HKU Bulletin October 2003 (Vol. 5 No. 1)

17 FULFILLING THE DREAM W atch out for the name Vivian Lam Yan because this ambitious HKU graduate has set herself a target: to be the chief financial officer of a major multi-national company. Now with General Electric – one of the world’s largest companies – the former BBA accountancy and finance student appears to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. From the comparat ively modest Sha T in Government Secondary School, Lam’s pragmatic approach to her career dictated that only HKU would do. She said: “Hong Kong is a major financial centre and since I wanted to develop a career on the financial side this course offered the two key professional skills I needed. “I chose HKU because of culture, tradition, learning and the fact that it is famous for other activities that would enable me to develop as an all-round person.” One of these was the Intensi f ied Learning Opportunity Programme (ILOP) which Lam believes is a key ingredient in her success story. She said: “It brings together many diverse strands such as leadership skills, exchange programmes, career workshops and mentoring. “There were a lot of famous alumni and we were given a one- on-one mentor. He shared with me his work experience and answered the questions I needed to build a career.” When Lam graduated in 1998 she discovered an economy reeling from the full impact of the Asian financial crisis and a disappearing jobs market. She said: “Lucki ly I picked the r ight course. The big accountancy firms were still recruiting so I did not spend too much time struggling for a job.” Courtesy of her course, Lam had already passed 10 of the required 14 examination papers to become a ful ly qual ified accountant. “The course really helped me with those four remaining papers and I was quite confident because of this. I just decided to take all the papers in one sitting.” Lam walked into PriceWaterhouse, probably the best known accountancy firm in the world, and proceeded to spend 18 months building up her experience. She said: “I then tried to rethink my career; should I aim to become a partner with a professional firm or aim to become a CFO of a commercial firm? “I decided I wanted to be more involved in the commercial world. With this kind of decision there is no right and wrong. You simply have to decide what your priorities are.” With that she decided to apply for a place on the financial management programme wi th General Electr ic which she completed a year ago. Now a commercial finance analyst in GE Power System Asia Pacific, Lam spends her life travelling abroad or taking conference calls with her American colleagues late at night and early in the morning. Does this leave anytime for a private life? Lam laughs: “Good question! The first two to three years of a career are spent at work and gaining professional qualifications and now I spend much time travelling. “I enjoy it but it is tough. I need to strike a balance between my private and working life. “As a young professional, working for an international firm, it takes an extra effort to maintain a relationship if your partner is not as mobile as you.” In the meantime Lam will have to console herself with the thought of becoming a CFO. HKU Grad Sets Her Sights on CFO Position Vivian Lam Yan F or Dr the Hon. Sarah Liao Sau-tung the opportunity to address the inauguration this year was also the chance to return full circle to the hall where she sat 33 years ago as an undergraduate. But if the audience expected to be treated to an exercise in pure nostalgia from the Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works they failed to understand this self-confessed ‘fiery’ politician. Not shy of tackl ing Hong Kong’s troubles Liao told the hall: “I can see some of you looking at me and thinking ‘Look at what you have done to Hong Kong – your government’. “I argue that Hong Kong is not going through the best of times and it is also undergoing unprecedented pol i t ical economic and social changes.” Inviting both ‘partnership and criticism’ Liao told students that cr i t icism, however, came wi th strings attached for the educated elite in today’s society. She said: “You must develop your cr i t ical analysis, mind and knowledge so that when you cr i t icise or chal lenge you are different and are not just following the crowd. “You must do your homework.” The theme of political and civic responsibi l i t ies also spread into Liao’s memories of her three years as a chemistry and botany student at the University during the ‘roaring 70s’. These centred on China’s successful application to join the United Nations and the determination of Hong Kong activists to secure a more responsive and accountable colonial government. She said: “Among the fiery zest of youth we did not forget more practical things. We had to earn money because grants and loans did not come easy. Many took up jobs as a tutor. “Some had to subsidize their family income and I played the fiddle.” This did not mean they were lacking in social and cultural activ F it r i o e m s. playing in orchestras, to taking part in barn dances and plotting intrigue in a very sweaty students’ union – there was no air conditioning – Liao recalls a ‘lot of fun’. The minister said: “I have not forgot ten the most impor tant aspect : to lear n and grow intellectually. Those who make it to HKU are the most brilliant of the bunch – the crème de la crème. “But you must remember that there are brilliant people around who will think differently but are just as good.” Alumna Invites Partnership and Criticism Sarah Liao 16