Dr Ma’s advice is based on his professional experience. He and his elder brother began their business careers with a garment factory that has evolved into a publicly listed group with interests in real estate, trading, hotels, and food and beverage. Dr Ma humbly says the growth of the family business was due mostly to lessons learned from failures rather than from any personal talent.

“There are always ups and downs in business. The key is to keep your feet on the ground and work hard. At the same time, you should draw up long-term plans and regularly review trends and enhance your competitiveness,” Dr Ma says.

Dr Ma is certain that the above principle can be applied to the current business environment, which has been hurt by the pandemic. Although his group has been affected by the crisis, he endeavours to look for the positives. He insists that, despite uncertainties, you should plan ahead and take action when an opportunity arises.

Moreover, he enthusiastically takes part in community services, such as serving as a supervisor for a secondary school, even though his schedule is packed. Delighted to give back to society, he believes the community will be more harmonious if everyone helps each other with a thankful heart.

Deeply impressed by the University’s recent achievements, Dr Ma has kindly donated to support CityUHK. His generosity has helped to set up the Dr Ma Kai Yum Mainland Work Attachment Scholarships, which he hopes will create more employment opportunities for young people and enable them to acquire an objective, comprehensive view of mainland China.

Dr Ma’s motto emphasises that “people should not be arrogant when in power, as the time for dominance can be very short in one’s lifetime; make friends with the kind and generous as only a few exist in the sea of people.”

Dr Ma rides out the ups and downs in his business calmly and with no fear or complacency. He is always considerate and thoughtful, which explains why his group maintains its strong position in the market.

Dr Warren Ma Kai-yum

• Chairman and Executive Director, Carrianna Group Holdings Company Limited
• Life Honorary President, Hong Kong & Kowloon Chiu Chow Public Association
• President Supervisor, Federation of Hong Kong Shantou Community Organizations
• Executive Chairman, Hong Kong Changsha Chamber of Commerce
• Chairman, Hong Kong Commerce, Industry and Professionals Association
• Vice-President, Federation of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community Organization
• Vice-President, The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong
• Member, Hong Kong Brand Development Council
• Member, Board of Governors and Honorary Director, CityUHK Foundation
• Honorary President, CityUHK Industrial and Business Leaders Circle

This article is extracted from CityUHK Today.