The Hong Kong Management Association held its 58th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday, 4 July 2019 at its Headquarters. Mr James Thompson GBS, Chairman of the Association reported that 2018 had been another challenging yet fruitful year to take pride of for the progress made in spreading the Association`s footprints over different aspects of management and education services.

With a vision to provide professional programmes and activities to train up talents for the retail industry, and to serve as a learning platform for executives in this filed, the launch of the Academy for Retail Innovation and Management (ARIM) was an important milestone in the Association`s history. "While the Greater Bay Area initiative is gradually taking shape, the waves of retail market evolution are rushing to the shore of Hong Kong," said Mr Thompson.

The Association continued to devote vigorous efforts in promoting senior executive development through various prestigious programmes under the Institute of Advanced Management Development (AMD) in collaboration with world-class professors and institutions including University of Cambridge; ESIC Business School of Spain, as well as Georgetown University.

Under the leadership of its Advisory Board Chairman, Dr the Honourable Leong Che Hung, the Institute of Healthcare Management (HCM) had made remarkable progress on advancing management excellence in the healthcare sector through the provision of a wide range of dynamic programmes on dental nursing, healthcare management, psychology, nutrition and dietary management, emotional and community counselling, as well as a series of seminars and conferences on executives` health, blockchain and quality healthcare in answer to Hong Kong`s ageing population and the manpower demand for the healthcare sector.

As the Distinguished Salespersons Award (DSA) celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a record-breaking 204 entries from 70 companies, the Hong Kong Sustainability Award (HKSA) was organized for the second time with a new Individual Award Category to honour those who made remarkable contribution to the sustainable development of their organizations as well as the business community. "Sustainability could not have taken shape in the organizations and society without the staunch support of the sustainability elites who roll up their sleeves in promoting sustainability, embracing it as a creed of their organization and the business community.` said Mr Thompson.

In view of the evolving trends, the Association`s governance structure had been reorganized to ensure HKMA`s continued success in the upcoming challenges. After the formative changes, the eleven Committees, three Advisory Boards and six Specialist Clubs would oversee and advise on the services of the HKMA. "We see this change of structure as an opportunity to further enhance our existing stakeholder engagement, ensuring that the Association as a whole can continue to offer premium services for our members.` said Mr Thompson.

Mr Thompson announced that he would step down from the Chairmanship and paid tributes to his predecessors, the two Deputy Chairmen as well as all members of the Council, Committees, Advisory Boards and Specialist Clubs. He also reported that the HKMA`s Council was awarded the 2018 Directors of the Year Awards by the Hong Kong Institute of Directors in recognition of good corporate governance and director professionalism. "It has been a privilege to serve as the Chairman of the Association. I am blessed to have your unceasing support throughout my term of office.` he said.

At the Annual General Meeting, ten elected or re-elected Council Members were as follows:

• Mr Guy Bradley, Chief Executive, Swire Properties Ltd
• Mr S K Cheong, Executive Director and General Manager, Television Broadcasts Ltd
• Dr Roy Chung GBS JP, Co-founder and Non-executive Director, Techtronic Industries Co Ltd
• Mr David Fong BBS JP, Managing Director, Hip Shing Hong (Holdings) Co Ltd
• Ms Mary Huen, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd
• Ms Susanna Hui, Executive Director and Group Managing Director, HKT Ltd
• Ir Alkin Kwong JP, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive, Hong Yip Holdings Ltd
• Ms Randy Lai, Chief Executive Officer, McDonald`s Hong Kong
• Mr Stephen Leung, Country Manager, Pfizer Corporation Hong Kong Ltd
• Mr Michael Wu, Chairman and Managing Director, Maxim`s Caterers Ltd

At the Council Meeting held immediately after the Annual General Meeting, Mr Helmuth Hennig, Group Managing Director, Jebsen & Co Ltd was elected Chairman of the Association. Dr Y K Pang GBS JP, Deputy Managing Director, Jardine Matheson Limited and Mr S K Cheong, Executive Director and General Manager, Television Broadcasts Ltd were re-elected and newly-elected as Deputy Chairmen respectively. Mr James Thompson GBS was admitted as Honorary President of the Association.

The three new Council Members this year includes:

• Mr TK Chiang, Managing Director, CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd
• Dr Jacob Kam, Managing Director, MTR Corporation
• Mr Thomas Leung, Mainland China and Hong Kong Deputy Markets Leader, South China Markets Leader, PwC China

A "Meet the Chairman and Council` Networking Drink was held immediately after the Council Meeting at the Hong Kong Club. Over eighty Council, Charter, Corporate and Full Members attended the event.

Introduction on Mr Helmuth Hennig
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Mr Hennig completed his higher education in Denmark before joining the German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd. After working with the company in Germany, Australia and New Zealand for several years, Helmuth returned to Hong Kong in 1983 and has worked for Jebsen & Co Ltd ever since. He is currently the company`s Group Managing Director and is responsible for the Group`s overall business, operations, strategies and development.

In addition to his company functions, Mr Hennig has served on the boards of various non-profit organizations in Hong Kong, including three years as Chairman of the German Swiss International School`s Board of Governors. Currently he is the Chairman of The Photographic Heritage Foundation and an Executive Committee Member of Outward Bound Hong Kong. He was conferred the honorary title of guest professor for the Business School of Jilin University in April 2013.

Mr Hennig first became involved in the work of the Association in 2009 as a member of the Council. He has been an Executive Committee member since 2012 and Deputy Chairman since 2016. � Since 2016, he has also been leading the Finance Sub-committee in monitoring the financial performance and position of the HKMA.

He has given the HKMA his full support in different capacities, including Chairman of General Management Committee (2011-2016) and Chairman of the Human Resources Sub-committee (2012-2016).

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Issued by The Hong Kong Management Association on 4 July 2019.