskilling their existing workforce to ensure they can leverage these new technologies effectively, while also redesigning roles and workflows to capture AI-driven efficiencies.

Conclusion: Partnering for Precision

In 2026, hiring is no longer a numbers game; it is an exercise in precision. Employers in Hong Kong must be deliberate, data-driven, and strategic in every talent decision they make. This means moving beyond gut feel to structured assessments, embracing flexible workforce models, and investing heavily in internal mobility and upskilling.

At ConnectedGroup, we understand that finding the right capability fit requires more than just matching a resume to a job description. It requires a deep understanding of the behavioural and cognitive demands of the role, a rigorous assessment process, and a strategic approach to workforce planning. In a market where every hire must count, partnering with a specialized search firm can provide the precision and insight needed to build resilient, high-performing teams.

If you would like to understand more about our targeted search process (with a built in stakeholder alignment exercise) or, our flexible contract and statement of work driven resourcing options, reach out to our CEO, Mathew Gollop – mat@connectedgroup.com

References

SHRM. "Precision Over Scale: The New Rules of Hiring in 2026." https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/talent-acquisition/talent-acquisition-management-trends-2026

KPMG. "Hong Kong Employment Outlook 2026." https://kpmg.com/cn/en/insights/2026/03/hong-kong-employment-outlook-2026.html

Human Resources Director (HRD) Asia. "Gut feel is out, structure is in: Why HR leaders are rethinking interviews." https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/gut-feel-is-out-structure-is-in-why-hr-leaders-are-rethinking-interviews/570838

Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. "The Future of Hiring in Hong Kong 2026." https://www.austcham.com.hk/member-news/future-hiring-hong-kong-2026

HR Asia. "Hong Kong hiring outlook 2026: Confidence rebounds, but talent expectations outpace budgets." https://hr.asia/asia-2/hong-kong-hiring-outlook-2026-confidence-rebounds-but-talent-expectations-outpace-budgets/

Hays. "Top Hiring and Career Trends in Hong Kong SAR for 2026." https://www.hays.com.hk/blogs/insights/top-hiring-and-career-trends-in-hong-kong-sar-for-2026

Supporting Hong Kong's Largest Charity Foundation

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:53:49 GMT

Supporting Community Impact

We have worked with Hong Kong's largest charitable foundation for a number of years, identifying key talent to support the growth of their team. To see specific roles you can go to our Job Search page and search #purposeproject

In the likely event that you are aware of this organisation, you can review our guidance notes below.

We are looking to identify mid to senior talent across a range of role types and a number of subject matter areas as follows:

All of the roles will require fluency in written and spoken English and Chinese, with some positions needing Mandarin in addition to Cantonese.

The following backgrounds will be considered based on role type:

Foundations/Grant Making Organisations
Corporate Philanthropy (large organisations)
Government or Semi-Government Institutions
Academic Institutions
Top Tier Management Consultancy

One of the key skills needed will be the ability to operate in a complex organisational environment and support and influence multiple stakeholders.

To see specific roles you can go to our Job Search page and search #purposeproject or e-mail our CEO and account manager, Mathew Gollop at mat@connectedgroup.com with the subject 'purpose project' with your resume attached.

If you would like to benefit from our referral scheme , you can recommend a candidate here - stating Mathew Gollop as the contact.

Guidance Notes

We understand that, as the largest charitable foundation in Hong Kong who have been growing their impact consistently over a number of years, there is a chance you may have previously engaged them with regard to career opportunities. Here is our guide to whether we can still assist.

Press Release: ConnectedGroup Structural Update

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:35:33 GMT

From June 2025 we restructured our leadership team to be more effectively positioned to meet future market needs.

After 24 years with the business and working as our Managing Director for 23 years, Mathew Gollop, steps into a CEO role where he will also be responsible for Market Development. In this capacity he will focus on growing new and existing business lines through client engagement and development. He will remain a key brand ambassador and continue to drive our social impact strategy. His role is still full-time in terms of CG focus, but will shift to invest more of his capacity externally, retaining a personal focus on nonprofit, sustainability & energy transition and other complex and unconventional searches.

Stepping into the MD seat is Ross Carter. Ross joined CG at the beginning of 2025 to grow our ConnectedSolutions brand (encompassing contracting and workforce augmentation). Whilst he will maintain oversight on this business line, he also takes full responsibility for the wider business P&L and will directly manage the existing permanent recruitment leadership team.

We see this shift as a natural response to challenging markets that require both more time spent understanding our clients’ needs and evolving trends, as well as more robust business planning and governance.

New Technology Recruitment Project

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 05:42:23 GMT

High Profile Hong Kong IT Development Project

We have been assigned to support one of Hong Kong's largest institutions with identifying key talent to support the launch of a high profile initiative. To see specific role descriptions you can go to our Job Search page and search #techproject25

We are looking to identify mid to senior talent (this would suit hands-on managers, senior managers, junior/associate directors) across a range of skills areas. These roles will initially operate on a 1-year contract with permanent conversion potential.

All of the roles will require fluency in written and spoken English and Chinese with some positions needing Mandarin in addition to Cantonese. The following backgrounds will be considered based on role type:

Foundations/Grant Making Organisations
Corporate Philanthropy (large organisations)
Government or Semi-Government Institutions
Academic Institutions
Top Tier Management Consultancy

One of the key skills needed will be the ability to operate in a complex organisational environment and support and influence multiple stakeholders.

To see specific roles you can go to our Job Search page and search #purposeproject or e-mail us at i nfoHK@connectedgroup.com with the subject 'purpose project' with your resume attached.

Bridging Technical and Investment Talent in the Energy Transition Sector – a Hong Kong View

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 19:33:10 GMT

The global energy transition represents one of the most significant economic transformations of our time. As organisations navigate this complex landscape, the integration of technical expertise with investment acumen is emerging as a critical success factor, particularly in Hong Kong's rapidly evolving market.

Hong Kong's Approach to Energy Transition

Outside of its own net zero goals, Hong Kong is positioning itself as a hub for green and sustainable finance. In 2023, Hong Kong experienced a significant increase in green, social and sustainability debt issuance. GSS+ debt originating from Hong Kong reached USD18.2 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 236%.

With US IPOs for mainland and local organisations hampered by US/China relations, Hong Kong offers a strong alternative. Combining its proven financial infrastructure with an ongoing commitment to investing in the energy transition ecosystem should see it excel in tis field, as long as the talent supply can align.

Talent Pool Structure

What we see is that there are converging routes for talent into this sector. Renewables cannot be considered a ‘new’ sector, but it is evolving rapidly. Solar and Wind were the mainstay assets, but the big focus is now on battery energy storage systems (BESS) and the hybrid opportunities this creates, with CATL making a splash with their upcoming IPO in Hong Kong. Other sectors such as hydrogen and biofuels are also gaining traction, the latter evidenced in is Bain Capital's $400 million investment in EcoCeres, a biofuels company based in Hong Kong.

The sources of talent to support the investment sector in these fields are varied:

Traditional equity/debt market professionals from buy and sell side with existing experience in renewables or, transferable skills from the wider energy/infrastructure space
Technical experts within operators/utilities who have transitioned to M&A or venture investment related roles within their organisations
Strategy/corporate development/M&A experts from corporate, government or state-owned enterprises

In terms of deal geography exposure, it depends on the sector. A lot of Chinese government backed investment in solar and wind has been aggressive in South America and Europe, but new deal flow has slowed. Europe and the UK tend to be a key focus in the BESS sector with Japan and Australia seen as the most likely APAC markets. With geopolitical tensions where they are, it is unlikely that we’ll see any US focused investment from Hong Kong/China in the short to medium term. Talent with European deal experience tends to be based out of the UK with a number of key funds/institutions having specialised teams in each of the renewable sub-sectors.

The Talent Integration Imperative

Energy transition investments require a unique blend of technical understanding and financial expertise. When investment decisions are informed by deep technical understanding, risk assessment becomes more robust and the potential for successful outcomes increases.

The presence of specialists with a technical background within investment teams gives investors confidence. This is not only confidence in the initial investment decision, but that the appropriate skills are in place to ensure problems can be resolved before they escalate in the operational context.

As the market matures and competition increases, the ability for those advising the deal process to deliver genuine insights and value creation will be a positive differentiator.

The Path Forward

For Hong Kong and other financial centres, the opportunity to lead in energy transition finance will depend on attracting, nurturing and retaining key talent. Organisations that successfully integrate technical, and investment talent will be best positioned to capitalise on emerging opportunities.

Our recent market interactions indicate there is no shortage of talent willing to consider roles in Hong Kong in this sector and, for the well-funded, there is a limited window of opportunity to secure key people before things heat up and we move into another cycle.

For more information on recruiting in the energy transition space (investment and operational/technical) and the wider ESG & sustainability sector, contact Mathew Gollop at mat@connectedgroup.com .

ESG & Sustainability - Selecting the Right Training and Education Options

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:34:09 GMT

As an ESG recruiter, a common question I hear is: “Do I really need a sustainability certification—and if so, which one?” The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. While experience remains paramount, the right certification can accelerate your career, bridge knowledge gaps, and signal expertise in this rapidly evolving field.

In this edition, we break down the why, who, and how of ESG certifications—from globally recognised credentials to specialised courses—to help you navigate the options and invest in the right one for your goals.

Why Take an ESG Course and Certification?

In today’s business world, ESG expertise isn’t just valuable—it’s becoming essential. Whether you’re looking to deepen your impact in your current role or transition into sustainability-focused work, an ESG certification offers more than knowledge: it provides tangible proof of your commitment and skills. These programmes help you master the frameworks, tools, and language needed to turn principles into action—from analysing ESG risks to designing strategies that align profit with purpose.

For career changers, certifications provide a structured way to build credibility in the field. They signal to employers that you’re not just interested in sustainability, but serious about applying it in real-world business decisions. For seasoned professionals, certifications offer a way to validate experience, stay ahead of regulations, and lead initiatives with confidence.

Ultimately, ESG training is about more than adding a credential—it’s about equipping yourself with the mindset and tools to drive meaningful change in an evolving corporate landscape. That said, ESG certification and knowledge are not a substitute for work experience within the industry; they are a supplement, not a replacement.

Who Should Consider ESG Certification?

ESG certifications are ideal for professionals across various sectors who want to lead sustainability initiatives and make informed investment decisions. This includes business leaders, investors, and anyone looking to enhance their professional reputation and career prospects by demonstrating a commitment to responsible practices. Whether you aim to meet stakeholder expectations or position yourself as a leader, an ESG certification provides a structured and recognised pathway to achieve these goals.

How Should You Choose the Right Certification and Course for You?

Choosing the right ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) certification is a crucial step that can greatly impact your career in sustainable development and ethical business practices.

Personal and Professional Goals

Before diving into the various ESG certifications, reflect on your personal and professional goals. Are you aiming to enhance company performance through sustainable practices, or do you want to integrate ESG risks and opportunities into investment portfolios? Knowing your objectives will help you choose the certification that aligns with your career path and interests. Additionally, consider your current level of ESG knowledge and skills. Are you looking to learn the basics, deepen your expertise in a specific area, or update your knowledge while networking with peers? Having a clear idea of what you want to achieve will guide you in selecting the right ESG training programme.

Relevance to Each Industry

When choosing an ESG certification, consider how it fits with your current industry or the one you aim to enter. For finance professionals, certifications focusing on ESG risks and investment strategies are often more relevant. In contrast, those in corporate roles may benefit more from certifications centred on sustainable development and social responsibility.

For example, a financial analyst might find the CFA Institute's ESG Investing Certificate useful, while a corporate sustainability manager might prefer the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards Certification. Selecting a certification that aligns with your industry ensures that the skills and knowledge you gain are directly applicable to your professional context.

Continuous Learning Resources

The ESG field is dynamic and constantly evolving. Therefore, it's important to choose a certification that offers ongoing educational opportunities and resources. Look for programmes that provide access to updated materials, discussion forums, and networking opportunities with other professionals in the field.

For instance, some certifications include memberships to professional organisations that offer continuous education and networking events. This can help you stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in ESG, ensuring that your knowledge remains current and relevant.

Evaluating Cost, Time, and Mode of Instruction

When choosing an ESG certification, consider both the cost and the time commitment involved. Ensure that the investment fits within your personal and professional circumstances. Some certifications may offer flexible learning paths or part-time options, which can be particularly advantageous for working professionals. Additionally, consider your preferred learning style—do you prefer pre-recorded modules, live instruction, or exam-based certifications?

Certification List

Certified ESG Analyst® (CESGA): EFFAS

The EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst® (CESGA) programme, developed by industry professionals, offers an extensive understanding of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues. It emphasises often-overlooked aspects such as asset classes, due diligence, ESG data, reporting, and regulatory requirements.

By enrolling in this programme, you will gain knowledge in various asset classes, systematic ESG valuation methods, and the complexities of ESG data and regulations. Additionally, you will learn effective strategies to incorporate ESG information into investment analysis, recognising the increasing importance of ESG factors in capital allocation decisions.

Learn more here .

FSA® Credential: IFRS Foundation

The IFRS Foundation's FSA Credential certifies professionals' proficiency in sustainability disclosure and analysis. It provides candidates with the expertise to comprehend the relationship between sustainability and financial performance.

This credential assesses candidates on various aspects, including sustainability disclosure frameworks, IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, the significance of material sustainability information in corporate strategies and investment decisions, and the impact of sustainability-related risks and opportunities on financial positions. The programme also imparts skills such as normalising sustainability data for analysis, linking it to financial metrics, and incorporating it into valuation models.

Learn more here .

CFA ESG Investing

The CFA Institute offers the globally recognised Certificate in ESG Investing, equipping professionals with the expertise to effectively incorporate ESG factors into their investment decisions. This programme highlights the growing significance of sustainability in investment portfolios, aligning with the current emphasis on ethical and responsible practices. By mastering responsible investment strategies and understanding the core issues related to ESG factors, you can adapt to the evolving needs of the industry and your clients.

Learn more here .

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Certification

This prestigious programme equips professionals with the skills to effectively navigate and implement sustainability reporting in accordance with the globally recognised GRI Standards. It covers essential ESG issues, data collection and analysis, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring adherence to industry best practices.

Earning this certification demonstrates a commitment to transparency, enhancing both credibility and competitiveness. As the demand for ESG expertise grows, certified professionals are well-prepared to help organisations meet regulatory and investor expectations.

Learn more here .

ESG Certificate Programme: Corporate Finance Institute (CFI)

This programme offers a focused curriculum to help professionals master the skills needed in today’s financial world. It combines theory and practice, covering key ESG concepts like materiality, climate risks, and governance, while teaching practical skills such as ESG analysis, emissions calculations, and integrating ESG into financial models. Participants also learn to identify capital market trends and transform ESG data into actionable insights, including creating stakeholder dashboards.

Learn more here .

PRI Academy Certificate

The PRI Academy, an initiative of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), offers specialised online courses designed to help professionals integrate ESG factors into their investment strategies. These courses provide a deep understanding of responsible investment, enabling you to confidently communicate on ESG issues and analyse their impact at global, regional, and industry levels.

Learn more here .

CDP Climate Change Course

The CDP Climate Change Course equips participants with tools to manage climate risks and apply ESG principles, helping them navigate the complexities of climate change. It covers key topics like emissions, scenario analysis, and TCFD frameworks, supported by real-world case studies and guidance from industry experts. Additionally, the course offers opportunities to network with global peers, fostering collaboration and professional growth.

Learn more here .

ESG Reporting Certification Course (Based on Hong Kong Practice) - HKCGI

The ESG Reporting Certification Course equips you with the skills to excel in ESG and sustainability reporting under the HKEX Listing Rules. It covers the latest international standards, including the ESG Reporting Code, climate disclosure requirements, governance structures, strategy setting, and materiality assessment. Practical workshops on ESG report drafting and data collection ensure real-world application.

Upon completion, you’ll receive a certification validating your expertise, along with access to an annual complimentary seminar to stay updated on ESG developments.

Learn more here .

University Courses and Certification List

Business Sustainability Programme – INSEAD

Geared toward C-suite leaders and senior managers, INSEAD’s intensive programme decodes the business case for sustainability, offering actionable frameworks for transformation. Learn from global experts how to overcome operational challenges, embed sustainability into core business models, and secure funding for green initiatives.

Learn more here .

ESG Leadership: A Pathway to Business Sustainability – University of Cambridge

Cambridge Judge Business School’s programme prepares leaders to navigate the complexities of ESG integration, from stakeholder alignment to regulatory compliance. Through real-world case studies, you’ll learn to develop net-zero transition plans, implement circular supply chains, and craft compelling ESG reports that build trust with investors and consumers.

Learn more here .

Harvard Business School’s Sustainable Business Strategy

Harvard Business School Online’s Sustainable Business Strategy course is a premier programme for professionals looking to integrate ESG principles into their organisations. Over three weeks, participants explore how businesses can drive profitability while addressing environmental and social challenges.

Learn more here .

Harvard Extension School’s Graduate Certificate in Sustainability

For professionals seeking a deeper dive into ESG and sustainability, Harvard Extension School offers a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability. This flexible, part-time programme consists of four courses, covering topics like corporate sustainability, climate policy, and ESG investing.

Learn more here .

Sustainable Finance and Investment – Yale School of Management

Dive into the intersection of finance and sustainability with Yale SOM’s executive programme, designed to help professionals harness ESG data for smarter investment decisions. You’ll explore how environmental, social, and governance factors influence asset pricing, risk management, and long-term portfolio performance.

Learn more here .

Article by Aadya Kapur

Update - ESG & Sustainability [ESGS] Talent Trends - Hong Kong Market

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:41:33 GMT

Hong Kong is witnessing significant regulatory changes and evolving trends in ESG, sustainability and green finance. These shifts not only influence corporate practices but also reshape the dynamics of talent supply and demand within the region. In our last article we talked about future talent demands which we still see as likely, although the general economic backdrop has meant that progress is still slow.

The shift in tone from the current US administration has also injected a level of uncertainty. Although it seems China will remain committed to its aggressive renewable energy growth and Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan committed to “strengthen cooperation with other economies to bridge the ‘significant funding gap’ in global climate change responses” (SCMP 2025) at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Regulatory Landscape

Recent developments indicate a robust commitment from Hong Kong's regulatory bodies to enhance the quality and scope of ESG disclosures. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) has mandated more detailed climate-related disclosures from listed companies, effective from January 2025. This move aims to align local practices with international standards, particularly the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) guidelines. As a result, companies will need to provide comprehensive reports on their sustainability strategies, risk management, and climate-related metrics.

The Accounting and Financial Reporting Council of Hong Kong has also emphasized the need for expertise in sustainability practices, noting that a significant portion of Hang Seng Index members received limited ratings in their sustainability reports (SCMP, 2025). This gap highlights the ongoing need for skilled professionals who can navigate the complexities of ESG reporting.

Emerging Trends in ESG and Green Finance

Several key trends are shaping the ESG landscape in Hong Kong and the broader Asia-Pacific region:

1. Increased Integration of ESG Metrics in Executive Incentives: According to a report by WTW, approximately 74% of APAC firms are linking ESG metrics to executive incentives. This trend is expected to drive accountability and enhance corporate governance, making sustainability a core component of business strategies (HRD Asia, 2025).

2. Focus on Climate Adaptation: With climate change posing significant risks, there is a growing emphasis on adaptation strategies alongside mitigation efforts. Hong Kong is set to introduce adaptation criteria for its taxonomy, ensuring that financial flows are directed towards projects that enhance resilience against climate risks (Responsible Investor, 2025).

3. Rise of Transition Finance: The concept of transition finance, which supports companies in moving towards greener practices, is gaining traction. This includes funding for industries that are not fully green yet but are making substantial efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. As China's national carbon market expands to include more sectors, Hong Kong's financial institutions are likely to follow suit, promoting investments in transitional projects (Eco-Business, 2025).

4. Standardization and Assurance in ESG Reporting: The recent push for standardization in ESG disclosures, driven by new regulations, will likely increase the credibility of sustainability reports. Companies that adopt these standards early may gain a competitive edge in attracting investors who prioritize transparency and accountability (Eco-Business, 2025).

5. Publicly Accountable Entities – 2028 Deadline: Hong Kong’s public institutions will need to meet mandatory reporting requirements by 2028. These organisations cover a significant portion of the local real estate footprint and employment base and their role in both driving the conversation a developing talent will be influential.

Impact on Talent Supply and Demand

As we outlined in the introduction, the slow economy is not yet driving a high volume of hiring but, we are confident that we will see increasing demand as the year continues. Key skills areas are likely to be;

Carbon Accounting and Emission Reporting: As businesses are required to disclose not just Scope 1 and 2 emissions but also Scope 3 emissions, the need for professionals skilled in carbon accounting is critical. Companies will seek individuals who can manage complex data and develop credible transition plans. Those who can bridge between technical data, reporting skills, and ESG knowledge will be particularly in demand.

Sustainability Reporting and Compliance: With new regulations mandating detailed ESG disclosures, there will be ongoing demand for compliance experts who understand the intricacies of local and international reporting standards. This trend is echoed in the call for more expertise in sustainability practices among Hong Kong’s accounting bodies (South China Morning Post, 2025).

Consulting and Advisory Roles: As firms navigate the regulatory landscape, the need for consultants who specialize in ESG strategies and compliance will rise. These roles will involve advising companies on best practices for sustainability integration and helping them develop effective transition plans, both at board and leadership team level.

Green Finance Specialists: The expansion of green finance initiatives will create opportunities for finance professionals who can assess and manage investments in sustainable projects. Understanding the nuances of green bonds and sustainable financing will be essential.

Conclusion

Hong Kong is at the cusp of a significant transformation in its approach to ESG, sustainability, and green finance. The regulatory changes and emerging trends indicate a clear shift towards increased accountability and transparency, creating a robust demand for skilled professionals in the field. As companies adapt to these changes, the talent supply in Hong Kong will need to evolve, ensuring that the workforce is equipped to meet the challenges and opportunities of a sustainable future. With the right investments in talent development and training, and an agile view on hiring international talent, Hong Kong can position itself as a leader in the sustainable finance landscape in Asia.

Integrating Diversity via Technology Transformation in Hong Kong

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 10:12:46 GMT

Hong Kong is in a difficult phase of its development as a talent hub. The political unrest of 2019 followed by the COVID pandemic saw a well-documented talent outflow. This has compounded a process of localisation that have often left organisations overly dependent on Cantonese language skills. This then restricts the future talent pipeline, leaving companies fighting over a small supply.

Whilst ‘diversity, equity & inclusion’ (DEI) is often viewed more about positive PR than real impact, it goes much deeper than this, particularly in a market like Hong Kong. With declining birthrates and an ageing population, the local supply will only shrink. As a result, if Hong Kong is to remain competitive, it needs to embrace DEI as a business risk issue. DEI should be a key driver to sustainability and is core within the ‘S’ of the ESG framework.

In ConnectedGroup’s latest Talent Insights Report , this wider issue is discussed and a guide to best practices is provided. At ConnectedSolutions , we look at this through the technology transformation lens to identify how transformation projects can both embrace diverse talent sources and enable effective longer-term integration. Change projects often fail because they operate in a vacuum which is something our model seeks to address, both for the sake of the deliverables as well as the longer-term cultural impact.

Our model takes a proven transformation framework and looks at 3 common shortfalls:

Poor cultural integration of transformation team members into the client whilst they also feel detached as employees of the consultancy.
Lack of investment in pre-program and ongoing training which feeds an over-reliance on senior onsite professionals or offshore resources.
As a result of the above, a lack of diversity and suitability for the conversion of talent into permanent employment, post project completion.

These issues are resolved via:

Strong community partnerships to source from a diverse talent pool
Integration of industry recognised training programs that commence pre-project
NGO expertise assigned to support and educate on the integration of talent with additional needs
HR & Wellbeing expertise assigned to;

o Support and engage transformation teams as ConnectedSolutions employees

o Work with clients to ensure effective integration, retention and potential for

conversion to permanent employment on project completion

To understand more about how we can support your technology transformation needs whilst ensuring positive social impact and building sustainable talent pipelines, reach out to Ross.Carter@ConnectedGroup.com

ESG/ Sustainability Talent Trends – Hong Kong

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 09:05:50 GMT

Talent now transcends the industry barriers in the ESG & Sustainability [ESGS] space, and the meaning of ‘sustainability’ has become more diverse and complex. As a result, we have extracted this function as a dedicated specialism and have spent much of 2024 speaking with a wide range of professionals ranging from Heads of Sustainability down to graduates entering the sector. These conversations and our wider research have given us insights into the trends, challenges and attitudes shaping the space which we have outlined here.

Moving forwards, we will continue to share our findings and will launch a quarterly newsletter in November ( follow us on LinkedIn to get the notification).

The Last 12-18 months

Overview

If you have been blissfully ignorant of the employment market situation in Hong Kong (in which case, we envy you!) then you can review our quarterly Talent Insight Reports to get the low down. In short, it has been a difficult period with a much lower volume of employment opportunities in Hong Kong. Economic challenges, such as high inflation and slower growth, along with geopolitical tensions, have impacted the pace of the green transition and the associated job market dynamics.

Hong Kong Headcount

ESGS has seemingly weathered this period without any significant headcount loss, other than the trimming of a smaller number of senior positions in some larger corporates. Team structures supporting data and reporting seem more mature and embedded, and hence have survived any downsizing. However, investment in wider training exercises or earlier stage projects have more commonly been put on hold. Cost-cutting and fiscal conservatism have proved to be the norm across most sectors. This restraint on new projects and the ability for individuals to make an impact is becoming a leading cause of frustration amongst sustainability professionals. This is one of the biggest reasons for talent to look outward into the market. However, new roles have been extremely limited with a small uptick in hiring only beginning to be seen in the current quarter.

Leading by Example

One of the key organisations pushing forwards this year has been the Hong Kong Jockey Club, solidifying a core team and outlining the beginning of a journey to pull together disparate projects and articulate their sustainability goals in a more cohesive way. When a major institution such as this sets out a clear vision, it can only be a positive message to the rest of the market. We see that their efforts will likely set the standard for other Hong Kong institutions to follow.

The Next 12-18 months

Reporting Talent

In the short term, we are likely to see a rise in demand for individuals with reporting experience to help organisations transition to HKFRS 1 and HKFRS 2 / IFRS S1 & S2 and the new HKEX standards. Whether this talent is hired on a permanent, contract or consulting basis will depend on the current maturity of the relevant reporting function.

Currently we observe that while there are companies who have well-established in-house reporting structures, there is another set of organisations who are lagging, and have been managing by outsourcing their reporting to third parties. With the increasing complexity of mandatory requirements, it is likely that these organisations will need more in-house capacity and resources. The mid-level reporting talent currently sitting in more mature teams/departments are likely to become a prime target for these companies. Salary increases and bigger titles will be an attraction which will likely mean an increased demand in a relatively tight talent pool.

One defence against attrition in these functions will be the increased use of automation for ESG reporting and data systems. As these platforms become more sophisticated, it will enable teams to keep up with the ever-evolving HKEX & ISSB/IFRS standards without the need for increased headcount. However, we don’t see this being effective to the degree where these efficiencies will balance the increased talent demand in the shorter term.

Strategy & Integration

The general sense from professionals in the sector (across all industries) is that there will still be a strong future demand for talent in Hong Kong. This growth is likely to come from the integration end of the spectrum as the need to pull the ESGS goals into the wider business strategy is becoming critical to ensure positive impact is embedded and measured.

In this area, we already see major gaps in expectations versus reality. Hong Kong lacks depth in its senior pool (most senior leadership in sustainability are not home grown). At one layer down, outside of data/reporting/compliance, the same problem exists. Organisations are often expecting to find a perfect combination of technical sustainability knowledge, relevant business exposure, plus the change management skills. However, this mix of skills is in very short supply

The two solutions to this are either to cast the net wider and recruit globally or, pull talent with the business knowledge and soft skills across and cross-train them. The challenge with the latter is that not everyone in a functional specialism wants to make this shift but, candidates from transformation/change backgrounds could be a key target.

Hong Kong’s Role

For Hong Kong, whilst it has had a slower start in terms of development in this space, there is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in the regional and global ESGS ecosystem.

With both Hong Kong and Beijing governments framing HK as the key place for Chinese firms to IPO in the coming years, the complexity of cross-border and global requirements will lead to increased need for harmonisation of regulations. HKFRS S1 and S2, are designed to fully align with the IFRS S1 and S2 standards and this alignment will help to better integrate Hong Kong businesses with global and Mainland Chinese capital markets.

This is an area in which Hong Kong can play a leading role, particularly if the government’s efforts to strengthen its position as a global talent and green financing hub continue to gain traction. With the HKMA’s latest net zero targets for the banking sector, the flow of capital looks like it will continue to advance against a more sustainable agenda.

One thing is for certain, corporate sustainability is here to stay and this is not just a listed company issue. The Sandpiper Global Reputation Capital Index report highlights what we see on that ground - that even some larger private organisations are seeing the sense in ensuring their ESG reporting meets the market standards.

Key Observations

Reporting and data talent will likely be in demand once again as we head into 2025
Experienced strategy and integration talent is in very short supply. Global talent sourcing or cross-functional training are the key solutions.

Our Core Services

We can support organisations with their ESGS talent agendas in a number of ways:

Executive recruitment

Retained executive search

Contract resources (individuals sub-contracted for specific periods on yours or our payroll)

Statement of work driven projects (you have a goal to achieve, and we deliver the team and run the program)

Talent management, leadership and wellbeing consultancy

Our Value Adds

We are happy to assist our clients with additional data, insights and opportunities such as:

Salary surveys

Case study sharing and strategy benchmarking

Webinar and events support/co-creation

Industry roundtables

Written by Mathew Gollop & Aadya Kapur . For more information, please reach out to Mathew at mat@connectedgroup.com

Your Job Search Strategy in Hong Kong – Q4 2024

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 19:00:55 GMT

For much of 2023 and through 2024 we have experienced a period of economic uncertainty in Hong Kong which is worse than anything we have seen since the 2001 dotcom bubble burst and bled into the SARS outbreak in 2002.

Social unrest followed by the Covid pandemic, geopolitical instability, and a sluggish mainland economy have all led to a challenging time for jobseekers. Here we try and share some of the responses to common questions that we have been consistently answering. Some of these were addressed in a better market back in 2022 by our MD in this article but, here we look at the issues in the current climate.

When Will Things Improve?

The short answer is, of course, we don’t know for sure. If we did, it is likely we would be making our money in something easier than recruitment! What we can say is that there is a sense that we are through the worst and, at the time of writing (late October 2024), dropping interest rates and economic stimulus are looking like they should kickstart a recovery. The impact of this on hiring is less likely to become significant until organisations move into their next financial year (commonly January or April) and, even then, we expect the first half of 2025 to remain conservative.

Why Do I Not Receive Feedback?

Applying for jobs online can feel like throwing your CV into a blackhole and this is the greatest frustration we hear from all jobseekers. The reasons why this has become so prevalent are not 100% clear but it seems to be a combination of factors:

Limited resources – employers and agencies are stretched after reducing headcount. With increasing numbers of candidates on the market, there just isn’t the bandwidth to offer meaningful feedback to all applicants.

Automation – recruitment automation has focused on screening efficiency but has not improved the candidate engagement process.

Headcount anxiety – organisations have budgeted headcount, and roles are posted, but hiring managers remain conservative and don’t move the process forwards.

For more commentary on this – see pages 12, 13 & 14 of our recent Talent Insights Report.

The best advice we can provide is not to take this personally – it is not an issue that only you are suffering from. This doesn’t make it any less frustrating, but it does hopefully enable you to see it more objectively and less emotionally.

Do All Roles Really Need Chinese Language Skills?

The reasons why Cantonese has become an increasingly common prerequisite on job descriptions are complex and nuanced. It would need another article to explain why but, here we focus on how to approach this issue if you are a non-Cantonese speaker.

Don’t assume that agency recruiters are using this criterion without good reason. External recruiters are driven by client expectations but will do what they can to widen the funnel of potential talent. In this market, employers have very specific requirements that need to be met to justify the cost of recruitment fees and so the influence of recruiters over the screening criteria is limited.
If you can resign yourself to the previous point that you may not receive feedback on your application, still apply for roles that state the need for local language skills. If an organisation later relaxes the requirement, then they may revisit your profile. Equally, they may see you as a fit for other roles that have not yet been posted.
Language skills can sit on job descriptions in the HR database, but the hiring manager may not see them as critical. Where possible, in addition to making an application, reach out directly to the potential hiring manager (via best guess on LinkedIn or, even better, through referral by personal connection).

Our expectation is that, as the markets begin to recover and demand for talent increases, the need for more diverse talent pipelines will become clear. The government has been promoting the need for Hong Kong to position itself as an international talent hub and this will see more momentum as hiring volumes increase.

Is There a Better Way to Approach My Job Search?

One piece of advice for any candidate in an active job search is that the process itself is an opportunity to expand your network. Consider the value of the network itself, rather than just as a transactional means to and end and use these tips to help you.

Create a way to track your progress. A simple format would be a spreadsheet with companies, names, titles and contact information with a note of the date of your last message/call/VC/meeting so that you can follow up at regular intervals.

Use any connections you have from past roles and your social network to help with introductions and reach out directly to people on LinkedIn that seem appropriate.

Unless there is a specific role you are aware of, don’t ask if someone is hiring as a way of making a connection. Ask for their advice and help to understand and navigate the market. This way they won’t feel like they have to let you down and it will be a more positive experience for them.

Include recruiters in this exercise. Nudge them gently every few weeks, ask whether specific jobs they are advertising could be a fit, but remain respectful and polite. Recruiters are handling a lot of frustrated candidate communications in markets like these whilst trying to meet their own targets in an environment where salary reductions and layoffs are common.

Treat each meaningful connection you make as a win. You will get more rejections and disappointments than positive results so, see the value in each new addition you bring to your network. You will also see that you have a stronger resource in your next role that you are able to leverage.

Anything Else?

To close out, here are a few CV tips:

If you are not a Hong Kong National but you have a working visa, state this clearly on your resume (suggest at the top, under your name) i.e. ‘Hong Kong Permanent Resident’ or ‘Dependent Visa Holder – No Sponsorship Required’ etc.

Don’t include a photo on your resume – this is not a market norm and therefore makes your CV look like an outlier.

Make sure your contact details are on your resume in case it gets separated from your e-mail and/or cover letter. Mobile phone number and e-mail address are enough – any more than this is a data risk.

You can check our current vacancies here.

Feel free to make a general application via infoHK@connectedgroup.com

The Evolving Hong Kong Board & Advisory Ecosystem

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 12:43:28 GMT

Hong Kong's Board & Advisory space is changing, with regulatory developments impacting the likely structure and strategy of future board composition.

At ConnectedGroup we see that the future supply of talent will need to come from a more diverse range of backgrounds and experience to meet the needs of an evolving regulatory framework and rapidly changing economic landscape.

To clarify, there are 3 main types of formal board role categories in listed companies:

Executive Directors – employees of the organisation in the senior leadership team, some of whom may sit in the board, usually the CEO or equivalent on the main board.
Non-Executive Directors – board members who are not employees but who represent significant shareholding interests.
Independent Non-Executive Directors – board members who are not employees and who have no other connection to the business.

It is the 3 ^rd role of INED on which the regulatory changes focus. A very useful ‘Snapshot of INED’s Roles and Responsibilities’ produced by HKEX can be found here .

There are 2 key regulatory pressures:

1. Trimming the Seats: HKEX’s Push to Reduce Over-boarding

Recently, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has announced a proposal to limit the number of board roles an individual can hold across listed companies. While this number was not restricted in the past, the proposal is that an individual can only hold maximum of six board roles. This is an effort to ensure that the directors can devote sufficient time to each company. These changes will be implemented from 1st January 2025 with a proposed three-year transition period for the changes relating to INEDs. As reported by the South China Morning Post, the "over-boarding" proposal has sparked significant debate among company directors because the proposal would force them relinquish some of their roles.

At the end of 2023, 23 over-boarded INEDs served on the boards of 181 companies listed on the HKEX (approximately 7% of all HKEX-listed companies), and five INEDs held 10 or more listed company directorships. HKEX firmly believes that it will lead to positive outcomes as INEDs will demonstrate better performance for their board roles. At the end of the day, “Independent non-executive directors and other non-executive directors should make a positive contribution to the development of the issuer’s strategy and policies through independent, constructive and informed comments.” (HKEX, Rules en Guidance C.1.7).

2. Board Composition and Gender Diversity

Gender diversity remains a persistent challenge in Hong Kong’s board composition. Nearly 57% of students enrolled in business and management courses are female and women hold over half of entry-level positions. However, their representation decreases as they progress up the corporate ladder. In the financial sector, women occupy only a third of senior management roles. More concerning is their presence in board composition, where women currently hold just 18.8% of directorships among Hong Kong-listed companies as shown in Figure 1.

This disparity highlights the urgency of addressing gender diversity on boards. This is why another key regulatory change is the HKEX's mandate requiring all-male boards to appoint at least one female director by December 2024. It is a part of the broader efforts to improve gender diversity in corporate governance.

By December 2024, Hong Kong’s firms are expected to show substantial progress in enhancing gender diversity on their boards. This shift aims to create a more balanced and inclusive corporate environment, offering equal opportunities for aspiring leaders of all genders. As companies work to meet these targets, the hope is that boards will reflect a fairer and more equitable landscape, ensuring that leadership roles are accessible to talent from diverse backgrounds, ultimately contributing to stronger governance and decision-making processes.

Rethinking Independence

While the major issues have been discussed, independence among INEDs remains a taboo. A problem that was recently observed by shareholder activist David Webb is that “About 90 per cent of Hong Kong-listed companies have controlling shareholders, and these controllers vote to elect the INEDs, so they are only as independent and competent as the controlling shareholders want them to be.” Therefore, to prevent CEOs or significant shareholders from controlling too many governance decisions, HKEX stipulated that listed companies must maintain a specific ratio of INEDs. Furthermore, they have proposed a limit of a nine-year maximum tenure for INEDs aims to address concerns that long-serving directors may lose their independence over time.

Future Developments

On top of the restrictions on overboarding and term limits, and the drive towards improved diversity, there are other developments that may impact the selection of INEDs.

ESG disclosure requirements continue to become more complex and, as a result, the risk factors for organisations increase in parallel. Once regulators begin enforcing on non-compliance, there will be a driver to manage this risk at board level. The more progressive companies who are placing sustainability at the core of their businesses may also look to ensure this knowledge is represented on the board to ensure long-term investments in this space are supported.

Whilst technology has always had an agenda slot, it is likely that the convergence of data, security and AI/machine learning will bring a unique context to managing risks that may need to be more directly represented by knowledgeable individuals on corporate boards.

Conclusion

We observe that across listed and privately owned organisations, board structures, strategy and recruitment are handled in an inconsistent manner. The appointment of new board members should be an ‘arm’s length’ process with a clear definition of the skills and profile needed to create balance and a wide funnel of potential candidates reviewed against these criteria. This is not always the case with referrals for open positions occurring within a closed network.

We also see a lack of talent ‘liquidity’ in both the corporate and NGO sectors. There are candidates interested in both paid and volunteer board and advisory roles but no way of seeking these positions in a centralised way.

To try and resolve this issue, we launched a Board & Advisory talent pool as our first initiative on our ConnectedTalent platform. The platform enables employers to search for talent based on skills and industry experience and candidates to opt in/out of different types of roles. Access will remain free to nonprofits as part of our social purpose and will ultimately be a paid service for corporates. We are currently building the candidate base (register here ) and will open in beta mode to employers in January 2025. Employers may register their interest here in advance to be notified.

To discuss board strategy and recruitment, feel free to contact Mathew Gollop, Managing Director at ConnectedGroup – mat@connectedgroup.com

Article by Raphael Deren and Mathew Gollop

ConnectedGroup recognised in the 2024 Best Workplaces in Asia list

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:55:27 GMT

Hong Kong, August 29, 2024 – Great Place To Work®, the global authority on workplace culture, has selected ConnectedGroup for the 2024 Best Workplaces in Asia™ List .

This year’s list features 200 organizations that were chosen after surveying over 2.7 million employees in Asia and the Middle East about their experience in the workplace. In total, the survey results represent the work experiences of over 6.9 million employees across the region.

Companies were considered for the list after being selected for local honors on national Best Workplaces™ Lists (ConnectedGroup was selected for the Best WorkplacesTM in Hong Kong 2024 & Best Workplaces in Greater China 2024).

This recognition is based on confidential survey data assessing employee experiences of trust, innovation, company values, and leadership. Companies are also evaluated on how well they are creating a For All ^TM workplace experience, where all employees are welcomed and celebrated no matter who they are or what they do.

Companies on the list in 2024 have higher numbers of employees who report a positive experience at work compared to the typical workplace in Asia. When companies build high levels of trust with employees, they are more likely to be prepared for disruption

At the Best Workplaces, 89% of employees report that their company celebrates people who try new ways of doing things — 27 points higher than the 62% of employees who said the same at typical workplaces in Asia.

When employees say their company celebrates people who try new things, they are 69% more likely to adapt quickly to change and 18% more likely to give extra effort on the job.

“Congratulations to the Best Workplaces in Asia,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “These companies prove that investing in people can lead to better outcomes for business and better outcomes for the planet.”

The Best Workplaces in Asia List is published here.

About ConnectedGroup

Established in 1997 In Hong Kong, ConnectedGroup is a regional executive recruitment, search, and talent consultancy with broad coverage across a range of functional and industry specialisms.

Our  core services  include; Retained Executive Search, Exclusive Contingent Search, Contingent Recruitment, Contract Staffing, Interim Management, Payroll Services and HR/Wellbeing Consultancy. This holistic approach to talent advisory enables an end-to-end view of the key issues and challenges that our clients face and how we can help resolve them.

Our strategy is to continue to develop our offering as a 'big boutique' where we combine high levels of engagement and accountability with a comprehensive scope of delivery capability. Our vision is to ‘use recruitment as a lever to improve lives', supported by a mission of 'raising the recruitment industry standard by consistently delivering on our  ’ConnectedPledge '. We recruit and measure our employees against the values of being Candid, Creative, Connected and Caring which influences our open and transparent culture whilst encouraging new ideas and focuses us on internal communications that leverage greater benefits for our clients.

Beyond our mission and values, we have developed a strong social purpose of 'amplifying goodwill through the connection of talent with great causes' which has led us beyond just considering our professional impact, to focusing on how we can positively influence our communities. We are the founder of  www.recruit4good.com  - a not-for-profit initiative that aims to provide a job board and career portal at zero cost to the charitable sector.

About the 2024 Best Workplaces in Asia List

Great Place To Work selected the 2024 Best Workplaces in Asia List by analyzing companies’ workplace programs and surveying over 2.7 million employees across multiple countries in Asia and the Middle East. The responses represent the experience of nearly 6.9 million employees across the region.

To be considered, companies must first be identified as outstanding in their local region by appearing on one or more of our Best Workplaces™ Lists in Bahrain, Greater China (including China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, UAE, or Vietnam during 2023 or early 2024.

Companies rank in three size categories: small and medium (50–499 employees), large (500+ employees), and multinational. Multinational organizations are also assessed on their efforts to create great workplaces across multiple countries in the region. Multinationals must appear on at least two national lists in Asia and the Middle East and have at least 1,000 employees worldwide with either 40% of its total workforce, or more than 5,000 employees located outside their headquarters country.

About Great Place To Work

As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every workplace become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All Model help companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces List.

Media enquiries:

Mathew Gollop

Managing Director
ConnectedGroup
+852 3972 5874
mat@connectedgroup.com

Navigating the workforce revolution: From resignation to retention

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:19:31 GMT

In the wake of the pandemic, the job market was thrown into chaos, leading to what we now call the ‘Great Resignation’. Here we explore this mass exodus, the reasons behind it, the subsequent ‘Great Reshuffle’, and the current trend of the ‘Big Stay’, shedding light on the evolving dynamics between employers and employees.

The Great Resignation - 2020 & 2021

During the pandemic, the job market was full of uncertainty and mass layoffs; millions lost their jobs, and those who remained employed clung to their roles. However, as soon as life started to return to normal, unexpected shifts occurred that shocked the employment market.
Millions of people around the globe started to voluntarily resign from their jobs, leading to the phenomenon known as the Great Resignation - a term coined by organizational psychologist Anthony Klotz. It really began with a socio-phenomenon – grief, anxiety and the realisation that life was short which made people re-evaluate their personal and professional lives.

Professionally, the reasons behind this mass exodus were varied. The Personio study highlighted that more than half of those planning to quit cited a reduction in benefits, worsening work-life balance, or toxic workplace culture. Additionally, a Pew Research Center survey found that low pay (63%), lack of advancement opportunities (63%), and feeling disrespected at work (57%) were significant factors. Childcare issues (48%), lack of flexibility in work hours (45%), and inadequate benefits (43%) were also notable reasons.

A Microsoft survey of over 30,000 global workers revealed that 41% were considering quitting or changing professions within 2021. In the US, April 2021 saw a record-breaking four million resignations, according to the Department of Labor. These rates were particularly high among mid-career employees and were most pronounced in the technology and healthcare industries.

In Hong Kong, the Great Resignation was similarly impactful, with a significant portion of the workforce reevaluating their life priorities and career choices. A survey by Cigna revealed that 37% of employees in Hong Kong had changed jobs in that past year, driven by a desire for better work-life balance and more meaningful work. Additionally, nearly 90% of respondents in Hong Kong reported feeling stressed, with 19% finding this stress unmanageable, highlighting the intense pressure facing the workforce.

The Great Reshuffle - 2022

‘ The Great Resignation’ created a high volume of job openings and staff shortages in some industries and functions. Now people sought “a greater ability for people to fit work into their lives, instead of having lives that squeeze into their work.” – Anthony Klotz . During this period, it became incredibly difficult to retain top talent, and the ‘war for talent’ resurfaced in earnest. As a frantic response, companies started to (in retrospect) over-hire and lure employees with premium packages.

Later it became clearer that rather than quitting the workforce altogether, many employees had left to find something more fulfilling that aligned better with their values and lifestyle choices. They carefully chose opportunities that gave them the right pay, benefits and work arrangements in the longer term. Some people completely switched their professions, and some set up their own businesses. Thus, this reshuffling of the workforce led Anthony Klotz to coin “ The Great Reshuffle.”

The Big Stay - 2023 Until Today

The coming of 2023 brought the era of the ‘Big Stay’. It says something about the way that we have all perceived the passing of time since the pandemic that we so easily call these trends ‘Eras’!

Contrasting what was going on 2021-22 where around 4 million workers globally were quitting their jobs, the ‘Big Stay’ denotes the intention of workers to remain in their current jobs for an extended period. The chief architect of this trend is the grim blend of geopolitical tensions along with unfavourable economic conditions.

Shift in Power dynamics

The current economic circumstances have pushed companies towards cost-cutting measures including mass layoffs. They are essentially “rightsizing” the organisation after the over-hiring of 2022 as we highlighted in our 2024 Q1 Talent Insights Report . Hence, with low demand, the labour supply in the market has been on the increase. This puts employers in a leveraged position where current employees are fighting to keep their jobs. Moreover, switching jobs (which previously came with a promise of a significant pay bump) is now a less attractive and risker option. As expected, given the decline in opportunities, wage increases are notably modest.

This shifting power dynamic is well represented in this graphic by EY:

The Opportunity Cost is Too High

Better a known danger than an unknown ~ At this uncertain time, some may seek comfort and stability in staying where they are rather than entering the unknown. Fewer available opportunities, fear from seeing colleagues laid off, and stories of retraction of contracts has made the employees extra cautious towards taking these steps. During this time, we also see the increase in competition coming from more experienced staff for more junior positions – creating competition from graduate level and up.

Moreover, now that the premiums to jump ship are not being paid, the smaller pay raise does not justify the stress of job hunting and the risk of accepting a position that may not work out.

Enhanced Employee Value Proposition

The ‘war for talent’ during the pandemic gave the organisations a wake-up call and navigated them towards creating an improved employee value proposition (EVP ). The EVP is the unique value that an employer offers to its employees in exchange for their skills, experience, and commitment to the company. It encompasses various components: salary, benefits, rewards, career development opportunities, work-life balance, and organisational culture.

If we look at particularly Hong Kong, according to the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong , starting from 2019, the social unrest and the pandemic caused the nominal wages (payroll offered by the company) to continuously decline. It was from Q1 – 2021, the beginning of the talent war, that the payrolls started to rise. A year later, knee-deep into the crisis, the payrolls saw a rather steep upward trajectory that has not decreased since.

Additionally, the EVP includes intangible aspects like the company’s values, mission, and social purpose. As people started to re-evaluate their values, the leadership had to reevaluate themselves as well. Aligning employees with the company’s internal (operational) and external (social) values, especially among millennials and Gen Z became crucial. Those that achieved positive alignment saw reduced turnover rates as employees felt a sense of belonging and commitment towards the cause of the company.

ConnectedGroup’s Predictions

Something that got missed in many reports and surveys that quoted the impact of the ‘Great Resignation’ was the reason why Anthony Klotz was able to predict this wave. A couple of years before the pandemic, he was wary of poor health, toxic work cultures, and the stress and anxiety-induced burnouts that the workforce was facing. Hence, the potential of resignations were on a visible horizon. However, the sudden arrival of the pandemic cast a shadow of uncertainty. Under the looming uncertainty around income stability and future opportunities, the still-employed workforce hunkered down and prioritised a stable paycheque. As the pandemic passed, the grief and anxiety experienced then fuelled people to re-evaluate their lives and determine what they truly desire out of their profession. Once the discrepancy and discontent were fully realised, people started walking out of the door. Moreover, Klotz was spot on with calling the turnover “contagious,” - if a colleague walks out of the door, others are prompted to evaluate their circumstances.

Akin to what happened previously, we see that the pattern is likely to repeat itself. Economic uncertainty and its consequences are largely holding the talent in place right now. However, when the market picks up, the pattern of resignations and the talent war will repeat itself which will be exacerbated unless organisations commit to taking some proactive and sustainable talent retention measures.

Our prediction is backed by the recent findings of PWC’s 2024 Global Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey . In 2024, more employees are contemplating quitting than during the ‘Great Resignation’ in 2022. The proportion of employees considering switching employers within the next 12 months increased from 19% in 2022 to 28% in 2024.

Interestingly, 56% of the participants reported that they were moderately or very satisfied with their current job and only 13% were moderately or very dissatisfied. This statistic is of particular importance as it signifies that job satisfaction now is not synonymous with loyalty towards the company. If the ‘Great Resignation’ and ‘Great Reshuffle’ have taught us one thing, it is that workers are ultimately determined to meet their career goals. Thus, when the economy returns to normal and multiple opportunities open up, the ‘war for talent’ will be quickly resuscitated. The employers that emerge victorious will be the ones who take a pulse check within their organisations today and implement retention schemes to prevent the challenges of tomorrow.

In conclusion, as we have navigated and explored through the different eras, it becomes clear that the job market is in a constant state of flux. The lessons from the ‘Great Resignation’ and the ‘Great Reshuffle’ highlight the importance of aligning organisational values with employee expectations. Companies that proactively address these challenges will be best positioned to retain top talent and thrive in the ever-changing landscape of employment.

If we can support with our HR consulting, wellbeing or executive search & recruitment services then please reach out for a conversation.

Tel: +852 3972 5888

Email: infoHK@connectedgroup.com

Report written by Aadya Kapur & Mathew Gollop

The New, ‘New Silk Road’ – Middle East Investment in Hong Kong & Asia

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 13:22:09 GMT

In mid-2005, ConnectedGroup established an office in Dubai, and, by the end of 2007, there was an emerging sense that the dual growth in the UAE and China was driving economic connectivity. The ‘New Silk Road’ was a common refrain and the property development sector, in particular, saw emerging cross-geography strategies. The ‘Great Financial Crisis’ put a swift end to this burgeoning potential in 2008 but, we are now seeing economic flows in a different form.

Family office money

At a government level, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's plan to attract over 200 family offices by 2025 reflects an ambition to ensure Hong Kong remains firmly on the map in this sector, despite Singapore’s progress. This goal is backed by the city's robust initiatives, like the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, offering residency for investments above HK$30 million. Additionally, the presence of over 2,700 family offices, as recently indicated by Deloitte, showcases the city’s ongoing appeal. Besides, Hong Kong's prominence as the world's largest offshore Renminbi trading hub and its initiatives in green financing uniquely position it in the global financial ecosystem.

Singapore's strategy contrasts Hong Kong's by focusing on only attracting established, ultra-high-net-worth individuals and family offices. The Global Investor Program, targeting individuals with at least SG$200 million in investable assets, is central to this approach. Singapore's stable, well-regulated financial environment, combined with incentives like pathways to permanent residency, strengthens its own appeal as a destination for high-calibre wealth management professionals.

The Middle East's growing interest in Asian markets significantly impacts both Hong Kong and Singapore. Hong Kong has attracted notable investments from the Middle East in sectors like biotech and technology. Singapore, with its strategic maritime location, continues to draw diverse international investments, including those from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and family offices.

Middle Eastern investors are increasingly looking to diversify their portfolios beyond traditional investments and away from oil-based revenues. Asia, with its dynamic economies and emerging markets, presents lucrative opportunities. The rapid growth in sectors like technology, renewable energy, and fintech in Asia is particularly attractive whilst still offering access to infrastructure and real estate investments that offer stable and long-term returns, aligning well with the traditional investment philosophy of many family offices. With Hong Kong’s strategic location near mainland China's tech hubs, and itself focusing on investments in AI, fintech, biotech and alternative energy, it is well aligned.

There is also a growing interest among Middle Eastern investors in sustainable and ethical investing. Hong Kong and Singapore's focus on sustainable finance and green investment products appeals to this trend.

Talent Demands in an Evolving Market

With the addition of the Middle Eastern dynamic this trend is not just about capital; it's also about attracting skilled professionals adept in cross-border investment practices and the competencies to manage a new cultural dynamic.

Hong Kong’s efforts, particularly the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme and the Top Talent Pass Scheme are not only about attracting financial capital but also the human capital crucial for sustaining growth. These schemes indirectly serve as a magnet for financial experts, wealth managers and advisors, attracting talent from Mainland China and beyond, with the ‘beyond’ including those with dual Asia and Middle Eastern investment exposure. As such, the influx of Middle Eastern investments into Hong Kong and Singapore is not just a transfer of wealth but will also provide a catalyst for talent movement. As Middle Eastern investors engage with Asian markets, there’s a growing demand for professionals who understand both the nuances of Middle Eastern wealth and the complexities of Asian financial systems. This situation is reminiscent of the cultural and knowledge exchanges that were a hallmark of the vibrant cities along the Silk Road.

Of particular note was the recent announcement by Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum, the nephew of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, that he is opening a family office in Hong Kong with a US$500m investment fund. At the time of writing however, there were concerns around the validity of this commitment and the transparency of the process. Ensuring that Hong Kong has the appropriate connections or ‘wasta’ (the Arabic equivalent of Chinese ‘guanxi’), and insights into the Middle East way of working will be critical to long-term success.

The competition between Hong Kong and Singapore extends to attracting and retaining top talent in the family office sector. Hong Kong’s inclusive approach may attract a diverse pool of professionals while Singapore’s selective strategy might lure more specialized talent. Each city faces the challenge of not just being a hub for financial flows but also positioning themselves as desirable locations for the world’s best financial minds and their families. They are also emerging as pivotal talent crossroads on the new financial Silk Road. Their strategic initiatives in finance, technology and sustainable investing are creating vibrant ecosystems that attract a global workforce adept in modern wealth management.

Those organisations that want to win favour and gain early traction will be those that move first to identify talent that can navigate the risks and opportunities on both ends of the road. If you need support, please do reach out to our team to understand more about how we can support in cross-border talent mapping and relationship development on your behalf.

Investing in Failure: The Hidden Costs of Ineffective Hiring and Onboarding

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Mon, 20 May 2024 14:47:27 GMT

Throughout our history at ConnectedGroup, we have seen countless examples of companies with bad hiring strategies and tactics leading to misaligned hires. In the fast-paced and dynamic business environment of Hong Kong, the consequences of making poor hiring choices can be particularly severe.

These missteps, usually stem from one or more of the following:

Misaligned stakeholder expectations
Poorly defined competencies and/or measurables
Selection bias (overt or otherwise)
Poor referencing
Ineffective (or non-existent) induction and onboarding

Given the intense pace of Hong Kong’s corporate sector, each hiring decision carries significant weight. A misaligned hire, or the failure to seamlessly assimilate a new employee into the company’s culture, can have ripple effects throughout the organisation. These repercussions can manifest not only in direct financial losses but also in more subtle, yet equally damaging ways, such as eroding the company’s reputation or undermining the morale of its workforce. It is important to note that the ramifications of an unsuitable hire are not only immediate but can also endure over time, potentially altering the company’s trajectory and affecting its long-term success.

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the stakes are even higher. These businesses often operate with limited budgets and leaner resources, making every investment critical to their survival and growth. The loss incurred from an unsuitable hire is not just the cost of recruitment and training but also the lost opportunity for business advancement and potential loss of investor confidence.

Whilst the process itself can be costly, the financial burden becomes even more pronounced when considering the turnover costs associated with employees who resign. According to a study cited by Forbes, the cost of replacing an employee can range from 50% to 200% of the employee’s annual salary. This starkly highlights the high stakes involved in making informed hiring decisions, particularly in Hong Kong’s high cost environment.

Productivity loss

Beyond financial repercussions, the impact of a poor hiring decision extends far beyond the individual’s direct performance; it can permeate the entire team and disrupt the workflow, leading to a significant decline in productivity. An underperforming employee, whether due to a lack of skills, a mismatch with the company culture, or a deficient work ethic, can become a bottleneck, causing delays in meeting critical deadlines, and producing work that falls short of the company’s standards. This not only compromises the individual’s contributions but also casts a shadow on the collective output of the team.

The ripple effects of an underperforming hire, particularly at management or leadership level, can lead to strained relationships within the team, as colleagues may need to compensate for the lackluster performance, which can result in internal conflicts and a toxic work environment. Such scenarios are detrimental to the morale and health of the team.

Reputational damage

Hong Kong’s tightly woven commercial fabric also means that news—good or bad—travels fast, and a company’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets.

A poor hiring decision can have a cascading effect on a company’s reputation. It can start with internal disruptions, such as decreased morale among employees who may feel burdened by the additional workload or disheartened by the lack of competence in their new colleague or manager. This internal discontent can quickly become external, as the quality of service or product may decline, leading to customer dissatisfaction.

Ultimately, a company known for poor employment choices may struggle to attract top talent, as prospective employees become wary of associating with a potentially unstable or disreputable organisation. This can create a vicious cycle, where the inability to hire quality candidates further erodes the company’s standing and performance. Whether employment, commercial or product, all brands are built slowly but can be lost quickly.

Lost ground

Missed opportunities are another significant consequence of a bad hire. In a city like Hong Kong, where the market moves rapidly, a delay in product development or a failed marketing campaign can give competitors the edge. A post-Covid study by McKinsey highlighted the importance of agility and innovation in Hong Kong’s businesses, emphasising that companies need to empower talent through agile principles to capture growth. This was in the context of an understanding that organisations are increasingly looking at their role in, and impact on, a wider business ecosystem. Ecosystems are fragile and need all elements working efficiently together to thrive.

Effective onboarding

In our experience and our research, there are a long list of proven negative outcomes of a poor induction process including higher knock-on employee turnover, lost productivity, decreased engagement and tarnished employment brand. So why do so many companies invest so much in recruitment and then do a poor job of onboarding their new hire?

This can be partly attributed to the ownership of this process. It falls between recruitment, HR, L&D and the hiring team/manager, and can therefore lack the cross-functional accountability needed to make it a success. In smaller companies, a lack of resources can have the same effect. The point of entry for a new hire is an excellent opportunity to create a memorable experience and build a strong foundation, at the same time ensuring that you remain close enough to identify and tackle red flags sooner rather than later. At ConnectedGroup we take our own induction process very seriously and see it as one of the core elements of our market leading staff retention rate.

Our Solutions

We have built the capacity to deliver both stand-alone and integrated services that provide a way to ensure that hiring mistakes are minimised and, identified quickly when realised.

Our fully retained search methodology includes the following, with those elements that can be delivered independently highlighted below:

Stakeholder alignment assessment - Ensuring the expected behavioural profile for the role is clear and agreed across the hiring committee.

Candidate fit assessment - Using the behavioural profile that has been agreed to assess potential candidates before they are interviewed, and only submitting those that fit to help remove bias.

Competency assessment platform - All stakeholders utilise a shared platform that enables feedback that can be weighted by individual or competency to provide an aggregated candidate suitability score.

Detailed candidate referencing - Taking a 360 view with prompts provided by the candidate assessment process.

InductionPlus - A HR expert, independent of the search process is aligned with the hiring manager and candidate to provide a structured 3 month review of both the candidate’s progress and the organisation’s onboarding program.

Purpose Driven Recruitment Project

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 03:51:04 GMT

Supporting Community Impact

We have been exclusively assigned to support Hong Kong's largest charitable foundation with identifying key talent to support the growth of their team. To see specific roles you can go to our Job Search page and search #purposeproject

We are looking to identify mid to senior talent across 4 main role types and a number of subject matter areas as follows:

Foundations/Grant Making Organisations
Corporate Philanthropy (large organisations)
Government or Semi-Government Institutions
Academic Institutions
Top Tier Management Consultancy

One of the key skills needed will be the ability to operate in a complex organisational environment and support and influence multiple stakeholders.

To see specific roles you can go to our Job Search page and search #purposeproject or e-mail us at i nfoHK@connectedgroup.com with the subject 'purpose project' with your resume attached.

Not Just Great, But Best!

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:59:27 GMT

Press Release

ConnectedGroup Ltd is recognised as one of the

‘Best Workplaces™ in Hong Kong 2023’ by Great Place to Work®

Hong Kong, S.A.R.

After a three-year hiatus of live events, Great Place to Work® is proud to celebrate the 8 ^th edition of the Best Workplaces™ in Hong Kong, awarding 15 companies that have done an amazing job in their work culture and environment.

We’re proud to announce that Great Place to Work® has named ConnectedGroup as one of the ‘Best Workplaces™ in Hong Kong 2023’.

Under the title of “Taking the Pulse: A snapshot of your company’s wellbeing”, the event was focused on the wellbeing of employees as individuals, as well as part of their company.

This year, Great Place to Work® surveyed more than 50 companies in Hong Kong only. This survey confidentially assesses employees' perceptions of leadership, organizational culture, and our core element: Trust. The awarded companies have met a strict criterion, and having been evaluated along with a Culture Audit, have achieved very high scores, averaging 92.9%.

Under the For All™ methodology, companies are evaluated on how well they are creating an inclusive workplace experience for all employees, regardless of their background or position.

In the Best Workplaces™ in Hong Kong 2023 assessment, the research findings indicated the overall highest marked statements were related to honesty in business practices; fair treatment to all employees in the company; safety of the workplace; respect towards the employees’ need for time off, and the facilities contribution to a good working environment.

ConnectedGroup Managing Director, Mathew Gollop said;

We have made it a policy not to ‘buy’ awards with sponsorships and so GPTW was a good fit for us. It enabled us to get real feedback on our business and we are very appreciative of our employee’s response in rating us so highly. Beyond the staff survey, we are equally happy to see that our efforts at creating a meaningful and supportive culture are recognised, placing us as one of Hong Kong’s ‘Best Workplaces’ in 2023.

About the Best Workplaces™ in Hong Kong List

Since 2012, Great Place to Work® has identified the top organisations that create great

workplaces in Greater China in which they operate through the publication of the

the Best Workplaces™ in Greater China list.

The objective of publishing the list is to acknowledge organisations and Great Workplaces from diverse industries and sizes that deliver and establish great culture among the colleagues and associates, so as to sustain and enhance the competitive edge of the region.

To be considered eligible for the Best Workplaces™ in Greater China list, companies must score at least 70% in the overall result of the Trust Index© employee survey and must gain a satisfactory result in the Culture Audit© assessment.

About ConnectedGroup:

Established in 1997 In Hong Kong, ConnectedGroup is a regional executive recruitment and search consultancy with broad coverage across a range of functional and industry specialisms, each serviced by dedicated teams.

Their strategy is to continue to develop their offering as a 'big boutique', combining high levels of engagement and accountability with a comprehensive scope of delivery capability.

Their core services include; Retained Executive Search, Exclusive Contingent Search and Contingent Recruitment services for mid to senior permanent positions as well as Contract Staffing, Interim Management and Payroll services.

About Great Place to Work ^® :

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures that provides executive advisory and culture consulting services to businesses, non-profits, and government agencies in more than 90 countries across five continents. Through proprietary assessment tools, benchmarks and certification programs, Great Place to Work® provides the expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. The Institute works with media throughout the world to select lists of Best Workplaces™ in Greater China, we partner with different media partners to publish the 'Best Workplaces™ in Greater China’ list and ‘Best Workplaces™ in Hong Kong list, ‘Best Workplaces™ in Taiwan list’ and ‘Best Workplaces™ for Women in Greater China’ list. In the US, we work with Fortune Magazine to publish the 100 Best Companies to Work For® list.

To find out more about Great Place to Work® Greater China, please visit: http://www.greatplacetowork.com.hk/ https://www.greatplacetowork.cn/

and Join the community on LinkedIn, Twitter , Facebook, and on WeChat ID: greatplacetowork.

Media enquiries:

Mathew Gollop

Managing Director
ConnectedGroup
+852 3972 5874
mat@connectedgroup.com

Happy HongKonger

mat@connectedgroup.com (Mat Gollop) — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 09:52:18 GMT

Recognition from Happy Hongkonger

We are grateful to Happy Kongkonger for their recognition in making us one of their Top 6 recruitment agencies in Hong Kong.

Check out their site for more recommendations!

CG is 'Great Place To Work' Certified™

Thu, 04 May 2023 02:30:56 GMT

We are often approached about different recruitment or HR related awards but, came to realise that (in the majority of cases), the only real criteria to win is agreeing to pay for it.

There is an industry built around creating events to deliver these awards that ultimately have nothing to do with any performance metrics. They can be good PR opportunities, and a chance for industry professionals to network but, at ConnectedGroup, we made a decision that these 'pay to win' awards do not align with our values .

External review is absolutely of value and so, when we identified the Great Place to Work® Greater China framework, we realised this was a well aligned opportunity to more deeply understand our culture.

There are 2 phases to the assessment:

Complete the employee survey. This is a comprehensive cultural questionnaire that requires a 70% pass rate on its 'Trust Index' to gain certification. CG scored 94% and hence are able to celebrate our certification. This also provides us with meaningful feedback on where we can improve and a baseline to monitor this metric in the future.
Undertake a 'Culture Audit'. This involves much deeper answers and the provision of evidence and examples to support the strategies we have undertaken. If we score over 80% on this and the survey combined, we will qualify as one of 'Hong Kong's 2023 Best Workplaces'.

For us, this ability to independently verify our efforts to make CG a great work environment is more gratifying than other awards. We deeply believe that having a motivated team who have a strong sense of belonging is how we can best serve our clients and candidates and consistently deliver on our ConnectedPledge .

For more information, feel free to reach out to our MD, Mathew Gollop at mat@connectedgroup.com

Finance Talent Demand Trend in 2022 and Beyond: Outsourcing & Automation

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 05:19:01 GMT

This article was written by CG Head of Commerce Finance, Vivian Wong , and published on November 24th, 2022, in LinkedIn:

Between 2022 and 2025, it is estimated that the global investment in digital transformation will rise from $1.8 trillion to $2.8 trillion. Though this statistic addresses digital transformation across industries and job sectors, the largest initiatives often exist within the finance function. Finance professionals are no longer considered just number crunchers and forecast monitors; instead, they are expected to become strategic business partners that help make decisions and lead their organizations.

With global organizations of all sizes strategically planning to change how their finance department’s function, there is a demand for different skill sets from key finance professionals, from analysts to finance directors. Now, individuals who are poised to succeed should have expertise in finance transformation, change management, and strategic projects on top of traditional financial acumen. This shift in the field challenges recruiters, hiring managers, and finance leaders to think differently about who they hire and promote, as well as how they train their employees.

With talent in short supply, I will explore over 3 articles how organizations can think creatively to bridge the gap in key skill areas. In this article I am looking at Outsourcing & Automation .

Outsourcing and automation are at the forefront of finance transformation. Repetitive tasks like AP, AR, GL, and payroll carry a heavy headcount cost plus, have a decreasing appeal to talent in developed markets. This makes these areas a focal point for change.

Many of these types of tasks are ideal for automation, and outsourcing can allow for a more cost-effective solution while the automation work takes place. Recruiting efforts therefore need to focus on managers that can effectively lead shared service centers, optimize processes, and use enterprise-wide technology to streamline tasks.

Meeting the Talent Demand

Hiring from outside your organization is a good route to acquire skills and experience you don’t currently have. Individuals who have seen mistakes made, understand the journey and can envision the end goal, can accelerate your progress significantly. However, be mindful of the diminishing return of asking someone to do the same job again. Hiring high-potential talent with a built-in stretch will always deliver the best long-term results. External recruitment also needs to be balanced with internal development. Below outlines the skills that should be incorporated into learning programs and other routes to identify talent in this area.

Skills Development

To be effective at generating ideas for optimizing and streamlining processes, an employee must thoroughly understand the operations of their company. Thus, more cross-functional meetings and collaboration should be encouraged to enrich the knowledge of Finance staff in different functions, and at the same time, promote communication between departments. For example, more interaction with the front-line sales team, would help to drive more meaningful efficiencies by building an understanding of what clients need the most.

Also, to ensure all staff have up-to-date information about new internal procedures and any system implementations, cross-functional training and in-house seminars that are run by key finance staff are a great development opportunity.

Functional Transfer

As finance shifts its role from purely technical to become more fully integrated in business processes, opportunities can exist to shift talent internally. For example, an employee in the internal control or audit function is very familiar with the processes and they are used to reviewing them along with other policies, procedures and SOPs. If they express an interest in operations, they can be well positioned to advise on the best ways to revamp processes. They would also be a strong fit to support the setup of Shared Services Centers from scratch since they are familiar with the procedures and aware of the risk areas. This is just one example but in this middle ground between business and technical execution, organizations can be creative in where they source their talent from.

I hope these insights prove useful and I would love to hear your opinions in the comments. In my next article I will tackle data analytics and related skills.

Feel free to reach out to me to discuss Finance, Strategy & Transformation recruitment and search in Asia at Vivian.Wong@connectedgroup.com . Or visit us at www.connectedgroup.com to view our latest opportunities.

12 lessons in 25 years

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 05:46:25 GMT

This article was written by CG Managing Director, Mathew Gollop , and published on October 12th 2022 in LinkedIn:

This year has seen me hit 25 years in the recruitment industry and, ConnectedGroup also celebrates a quarter of a century of operations.

With these milestones in mind, I have been reflecting on what I have learned both in business and in my personal life (and the blurred line in between). I'm sharing it here and, hopefully, some of it will resonate. I would love to hear your own insights as I continue to learn new things.

Family first . 'Family' means many things. Not just our relatives, children and spouse, but our close friends and even our pets fall into this category. It's easy to prioritise other things - justifying it on the basis that you are building a better life - but ultimately, each day, each experience, IS your life. That feeling that 'things will be better/easier when...', doesn't go away. You just have to stop and appreciate what you have to truly gain perspective.
Stay curious . Henry Ford said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” Today, the opportunities to learn new things are almost overwhelming but, it starts with an open mind. I'm still excited to learn new things and these experiences can sometimes change the direction of your life, even in your later years.
Keep your self image flexible . When you learn new things, it can challenge your view of who you are. If you remain open to changing your view of yourself, then you can more easily evolve and adapt as the world changes around you. Surrounding yourself with people who are unafraid to give you candid feedback will make this easier. It's never too late to be the you that you want to be but, you will have to embrace the uncomfortable truths along the way.
Speak to yourself with kindness . A career coach once asked me to describe how I talked to myself when I felt I was falling short. She listened and then asked how I would feel if I had a manager who talked to me the same way (not good!). It was a stunning moment and, whilst the change wasn't instant, the more I have learned to cut myself some slack, the better my life has been. I am now attuned to hear this in others and try to pass on the same advice.
The obstacle is the way . The book of the same title by Ryan Holiday helped me to consolidate this way of thinking. His guide to the teachings of stoicism bring to life the concept of seeing opportunity in adversity. The faster you can move from seeing the problem to accepting it, the faster and more effectively you can move through it. This is different to just 'never giving up' because, repeatedly running at an issue without acceptance doesn't always lead to a solution. As an extension of this, it is also about knowing that persistence as a trait needs to be sustainable. Understanding when to rest and return refreshed is therefore critical.
Have a clear purpose . In Victor Frankl's 'A Man's Search for Meaning' he says “in some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning". In other words, 'embracing the suck' only works when you have a well defined purpose. Just as organisations need a purpose statement, you also need guiding principles that will help you make decisions and navigate life. Keep true to your purpose and values, and tough decisions become easier to make. There is a good reason Frankl is often quoted in business and leadership writing.
Kindness is not weakness. Just as finding a kind voice for yourself is important, do not let others tell you that leading with kindness is a negative. I listened to people tell me 'you are too nice' for years as a leader and, whilst I learned to find a balance between the commercial and the personal, it has become a core value that has built a robust business. Reading Adam Grant 's book 'Give and Take' was a pivotal moment for me - allowing me to accept this as truly a strength. More recently I read Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman and it was hugely inspirational to read about a company applying this approach at scale and with significant commercial results.
Be open but have limits. Stay optimistic about people and give them the benefit of the doubt. I have many friendships that I value that began with uncertainty. At the same time, you must have limits. Those people that only take from you and give nothing positive in return or, do not have your best interests at heart, need to go. The same is true in business. Sometimes with time, trust and coaching, a difficult team member can become an asset. Good leadership is knowing when that you have nothing left to give and it is time to move on.
'Culture eats strategy for breakfast.' Following from the last point, it has become increasingly clear to me that focusing on keeping your employees feeling happy, safe and with a strong sense of belonging is the only sustainable business strategy. Whilst many leadership trends come and go, are disproven, or become culturally irrelevant, this Peter Drucker quote from 2006 is simple yet powerful. It doesn't mean that you don't need strategy, but a poor culture is either mirrored in a poor strategy or, a great strategy is unable to be executed without a meaningful culture. It is also true that tactically, a bad culture will develop processes and procedures that further perpetuate the negative elements. So, fix culture first, the rest follows.
Make decisions that sustain. You can also flip the previous point. If you always focus on creating an environment that is more likely to generate long term value, then you will naturally gravitate towards one that has a positive and meaningful impact on people's well-being. Short-term wins often drive the opposite and commercial/financial value cannot be achieved if it cannot be replicated with relative and increasing ease.
Define and repeat. Particularly when it comes to company vision, mission, values and purpose, you cannot talk about it enough. Whilst parts of Jack Welch's book ' Winning ' haven't dated well, the first few chapters that talk about defining a simple set of values and then repeating it as a mantra is still valid. These elements that are the cornerstones to company culture have to be lived. To be lived, they need to be understood. To be understood, they have to be ingrained. This is true of anything that needs to be adopted as company lore and Adam Grant says it wel l ; "Repeat after me: good communication requires repetition. Data: leaders are 9x more likely to be criticized for undercommunicating than overcommunicating. Those who say too little come across as unclear and uncaring. When you're tired of your message, it's just starting to land."
Recruit for stretch. I guess some recruitment related advice would also be appropriate! If I am only going to give one insight from my years in the industry, it is to identify candidates who bring 50-75% of the skills and experience to the equation and 100% of the values fit and then let them thrive as they learn the rest. People who have done the same job before bring a diminishing return as they become less motivated to do the same things over again. High achievers in particular will fly when given some scope and freedom.

I hope there is something in here that you find interesting and I look forward to you sharing your own lessons and insights.

I can always be reached at mat@connectedgroup.com and try my best to give time to people who want to discuss talent and career strategies, not for profit initiatives and board effectiveness in particular.

LinkedIn article - A Checklist for Tackling Hong Kong's Talent Crisis

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 06:47:56 GMT

This article was written by CG Managing Director, Mathew Gollop , and published on August 26th 2022 in LinkedIn:

I try to write articles based on the questions I am most commonly asked. In the last week alone I've had multiple organisations, both NGO and commercial, asking for insights on this topic.

Hong Kong has undergone a net talent outflow from both local and expatriate communities in the last 2 years. This is layered on an already tight talent market with the additional context of the influence of pandemic-driven lifestyle changes. In short, this situation is very real and it's going to get worse before it gets better.

When asked 'what can we do about it?' my response is that you need to do everything, and, as quickly as possible. What I mean by this is that there is no single solution or quick fix. Once Covid restrictions are dropped, we'll see the burgeoning Greater Bay initiative create additional demands and more active hiring strategies from incumbent companies. NOW is the time to get ahead of this and it is done by placing talent retention and attraction at the centre of strategic decision making.

Here is my checklist:

Remove the push factors. These are easy to identify. You know them already:

High attrition under specific leaders?
Move towards performance management against staff retention metrics or, make the tough decision and move these individuals into sole contributor roles or out of the organisation. Whilst these people may feel like they add value through their personal performance, the perception of their impact is often over-inflated and the consequences of staff-turnover understated. Create room for internal development or bring in fresh ideas and save the ongoing detrimental impact on your employment brand.

Misaligned benefits?
Struggling to justify your 12 days' annual leave allowance, lack of WFH strategy, 'no medical cover during probation' policy or similar when you recruit? Make it a priority to resolve, and quickly. The cost of talent attraction and attrition is already high enough without adding these type of barriers to the equation. You might feel you can't afford to change it but, you actually cannot afford not to.
Lack of clearly defined learning, development and progression potential?
The journey to creating meaningful programs that support personal and professional development that align with business goals and values is a long one. It takes sustained effort from multiple stakeholders to achieve and so, if you don't have it in place already, get started. If you don't have this capability internally, recruit it or, bring in external experts to support. In itself it creates a development opportunity for your current team.

Challenge past hiring assumptions and embrace diversity and equity. The talent short market is a lever to push diversity in hiring. Opening the target pool of talent will give you more options and, therefore, a greater chance of success. Hong Kong has a high degree of ethnic homogeneity but, diversity comes in many forms. You can challenge the following assumptions:

The successful candidate must speak Chinese. There are many instances where this is the case but, from previously being an 'ideal' criteria, it has become a standard addition to many job descriptions as a fixed requirement. This immediately excludes applications from candidates with the appropriate technical skills or market knowledge but who don't speak the language. Don't close the door on these applications - widen the net.
The role requires a degree in X or Y. Google found that specific degrees were not a key to success when soft skills rated higher as important traits. By stating specific disciplines on a job description, you may exclude strong candidates and, in particular, female applicants who may be less likely to apply when they don't meet the criteria. The well quoted HP study is examined further in this interesting HBR article. PWC recently dropped their 2:1 degree requirement in the UK as another sign that organisations are widening their talent funnels. You can equally look at whether the role requires a degree at all. As application volumes drop, you can spend more time searching for the hidden gems.
We need to hire someone with experience in Hong Kong/the region. Of course, candidates with existing experience in the relevant location or region will have a shorter learning curve but, employers will have no choice but to start hiring from outside of HK's geographic borders in the future. Companies that move early to build these channels and processes to attract top talent from overseas, will have first mover advantage.
Experience is required in a similar role and/or from the same industry. Research shows that, hiring candidates who have done the same job before does not guarantee success and often means a diminishing return. People are less motivated to deliver the same projects and achievements over and over. No one tells this story better than Lou Adler . The best hire is someone who has demonstrated high performance and who is reaching for the next challenge and would see your role as a stretch. Look at opportunities where you can hire from other industries or cross-train from other functions. Making that decision today looks very different in 6 months with a candidate who has made the transition, compared to a still open vacancy searching for the exact fit.

Partner with NGOs to open diverse channels. There are many NGOs supporting minority groups to access employment opportunities. Refugees, ethnic minorities, local under-privileged communities, the homeless, neuro-diverse and otherwise disabled individuals to name some. Partnering with these organisations can also align with your social purpose and can be an opportunity to open the door on internal discussions, raising awareness and creating fundraising initiatives.

Work on building a culture of belonging . Ultimately, when people feel like they belong, business is better. Deloitte's recent Human Capital Trend Report states "belonging can lead to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% reduction in turnover risk, a 167% increase in employer net promoter score, 2X more employee raises, 18X more employee promotions, and a 75% decrease in sick days." This research continues what we already know about the positive influence of diversity and inclusion and working environments that foster a sense of psychological safety. As with building a learning culture, tackling this issue is a long journey and so, the sooner you begin, the better.

Finally, ensure your recruitment process is efficient and sensible. With candidates in high demand and counter-offers common, you need to be able to be agile in the market. Move to conclusion quickly so that, if your first choice candidate doesn't work out, you can shift gear and consider alternatives.

Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, it should provide some ideas to begin a conversation. I am always happy to discuss talent issues and other ways that ConnectedGroup can help which include:

Executive recruitment & search services to support you in filling critical vacancies.
Our new TalentInsights product - a data driven solution to providing you with transparency on your target talent community in order to drive sensible conversations around succession, diversity and hiring strategy.
Contract and interim employment solutions - deployment both in Hong Kong and overseas (charged back to a Hong Kong entity).
Our new ConnectedConsult offering - helping you build or outsource your TA function to create an efficient and effective recruitment process.
Connect you with our not-for-profit network to tap into diverse talent channels.

Feel free to connect with Mathew at mat@connectedgroup.com for more information.

eFinancial Careers Global Insight Report : The big mid-year challenges facing recruiters in Singapore and Hong Kong

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 11:09:09 GMT

eFinancial Careers recently invited our Head of Insurance, Gary Wong , to a round table discussion around the topic of current mid year challenges within Asian Financial Services. Here is their published report:

The big mid-year challenges facing recruiters in Singapore and Hong Kong

HWhat is the job market really like for recruiters operating in Asian financial services at the mid-way point of 2022? And what major trends should staffing agencies look out for as they plan their hiring strategies for the rest of the year?

In the latest in our regular series of round tables for recruiters in Hong Kong and Singapore, eFinancialCareers brought together senior representatives from six leading recruitment firms to discuss these questions and more. We were delighted to welcome ConnectedGroup, ConnectedGroup, Ethos BeathChapman, The Meyer Consulting Group, Morgan McKinley, and Pinpoint Asia to our July round table.

This exclusive report takes a deep dive into the main topics at the round table and arranges them into five core categories, including compensation trends and international talent.

1.State of the job market

Recruitment in Hong Kong is still strong, but down on Q1

“The job market is still very much candidate led – demand for talent outstrips supply – but not as much as in 2021 or early this year. The slowdown in crypto has dampened demand a little bit,” said a Hong Kong-based round table delegate. “Last year was great for recruitment agencies in Hong Kong, but during the fifth Covid wave this year, we’ve seen hiring being slowed down slightly,” added another recruiter, who like his counterparts asked not to be named in this report.

There’s a “serious lack” of talent available in Singapore

“Demand from clients has been off the charts for the first six months, with lot of job opportunities and a serious lack of talent,” said a Singaporean round table attendee. “There are fears about macroeconomic pressures, but we still haven’t seen a direct impact on the local job market. This could happen in Q4 or early next year, but there’s also hope that Singapore won’t be as impacted by any recession as the US or Europe, and that organisations moving talent from Hong Kong to Singapore will also help protect us,” she added.

Candidates in Asia are still confident about moving, for now

“I don’t see too many candidates who aren’t open to moving purely because of the economic situation; it’s still all about the final job offer" said a Hong Kong headhunter at the eFinancialCareers round table. “I also don’t see much hesitation from candidates due to the macroeconomic outlook. Perhaps they should be hesitant, but most are still quite optimistic,” added a Singapore-based panellist.

2.Compensation

Pay rises remain strong in tech and wealth

Chronic talent shortages in wealth management and technology mean that candidates in these job sectors routinely receive 30%-plus pay rises, no matter which financial institution they’re joining. For other roles, while pay-inflation pressure still exists, different firms are responding to it in different ways. Some are still “almost paying anything” to secure good talent, while others have capped salary rises to around 20% this year to avoid new recruits earning substantially more than current staff, a delegate told the round table. “As recruiters we’re now having to navigate both worlds at the moment,” he added.

Counter offers are “crazy” and often include non-monetary incentives

In a sure sign that the job market remains weighted in favour of candidates for now, the recruiters said they are still plagued by counter offers. One headhunter said a candidate recently received a 40% counter – the largest he’s come across in his career. Another said people are being “begged to stay”, for example with regional roles, additional portfolios, accelerated career trajectories, and more responsibilities. A third attendee said she lost two candidates to counter offers in June. “It’s not really about the base salary. It’s now got really common for counters to include a crazy amount of stock to lock people in. Organisations are being very aggressive in retaining people,” she said.

3.International talent

Reducing quarantine times hasn’t enticed more overseas candidates to Hong Kong

Hong Kong reduced its quarantine period for travellers from 14 to seven days earlier this year, but this hasn’t affected the supply of foreign talent, according to HK-based round table attendees. “Whenever we want to hire from outside Hong Kong, we still face strong difficulties because of quarantine,” said one panellist. “Clients are open to candidates from overseas, but incoming talent to Hong Kong is very minimal. The whole process to get them over here is challenging,” added another.

Employment Passes are getting marginally easier to obtain in Singapore

Singapore-based attendees said it has become slightly more straightforward to obtain Employment Passes for foreign candidates. “We see more EPs being approved now, and it’s taking an average of four to six weeks, which is great. Another good sign is that we’re getting EPs for our contracting staff as well,” said a recruiter. One round table delegate said while the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) has become “more relaxed with EPs”, this is in comparison to its very strict stance in 2021. Employers still need a “strong justification” to import talent, and she has even seen an MD-level candidate being rejected for an EP recently.

But the real test for overseas talent will come next year

One recruiter said all her EP candidates have been placed into the three domestic Singaporean banks this year. “EPs are quite bank specific. The local banks have no problems getting them, probably because their base of local employees is already bigger, but there are issues for certain foreign banks,” she explained. Banks who employ comparatively low rates of Singaporeans will be further placed under the MoM spotlight in September next year when the points-based COMPASS immigration framework comes into force and their level of Singaporean employment becomes an official factor in all EP applications. This will be the “true test” of the Republic’s approach to global talent and will put banks “at the mercy of their own HR track records”.

The drip of jobs from Hong Kong to Singapore has begun

The panellist have, predictably, seen a year-on-year uptick in enquiries from Hong Kong-based candidates about jobs in Singapore, with much of this coming from Western expats. Hongkongers who want to relocate largely target Western countries. While the increase in Singapore EP approvals (see above) hasn’t been substantial enough to set all these job moves in motion, some are starting to take place. “We’ve seen some banks quietly shift HK roles to Singapore, but they’re not open about this – they don’t want to annoy either government,” said a recruiter. Another attendee added: “Some of our clients are more flexible in terms of location. If the job was historically in Hong Kong, it could now be based in Singapore, depending on the candidate.”

4. Job sectors

China-desk relationship managers are in demand, even in Singapore

Nearly all banks are hiring relationship managers – from retail banking to the ultra-high-net-worth segment – but Mandarin-speaking RMs with strong mainland client networks are particularly sought after, and not just in Hong Kong. Recruiters have seen a surge in demand for China-desk RMs in Singapore thanks to an influx of Chinese wealth, including family offices, into the city state. “A market head in private banking in Singapore just told me that he’s interested in hiring RMs from Hong Kong to come to Singapore and serve mainland clients,” said a front-office headhunter.

Recruiters are searching across industries to find data specialists

Several recruiters at the round table highlighted serious talent shortages in data analytics and other data related roles. “Data is a big driver in the job market but it’s tough to find people,” said a tech-focused recruiter. “We advise our financial services clients to be more open minded and to look at data candidates who have experience dealing with large data sets in sectors outside of financial services, like telecommunications or even retail.”

Crypto hiring has crashed in Asia

It’s not just the US and Europe that suffered from job losses and hiring freezes in the crypto sector in Q2. “It’s been horrible in Hong Kong too, with quite large redundancies from some of the leading crypto firms,” said one round table delegate. “The sentiment is definitely similar here in Singapore – hiring is far more cautious now in crypto,” added another panellist.

But recruiters are waiting to cash in on a crypto bounce-back

“Most top managers in crypto have a strong belief in the sector, and we’ll be waiting to service their hiring needs after the bear market. This could be by the end of the year, but nobody knows for sure,” a recruiter told the eFinancialCareers round table. “It’s not all doom and gloom – some of the crypto market makers stand to gain from the volatility and a few firms, like Binance, are still hiring,” said another delegate.

5. Recruitment industry trends

Some candidates are demanding complete flexibility with working arrangements

In a candidate-driven market in financial services, some job seekers are pushing back on roles that offer flexibility, but only on the employer’s terms. One delegate said a candidate rejected a job that came with a mandatory two days in the office. “It wasn’t about the number of days; it was that he didn’t want his flexibility to be limited in any way. We’re coming across more candidates who want complete control,” said the recruiter. Fintech firms, more so than large banks, have been quicker to adopt ultra-flexible “work from anywhere policies” to attract talent, added another delegate.

Many interview processes are still entirely held via video

Surprisingly, despite the ongoing lifting of Covid restrictions, many interview processes in financial services are still taking place entirely via video. One recruiter said about half of her jobs are filled without the candidate and client meeting face to face. Another said at least one in-person interview is now the norm for revenue generating roles, but there’s no such expectation in job such as finance, corporate services, and technology.

Hiring recruiters is challenging

The delegates agreed that there is a shortage of experience recruiters in their markets, which is making expanding their teams more difficult. “The basic salary for recruiters in Singapore is now way more aggressive than in Hong Kong. I thought I could come to Singapore with the same incentive scheme as Hong Kong, but I’ve had to change it,” said a Hong Kong-based recruiter whose firm has been expanding in the Lion City. Another delegate warned that although recruiters can easily move agencies in the current buoyant market, only the top ones will survive any impending downturn.

Key takeaways

· Global macroeconomic conditions have not yet caused a systemic shift in the Asian financial services job market, which remains candidate led, albeit with slightly less hiring year-on-year, particularly in Hong Kong.

· Aggressive counter offers, combining large pay rises with non-monetary incentives, remain a huge concern for recruiters.

· Overseas candidates are becoming slightly more straightforward to hire in Singapore this year, but this trend isn’t replicated in Hong Kong.

· RMs with mainland clients and data specialists are in extremely high demand in both Singapore and Hong Kong.

· A growing number of candidates are rejecting roles that don’t give them total control over working arrangements.

Discover and recruit the best finance and tech talent with eFinancialCareers

With an audience of over 3 million professionals, eFinancialCareers is proud to be the financial services industry’s premier destination for companies looking to easily source and hire world-class finance and technology talent.

To discuss any opportunities or connect with our Head of Insurance, Gary Wong, please email him at: Gary.Wong@connectedgroup.com

Flexible Working Benefits in a Post-Pandemic Hong Kong

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 09:07:14 GMT

This article is written by Bonnie Chan , Head of Technology and Contracting & Payroll Services.

It was originally published in LinkedIn on 4th July 2022.

Hong Kong is moving through an increasingly challenging talent market. The combination of a net talent outflow (both local and expatriate) for a variety of reasons, layered onto an already thin pool in many functions means gaps are clearly showing. A broadly risk averse employee base is adding to the problem and those that are open have high salary expectations and employers are deploying aggressive counter-offer strategies. The final barrier is that bringing talent in during pandemic restrictions and poor international PR is also not easy.

Companies are increasingly looking to the borders to open up and, whilst this will bring easier access to external talent, Hong Kong will then be competing with global demand for the same skills.

As such, employers are asking what benefits will make them competitive, particularly realising that some of the demands for more flexible employment terms require systemic change. For the first time, we are seeing candidates place flexible work arrangements ahead of paid annual leave when prioritising benefits. This is of course in the context of limited travel potential but, is likely a trend that will sustain.

Work from Home Options

Hong Kong is inherently conservative when it comes to changing work practices and, pre-pandemic, employers saw WFH as a novelty at best and even employees had mixed views. With smaller average living spaces and co-habiting families, the initial perception was that this wasn't a benefit. However, after the 5th wave lock down, people have begun to understand the upsides and a complete return to 'normal' is no longer seen as a positive.

One of the interesting elements is how the adoption of flexible practices translates to a statement on company culture. Employees see the flexibility to balance time between home and work as a signal of trust and of an open-minded employer mentality.

Not all industries can obviously adopt flexible practices but, companies that can, that are pushing for a full return to office are (at least anecdotally), suffering from a decline in employee confidence.

The key for organisations looking to establish a WFH policy is to maintain a balance of in-office engagement and flexibility. Companies are finding that core times when all staff will meet is key to sustaining culture.

Work from ANYWHERE

An additional trend we have seen is the flexibility for candidates to work from locations outside of Hong Kong.

This has partially been driven by expatriate staff returning to home countries or, being based out of other offices to avoid travel restrictions and lockdown issues. However, we are increasingly seeing this being utilised to mitigate the challenges associated with the more permanent departure of local talent.

Circumstances where this seems to provide benefit is:

Offering an extended contract for 6-12 months to provide a more effective transition of knowledge and handover period
When the employee is a key project resource and can still add value remotely
Where there is uncertainty around the long-term structure of the role which needs time to be assessed

For the employee, it also offers a period with guaranteed earnings as they transition to a new location and market.

Some organisations have faced challenges to employ staff in overseas locations. Even multinationals may not have the internal cross-charging capability to make this work. As a result, we have established partnerships in key international locations to enable our clients to re-hire their own staff remotely whilst being billed from a local Hong Kong entity. This also enables the employee to meet all local statutory requirements and establish an official employment history on the ground.

As a result, we have established partnerships in key international locations to enable our clients to re-hire their own staff remotely whilst being billed from a local Hong Kong entity.

To learn more about this, please contact me at bonnie.chan@connectedgroup.com

How to Negotiate Salary?

Sun, 01 May 2022 05:05:46 GMT

This article is written by Bonnie Chan , Head of Technology and Contracting & Payroll Services.

It was originally published in LinkedIn on 10th May 2022.

Knowing how to negotiate remuneration as part of a job offer is a valuable skill that can help ensure you’re fairly compensated for the work you do. However, like any skill, it takes preparation and practice to do well, which can be difficult when changing roles is not likely a regular occurrence.

Salary negotiation isn’t always the most comfortable process but, is clearly one of the critical components of any career move. By taking the time to discuss and define your market value, you can help employers better understand your expectations and positioning. As with any new skill, the more you negotiate, the more you’ll improve and the easier it will become. The key is being able to achieve your goals without souring the relationship or unnecessarily derailing the offer.

Why you should negotiate?

Many people feel anxiety at the thought of negotiating which is natural. However, the implications of not engaging can be significant:

Particularly earlier in your career, effective negotiation can have a significant compound impact on your life-time earnings with future cost of living increases, promotions and job moves stemming from your starting point
% increases can be limited when employers hire from the market so, if you fall behind in market rate, in can be difficult to catch up again
Current and future employers may see your seniority/potential through the lens of your salary and market value
A well-handled negotiation may even add to the employer's positive perception of you

It’s important to understand that negotiating your salary is a perfectly normal part of the employment process and, in many cases, employers expect candidates to negotiate.

When should you start talking about salary?

Before the interview process: Typically, if you are engaged directly with an employer, they may not address the issue of compensation until at least during the interview. They may however ask you to state your expectations on an application or, the internal recruiter may conduct an initial phone screen. Follow our tips below to be prepared, even before the interviews start. If you are engaged by them on an initial screening call, it is reasonable to ask about the ballpark salary budget to ensure you are in the right territory.

During the interview process: There is no offer to negotiate if there is no offer! The primary focus should be delivering the best interview possible and highlighting your value clearly so that you that you have the best leverage. However, an employer may want to initiate this discussion. If they are sounding you out about expectations, it is a positive sign so again, follow our tips below to be fully prepared.

After the interview process: This is crunch time. If you have delivered a good set of interviews and an offer follows, you need to be ready and prepared to engage. If it is an offer you want to accept (at the right number) then follow our tips below to handle it professionally and carefully.

Tips to Prepare for Salary Negotiation

Evaluate - Start by evaluating what you have to offer, based on the initial job description and then, as your understanding of the role evolves through the process. You need to demonstrate to the employer what skills that you have are valuable and appliable on this role. This evaluation will also help you understand if you fall short in any areas which will impact on your negotiation capacity.
Research your market value - Knowing your current true market value and that of the role can give you a good baseline for your salary request and can be used as justification. Speak with your peers, recruiters and HR professionals in your network to gain a genuine sense of the market ranges.
Ensure you are completely clear about your current package. Your base salary, bonus potential and bonus history are obvious but, what about:

Employer pension contribution?
Parking space?
Great medical/dental scheme?
Other allowances?
These can all add up. It is also important to understand what happens to any pending bonus payment if you resign.

4. Practice how to clearly communicate your expectations – both verbally (practice with friend!) and in writing. Some additional guidance here would be:

Try to avoid quoting a range. Candidates tend to expect the high and employers gravitate to the low which creates an expectation gap. If you want to give a sense of flexibility you could quote 'at $X I would be very happy and would accept, at $X I would seriously consider the opportunity and below this, I would be less likely to give a positive response.'

5. Be confident but not arrogant. It is key that you start with a co-operative approach and show excitement and commitment. You are setting the tone for your potential entry into the organisation.

6. Prepare for tough questions and to be challenged. Recruiters and hiring managers negotiate often, so they will likely be prepared to ask important, sometimes intimidating questions to figure out your motivations. It’s important not to get rattled by these questions and to remain honest and stick to your expectations.

7. Be flexible - If you want the job, be flexible and creative about how you approach the negotiation. Be ready to ask for or suggest alternatives in the situation where the employer lets you know they cannot increase the salary offer.

For example:

Can they add a guaranteed salary review in 3 or 6 months once they are more confident of your value add?
Can they guarantee the first year's bonus to reduce the risk?
If it is a growth company, can they offer you access to equity?

8. Try and keep your end of the process tight

It's important to only negotiate the offer once, or twice at the most. You should also avoid revisiting a compensation package that you've already agreed upon. After an initial offer, it is always okay to ask for some time to process the information. If the offer is presented verbally, ask for the details on e-mail to confirm you haven't missed anything.

To gain more detailed insights please contact Bonnie Chan at bonnie.chan@connectedgroup.com

Careers in Strategy Consulting

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 05:20:34 GMT

We are working with one of the top brand names in the strategy consulting sector where opportunities exist at various levels to support the development of their Hong Kong office. This page exists as an information resource to provide more insight into the nature of the work and the expectations to enter the field.

Our focus is recruiting from Associate Consultant to Manager grade and the following matrix gives an understanding of gradings, responsibilities and earning potential. More senior candidates looking to transition from another strategy consultancy can be considered for Senior Manager and Associate Partner opportunities.

* Varies according to performance

** Varies according to performance

As an overview, the career impact of a role in this organisation can be:

Exceptional career progression as outlined above – faster than the equivalent grade in banking or big-4 environments
Exposure to a wide range of industries. Whilst some sectors will enable niche specialists (mainly healthcare and technology) you can gain access to a wider range of industry insights earlier in your career
Future travel opportunities. Whilst Covid-era restrictions will see you focused on Hong Kong projects, the future will see you access engagements in China with significant potential in the Greater Bay Area

To understand more about your potential fit, the content of these opportunities and the organisational context, please contact Mathew Gollop at mat@connectedgroup.com with the subject ‘strategy consulting roles’.

Contract Assignments in Hong Kong – the Good, the Bad and the Opportunity

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 05:32:08 GMT

This article is written by Bonnie Chan , Head of Technology and Contracting & Payroll Services.

It was originally published in LinkedIn on 10th January 2022.

With markets as unpredictable as they have been and certain skillsets in significant demand, there has never been a better time to be a contract worker in Hong Kong with market rates likely to continue to rise in 2022.

Historically in Hong Kong, contract staff have been viewed as a way around permanent headcount restrictions by employers and, a way to earn a salary while looking for permanent work by employees. Whilst the development of contract and interim resource solutions has lagged behind markets like the UK, Australia and the US it has been steadily growing with both corporates and recruitment agencies having to offer more compelling reasons for people to remain in contract roles.

Candidates often perceive the negatives as;

No employee protection
No employee benefits, i.e. no medical, no annual/sick/statutory leave entitlement
No job security, i.e. employer can terminate any time

Obviously this somewhat depends on the strategy of the company appointing the contractor but, generally in Hong Kong (based on the HK employment ordinance), a contract assignment carries the same levels of employment protection as a permanent role, simply outsourced to a 3rd party agency. Even benefits have improved significantly with medical cover and annual leave allowances matching the permanent equivalent.

It is true that, as a contractor, there is the added component of 'renewal anxiety' as the contract completion date nears but this can open the opportunity for discussion around development opportunities and salary review. A good agency will also help you manage this process in advance. It is also balanced by the greater potential to avoid a long and complicated interview and selection process to get the job in the first place.

Candidates also fear;

No career path/prospects
It's not positive for the resume – viewed as 2nd tier to permanent work

In truth, many large companies increasingly rely on contractor resources as a core part of their business model and it is becoming more common for a company to have more contractors than full-time employees. This means that the exposure and skills development potential is no different to that of a permanent employee. As this becomes more common, other employers do not judge contract work experience negatively.

Additionally, we see other positives to contract employment;

It provides additional experience, knowledge, and skills that may have not been open in a permanent employment scenario
It creates opportunities to change industries within a relatively short period of time, with employers being less strict about requirements
A chance to work at a company and gain a sense of their culture and values fit before committing fully to permanent work
Salary increments often easier to approve over permanent employment
An opportunity to earn new systems and business processes (particularly valuable in fast moving markets like technology)
A good way to fill a career gap or return to the market after a break

If you would like to learn more about opportunities for contract/interim employment or to understand more about how to use flexible staffing resources or outsourced payroll services please do reach out:

ConnectedGroup – Contracting & Payroll Services

We have provided payroll, contracting and interim recruitment services across a wide range of industries and functions for 20+ years
We have an experienced contracting & payroll services team
Our Contractor Care team handling on/off boarding, payroll, timesheets and leave management receive excellent feedback from our contractors and clients

To gain more detailed insights or to discuss permanent or contract talent solutions, please contact Bonnie Chan at bonnie.chan@connectedgroup.com .

Update - fundraising for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 05:39:18 GMT

SUCCESS!

Three months ago, ConnectedGroup decided to run our first ever active fundraising campaign for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME for the Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF).

Our aim was to raise at least HK$80,000, with ConnectedGroup matching the first HK$40,000.

We are thrilled to announce that we have overachieved budget by 33% and raised HK$53,100, with CG matching this amount .

A total of HK$106,200 has now been donated to CCF for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME.

Huge thanks to all who donated and to our own CG team who rallied tirelessly for this campaign. A rewarding achievement to complete 2021!

The funds raised will go towards residents like Sophea and her twin sister Sonnita at CCF's Girls to Grannies village.

Sophea and her twin sister Sonnita are 10 years old and live with a foster family in CCF’s latest World Housing community - the Girls to Grannies Village . The village was built especially for girls like Sophea and Sonnita - those most at-risk of neglect and abuse, and being held back from accessing education.

The funds raised from this special initiative will cover:

Daily food and snacks
Clothes
Toiletries
School Supplies
Funds for girls and their family needs

The Story of Sophea and Sonnita

The twins started school late and Sophea is now in Grade 3. Her sister Sonnita is developmentally slower and is still in Grade 1.

The girl’s father originally came from the Kompong Speu province - northwest of Phnom Penh, while their mother was from the capital city where they met. In 2012, the twins were born but by then their parents were already in a downward spiral on drugs.

When the twins were only two years old, their mother, Srey March, could not cope anymore and left the family, leaving the two young girls with their father. The father was hardly present leaving the girls on their own for long periods of time while he was on drugs. Sophea and Sonnita were in a very dangerous living condition having to take care of themselves at such a young age and susceptible to all potential risks of abuse and trafficking.

In 2019, when it was thought life couldn’t get any worse, the father was discovered highly intoxicated trying to sell his daughters so he could buy more drugs. Working with local authorities, Sophea and Sonnita were immediately placed in CCF’s all female
residential facility, the Jasmine Center. The girls were placed on an education pathway at CCF and enrolled for the first time in school.

In 2021 when Girls to Grannies Village was opened and the twins were placed in a foster family; a single mother with two daughters of her own.

As part of community living, the girls receive daily food and snacks, clothes, toiletries, and school supplies - provided to the foster mother along with a stipend to care for the girls and the rest of her family’s needs. Sophea and Sonnita are safe and happy in CCF’s Girls to Grannies Village.

CCF has made the commitment to get them all the way through school and beyond so that they grow into young women with all the skills and sensibilities to be able to take care of themselves and flourish( read the full story about Sophea & Sonnita ).

‘This new village is a unique opportunity for the girls and women in the local area, providing the fundamentals of safe, independent living for our female students, the foster carers and grandmothers. The greater aspirations - a holistic, female-led community that fosters educational achievements and future leaders, grounded in the strong sense of culture and society held by the grandmothers - will be proved over time,’ says Scott Neeson , Founder of Cambodian Children’s Fund.

Your support for these girls is immeasurable. Directly providing for their future, as well as their current safety and security, you are ensuring that they are valued and confident leaders in their communities with an equal access to quality education. Having faced incredible challenges throughout their lives, your support means they are finally able to thrive.

Dealing with Hong Kong's Tech Talent Shortfall

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 05:42:19 GMT

The below article is written by Bonnie Chan , Head of Technology and Contracting & Payroll Services.

It was originally published on LinkedIn, 8th December 2021.

Prior to the pandemic, Hong Kong already suffered from a narrow talent pool in the technology sector, particularly related to software. This problem has grown in severity due to a number of factors;

An outflow of expatriate talent, particularly in early 2020 – post-protests and with early news of the pandemic in China
An outflow of local talent over the last 12 months with total numbers quoted at 90,000 people and likely more to come
Fewer foreign specialists arriving, mainly due to pandemic related travel restrictions
Increasing demand with the growth in the technology sector
Historically limited investment from organisations in developing entry-level technology talent
Higher risk-aversity from the candidate market due to global economic uncertainty

This impact of this is starting to bite. With a smaller talent pool and a smaller proportion of that pool being actively open to opportunities, the bidding war has begun. Salaries are being pushed up and organisations are struggling to meet their hiring goals – both to maintain current resources and to meet future growth targets.

Based on our insights, the most demand IT skills in Hong Kong are:

1) Fintech Professionals

There are over 600 fintech companies operating in Hong Kong in a wide variety of emerging areas, from blockchain and payments to InsureTech and RegTech.
Lack of professionals with experience in application development, including distributed ledger technologies, artificial intelligence, big data and cyber security.

2) Data Scientists

Crucial to smart city development and digitalisation in today's market.
Companies require Data Scientists to make critical business and marketing decisions from huge datasets.
Experienced Data Scientists are hard to find in Hong Kong. Talent with experience in the following are in high demand;
Working with Big Data
Using machine learning and statistical methods
Data mining, optimisation techniques and artificial intelligence to meet client business needs
Developing and implementing statistical tools to build predictive models to support business strategy, operations, and development plans

3) Cyber Security

With the demand of 'Internet of Things' devices and 5G enabled applications, network security experts will be in high and increasing demand over the coming years
Demand driven by the need to bolster enterprise defenses against cyber-attacks on their on-line platforms, underlying legacy and big data systems.
Most companies urgently need Cyber Security Specialists with expertise in;
Security solution design, architecture and maintenance
Policy, compliance and standards
Security risk analysis, assessment and audit, and mitigation measure development

4) Cloud

Demand for cloud professionals has soared, driven by the disruptive shift from in-house servers and computing power to the flexibility and scalability of cloud-based systems
The pandemic driven migration toward WFH created even more demand for cloud services
With many large organisations only making the transition in the last few years, the pool of talent with cloud migration and management experience at this scale is limited

Our advice for employers:

Despite recent political unrest and the pandemic, Hong Kong is still an attractive location for professionals. Employers in Hong Kong should look to overseas talent to work in Hong Kong to fill the void – the faster they shift strategy in this respect, the bigger advantage will be gained. It is currently easier to secure rental property and places in schools.
Challenge whether roles need Chinese language skills or whether this is simply an embedded assumption. The more flexibility on language, the wider the talent pool that becomes available.
Look into upskilling current employees now to prepare for the future. The best time to develop your own talent is now – build a sustainable and trusted source of talent internally to ensure future market shocks are easier to ride out.
Listen to what your teams are telling you about where improvements can be made to your culture and employment benefits. Retaining your current staff should be your number 1 priority.
If you want to hire local talent, budget accordingly. We expect salary increment demands for candidates to change roles in 2022 to look like this:

Junior (1-3 years' experience) - 20-30%

Mid (4-10 years' experience) - 12-18%

Senior (11+ years' experience) - 8-12%

To gain more detailed insights or to discuss permanent or contract talent solutions, please contact Bonnie Chan at bonnie.chan@connectedgroup.com

Digitisation is driving a recruitment boom in Hong Kong’s insurance sector

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 05:48:57 GMT

The below article is from eFinancial Careers and features Gary Wong, Head of Insurance .

Digitisation is driving a recruitment boom in Hong Kong’s insurance sector as companies look to new hires to help them transform their operations.

Gary Wong, Head of Insurance at ConnectedGroup, explains that the Covid-19 pandemic has triggered two trends, both of which are causing firms to increase their headcounts.

On the one hand, the pandemic has highlighted to consumers the importance of having the right insurance cover in place, whether this is health protection or savings products, leading to increased demand.

At the same time, it has increased the momentum of digital transformation in the sector, as social distancing rules pushed companies to adopt digital technologies, particularly on the distribution side of their businesses.

Wong points out that change is happening at an accelerated pace, with companies changing more in the past 18 months than in the previous three to four years.

After a subdued year in 2020, insurers are now increasing their headcounts as they set up new teams to oversee their digital transformation.

“We are definitely seeing a significant bounce-back in the insurance market in terms of recruitment activities for both new and replacement headcounts,” Wong says.

He adds that talents with strategy, change and transformation skillsets are particularly sought after.

Alongside digital transformation, Wong has also observed a shift among insurers to be more proactive, rather than reactive, in the way they interact with their customers.

He explains that instead of simply reimbursing policyholders for medical claims, there is a growing trend among insurers to help their customers manage their health and wellness.

Insurers are doing this through the provision of apps and wearable devices from monitoring the number of steps customers take each day to providing daily healthy eating plan, with policyholders rewarded with premium discounts for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“This approach will shape how insurers develop their products going forward, with the introduction of more wellness apps,” Wong says.

Unsurprisingly, this shift is also driving recruitment trends, with companies looking to fill roles on the product development side, including technology developers with user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) experience.

Wong adds that artificial intelligence/machine learning and data analytics also play a key role in helping customers manage their health, and as a result demand for professionals with skills in this area will continue to increase among insurers in the coming few years.

He points out that for the strategy, change and transformation roles, companies are open to hiring people who are not from an insurance background, if they have other financial services experience, such as working in banking,fintech or even consulting firms.

“This year we are seeing that clients are being more flexible in terms of taking people from outside of the insurance sector. When you look at strategy, change and transformation, these are all skillsets that are transferable across the financial services sector,” Wong says.

ConnectedGroup has specialist teams that focus on different segments to enable it to offer clients industry expertise and targeted market intelligence.

Wong explains: “Having a single focus allows us to dive deeply into the industry and really understand our clients’ business and give advice that goes beyond just recruitment.”

Wong, who joined ConnectedGroup earlier this year, brings with him a wealth of knowledge about life and general insurance, as well as reinsurance and asset management.

He has more than 10 years’ experience in recruitment, starting his career with a large international recruitment firm, moving on to a smaller boutique search firm covering Asia, before joining ConnectedGroup.

He has worked in both Hong Kong and Singapore, and as a result is able to advise clients on the talent landscape across the region.

ConnectedGroup prides itself on offering a highly personalised service to its clients.

Wong says: “We always tell clients we operate as a big boutique. We are large enough to serve our clients across a range of functional and industry sectors but also specialised enough to give a high level of attention and engagement on every search.

“No matter whether we are dealing with clients or candidates, it is our goal to be remembered for exceeding expectations, so we truly care and try to understand clients’ needs, and our candidates long-term career goals before giving professional advice.”

Wong thinks it is a good time for financial services talent to think about making a move to the insurance sector.

“Most insurers are falling behind the banks in terms of digitisation. There is a lot of room to grow and change the industry, it just needs the right talent. There are many robust opportunities within insurance at this time,” he says.

View Gary's profile here .

ConnectedGroup is fundraising for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME.

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 05:56:47 GMT

ConnectedGroup proudly supports the Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF) and is fundraising for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME.

The funds raised will go towards residents like Sophea and her twin sister Sonnita at CCF's Girls to Grannies village.

The funds raised from this special initiative will cover:

Daily food and snacks
Clothes
Toiletries
School Supplies
Funds for girls and their family needs

Our aim for this campaign is to raise at least HK$80,000, with ConnectedGroup matching the first HK$40,000 donated.

The Story of Sophea and Sonnita

The twins started school late and Sophea is now in Grade 3. Her sister Sonnita is developmentally slower and is still in Grade 1.

In 2021 when Girls to Grannies Village was opened and the twins were placed in a foster family; a single mother with two daughters of her own.

Our South Asia Covid-19 Emergency Appeal

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:59:45 GMT

CSG and Catalyser are proud to support our South Asia Covid-19 emergency appeal to raise funds for 3 charities working to provide emergency relief for communities in South Asia, especially during this current pandemic. These charities are:

Raah Foundation - India
Hong Kong Red Cross - South Asia Covid-19 Relief
World Vison Hong Kong - Overcoming the Pandemic as One World

Donations will be directly received by the on-the-ground charity, across national borders, to ensure the funds go directly into local work. Each charity's page is linked to their own account with no intermediary in the way so please give generously.

To view more information about the charities and to donate directly:

7 Questions You Will Still Get Asked in a Video Job Interview

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 06:03:05 GMT

A video job interview may seem vastly different from an in-person interview, but it is not. In actuality, it is one and the same. Unless the setting varies, such as requiring a pre-recording , you can relax. This is a two-way interview, which means there is a chance to build rapport through dialogue.

The job interviewer will have set questions in mind that they would like to ask. Occasionally, there is the irregular question that can throw you off. For instance, ' Can You Tell Us Anything Else About Yoursel f?' But generally speaking, the following most common questions are still asked. Here is how to nail them:

1. Why Should We Hire You?

The best way to answer this question is to stay relevant. You want them to want to need you, so take a good look at the job description. Make this question about them and not you. How do you do this? Talk about the skills you can bring to the table that you know they are looking for in this role. Show that you are keen on this position and that you also enjoy doing it. Giving concrete examples of past experiences can help.

Top Tip: Scan over the keywords in the JD and drop these in. But make sure your sentences flow, you do not want to sound scripted.

2. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

Stay positive. In no circumstance should you bad mouth your previous employer . This will put you in a bad light and make them wonder if you will do the same to them if you left. Or worse, if you are the problem. Veer away from the negative and talk about the future. You can mention that the role was moving in a direction that did not align with your career goals. Or you can talk about more that you want to do that this job opportunity offers. Stay curious and sound ambitious.

Top Tip: Bring the conversation back to the position by talking about doing the work that needs to be done. And that it can be done by you.

3. What Are Your Strengths?

Choose one or two powerful strengths that can set yourself apart as a candidate. You want to show that you know yourself and that this strength can be useful to the employer too. Match it with what they are looking for in the interviewee. Then provide a proof point. Statistics or figures are a great way to provide emphasis.

4. What Are Your Weaknesses?

This may seem like a tricky question to handle, but it is quite simple. First of all, focus on a skill. Do not choose something related to your personality. Why? Because skill sets are valuable to employers and are something you can work on. Next, show that you are improving on this weakness. This shows problem-solving skills in itself. They will be excited to see that you are open to learning new things.

Examples are: not being great at Excel. So you are taking an online course on it and learning about macro formulas. Or you are a slow typer. So you are taking touch typing training.

5. Why Do You Want This Job?

Give the interviewer a window to your mind by talking about your priorities and goals. You do not want the only reason to be because you are in between jobs and unemployed for instance. To answer this question effectively, give specific examples of past experiences. Be selective with the case studies or projects you choose to mention. You want to make an immediate impact. The example should fit nicely with certain aspects of this job.

6. What Is Your Dream Job?

This is another tricky question that many stumble upon and get caught out on. It is likely that the chances of this role being your dream job is slim. What you want to do is avoid clear-cut positions or titles. Instead, describe what your dream job would look like. What kind of tasks and responsibilities it will entail? What kind of qualities in a job excites you? Remember to stay relevant. Choose an aspect of the job description that ties back into the role you are being interviewed for. Then, slowly move into why you are interested in this particular position.

7. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

The majority of people do not know where they will be in five years. But it is a question interviewers still like to ask. Why? Because they want to know that you have at least thought about it. So show them that by talking about your career goals. This shows you care. You also want to sound ambitious and a little bit curious about learning new things. An employer wants an open-minded person that could be willing to try new things. Showing that you have the motivation to advance is a winner.

The Takeaway

Practicing these job interview questions will help you in video and face-to-face interviews. Nothing has changed but the setting. Ultimately, the interviewer wants to know that you are still the same person on- and off-screen. Be yourself and remember to be confident but not egotistic al. Staying relevant will help you ace your interview. Concrete examples will also help the hiring manager visualise and comprehend your achievements.

For more pointers on how to best prepare, check out ' 6 Tips to Nail Your Video Job Interview ' or connect with our team here .

Opportunities in Financial Advisory

Sat, 20 Feb 2021 07:47:12 GMT

Our Role and the Opportunity

ConnectedGroup is working in partnership with one of the biggest listed financial services firms in Asia, seeking talent to join their ever-growing team in managing financial products including insurance, mutual funds, equities and pension plans.

This is an exciting client facing opportunity for individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset, who are interested in sales and thrive in a fast-paced and results driven environment. A well-structured training program and all-round support will be provided to ensure they are providing you an unrivalled opportunity to develop your career in a highly rewarding environment.

The ideal candidate will be a Bachelor's or Master's degree holder, who is authorized to work in Hong Kong and can speak fluent Cantonese as well as English. Experienced professionals from Insurance or Banking and Financial Services will be taking part in the firm's comprehensive leadership development program specifically designed to suit their background and experience; whilst candidates with less or no experience will be eligible for participate in Premier Academy or the Executive Development Program.

Opportunities exist in both in insurance product sales as well as on their boutique External Asset Management platform.

Experienced professionals from Banking and Financial Services:

This particular division has the highest banker recruitment rate across the industry with close to 250 staff from Private Banking, Commercial Banking, and Retail Banking. A comprehensive development program specifically designed only for individuals from the Banking industry alongside the access to both investment and insurance products will be offered. This exclusive External Asset Management (EAM) platform with Type 1, 4 and 9 discretionary accounts will allow you to provide total wealth management solutions to your clients and to work closely with global major private banks, retail banks, and securities firms.

Experienced professionals from Insurance:

The team under the leadership of Marcus Wong has embarked on a great strategy to recruit dynamic Wealth Managers who would be keen to take their career to new heights. He has established a strong network of HNW individuals, SMEs, large corporations, charitable entities, and is always willing to share his knowledge and experience, as he understands how important it is to have a supportive and trustworthy leader in your line of work. Mentorship alongside a program that will allow you to fast-track into the management platform will be provided to help you get to the next step in your career.

The Agency

You will be a member of Round Table Family, one of the highest performing teams in Hong Kong founded by Marcus Wong in 2012. Having started with the company at the age of 20, Marcus is their youngest Premier Senior District Director in Asia. He has previously received the "Master Agency Award (MAA)" from the General Agents and Managers Association of Hong Kong (GAMAHK), being the youngest person to do so.

Marcus has brought his wealth management team to the forefront in the industry. He has successfully groomed 10 District Directors in 12 years and now has close to 1,000 team members under his wing.

The team under the leadership of Marcus focuses exclusively on helping ambitious and energetic individuals achieve excellence and strive towards the target of joining MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table) once they have gone through this comprehensive development program.

Referral Program

We understand that referrals are one of the best sources of new hires, and your support is highly valuable to us. That's why we are excited to announce our Candidate Referral Program. Refer qualified candidates who have not previously registered with us before and we will offer rewards of up to HKD 10,000.

In order to be eligible for the reward, your referred candidate must be placed by ConnectedGroup within 12 months of your registration.

For more details about the Candidate Referral Program please click here .

If you know someone who you think would be a great fit for this role, please let us know by registering using the link here and enter 'Ricolas Chan' as your CG contact.

Useful Links

View Marcus Wong speaking on TedX here

And on Viu TV here

Upcoming Event - Social Impact: Frameworks, Measurement & Reporting Webinar

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 10:41:49 GMT

Upcoming Event - Social Impact: Frameworks, Measurement & Reporting Webinar

How can companies and social causes adapt to increasing accountability requirements on the social impact they are creating?

Zoom: Friday 5th March 2021

11am - 12.30pm HKT

Companies and social causes are increasingly expected to provide qualitative and quantitative assessment of their impact on local communities. These expectations are driven by regulators such as HKEX (Hong Kong Stock Exchange via ESG reporting requirements), CSV (creating shared value) business concepts, social impact funders (family and institutional foundations), and general wider accountability from funders and donors – which are ultimately designed to measure and drive positive social change.

ConnectedGroup and CSG are delighted to co-host this webinar to bring you insights from front-line practitioners to support the evolving practise of social impact measurement and reporting.

To register, please click here .

Our panellists will include:

Dr. Norah Wang

CEO of Impact Analytics

Norah will touch on ESG reporting trends set by WEF - World Economic Forum which discusses the new environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure framework and the recent change the HKEX made making ESG reporting mandatory amongst listed companies. She will cover the relationships between ESG frameworks and SDG goals and where social impact analysis sits in these global trends.

Angela Kwan

Co-Founder of Catalyser

Angela will illustrate how companies are using technology to engage their employees, track and measure their social impact and reporting back according to ESG regulations.

Liza Green

Head of Corporate Citizenship and Executive Director, APAC Foundation at Credit Suisse

Liza will illustrated how grantee’s impacts are measured against a theory of change through a logframe, specifying KPIs and measurements including monitoring & evaluation.

The session will be co-moderated by Mathew Gollop and Rodney Heng .

Mathew Gollop

Managing Director of ConnectedGroup

CG Webinar - Modern Slavery in the Organisational Supply Chain

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 06:34:27 GMT

ConnectedGroup warmly invites you to a webinar session focusing on one of the key social issues facing business today.

Session 1

Our speakers will present on the subject of modern slavery and the challenges of social auditing (in the context of pre to post-pandemic) including some tangible technology solutions (mainly focused for use outside of China).

Attendees should include:

Supply chain business leaders
Sourcing leaders
Regional HR professionals
Sustainability/ESG experts

Session 2

As a further extension of this we will also look at the organisational/employer role in the ethical supply chain of domestic workers into the Hong Kong economy.

Attendees should include:

Regional & Hong Kong HR professionals
Hong Kong ESG/philanthropy professionals
Business leaders with a HK footprint

You are welcome to attend one or both sessions.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Date: Friday 5th February 2021

Time: Session 1 10-11am HKT, Session 2 11-12noon HKT

This session will include representatives from:

The Mekong Club - www.themekongclub.org
UNU Institute in Macau – www.macau.unu.edu
Fair Employment Foundation and Fair Employment Agency - www.fairpledge.org and www.fairagency.org
Facilitation by ConnectedGroup

RSVP with your full name, job title, organisation and contact here by Wednesday 3rd February.

Once your space is confirmed to be secured, a webinar link shall be sent to you closer to the date.

SPEAKER PROFILES

Mathew Gollop

Managing Director, ConnectedGroup

Mathew has been in the search industry since 1997 and in Asia (with ConnectedGroup) since 2001. In addition to leading the business, Mathew engages with clients to discuss their operational and market strategy from CEO’s office down through the business. He aligns ConnectedGroup’s service offering across all functions and often operates as an account manager for all key clients. Mathew still executes a number of searches each year and he and his team focus on complex and unconventional searches, often in new industries. He has been integral in building our major NGO accounts and still executes assignments in this space.

In addition Mathew has helped define and shape ConnectedGroup's social purpose and his team support the not for profit community in Hong Kong, connecting talent to help amplify worthy causes.

Phoebe Ewen

Programme Director, The Mekong Club

Phoebe Ewen is the programme director at The Mekong Club. Mekong Club focuses on developing practical tools and solutions to the fundamental drivers of modern slavery, harnessing the reach and influence of the private sector to develop sustainable solutions on a global scale. As programme director, Phoebe manages the design, implementation, and monitoring of these anti-slavery programmes, covering industries from financial services to supply chain management. She also coordinates the overarching strategic planning of Mekong Club, developing relationships and collaborations across countries and industries and further the collective goal of ending modern slavery.

Prior to Mekong Club, Phoebe worked in anti-money laundering for a global financial service provider. This role comprised developing comprehensive anti-money laundering strategies, risk assessment methodologies, and training programmes within the commercial banking sector.

Phoebe has published multiple articles and thought leadership pieces on the role that the private sector plays in combatting modern slavery, from the application of technology for supply chain transparency to the analysis of suspicious transactions to identify illicit activity. She has conducted training and awareness sessions for a range of private and public sector bodies across Asia Pacific and Europe, with a focus on the upskilling of key private sector actors to combat modern slavery in their daily roles.

Phoebe holds a Masters degree with honours in International Relations from the University of Nottingham in the UK, and focused her masters thesis on supply and demand factors driving modern slavery in Asia. She holds a Bachelors degree with honours in Management with Chinese Studies, and spent time studying in Zhejiang province, China. She is also ACAMS accredited as a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist.

Sophie Zinser

Research Assistant, United Nations University Institute in Macau

Sophie Zinser is research assistant with the Migrant Technology Team at the United Nations University Institute in Macau. She holds a master’s degree in global affairs from Schwarzman College at Tsinghua University in China.

Hannah Thinyane

Principal Research Fellow, United Nations University Institute in Macau

Hannah is currently a Principal Research Fellow at United Nations University Institute in Macau, where she leads the Migrant Tech Research Project. Since 2016 she has led a multi-disciplinary team, innovating and inventing ICTs to support proactive and consistent screening of workers in situations of labour exploitation and human trafficking.

She has over 15 years’ academic and practical experience in the area of mobile computing, ICT for development, and human-computer interaction. During this time, she has undertaken applied computing research, conceptualizing, designing, developing and rolling out systems for underserved areas in Africa and Southeast Asia. Through this work, she has made strong connections with mobile operators, local and national governments, inter-governmental organizations, industry and civil society organizations.

She has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed publications based on her research, publishing in both academic and policy circles. Hannah’s work has been presented at / showcased by: UN Special Rapporteur on Human Trafficking (2019); UN Business and Human Rights Forum (2019); World Justice Forum (2019); and at INTERPOL’s 2018 Global Conference on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling. In 2019 she was invited to speak to the Police Advisers to UN Member States (Nov 2019. Australian Mission to the UN, NY) on using technology to support human trafficking victim identification by law enforcement. She has also served as a panelist at the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery’s webinar on using tech to assess working conditions in supply chains (June 2020); Code 8.7: Using Computational Science and AI to End Modern Slavery (Feb 2019. UN Headquarters, NY); and the Thomson Reuters Anti-Slavery Summit (Aug 2017. Hong Kong).

Scott Stiles

Co-Founder and CEO, Fair Employment Foundation

Scott is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Fair Employment Foundation, and is recognised as an Ashoka Fellow and one of Forbes “30 Under 30” social entrepreneurs in Asia. After an internship in Hong Kong, Scott spent his last year at university developing a business plan for an ethical placement agency that would set a new standard for the broken recruitment market. He and his co-founders realised the plan as Fair Employment Agency. Since 2014, FEF initiatives continues to set new standards for recruitment and training, improving the eco-system of migrant worker recruitment.

Victoria Anh

Head of Marketing, Fair Employment Foundation

Victoria puts her creative streak to work spearheading the communications and marketing of all Fair Employment Foundation initiatives. She joined Fair Employment Foundation in August 2017, following experience in communications and fundraising at a charity providing financial education and debt counselling to migrant domestic workers. She is motivated by the opportunity to improve the recruitment system to work better for workers and their families.

Grace Cheng

General Manager, Fair Employment Agency

Grace Cheng heads up Fair Employment Agency (FEA), a nonprofit employment agency that places migrant domestic workers ethically with the promise of transparency, accountability, and quality service. She is one of the organisation’s first staff members and has been leading the recruitment team for the past 4 years. Now as the General Manager, she leads a team of over 20 staff in two branches. She is responsible for the strategic development and sustainable expansion of FEA and its mission of influencing the market towards fair hiring of domestic workers. Grace studied sociology and history at the University of Hong Kong.

H Academy Reinvention Week

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 06:37:29 GMT

2021 is a year to prepare for Growth. ConnectedGroup has partnered with H Academy to offer you an incredible opportunity to realise your #2021goals to learn new skills in-classroom with the best instructors.

Choose from UX Design, Data Science, Digital Marketing, FinTech and more. Also, check out the demo sessions coming up! Via our partnership we are offering a limited number of slots at an incredible discount of 50%.

Learn from world class instructors with Adriana Lica (who has taught over 5000 students), Nathan Landman (taught intro classes at MIT), Michael Tam (teaches Fortune 500 companies) and Privé Technologies (global FinTech).

To learn more about the courses, visit H Academy at https://lnkd.in/gVHR4tQ and use the code #HA50 to register and secure your half-price spot today.

If you miss the chance, you will still be able to receive a 3% discount until June 30th with ConnectedGroup matching this 3% with a donation to one of their charities.

Hong Kong Tech Leaders - Video Interview Series

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 06:43:15 GMT

Our Technology team hosts a new series of video interviews to shine a spotlight on successful stories of Technology leaders. Phoebe Cheung from ConnectedGroup interviews remarkable people about their journey, their tips and insights on career development in the IT sector.

Thanks to our guests and our Technology Team helmed by Bonnie Chan , with Phoebe Cheung as host and Shirley Lam in the editing suite.

Video Interview Series 1 featuring Terence Yeung

In this first video interview, Phoebe welcomes Terence Yeung from MoneySQ and SmartMe to discuss his elements of success and view on future IT trends. Terence is the Chief Fintech Officer & Head of business development at trustME, Moneysq.com & SmartME. Join us for this special first series.

#stayconnected#connectedgroup#videointerviews#videointerviewseries#technologyleaders#CGtechteam#hongkong

Video Interview Series 2 featuring Andy Fung

In the second series, Phoebe invites Andy Fung from Pactera to share his great experience, wisdom and success stories.

Andy is the GM for Pactera Asia Pacific Group, overseeing full P&L, strategic plans and business development across Hong Kong and the Greater Bay area.

We welcome you to watch this insightful interview.

Video Interview Series 3 featuring Howard Cheng

For the third series, Phoebe Cheung alongside her colleague Nicolas Diaz invite Howard Cheng from Cyberport to share his career journey as well as his career advice and guidance within IT and properties.

Howard Cheng is the Chief Operating Officer at HK Cyberport Management Company Limited. Howard's role is wide ranging across campus operations, engineering & IT services to the hotel and also retail arcade business.

CG Webinar: Journey To The Board

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 06:50:00 GMT

Journey To The Board

The boardroom is, to many, the final destination of career development and success. Within this unique domain, strategies and long-term sustainability for the largest organizations in the world are decided. But while the role of a board member can be highly prestigious and rewarding, it is not without risk. As corporate governance comes under increased scrutiny, so is a board director's ability to perform their role effectively, and taking on board roles should be carefully considered. Join this webinar to understand the ‘Journey to the Board’.

The topics covered will include:

Overview of director duties & liabilities
Overview of corporate governance
Overview of board composition
Examples of 'governance gone wrong'
Case studies on real life organizations to bring topics to life

The schedule will run as follows:

10:00 - 10:05 - Introduction with Mat Gollop from ConnectedGroup
10:05 - 10:10 - Introduction with Chris Moon from BDP Asia
10:10 - 11:00 - Presentation with Frank and Melody from Ashurst
11:00 - 11:15 - Presentation with Emma Martin froom Habitat For Humanity
11:15 - 11:25 - Final Q&A
11:25 - 11:30 - Closing notes from Mathew Gollop

Join us on Friday 11th December 2020 at 10am (Hong Kong time) for this webinar. To register, please click here

ConnectedGroup is delighted to present the following speakers:

SPEAKER PROFILE

Mr Mathew Gollop

Managing Director, ConnectedGroup

In addition Mathew has helped define and shape ConnectedGroup's social purpose and his team support the not for profit community in Hong Kong, connecting talent to help amplify worthy causes.

Mr Chris Moon

Asia Director, BDP Asia

Chris is the Director of the Board Director Programme Asia, he is from the UK and has been working in Asia for more than 12 years. Chris helped set up training academies for HSBC and went on to lead and train teams for Aviva before moving to China. He continued to work on various educational programmes prior to moving to Hong Kong and has been with the Board Director Programme's Diploma and workshops for nearly 4 years. As part of Chris' role, he enjoys assisting NGOs with their board search and onboarding.

Mr Frank Bi

Partner at Ashurst

Frank specialises in the areas of international capital markets, M&A transactions, general corporate and compliance matters. Through his extensive experience of acting for corporates and investment banks on public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, he often provides advice to senior management including board members on corporate governance and related issues.

In addition, Frank's 10+ years of experience includes initial public offerings, private placements, follow-on offerings and debt programmes, privatisation, joint ventures, spin-offs and other corporate restructurings. He has worked on matters throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and US, including for companies listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Frank is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, as well as qualified in the PRC.

Frank is also an FT Board Director Programme workshop trainer.

Ms Melody He

Partner at Ashurst

Melody has significant experience advising investment banks and corporations on capital markets and corporate matters in Asia and the United States. She focuses on securities offerings, advising international conglomerates and state owned enterprises as well as high growth companies on global offerings and listings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, SEC registered offerings, secondary offerings, rights issues and share placings. She also has extensive experience in bond offerings, mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, financings and listing rules compliance matters. Her expertise spans across a wide range of industries, including TMT, real estate, financial services, insurance, pharmaceuticals, energy, natural resources, consumer products, manufacturing, retail and food & beverage.

Melody is a native Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese speaker qualified in both the United States and Hong Kong.

Melody is also an FT Board Director Programme workshop trainer.

Ms Emma Martin

Board member for Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong

Emma is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry. As a CFO and business partner, Emma has experience leading teams and driving positive change, and a track record of lifting the capabilities and profile of the finance function from information crunchers to insight providers. She loves making it easier for people to do business by simplifying processes, unravelling complexities and supporting teams through change.

Emma is an alumni of the FT Board Director program and serves on both the Board and the Finance Committee of Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong.

Digital banking and private equity are driving demand for finance and accounting professionals in Hong Kong. These are the candidates they are looking for.

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 06:53:46 GMT

The below article is from eFinancial Careers and features Karen Lau, Principal Consultant, Financial Services.

Strong growth in digital banking and private equity in Hong Kong is creating opportunities for talent looking for their next move. Karen Lau, principal consultant, financial services at ConnectedGroup, says the executive recruitment agency is currently seeing strong demand for finance and accounting professionals with the right skills and mindset.

In the digital banking space, she says companies are looking for finance professionals who are flexible, innovative and have an interest in new technology.

Banks are particularly interested in candidates from accounting backgrounds with a CPA qualification, who have strong project management skills or who have been involved in innovative system upgrades

Another area of growth in the financial services industry identified by Lau is within private equity, where firms are looking to fill middle and back office positions as firms continue to expand in Hong Kong, often supporting regional platforms.

Apart from the relevant technical skills, Lau said personality traits are one of the key things private equity companies consider when identifying talent.

“Most private equity firms have a flat structure, so every employee is very important to the success of the business,” she says.

Another trend that Lau has identified is an increase in contract positions for finance professionals.

“We are seeing more and more contract openings in the market right now,” she says.

She attributes the trend to the economic uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and US-China trade tensions, which has caused many multinational institutions to tighten their headcounts and slow down their hiring processes.

As a result, she says hiring managers are meeting their human resources needs through recruiting contract staff, as it is easier to get approval for these positions in a short period of time.

Even so, she expects many contract staff to be able to renew their contracts or even become permanent employees if they perform well.

Lau adds that contracting can also be a good opportunity for people who need more flexibility, such as working mothers, and for fresh graduates who are unclear about their career direction and want to gain more industry knowledge and experience.

“For some people who would like to get back to the market after a career break, a contracting role can also be a good idea because it is much easier for them to pick up their skills and get back their working momentum,” she said.

Despite the current economic headwinds Hong Kong faces, Lau thinks it is still a good time to move job if candidates are looking for new challenges or experience.

She points out that as companies are currently very cost-conscious, it is not the best time to change role if you are looking for a large salary increment, but there are opportunities for people looking for broader job exposure, career development or a new platform in which to unleash their potential.

Lau encourages candidates who are interested in making a career move to get in touch with ConnectedGroup to talk about their career aspirations and find out more about the current market trends.

“Our team is on hand to help with any questions you may have and to give you advice,” she says.

To view Karen's profile, please visit here .

ConnectedGroup collaboration with Bowtie, Hong Kong's first virtual insurance company

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 07:00:01 GMT

ConnectedGroup is delighted to partner with Bowtie and offer an exclusive period of free healthcare membership . Bowtie is the first virtual insurance company to provide Hong Kong people with an all-digital insurance experience through innovative technology and medical expertise, allowing customers to obtain quotations, underwriting and claims services anytime and anywhere. This offer has zero ongoing commitment and can be shared with your family and friends too (valid HKID is required).

In these uncertain times of a global pandemic, the need for, and focus on health protection is more important than ever, whether its for us or for our family and friends. With Bowtie, a new era of health protection has entered the market - and with this new age platform comes a variety of benefits like

Getting your GP consultations, Chinese medicine doctor visits, acupuncture and bone setting services at member-exclusive rates for medical consultation.
Monthly fee as low as $0 / Free BowtieGo Membership. Upgrade for more benefits!
Monthly contract, less commitment than the traditional annual contract. Cancel anytime, more flexible.
Unlimited use throughout the year -- find medical professionals at will for well-being advise.
Skip claim process -- pay directly to the clinic.
Register for your family members, we care about you and your family too.

To redeem your activation code, we request that you complete a short survey for ConnectedGroup here . This survey is aimed at helping us understand the perceived value of employee benefits in Hong Kong and whether trends are changing in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For more information about Bowtie and this exclusive offer, please visit their website .

Your answers will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with any third parties. If you wish to view our Privacy Policy please click here .

Upcoming CG Webinar

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 07:06:22 GMT

Staying ahead of the Curve:

Shaping a Better Future through Driving Transformation

As we progress through this pandemic, our focus remains on adapting to new global change and creating better business efficiencies through business transformation.

Join us on Friday 28th August 2020 at 10.30am (Hong Kong time) for this webinar. To register, please click here

ConnectedGroup is delighted to present the following speakers:

SPEAKER PROFILES

Mr Gary Lo

Managing Director and Principal Instructor of Glo Consulting

Gary is a seasoned trainer and TEDx Speaker with extensive corporate experience. He spent most of his career working at some of the most admired Fortune 500 companies including LVMH, Apple Inc., Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and Nestle, with a scope covering the Greater China & APAC region. He was the former Head of Marketing & Admissions for the HKUST MBA Programs, and now serves as a Guest Lecturer for the HKU SPACE Institute for China Business and Nielsen University. He is also an appointed career coach for top Universities in the region, where he has trained thousands of MBA and Masters students, professionals and corporate executives from all around the world.

He is a high impact presentation winner and has made over 1,000 public speeches in 30 different cities. He is also a Udemy Online Course Instructor with 50,000+ students globally. Various top-tier corporates have invited him as an instructor, including J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock etc.

Gary is an Internationally Certified NLP Master Practitioner endorsed by authoritative organizations such as ABNLP, INLPA, NLPU etc. Gary holds an MBA degree from the HKUST Business School and also a Mastering Design Thinking Certificate from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

To view Gary’s TEDx Speech: https://youtu.be/tO363JNneoA

Gary’s session topic: Driving transformation through Storytelling

Transformation begins with communication. To lead an organization, we need to craft effective messages and stories to build a connection with our team to drive both mindset and behavioral changes. In this session, our speaker Gary Lo will share some practical storytelling techniques to help us drive changes effectively.

Ms Angee Chan

Head of People & Culture, HK & Macau, Philip Morris International

Angee Chan is a passionate people activator who is currently the Head of People & Culture for Hong Kong & Macau in Philip Morris Asia Limited.She joined the company in 2017 as Manager, Management Organisation Development where she led the Talent Management & Development, Organisation Development, Talent Acquisition, Employee Engagement, and worked closely with the business to drive the exciting transformation in the Market and Regional Headquarter.

Angee worked with DBS Bank Hong Kong, the Kingfisher Group and Swire Beverages Head Office (Strategic Partner of Coca Cola) before, as HRBP and Specialist.Her last position with Swire Beverages was the Global Head of Talent & Engagement, focusing on strategic initiatives design & development, covering headcount size of 35,000 in Greater China and the USA.

Angee’s session topic: Driving Internal Transformation by Thinking Big, Starting Small & Acting Quick

To achieve the company’s vision of Smoke-Free future, Philip Morris is driving their product, external and internal transformation. In this session; our speaker Angee Chan will share how the team plays a vital role in internal transformation by enhancing the new ways of working, create a culture of employee engagement via various Inclusive & Diversity initiatives and transform Talent Acquisition process to enhance employee
experiences.

Ms Rachael Orleans

Head of Business Change, Cigna International Markets Operations

Rachael is a seasoned Organisational Development and Change leader with extensive global experience.She has worked with Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Credit Suisse, UBS and Cigna International working closely with the business to drive change and transformation. She was the Head of Talent and Organisational Development for International Markets, with a focus on talent, succession planning, and change management.Rachael is also a qualified ICF executive coach.Rachael holds a degree in Marketing and Modern Language and a MCIPD profession qualification in HR and a MIT approach to Design Thinking Certification from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Rachel’s session topic: Digital transformation and impact on culture

Digital transformation has not yet been simplified as we are still in transition and running the traditional and the new.We know technology drives transformation, but do many feel threatened by technology as they lose confidence in their competence and worthiness? Is resistance driven by fear? In this session Rachael will talk about how digital transformation and behaviors.

How does mental health affect work productivity in Hong Kong?

Fri, 20 Dec 2019 07:08:09 GMT

This is our second in a series of articles in partnership with StartupCare Hong Kong where we explore the issues surrounding employee health. You can view the first post here .

People have known about the importance of physical health for centuries. The first piece of exercise equipment was invented in 1796 , and today, fitness is one of the most profitable industries in the world. However, the influence that mental health has on overall well-being, and therefore productivity, has only more recently become a common issue of concern for employers. Companies are beginning to see it as a responsibility to make sure their employees are both physically and mentally well and to develop a more holistic approach to wellness.

Effects of Mental Ill Health on Work Productivity and Team Morale

An overworked employee who is mentally exhausted is tired and drained and will not be able to produce their best work. A survey conducted by City Mental Health Alliance (CMHA) and Oliver Wyman found that a staggering 65% of employees in Hong Kong believed that the quality of their work and overall productivity had been negatively affected due to struggles with their mental health. It is not only the quality of work that is affected – fatigue and stress result in extreme emotions and, consequently, extreme behaviours. The same survey found 30% of Hong Kong employees have reported issues with anger management and 20% have problems with excessive alcohol consumption to compensate for poor mental health. Of course, these numbers do not include those employees who are unaware that they are suffering from these problems, so it is likely that the real numbers are even larger.

Particularly in a more conservative cultural framework such as Hong Kong, open communication to destigmatise the issue and encourage judgement free dialogue is critical.

Financial Costs of Employees’ Mental Ill Health

Neglecting mental health contributes to a toxic work environment, with issues such as misdirected anger or a general atmosphere of negativity and unhappiness. There is also a significant financial impact. In Hong Kong, employers lose HK$ 45-180 million annually due to sick days caused by poor mental health, and this only accounts for 1% of the total of annual costs to employers that are related to mental ill health.

Influence of Founders’ Attitude to Health

To lead by example, founders and CEOs must also take good care of themselves to keep their companies running smoothly. Company culture is influenced by the behaviour of its leaders, hence, it is important for founders to prioritise mental health within the workplace, starting with themselves. Particularly in a more conservative cultural framework such as Hong Kong, open communication to destigmatise the issue and encourage judgement free dialogue is critical.

With a strong link between physical and mental well-being, we believe that leaders can take care of themselves and their teams by offering health insurance that not only provides traditional coverage, but that also motivates them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is why we have partnered with StartupCare Hong Kong who provide tailored employee health benefits solutions for SMEs in Hong Kong. For more information, you can contact them here or email Simon Yuen at simon.yuen@startupcare.co

ConnectedGroup works with HR professionals with a progressive view on developing a working environment with a positive focus on mental health. Should you wish to discuss identifying this kind of talent for your organisation or to understand our wider functional coverage and how we can take the stress out of recruitment, visit us here or contact our Managing Director, Mathew Gollop at mat@connectedgroup.com

Why can working in Hong Kong be so stressful? (And why health benefits matter to employees)

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 07:10:04 GMT

Hong Kong is an incredible city that 60.8 million tourists flock to every year. It has stunning views of the ocean, impressive skyscrapers, sandy beaches and hiking trails. The diversity of environment, culture and food makes it an amazing place to work and live. Even before the impact of recent social unrest however, there exists a working culture that can be incredibly stressful, more so than working in other cities. There are a number of contributing factors and ConnectedGroup has partnered with StartupCare to research this issue and share some insights.

High Cost of Living

Hong Kong is phenomenally expensive to live in, ranked as the most expensive city for living costs alongside Singapore and Paris. Rent is amongst the highest rates in the world but unfortunately average salaries don't always stack up. In 2018 , almost 44 per cent of flats in Hong Kong were renting for over HK$20,000 a month, while the average household income was HK$28,100, and HK$16,400 for an individual.

Long Working Hours

There are certain cultural considerations which add to the stress of living here. There are high family expectations placed on young people from Hong Kong, like the expectation to earn a good salary and to take care of your parents. The working hours in Hong Kong are long. In fact, according to a 2016 study by UBS , Hong Kong has the longest working week in the world with employees spending 50.1 hours on average at their workplace per week, translating into 38% more than the global average. These gruelling working weeks mean that people in Hong Kong have reduced time to socialise with friends, let alone cook nutritious meals for themselves, or get a good night’s sleep, all elements crucial in keeping stress levels down and health levels up. This is all in the context of small average living space that is gradually decreasing in size with a drop of 39 percent between 2013 and 2017 .

Mental Health in the Workplace

The work environment in Hong Kong is also competitive. 68% of employees would still go to work despite feeling either physically or mentally unwell. 83% of citizens suffer from at least one skeletomuscular condition, an unfortunate by-product of spending most of the week hunched over a computer screen. The combined costs of these individual strains cost employers a staggering HK$ 5.5-12.4 billion a year .

Public Healthcare System Burdens

The public healthcare system in Hong Kong is also ill-equipped to deal with the sheer volume of residents. There are 4.39 psychiatrists for every 100,000 citizens . The wait time for A&E services at some public hospitals can go over 6 hours , and the wait time for a first visit to a public specialist can go up to 186 weeks . Many of these factors have also been cited as contributing to recent social unrest.

Providing peace of mind with a good healthcare scheme is also essential but this can sometimes be challenging for SME’s and early stage companies in particular.

Employee Health Benefits Initiatives at ConnectedGroup

As a result it is important that organisations carefully consider the health of their employees because there is a direct impact on productivity and staff morale and retention. At ConnectedGroup we have tried to look at the health of our employees as a holistic cultural/structural issue. Some of our initiatives have been:

Removing pressure on individuals for justifying sick days and enabling a ‘work from home’ infrastructure for days when staff are not feeling 100%
Offering support that goes beyond the statutory basic requirements for health related issues
An annual health and wellbeing related budget that staff can allocate to a new initiative each year – past activities have included kickboxing classes and installing high-end air purifiers
De-stigmatising mental health and creating an open conversation by demonstrating a supportive attitude and environment
A healthy, company-wide annual leave allowance of 20 days, rising to 30 with tenure regardless of your grade/seniority
Office closure during the Christmas/New Year period, with additional annual leave provided, to ensure an opportunity for end of year ‘decompression’.

Providing peace of mind with a good healthcare scheme is also essential but this can sometimes be challenging for SME’s and early stage companies in particular. We partnered with StartupCare Hong Kong because they provide tailor-made employee health benefits solutions that combine an innovative digital healthcare platform and flexible group medical insurance for entrepreneurs and their growing teams in startups and SMEs. Balancing the stresses of Hong Kong work culture with the incredible opportunities that the region offers is the key to sustainable success.

To discuss talent issues in Hong Kong please feel free to reach out to me at mat@connectedgroup.com

To learn more about StartupCare and their health benefits solutions, contact Simon Yuen at simon.yuen@startupcare.co

Hong Kong - Social Unrest & the Talent Tangle

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:06:10 GMT

Having lived in Hong Kong for over 18 years, raised a family and built a business here, I have my personal views on the current crisis that surrounds us. This article however is purely my observations on the immediate and potential longer term impact on the employment market and not a political commentary.

With the economy shrinking for the first time in a decade, it is clear that Hong Kong is tackling some turbulent times. From a recruitment perspective we identified a deceleration in activity, prompted by the global trade issues, from the tail end of 2018 and so a slower 2019 was not a surprise. The duration of the local protests however have taken their toll and the confidence that had begun to return in the 2nd and 3rd quarters has been extinguished and the year end will be very challenging.

Unlike previous downturns, the financial markets seem to be weathering the storm more effectively with the protests localising a devastating impact on sectors on the front line, namely retail, food & beverage, hospitality and tourism. Whilst employer confidence seemed to remain reasonably stable through Q3, it is now weakening and, more so, we see candidate's becoming more risk averse and so open roles will become increasingly harder to fill. One positive trend that we are seeing as a result is that there is a greater interest in contract and interim hiring as clients look for faster and more flexible talent solutions so candidates who are immediately available should consider this as a route to re-employment.

Another perspective was jogged when I was recently asked to speak on a radio show in Singapore on this subject and they seemed keen to craft the narrative that expatriates are leaving Hong Kong and that it will be harder to attract them in the future. Anecdotally I would say that both Western and Asian expats in Hong Kong are of course concerned about the future but, as yet, we have not seen a concrete trend of departures. Conversely, applications from overseas talent looking for opportunities here are (maybe surprisingly) as high as they have been for a number of years. Locally there are signs that Hong Kong nationals are hedging their bets with signs of increased interest in migration, again without signs that this is an actual trend in practice.

I am in no doubt that the employment market will find its feet again, likely even before the wider healing that needs to occur has had an impact.

If the unrest is more sustained and talent (both local and international) does begin to leave then how will that gap be closed? This 'brain drain' could also be compounded by an ageing population and a larger than normal proportion of the younger generation carrying criminal records which will leave Hong Kong looking increasingly beyond its borders to resolve the issue. With the protests creating an all consuming visceral and immediate issue and government intervention seemingly lacking, these longer term questions are yet to be asked, let alone answered. Organisations would do well to start planning in advance for this potential.

On the positive side, one of the factors that prevents an exodus of people is that there is a high degree of faith in Hong Kong's resilience and ability to rebound. I arrived at the end of the post-97 Asian Financial Crisis surge and during my time here I have seen the market recover from SARS (after being written off by many), the 2008/9 Global Financial Crisis and the 2014 Umbrella Movement protests. We are of course in the midst of something new, a deeper societal crisis than has been experienced before, but I am in no doubt that the employment market will find its feet again, likely even before the wider healing that needs to occur has had an impact.

If you would like to discuss the Hong Kong talent market, please feel free to drop me a note at mat@connectedgroup.com

Launch of 'Doing Business in Hong Kong and Macau Guide'

Wed, 15 May 2019 07:14:55 GMT

May 2019 - ConnectedGroup announces the launch of the 'Doing Business in Hong Kong and Macau Guide' in partnership with the Institute of Export & International Trade and with support from the British Consulate-General Hong Kong, DIT (Department for International Trade) Hong Kong and The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

This guide has been produced to provide extensive knowledge about Hong Kong and Macau to overseas companies looking to establish business in these regions. The guide delivers an overview of the economy, business culture, potential opportunities and to identify the main issues associated with initial research, market entry, risk management and cultural and language issues.

ConnectedGroup is delighted to be the exclusive recruitment partner. Please connect with our team if you are looking to discuss opportunities in Hong Kong, Macau and the Asia Pac region - infohk@connectedgroup.com .

Please view our Market Insights and Case Study below.

Alternately the full guide is available via the download link here:

http://www.hongkongandmacau.doingbusinessguide.co.uk/

-> Read these pages in a new window <-

Leaders Who Inspire: Era of Talent Intelligence

Sun, 20 Jan 2019 08:21:05 GMT

ConnectedGroup is thrilled to have our Managing Director, Mathew Gollop, featured in LinkedIn's inaugural edition of Leaders Who Inspire: Era of Talent Intelligence.

Download the link to read Mat's thought provoking and inspiring article:

https://lnkd.in/leaderswhoinspire2019

Fintech demand is driving financial services recruitment in Hong Kong

Wed, 16 Jan 2019 08:24:04 GMT

This article is from eFinancial careers and features Selene Ma, Head of Middle and Back Office - Financial Services.

Hong Kong is rapidly establishing itself as a fintech hub, driving demand for experienced financial services professionals to make the transition into technology driven platforms. A combination of government funding, a supportive regulatory environment and the city’s status as a financial centre is attracting a growing number of fintech companies.Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority is currently reviewing applications from 29 providers for the first ever virtual banking licences in the Special Administrative Region.

Selene Ma, manager of middle and back office - financial services, at recruitment firm ConnectedGroup, says: “It is a new milestone for the banking industry in Hong Kong. “These virtual institutions are actively hiring candidates from operational, client onboarding or compliance backgrounds.” She explained that fintechs are typically targeting professionals from traditional financial services firms due to the transferrable experience they possess. “This demand is tempting people who have had careers in more traditional financial services companies to make the switch. “I see this especially among mid to senior level candidates who have been in the industry for some time. They are keen to look for something that is new but not a complete change,” she says.

Ma says moving to a fintech is possible for people from a traditional financial services background, when they can leverage their existing skillset and knowledge, particularly as fintechs begin to fall under similar regulatory scrutiny. But she cautions that fintechs want more than just financial sector experience, explaining that companies are also looking for people with the right attitude. “The message from hiring managers and senior people in fintech companies is that candidates must be technology savvy and open minded. “Being able to think creatively is also very desirable and in smaller but fast growing organisations, adaptability and flexibility are key,” she says.

Personality plays a big role in Ma’s approach to matching clients with the right employers across the whole financial services sector, and she believes understanding someone’s mindset is key to helping them find the best fit employer. “Apart from the technical skillset, my approach is to understand the candidate’s personal drivers because I think the culture of a workplace and also the chemistry with the management are important. “Finding the right platform for candidates is key to helping them progress in their careers.” Ma describes herself as an outgoing, people person with a genuine interest in helping people succeed which she thinks makes her well equipped to succeed in her role. “I like meeting people and understanding what they do, and where they want to go. I like becoming part of their story by helping them achieve their goals.”

She points out that in order to help clients’ recruit the best talent, it is key to understand what they want and to really listen to them, in order to provide a solution that addresses their needs. “It is important to ensure both parties are looked after and have positive outcomes – it is not viable to simply represent the company because they pay the invoice. “We stand out from other agencies due to the depth of capability of our people and because our mission is to be remembered for exceeding expectations for both clients and candidates,” she says.

ConnectedGroup was founded in Hong Kong more than 20 years ago. In that time, it has grown from a small business to a large-scale boutique firm. It is a full service consultancy, covering all sectors from financial services and banking, to finance, accounting and IT, through to retail, supply chain, legal and property. A unique aspect of the company is that it is a strong supporter of the local not-for-profit ecosystem. As well as offering pro-bono services to some local charities, it is also the founder of Recruit4Good, a not-for-profit initiative in itself that provides a job board and career portal for the charitable sector at zero cost.

Ma thinks ConnectedGroup is an exceptional place to work: “We are supported from the top down to ensure we are always learning and being challenged and encouraged. “We have a great management team and our managing director is very supportive and believes in creating an environment where staff feel highly valued. This helps differentiate us from other recruitment agencies,” she says.

Ma has more than a decade of experience in the recruitment sector and has worked for ConnectedGroup for over four years. She started her career at a boutique recruitment firm, before joining a larger player in 2007 as a candidate manager on its banking team. “I looked after front office there and switched to middle and back office later on.” She remembers working through the global financial crisis, and the impact it had on the financial services sector. “It gave me good experience in building a reputation and credibility in a bad market. Clients remember you when the market picks up. I learned a lot during this time,” she says.

That time is a far cry from the current buoyant state of the Hong Kong financial sector. Ma says demand is currently high for candidates to fill corporate governance and regulatory roles, particularly in the asset management sector, while companies are also recruiting for revenue generating positions, such as institutional sales or relationship managers. “A lot of financial institutions are not just hiring for replacement headcount but also for additional headcount as well. The market is in a robust mode,” she says.

Click here for original post

ConnectedGroup – Top 25 ‘Most Socially Engaged’ on LinkedIn

Sat, 21 Oct 2017 07:28:40 GMT

ConnectedGroup was today identified as one of Asia’s ‘Most Socially Engaged’ staffing agencies, coming 9th in a category of firms that include those up to 10x our size.

This is a great achievement and is the output of a dedicated LinkedIn engagement strategy, focused on providing meaningful content for our clients and candidates and leveraging the platform’s potential for the maximum benefit of job seekers and employers alike.

Full results here

We also remain the most followed recruitment company in Hong Kong on LinkedIn.

(Article) Giving your staff due recognition can play a big part in keeping them

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 07:38:37 GMT

With an endless war for talent and the consequent brain drain in the job market across various industries, it is becoming increasingly crucial for organisations to increase motivation to boost and maintain workplace satisfaction, which in turn helps to sustain a productive office.

One solution to managing staff motivation and preventing high turnover is first-class succession planning. This starts with accepting that, in this day and age, few people will spend their whole career within one organisation. In fact, movement between jobs, divisions and industries is very common and in most cases seen as a sign of ambition and versatility.

To hold on to quality staff, companies should promote learning and development programmes. Good candidates need to know there is a “next step” for them within their current company, so they don’t feel they have to change jobs to further their career. Encourage your staff to suggest training programmes that they want or may be interested in and go from there.

To inspire a general positive attitude within the workplace, senior staff must maintain a consistent policy of staff management. It is important that people know where they stand and how they are assessed. This includes setting clear priorities and responsibilities at the beginning of the year. Outlining what needs to be achieved gives employees a goal. Those who achieve their goals and complete what they have been assigned are likely to feel a sense of achievement which will enhance their motivation to excel in the workplace.

Employees should be recognised among their colleagues when they have exceeded expectations or excelled in a certain project or area. Staff recognition should not be underestimated and is one of the most powerful motivational tools.

Giving staff rewards for their success is a tried and tested motivator. When employees see they are rewarded and appreciated for their efforts, they will often be less inclined to move away from a motivating and inspiring environment.

Written by : Selene Ma, Manager Financial services - Middle & Back Office

Click here for the original post

(Article) Selfless positivity will give you long-term rewards

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 07:41:49 GMT

I recently read Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success by Adam Grant, which distilled a philosophy that has guided me for some time. Fundamentally, the concept is that if you give unconditionally then there is a significant long-term positive payback.

Through his research, Grant shows that this return on investment is much greater for those who give their time and resources without an agenda or expectation, compared to those who either expect a direct return or who just take from others. Seeing this in black and white was comforting and, in a small and exceptionally networked environment like Hong Kong, I believe it is even more relevant.

The key to putting faith in this way of thinking is understanding how your reputation evolves around you without your influence. While you have direct control over your immediate professional impact, the way you are perceived by others has a life of its own, and it is your actions that set those events in motion.

Earlier in your career, you are more likely to be assessed on your technical outcomes but, as you become more of a potential role model, you will be judged on your wider influence. In a closed-door meeting where your potential is being considered, the picture of a natural mentor, trainer, facilitator and enabler will be infinitely more powerful than that of a selfish careerist.

In the work environment, look at the next chance to answer a question for a colleague, to devote time to someone else’s project, to mentor/coach a junior who isn’t on your team in a new light. Even beyond your internal corporate structure, assisting someone looking to find work at your company or giving broader industry insights to someone making career decisions are positive acts.

There will be people you help who will proactively support you in future and who change your life for the better without you having to ask. The more positivity you put out there, the greater the return will be. Just don’t be someone who expects it.

Written by : Mathew Gollop, Group Managing Director

Click here for the original post

(Article) When is the best time for lawyers to make that move in-house?

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 07:17:44 GMT

Over the years, I have spoken to many lawyers of varying seniority who have all been keen to find out the right time and optimal conditions to move in-house.

Factors influencing most in-house moves include a desire for a more balanced lifestyle, difficulty of obtaining partnership at law firms, opportunities for earlier promotion and a chance to broaden and sometimes improve workloads.

Timing an in-house move depends largely on your career objectives. If your desire to go in-house is driven by an interest in switching to the business side of a company, you are probably better off making your move as a relatively junior associate. If your objective is to become a general counsel somewhere, then staying at a law firm until you are at least a senior associate is often sensible.

As a rule of thumb, it is probably best to gain a couple of years’ experience, preferably three to five, in private practice before moving in-house. For lawyers with eight years’ experience or more, there are relatively fewer roles in-house as most head of legal and general counsel roles require some previous experience beyond an extended secondment in a law firm and these roles tend to be highly sought after.

Once you step into a role as an in-house lawyer, you officially start wearing two hats – that of a legal practitioner and that of a business partner.

To succeed, you not only have to be an excellent lawyer with strong technical skills, but you must also be prepared to make a contribution to the business in a commercial sense. In-house lawyers, unlike other in-house units, are viewed as a cost centre, so it is fundamental that you become good at controlling costs.

It is also interesting to note that the elevated demand for in-house lawyers will continue regardless of financial market conditions. Increasing regulations demand that companies review their legal risk. This will probably lead management to focus on hiring and retaining quality in-house personnel – leaving you with the question: are you ready to take up the challenge

Written by : Nisha Chug, Director, Legal & Compliance, Hong Kong

Click here for original post

(Article) Great leaders know to establish a great working environment around them

Tue, 16 May 2017 07:52:16 GMT

It has been over five years since I arrived in Hong Kong, and every day the market gets more and more crowded with new services and products. There are new leaders emerging all the time. I have seen those who have failed and those who have succeeded. What great leaders in today’s market all have in common is they inspire trust and confidence in their staff. This ensures continual commitment to the organisation and fosters lasting belief in the vision of the business. Even so, there are other leaders who show greatness only in certain areas and are there primarily to woo the consumer’s dollar.

What great leaders bring to the table are qualities such as the ability to establish an excellent environment within a workplace where they dole out rewards fairly and where integrity is both demonstrated and valued. They inspire their people with vision, courage and a keen sense of direction.

Great leaders are able to influence and inspire others to act together to build empires. Their common characteristics include humility, modesty, steadfastness, composure and compassion.

They lead with the end result in mind. They are fearless and courageous in making bold decisions for the well-being of the community in which they operate. They work hard to win the hearts of their staff to nurture a strong learning culture that benefits all.

Should you have the desire to be a great leader one day, it is important to remember that your own success can largely be influenced by the success and failures of those you are working with. This is something worth knowing.

Written by : Winnan Leung, Manager, Commerce Finance

Click here for original post

(Article) Upskilling is a constant need for IT professionals

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 07:55:34 GMT

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, many IT professionals have asked me if this year could shape up to be the right time for them to make a career move, as companies scramble to fill roles amid fierce competition in a very tight market. Candidates also wonder if this is a good time to maximise a salary increase.

The short answer is, there is no definitively correct or incorrect time to consider a career move. Constant job-hopping may suggest to employers that you are likely to move on quickly. On the other hand, spending too long in one role may raise questions about your ambition and motivation.

For IT professionals, apart from generic factors like compensation, work-life balance and the work environment, the most important factor is the technology they are using in their current role. Certain skills are already outdated or soon to become obsolete. One, for example, is Windows XP Admin – many IT help-desk support professionals have significant XP experience. Unfortunately, Microsoft no longer supports XP licences.

Developers and programmers continue to be in high demand but demand for skills in programming languages can change quickly. COBOL and Adobe Flash in particular have poor long-term prospects.

IT professionals need to continuously learn new skills to remain competitive in the market. When thinking about your next career move, it makes sense to focus on learning opportunities and long-term career prospects, and not just the salary package and title.

One of my candidates was a system administrator who moved into a top-tier company as a consultant on an average package, but was able to learn about cloud technologies and infrastructure solutions. His new skills made him very marketable, earning him an offer from a leading global cloud-computing service provider and ultimately a more significant salary increase over the longer term.

Ask yourself: are you learning new skills in your role, and will these skills be in demand in the foreseeable future?

Written by : Bonnie Chan, Associate Director, Technology

Click here for original post

(Event) Purpose: The New Competitive Advantage ~ Workshop with John Wood ~ 27th April, 2017

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 07:58:47 GMT

What is it about?

Milton Friedman once wrote that the “only social responsibility of business is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits...” Times have changed a great deal since Professor Friedman’s heyday. In today’s competitive environment, having a sole focus on maximising profits can actually hurt the enterprise value of a business. A whole new breed of cutting-edge companies, ranging from Salesforce to Starbucks to Tesla, have found that building a wider purpose and mission into their DNA is no longer considered a ‘nice to have’ that can be delegated to a small and silo-ed CSR office. For many, purpose has become a ‘must have’, as they recognise that when done right, purpose can not only enhance profits but, also be a powerful force in re-engaging customers, winning the war on talent, motivating and retaining employees, unifying supply chains and, ultimately, improving the bottom line.

(Article) Still having trouble with job interviews after all this time? Here’s what you can do

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 09:08:29 GMT

“Why couldn’t I get through the interview again?” is a question more and more senior candidates have been asking me in the past year. Many people, despite being employed for a decade or two and having been though a few job changes, surprisingly still encounter difficulties with interviews.

In the current challenging job market, many companies have limited budgets to spend on hiring. Employers are mostly looking for people with highly relevant experience and skill sets, if not a perfect match. Companies are increasingly adopting competency-based interview questions, also known as structural or behavioural questions. Interviewees must therefore ensure they are able to effectively share concrete examples from their past experiences that highlight specific competences or skills.

Take sufficient time – a couple of days off if you can – to think through your achievements and how you can support them with specific numbers and outcomes. Keep your answers clear and direct without telling long-winded stories – you will find this is much more difficult than you think. Give short and concise answers to questions you are not comfortable dealing with and admit any mistakes you have made in the past in a constructive manner. Strike a balance between highlighting your personal achievements and embracing team success.

Think seriously about what your career aspirations are. “Staying flexible with your next move” might be a desirable career approach but it’s not a reply interviewers expect from an experienced hire.

On top of technical know-how and experience sharing, a positive first impression is also key. Show your charisma! You may be surprised how senior executives can still be rejected because they lack a confident smile or firm handshake, or because they don’t make eye contact.

All told, the best way to ensure you perform your ultimate best in interviews is practise, practise and practise.

Written by: Kimmie Chan, Director of Consumer & Retail

Click here for original post

(Article) A brave career move in an uncertain market can pay dividends

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 09:10:44 GMT

Another 12 months have come and gone and we’ve seen many changes, some expected and some that have come from nowhere. So it is no surprise that there has been an impact on the job market and the way people view their careers.

It is understandable that people feel a sense of reluctance when it comes to a career move in a more unpredictable and unreliable job market. Fear of change is an inherent part of human nature at the best of times so why take a leap of faith in less certain markets? Consider the following points as a few compelling reasons to embrace a change in career rather than resist in exactly this kind of market.

First, those who stay put in jobs tend to deprive themselves of the opportunity to meet new challenges - a fundamental part of both personal and professional development.

Second, staying in a role that does not challenge and enable you to grow your skill set will inevitably reduce your ability to negotiate a better financial package both in the medium and long term.

Third, in today’s highly dynamic world, stagnating in a job that does not enable you to challenge yourself (even if the prospect of a challenge inspires a sense of fear) is extremely unproductive. In fact, overcoming this fear and facing the unknown when making career decisions is a defining characteristic of some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Finally, new positions that are created in cautious markets tend to be among the most well-thought-out headcount decisions by employers. These are “business critical roles” and bring with them considerable opportunity to make an impact. In other words, these are often career-defining roles for individuals who are prepared to take the leap of faith and make the jump.

A dynamic job market is crucial to growth. Don’t be afraid to make a job change that has the potential to fast-track your own career development.

Written by: Katharine de Vaal, Manager of Strategy and Transformation

Click here for original post

(Article) Giving women a greater say in companies is better for all

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 09:17:57 GMT

As a female manager and leader, I am often asked to share my insights and tips for working women.

Women do more than their fair share of the work, but are not always justly rewarded. For example, although the recruitment industry has more women than men, senior positions are mostly male-dominated. Promotions are often tied to profit targets, or to being seen as “one of us” by management. The same trends and principles apply in most organisations I have come across.

The good news is women can improve their prospects by changing their mindset and I have found the ideas of Sheryl Sandberg, the author of Lean In, to be very useful in addressing this.

First, women need to speak up. Women often hold back from expressing their views in meetings, so men end up doing most of the talking and have a disproportionate influence on outcomes. This is especially the case for Asian women, due to the additional cultural tendency not to challenge authority.

It is in the interest of organisations to hear the views of female team members, as diversity of opinion and perspective invariably helps organisations make better decisions. Managers should ask female members to contribute at meetings and give them allocated time.

Second, avoid coming across as emotional. Women are expected to be nurturing and motherly, and when we express an opinion, we can be seen as “aggressive” or “emotional” – especially in conflict scenarios. One technique I use to counteract this is to be well prepared with facts and figures supporting my views, and to try to avoid coming across as emotional by paying attention to facial expressions, body language and tone of voice.

Third, learn to negotiate. The need to negotiate exists in all relationships within any company, but studies have shown that women consistently negotiate less than men – and when they do, they ask for less. There is no logical reason whatsoever for this. Develop a negotiation style that works for you and practise it.

Written by: Athena Tse, Director of Manufacturing, Sourcing and Supply Chain

Click here for original post

(Article) Elevate your EQ

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 12:24:52 GMT

In today’s competitive and volatile job market, finding and maintaining a job is tough and studies show that employers are more inclined to retain employees that are likeable.

Many subscribe to the mistaken belief that being likeable comes naturally and is not a skill or quality that one can acquire. However, research proves that being likeable has been associated with people with a higher emotional quotient (EQ).

Psychology Today defines EQ as “the ability to identify and manage your own emotions and the emotions of others.” Today, higher EQ is one of the determinative factors for success in business, relationships and life in general.

People with a higher EQ are less focused on characteristics like intelligence, extraversion and attractiveness, and are instead more focused on skills that are totally in their control – such as approachability, humility and positivity.

More than just charisma or personality, EQ is exhibited through adaptability, collegiality and empathy – and is practised through listening, remaining resilient in the face of problems, valuing and helping colleagues, and connecting and empathising with clients.

While most of us have spent much of our lives diligently studying and taking exams in a quest to be more intelligent, the average individual hardly spends any time working on their EQ.

As our careers develop, we tend to discover that our colleagues are just as smart and hardworking as we are – and that the key to success must be due to something more.

Recent studies have shown that people who possess higher EQ are not only highly likeable, but also outperform others by a large margin, and tend to be top performers in a company.

Most of us could benefit from making ourselves a little more “likeable” – especially in the workplace – so my advice would be to pay attention to your EQ and proactively work to develop it through self-reflection, feedback and coaching.

Written by: Nisha Chugh, Director and Head of Legal & Compliance

Click here for original post

(Article) 4 Insights for Candidates Looking for the Right Recruiter

Fri, 05 Aug 2016 07:33:19 GMT

Continuing with my series of articles (see ‘ Top 4 Tips for Discussing Salary With Your Recruiter ’) that aim to provide transparent and practical advice to candidates using agencies in their job search, I felt it would be helpful to provide a broader industry overview. One of the reasons I have remained in the industry for as long as I have is that I enjoy its diversity. Whilst the underlying mechanics remain the same, the style and behaviours promoted by different organisations lead to different types of market engagement. This can make it challenging as a candidate to define who the most appropriate partners are. Hopefully, the following insights will help with this process;

1. Find the agent/s that best fit your needs.

At a high level we can split the industry into 3 areas:

Agencies - generally the lower value/higher volume end of the market
Recruitment Consultancies - mid to senior recruitment, predominantly on a contingent (fee on success) basis
Executive Search - senior recruitment, headhunting, often retained (partial payment up front)

From the outside it can be confusing as recruiters often blur the lines with a liberal use of job title and marketing. Fundamentally, everyone involved in recruitment is a recruiter and any organisation that is representing you to a third party is acting as an agent, although I tend to find that practitioners in my field can be a little sensitive about these terms.

To try and bring more meaning to this, within the executive/professional market I have identified 3 deeper definitions. This is not exhaustive but does give some perspective;

Boutique/Specialist – these are smaller organisations (sometimes just an individual) focused on a narrow industry or functional area. There are specialists who operate in the market who cover most job functions and industries. Their advantage is their focus and deep market knowledge. Their limitation is that, being smaller in terms of headcount, they will service a smaller client base. Also, if your skills are not a direct fit to their target market or you are looking to leverage a career shift to a parallel space then you are unlikely to gain any traction.

Large/Listed Contingent – these are larger organisations, often MNCs with a wide spread of industry and functional coverage. Larger companies will still have some overriding functional/industry strengths but their core advantage is that their brand reach and larger headcount enables them to engage with a wide client portfolio. Their international status also enables them to more easily access companies seeking to open in new locations because they have the head office relationship for referrals. The downside is that the nature of market engagement can become quite transactional. Recruiters within these businesses are often driven against blanket KPIs and have to meet high volume targets for sending candidate profiles, client calls and meetings. They also have to deal with a high volume of candidate applications. These factors can sometimes clash with quality of delivery and relationships and, on occasions, confidentiality. The industry as a whole also struggles with staff attrition and this is most noticeable in these type of organisations.

Executive Search – these firms are mainly focused at the senior end of the market and some of these businesses operate exclusively on a retained basis i.e. they secure an up-front payment to run a search. Charging fees that begin at US$50,000 minimums (with top tier search firms now requiring at least a US$75,000 fee potential to even get started) they have a defined research methodology to map specific markets/functions and deliver a candidate shortlist supported by appropriate market insights. For a candidate these companies have traditionally operated under a 'don't find us, we'll find you' philosophy but with the advancement of greater digital information flow, most of them now encourage online applications and fully utilise resources such as LinkedIn. As a more senior candidate, building long-term relationships with these organisations can often be advantageous.

2. Build an appropriate portfolio

Defining what style of agency to use will really depend on the needs of your search. Broadly speaking, a small mixed portfolio of partners with whom you have a strong connection and open communication is the ideal. The urgency of your search will also dictate this. If you are a more passive job seeker and are open to a move only for the right opportunity to progress then it would make more sense to deal with a smaller number of partners who are more targeted in your field and consultative in their engagement. If you are an active job seeker with strong push factors, or you are unemployed and need to pay the bills, then you may want to spread a wider net and ensure you are on the radar of more of the larger firms. Managing the relationships will demand time from you so, the more time you have on your hands, the more you can effectively handle. The balance is somewhere between putting your faith in one agent, which is unlikely to give you the breadth of coverage to identify all of the best opportunities for you, and registering with too many, leaving you handling representation saturation and conflicts.

3. Proactively define your network

To identify specifically which companies to contact I recommend using your network for referrals and, where possible, direct introductions. Identify hiring managers, HR professionals and in-house recruiters who regularly engage with external recruiters and find out who they value. Agencies and recruiters who represent them well when finding talent in the market are more likely to represent you well to prospective employers. Also, if you know anyone who’s opinion you value who has recently conducted their own job search, then they will also be a great source of intelligence around which partners to use (or which to avoid).

Where possible, try and commence the process with a conversation followed by a face to face meeting. This will give you better access, open a more effective communication channel and ensure you are remembered and stand out from the crowd. Try to avoid blanket mailing your resume out or registering with every agency you can find on day 1. Take it step by step and gauge the response before making your next move. I still receive candidate applications where I am one of many recruiters openly copied on the e-mail - these will find themselves sent directly to my deleted items and I am sure it's the same for many of the other recipients.

4. Nurture relationships

As you identify the firms and individuals that best align with your needs and values, make the effort to develop those relationships over time. A great recruiter will value your insights into the market and be happy to share their own. If you hear about an opportunity or an organisation that is growing, share this with the consultant that you build then most trust with and see if they can help you gain access. If you are working with a larger firm and they are advertising a role that seems to be a fit for you then proactively ask your contact to refer you internally, rather than make a general application. Refer excellent candidates to the people you value and they will be sure to remember and support you. As your career develops, you will likely need to hire talented people for your teams and if you maximise your relationships during your job search then you will have a ready made list of recruitment professionals who can represent you well when securing you the best people.

I hope this proves useful to you. I am always happy to hear from professionals in the Asian markets, whether you are interested in career opportunities, finding talent or just want to discuss recruitment or the markets more generally. Feel free to connect via mat@connectedgroup.com.

Please follow me and ConnectedGroup for future updates and to easily see which opportunities we are currently working on.

Written by: Mathew Gollop, Group Managing Director

Click here for original post

(Article) Making the move from banking to corporate

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 07:35:02 GMT

Over the past year, I have been speaking to senior finance leaders from top corporate Chinese companies, noting that they are increasingly hiring investment banking professionals. This is mainly because these companies are looking for relevant professionals to guide them through IPO and M&A procedures.

The pay scale between the investment banking division and corporate development or corporate finance jobs is also narrowing, making the move more attractive. So for those looking to make the switch from investment banking, perhaps due to the heavy workload and long hours, here are some tips.

Ideally, you should have a background in equity capital management (ECM) or M&A. With the majority of the larger Chinese and Hong Kong conglomerates looking to make acquisitions overseas, those with ECM or M&A backgrounds will be most in demand.

Think about moving early. Chinese conglomerates and Hong Kong corporates are not only seeking senior investment bankers, but are open to mid-level and junior candidates. Companies prefer candidates who have a passion for this line of work who can then be trained in the complexities of IPO listing or M&A procedures.

Research targeted companies, and picture yourself working in an organisation which may not have the dynamic pace of an investment bank. In-house roles are often in slower-paced environments that can be more bureaucratic.

You should also investigate the long-term viability of in-house roles, and whether or not a particular role will provide the potential for you to become the future head of finance.

While banks are notorious for layoffs this year, corporates do not necessarily guarantee job security.

My final pointer is: don’t act like a banker. Find a hot sector to specialise in, and show true passion for that industry.

Written by: Winnan Leung, Manager of Commerce Finance

Click here for original post

(Article) Get flex, Gen X

Fri, 01 Jul 2016 07:36:26 GMT

In the last six months, I’ve encountered roughly two unemployed Generation X executives every month who wanted to take a break from a long tenure with the same company because they did not share the strategic vision of new management. Overall, these executives were eager to make a change, but were having trouble finding new jobs.

With extensive experience, it shouldn’t be difficult for Gen Xers – born between 1965 and 1980 – to secure a senior position. So why were they having so much trouble?

The current job market is highly competitive, and employers who are recruiting typically look for a perfect match. In addition, companies currently tend to look for younger “high-potentials” rather than solid candidates with extensive experience in one company. And while the world is going digital, so are job opportunities. Some roles now in demand did not exist 10 to 15 years ago.

As the market changes, jobseekers need to change their mindset. I’ve heard Gen X candidates telling me they’ve never needed to look for a job, as they were surrounded by opportunities until recently. To meet the new market, these professionals need to approach it differently than before.

If you’re a Gen X jobseeker, you need to be proactive and open-minded when searching for new opportunities. During a market downturn, available opportunities may no longer be as ideal as expected. Identify your top priorities and keep these in mind when evaluating your options.

Join any committee, chamber or networking events that relate to your industrial or functional expertise. Reconnect with your ex-colleagues, family and friends; you will be surprised where this could lead.

Once you’ve met a prospective employer or industry contact, follow up. Send a simple, yet concise, follow-up note to reiterate your range of skills and experience. Most importantly, make sure you stay positive.

Written by: Kimmie Chan, Director of Consumer & Retail

Click here for original post

(Article) The importance of gravitas at all levels of your career

Tue, 24 May 2016 07:38:01 GMT

One of the highest accolades I give to job candidates of all levels when making an introduction to a client is: “When he or she speaks up, people sit up and take notice.”

Hirers know that to operate effectively, the people they recruit must be viewed by the most senior stakeholders in the business as influential and credible. This vital “voice” at the table is what we call “gravitas” or “executive presence”.

Executive presence is often misperceived as being overly confident, perhaps even arrogant. True gravitas is different; it is far more subtle and, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be an extrovert to develop it.

There are a few simple things you can practise that will have an immediate impact on your gravitas. These are useful, both if you are satisfied in your current role or if you are actively interviewing for a new one.

Be poised and assured in the value of your contribution. It’s perfectly natural to be nervous or intimidated in a room full of top leaders. Don’t give into this fear – remain calm and assured in the importance of what you have to say.

Listen, and use your judgement when it comes to making assertions and asking questions. Remain silent when appropriate. Attentive silence is the same as active listening, and listening is the core ingredient to being able to identify with other perspectives and add value by expressing your viewpoint.

Be confident without being arrogant. Arrogance and gravitas cannot coexist.

Be keenly aware of your body language. At least 80 per cent of your communication is non-verbal. Being aware of your own body language therefore plays a crucial role in establishing strong executive presence.

When done well, gravitas will enable you to add your unique value to important conversations, both in your current role and at the interview stage. Your impact at the most senior levels of business will only increase.

Written by: Katharine de Vaal, Manager of Strategy and Transformation

Click here for original post

(Article) Roll with the punches: be flexible when adapting to change in Hong Kong’s uncertain economic climate

Sat, 23 Apr 2016 07:39:49 GMT

The uncertain global economic climate has caused many organisations to reassess their business, financial and HR plans.

As a manager, you may be forced to give up parts of your team, or to take over other teams. You may be asked to do more with less, or to do something with nothing. You may even be asked to leave.

If you want to stay, understand what top company management wants. Find out whether they want to maintain status quo or make radical changes. Align yourself with their objectives. If they are considering restructuring or downsizing, think twice before submitting expansion plans, for example.

Take stock of your position in the company. If your value proposition is not strong, your role may be easily performed by someone else. Do you have good relationships with customers, suppliers and peers?

You also need to assess your relationship with senior management, and gauge their perception of you, your work and your track record.

Should you wish to stay, with the company, you need to be flexible, versatile and willing to leave your comfort zone. It’s also crucial that you tap into your network, so that you are the first to know about any impending changes.

To improve your profile, make yourself visible. You may want to give training sessions, or refer opportunities and useful contacts to colleagues. This is especially important in a regional office rather than the headquarters.

If your workflow is slowing down or drying up, think about what you can do outside your role to make a positive, demonstrable impact on the bottom line, be it soliciting a new client or suggesting a system that delivers cost savings.

Written by: Athena Tse, Director of Manufacturing, Sourcing and Supply Chain

Click here for original post

(Article) Manage your star performers for future success

Tue, 01 Mar 2016 07:25:43 GMT

Talent-retention strategies geared towards high performers remain a challenge in the world of investment banking, but as a leader this is something you should manage with care.

When top performers and lead executives leave a company, the rationale is usually more complex than low compensation, a poor set of benefits or a lack of status on offer. Eventually, many high performers move on, but, as a leader, you are in control of the size and duration of their wake.

Don’t reward performance with favouritism; the rules apply to everyone. Maintaining a corporate culture built on fairness, equality and trust will develop all employees and aid company performance in the long run.

Remember, high performers require engagement. Leaders tend to spend their energy on underperforming employees and let high performers run on autopilot. Everyone performs best when engaged in company strategy, training and mentoring – and that applies to high performers too. Even overachievers need attention, appreciation and regular formal performance reviews. Let them run on autopilot for too long and you risk alienating them from the company culture and vision.

Focus on your future, not your targets. Superstars have an impact in the short term; that’s why every firm wants one. Building a team around a superstar can yield immediate results, but is a dangerous strategy. Leaders should be rewarded for developing potential talent, as succession planning is equally important to immediate performance when it comes to return on investment. Plus, when a superstar emerges from within, they are usually more loyal and play by the rules they are accustomed to.

Written by: Jairaj Singh, Manager of Financial Services

Click here for original post

(Article) Keeping in touch: How post-interview communication can be crucial

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 07:24:08 GMT

The quality of your communication with prospective employers post-interview can have a crucial impact on your job prospects.

While most people are careful to construct well-written cover letters and résumés, many do not pay enough attention to further correspondence.

After you have interviewed with an employer, it is important to send an email to thank the interviewer for his or her time – no matter your level of seniority. You can use this opportunity to restate your interest in the job or politely inform the interviewer that the role is not for you.

If you have discovered that you don’t want to proceed with the hiring process any further, then you need to be specific when explaining your reasons. You don’t have to labour the point, but a brief explanation will help you end things on a professional and positive note.

While you may not want to work with the employer or company, you might want to continue your business relationship with the interviewer. This is particularly true if you work in a specialised role or niche sector.

If you are interested in pursuing the role, well-constructed correspondence is even more important.

It is always best to ask about the “next step” in the recruitment process when you are sitting face-to-face with an interviewer, preferably towards the end of the interview. Alternatively, you could send a follow-up email and then phone the employer a week later to find out about the status of your application, and any further steps.

Whether you contact the prospective employer via phone or email, remain neutral and polite in tone. After all, you want to sound positive – not desperate.

Written by: Selene Ma, Manager of Financial Services

Click here for original post

SG Office Move

Sat, 30 Jan 2016 07:22:36 GMT

NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Please be informed that effective from today, our Singapore office is relocated to:

Level 30, Singapore Land Tower, 50 Raffles Place, Singapore 048623

All our telephone and fax numbers remain unchanged. Many thanks.

Mathew Gollop

Group Managing Director

(Article) Don't be afraid to sell yourself in 2016

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 07:20:50 GMT

Its set to be an even more competitive world in 2016, with employers having tighter budgets and reduced headcounts, which means they now have a comprehensive checklist for new hires.

In the face of these hurdles, my advice to interviewees is: “sell yourself”.

Many candidates I prep for interviews cringe at this suggestion. Most people feel uncomfortable speaking about their strengths, as they assume they will come across as boastful, phony, arrogant or even obnoxious.

But selling yourself has nothing to do with boasting. Your CV may speak volumes about your experience, and will definitely help you get through the door, but ultimately you need to secure the role in an interview.

When given the opportunity, it is important to take on the challenge and sell yourself.

First off, forget the negative responses you have to the words “sell yourself”. Remember that this phrase also means that you are “demonstrating your abilities” or “highlighting your strengths”.

Prepare for the interview by detailing your positive attributes, such as your breadth of experience, your professional accomplishments, your leadership skills, your ability to work in a team and your potential contribution to the role.

In the interview, gauge the right time to self-promote – this is an important skill and it requires perceptiveness and the use of good judgment. If you are able to master these social and professional cues, you will convey your message in the most natural manner.

Remember, there is a fine line between arrogance and confidence, and humility is key to selling yourself genuinely.

Written by: Nisha Chugh, Director of Legal & Compliance

Click here for original post

(Article) Want to become a finance and accounting business leader? First you have to know how to interview with one

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 07:19:00 GMT

Securing a job interview is just the first step in presenting yourself to a potential employer. Candidates are now expected to go through many interviews, not only with the direct hiring manager, but also with skip-level managers, key stakeholders and even potential business clients.

Despite all this effort, you may not get the job – although it’s possible that it was for a reason beyond your control and has nothing to do with your credentials or abilities.

To start with, there may have been an internal promotion, as it’s often easier for companies to offer an opening to an existing employee who already has a good grasp of their products or services, structure, and way of doing things.

According to many senior executives, one of the more popular reasons that applicants aren’t hired is that a candidate was referred internally.

You could also be a victim of cost control, which is subtly embedded in the hiring practices for many companies. While employers generally expect a lot from candidates, and consider the immediate benefits they can bring to the business, some seem too focused on the idea of “value for money”.

Quite often, jobs disappear or roles change, especially in the recently volatile market, where company restructuring and headcount streamlining have become common.

Companies may even decide to axe a role just to see whether a team can manage the workload.

With change being the only real constant in business these days, hiring managers can also be switched and the focus of a talent search can be redefined at the last minute, which may cause all applications to be declined.

Written by: Kimmie Chan, Director of Consumer & Retail

Click here for original post

LinkedIn announce that ConnectedGroup is one of the most followed companies by financial services professionals in Hong Kong (Nov 2015)

Mon, 02 Nov 2015 06:18:58 GMT

Read about LinkedIn announce that ConnectedGroup is one of the most followed companies by financial services professionals in Hong Kong (Nov 2015) from Conne...

(Article) “It’s not you, it’s me.” Not getting the job doesn’t always mean you weren’t good enough

Mon, 05 Oct 2015 06:13:46 GMT

Despite all this effort, you may not get the job – although it’s possible that it was for a reason beyond your control and has nothing to do with your credentials or abilities.

According to many senior executives, one of the more popular reasons that applicants aren’t hired is that a candidate was referred internally.

Quite often, jobs disappear or roles change, especially in the recently volatile market, where company restructuring and headcount streamlining have become common.

Companies may even decide to axe a role just to see whether a team can manage the workload.

Written by: Kimmie Chan, Director of Consumer & Retail

Click here for original post

(Article) Need a career change, or just bored? The rewards are worth the risk if you are strategic

Sat, 01 Aug 2015 06:07:27 GMT

Working in executive search, I see many people wanting to change career paths or shift industries. I always ask the question: Will it help you to achieve your goals?

Before making a career move, you should be certain that you are not merely bored in your current role.

I would argue that, if possible, it is better to seek out challenging projects or new responsibilities within your current field before making drastic changes.

Before you decide, you should ask yourself the following questions:

Are my skills transferable to a new role or industry?
l How well will I adapt to change?
l Will this stall my career progression, as I need to learn about a new industry?
l What sacrifices, both personally and professionally, are likely to be made?

Once you’ve decided to make the move, it may be best to use your personal network to introduce you to influencers in other fields who could potentially provide a foot in the door at the companies you are interested in.

Find out which industries you’d like to target, bearing in mind the sectors where you could best leverage your existing knowledge and experience.

You should also focus on companies known for innovation and change.

If you do need to gain new skills, start by training or studying in preparation for the job-hunt.

When you start interviewing, be ready to explain why you want to change, and be prepared for some knock-backs and rejections — but don’t give up.

Most importantly, get ready to leave your comfort zone. Change is never easy, but if you are confident in your skills and prepared to challenge norms, it is attainable — and usually worth the risk.

Written by: Chris Yip, Director of Technology

Click here for original post

(Article) How to win the talent war in the Hong Kong banking and finance sector

Sun, 05 Jul 2015 05:41:05 GMT

As China continues to open its markets to outside investors through schemes such as the recent Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, the investment banking landscape has radically shifted. Many experienced bankers are shedding their ‘size matters’ mentality and leaving big banks to set up their own advising and consulting companies, with a view to clinching many medium-sized deals.

Players are more opportunistic and prefer to join teams rather than brands, specifically teams built on relationships with relevant business people to ensure maximum deal exposure, which is essential during these turbulent times.

At the same time, investment bankers are open to moving to Beijing and Shanghai, the mainland’s financial hubs, and many of them are using their existing cross-border connections to get established.

There has also been a seismic shift in the preferences of jobseekers — especially those in the middle to senior bracket. These days, professionals in the industry prefer smaller organisations where there’s a chance for them to cultivate their career, instead of getting lost in the unwieldy processes of bureaucratic behemoths.

A decade ago, most candidates were targeting top-tier multinationals with hundreds of employees in each country. Now they’re looking at regional banks with fewer staff that offer a wider range of tasks and challenges to keep them interested.

Key to this change is the growing belief that people should have control over their own lives. Work-life balance is everything to modern professionals, who place greater importance on how their workplace supports their personal well-being and happiness.

These trends have created an acute shortage of candidates for key positions of two types:

Vice-presidents and directors — typically those with 10-12 years experience. There are few individuals capable of gaining traction with clients and, at the same time, able to focus on supervising staff.

Associates with good transaction experience. Due to massive layoffs in 2012, a lot of teams have become top heavy.

Thanks to strong demand and relatively limited supply, a talent war has broken out. Firms on the front line have been firing rounds of inflated salaries and top titles at candidates in the field, only to see them switch sides after a few months, lured away by huge counter offers from competing firms.

The main casualty in all this is industry itself. Tighter rules have led to an increasing demand for roles related to governance and regulation.

Maintaining control and trying to prevent careless mistakes has resulted in a boom in several areas: regulatory operations, reporting, compliance, operational risk, Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering operations, and due diligence.

To cut costs, bulge bracket banks are relocating their back offices to India, Singapore and the Philippines. Most of the remaining roles are internal and involved in client liaison and project management, requiring people with communication and technical skills. As for senior positions, many are already filled at most of the bulge bracket firms or are targets for internal transfers, so hiring activity is mainly at the associate to junior VP level.

That being said, senior level recruitment has been strong in mainland financial institutions due to the increase in business activity, which has led to traditional flat-form organisations being upgraded.

Written by: Levina Poon, Director of Financial Services

For more information on ConnectedGroup, go to www.connectedgroup.com
For more information on STP, go to www.stpsearch.com
For more information on IRI Group, go to: www.irigroup.com

Should you have any questions with regard to this press release or require any further information, please contact Richard Evans on richard.evans@irigroup.com.

(Article) Be competitive by offering global mobility for employees

Wed, 01 Jul 2015 05:36:06 GMT

ConnectedGroup is the Most Followed Recruitment Firm by Hong Kong Members on LinkedIn

There is little doubt that the contemporary business world is global, with cross-border trading, international deals and major international companies leaving footprints in some of the fastest growing cities in the world.

In the developing world, increasingly prosperous consumers, many of whom reside in Asia, are providing new growth markets for global corporations at a time when much of the developed world faces slower growth and ageing populations.

Corporations are making their business international, and global professionals are likewise looking for greater mobility and increased international exposure.

Unsurprisingly, Asia continues to offer some of the most dynamic business opportunities for individuals and companies. Cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai remain top hubs for professional services, consumer goods, cutting-edge technology and more.

Business continues to grow in Asia and there is demand for international talent. Chinese language skills (both Cantonese and Mandarin) and cultural astuteness are crucial, making Chinese professionals that are returning from international markets among the most valuable talent in the region.

But what about young talent in Asia who are looking to broaden their international business experience? There seems to be less emphasis on opportunities for relocation and secondment outside of the region.

In this extremely competitive market, employers who offer global mobility for their employees – even in the interview process – will position themselves as a clear differentiator.

Written by: Katharine de Vaal, Manager for Strategy and Transformation

Click here for original post

ConnectedGroup is the Most Followed Recruitment Firm

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 05:31:58 GMT

ConnectedGroup is the Most Followed Recruitment Firm by Hong Kong Members on LinkedIn

LinkedIn recently announced that ConnectedGroup had achieved an outstanding market position in the recruitment industry, being the most followed firm in the sector, by Hong Kong members.

“This is a great result for ConnectedGroup and it is very rewarding to see this recognition, especially given our investment and strategic use of LinkedIn as part of our social media strategy. This gives us confidence to continue to drive our brand into new areas and engage with candidates in new ways. The network we have achieved widens our reach for our clients when they are seeking talent, while also enabling us in delivering more targeted communication with the candidate market. It is important to us that candidates have a positive, informative and valued experience when they interact with our firm. Social media allows us to continue in our drive to positively engage with people who are interested in what we do, or have to say”, said Group Managing Director, Mathew Gollop.

For more information on ConnectedGroup, please go to www.connectedgroup.com

Should you have any questions with regard to this press release or require any further information, please contact Richard Evans on richard.evans@connectedgroup.com

ConnectedGroup completes acquisition of STP Search

Wed, 01 Apr 2015 05:25:29 GMT

ConnectedGroup, an executive search and recruitment firm with operations in Hong Kong, Singapore and China, today announced that they have completed the acquisition of STP Search, a specialist IT Search firm based in Hong Kong.

This acquisition strengthens ConnectedGroup’s existing capabilities in the IT sector as it creates considerable synergy with their other specialist divisions: Financial Services, Strategy/Transformation, Legal, Supply Chain, Retail/Consumer, Life Sciences, Human Resources and Finance/Accounting.

STP Search Managing Director, Chris Yip has been leading STP, providing specialist IT search and recruitment services to the Financial Services, Vendor and Commercial sectors. He has been growing the business with support from the IRI Group, a shareholder in both firms. Having developed a successful boutique firm with a client base across the region, Chris now joins ConnectedGroup as the Director of the ConnectedGroup Information Technology Division.

“I am excited by this acquisition as it strengthens one of our strategic pillars for the continued development of ConnectedGroup. In addition, Chris joining ConnectedGroup, rounds out our Senior Leadership team across all of our current specialist sectors. We were keen for this to happen as it will accelerate our growth in this area, while we achieve our ambition of meeting client and candidate needs with the highest level of expertise” said Matt Gollop, Group Managing Director of Connected Group.

“This is a great development for STP as we are now in a position to immediately offer our clients services across Hong Kong, Singapore and China, by combining the current locations and delivery capabilities of ConnectedGroup with the expertise of the STP team. Having the regional platform, a wider range of service sectors for both clients and candidates, as well as being able to drive our business forward as at a faster pace, made this a very attractive opportunity” said Chris Yip, Managing Director of STP Search.

“While this was not planned when we helped establish STP or invested in ConnectedGroup, this is a great outcome. To see a business we helped build establish trusting relationships with another IRI invested firm and then see that eventuate in the two firms coming together like this, is a very rewarding experience” said Andrew Chung, Chairman of IRI Group, who confirmed that IRI brokered the deal on this acquisition.

For more information on ConnectedGroup, go to www.connectedgroup.com
For more information on STP, go to www.stpsearch.com
For more information on IRI Group, go to: www.irigroup.com

Should you have any questions with regard to this press release or require any further information, please contact Richard Evans on richard.evans@irigroup.com.

Company Overview

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 05:17:24 GMT

Established in 1997, ConnectedGroup is a privately owned enterprise and has developed from a pure executive recruitment business into a client-centric recruitment consultancy with a broader range of services and capabilities.

With offices in Asia we are well placed to service two of the fastest growing regions in the world and our consultative and client driven approach has positioned us as a partner of choice for companies across a diverse range of industries.

Our mission is "to be remembered for exceeding expectations" which drives us to deliver outstanding levels of service whilst being realistic about our capabilities on each and every assignment. We recruit and measure our employees against the values of being Candid, Creative and Connected which drives our open and transparent culture whilst encouraging new ideas and focuses us on internal communications that leverage greater market penetration.

At ConnectedGroup values such as 'respect', 'integrity' and 'professionalism' are not aspirational, they are prerequisite.

Service Offerings

Wed, 05 Nov 2014 05:15:05 GMT

Our core businesses are focused around the attraction, development and management of talent and cover the following:

Hong Kong

Established in 1997, this is our founding office and remains as the Group headquarters. Stationed at the 'gateway to China' for over a decade, we have been well positioned to develop alongside the economic growth of the world's largest market.

Singapore

Established in 2004, the 'Lion City' acts as our base of operations for South East Asia. Singapore is strategically located to support the growth of countries within the ASEAN and key developing countries in this region are likely locations for future ConnectedGroup offices.

China

Established in 2006 via a joint venture agreement with a successful local boutique (that was originally founded in 2003), the business was converted to a wholly owned foreign enterprise in 2011 and aims to become a major player within the mainland market.

connected

The Boomerang Effect: Why Hong Kong's Best Talent Is Coming Back — and How to Recruit Them

Precision Hiring in a Cautious Market: How Hong Kong Employers Are Redefining What 'The Right Hire' Looks Like

Supporting Hong Kong's Largest Charity Foundation

Supporting Community Impact

Press Release: ConnectedGroup Structural Update

New Technology Recruitment Project

High Profile Hong Kong IT Development Project

Bridging Technical and Investment Talent in the Energy Transition Sector – a Hong Kong View

ESG & Sustainability - Selecting the Right Training and Education Options

Update - ESG & Sustainability [ESGS] Talent Trends - Hong Kong Market

Integrating Diversity via Technology Transformation in Hong Kong

ESG/ Sustainability Talent Trends – Hong Kong

The Last 12-18 months

The Next 12-18 months

Key Observations

Our Core Services

Our Value Adds

Your Job Search Strategy in Hong Kong – Q4 2024

When Will Things Improve?

Why Do I Not Receive Feedback?

Do All Roles Really Need Chinese Language Skills?

Is There a Better Way to Approach My Job Search?

Anything Else?

The Evolving Hong Kong Board & Advisory Ecosystem

1. Trimming the Seats: HKEX’s Push to Reduce Over-boarding

2. Board Composition and Gender Diversity

Rethinking Independence

Future Developments

Conclusion

ConnectedGroup recognised in the 2024 Best Workplaces in Asia list

Navigating the workforce revolution: From resignation to retention

The New, ‘New Silk Road’ – Middle East Investment in Hong Kong & Asia

Investing in Failure: The Hidden Costs of Ineffective Hiring and Onboarding

Purpose Driven Recruitment Project

Supporting Community Impact

Not Just Great, But Best!

Press Release

Happy HongKonger

Recognition from Happy Hongkonger

CG is 'Great Place To Work' Certified™

Finance Talent Demand Trend in 2022 and Beyond: Outsourcing & Automation

12 lessons in 25 years

LinkedIn article - A Checklist for Tackling Hong Kong's Talent Crisis

eFinancial Careers Global Insight Report : The big mid-year challenges facing recruiters in Singapore and Hong Kong

The big mid-year challenges facing recruiters in Singapore and Hong Kong

Key takeaways

​

Flexible Working Benefits in a Post-Pandemic Hong Kong

As a result, we have established partnerships in key international locations to enable our clients to re-hire their own staff remotely whilst being billed from a local Hong Kong entity.

​

How to Negotiate Salary?

Why you should negotiate?

When should you start talking about salary?

Tips to Prepare for Salary Negotiation

Careers in Strategy Consulting

Contract Assignments in Hong Kong – the Good, the Bad and the Opportunity

Update - fundraising for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME

​SUCCESS!

Our aim was to raise at least HK$80,000, with ConnectedGroup matching the first HK$40,000.

We are thrilled to announce that we have overachieved budget by 33% and raised HK$53,100, with CG matching this amount .

A total of HK$106,200 has now been donated to CCF for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME.

Huge thanks to all who donated and to our own CG team who rallied tirelessly for this campaign. A rewarding achievement to complete 2021!

​

​The Story of Sophea and Sonnita

Dealing with Hong Kong's Tech Talent Shortfall

Digitisation is driving a recruitment boom in Hong Kong’s insurance sector

ConnectedGroup is fundraising for the GIRLS EMPOWERMENT & INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME.

Our aim for this campaign is to raise at least HK$80,000, with ConnectedGroup matching the first HK$40,000 donated.

​The Story of Sophea and Sonnita

Our South Asia Covid-19 Emergency Appeal

7 Questions You Will Still Get Asked in a Video Job Interview

1. Why Should We Hire You?

2. Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

3. What Are Your Strengths?

4. What Are Your Weaknesses?

5. Why Do You Want This Job?

6. What Is Your Dream Job?

7. Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?

The Takeaway

SUCCESS!

The Story of Sophea and Sonnita

The Story of Sophea and Sonnita

NOTICE OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS