Solid leadership is particularly essential in times of change. With COVID-19 subsiding and the Hong Kong and mainland China economies getting back on the track to recovery, it is time for businesses to rethink about their strategies to adapt to and seize the opportunities that arise from the post-pandemic new normal. CEO Mr. Weber Lo sat down with Connections to share his thoughts about the new normal and how it relates to Hang Lung’s business priorities as he maps our path of growth in 2023.

Compared to major crises encountered in the last two decades, Weber believes that COVID-19 has resulted in more extensive and profound disruptions. He sees exploring ways to deepen customer engagement as shopping and travel patterns change, enhancing operational productivity, and incorporating sustainability into day-to-day operations, as among the priorities we need to focus on fueling further growth amid the post-pandemic new normal.

While many businesses are devising strategies to adapt to the new normal, Weber emphasizes the importance of staying focused on customer-centricity, productivity improvement through continuous streamlining of work processes, and “Care about People” initiatives, which he believes, have solidified our strengths against the negative headwinds over the past three years and will continue to put us in the best position to achieve further business growth.

Several indicators have proved the effectiveness of our strategies including the record-high rental revenue achieved by our mainland China property leasing business two years in a row; the significant increase in top-tiered high-end brands as tenants, and a loyal customer base with improved tenant sales, even amid the challenging business landscape.

As the overall market conditions in both Hong Kong and mainland China improve, Weber emphasizes, “We’re now in a much better position. It’s time for us to step up and make our move.” He cited our first-of-its-kind sustainability partnership with LVMH has demonstrated our ability to move the needle at a global level. “I’m confident that we can reach new heights in 2023, especially for our Mainland portfolio,” Weber added. He also encouraged his colleagues to gain a deeper understanding of market and customer needs by going to the ground, especially on the Mainland, which accounts for close to 70% of our rental revenue.

Many people might not know that Weber was an athlete and earned the “Sportsman of the Year” back in his school days. Now he is a golfer. He shared that the grit and determination required to excel in sports has shaped the kind of leader he is today – someone who places a high value on teamwork, resilience, and a never-give-up spirit, and demonstrates a strong sense of discipline and determination in pursuing his beliefs. He elaborated that a good leader who can navigate the new normal has to be able to do the right thing at the right time, in alignment with corporate strategy and core values.

Proud Achievements in Last Five Years

When asked about the achievements that he is most proud of since joining the Company as CEO five years ago, Weber said they are the Company’s focus on customer-centricity, the rapid developments in sustainability and the good crisis management capabilities, as demonstrated abundantly through the period of social unrest in Hong Kong and during the pandemic.