Dr Anthony Lau Siu Wing had already made a name for himself as the head of a partnership company in Hong Kong in the 1990s. However, in pursuit of knowledge, he attended the University of East Asia, the University of Macau’s (UM) predecessor, to pursue a master’s degree in business administration, and the learning experience had a lasting influence on his career. Much like his peers who consider giving back to the university to be a virtuous deed, Dr Lau has never stopped supporting his alma mater. Looking back on his career of over 50 years in the air cargo and logistics industry, Dr Lau says: ‘Life is never going to be smooth sailing. We must learn to roll with the punches and always aim higher to achieve more than what is expected.’

Steering the Air Cargo and Logistics Industry

Dr Lau is considered both a pioneer and veteran of Hong Kong’s air cargo and logistics industry. In 2009, the Hong Kong SAR government awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star to Dr Lau in recognition of his significant contribution to the logistics development of the city.  

In the 1980s, Lau and his partners founded BALtrans Holding Ltd. In anticipation of the company’s listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, he felt the need to acquire more professional business knowledge. As few universities in Hong Kong offered master’s programmes in business administration (MBA) at the time, he came to Macao to pursue an MBA at the University of East Asia, the predecessor of UM. ‘The programme broadened my horizons and exposed me to various professional knowledge, such as tax regulations of different countries, shareholder expectations management, and the rules and standards of the Securities and Futures Commission,’ says Dr Lau. ‘The courses not only helped me develop my business, but also inspired me to conduct an initial public offering for my company.’

According to Dr Lau, it was not easy to juggle school with work as an entrepreneur. Among all, time management was a big challenge – the master’s programme required him to travel from Hong Kong to Macao on a weekly basis to attend classes at the old campus in Taipa, not to mention that all courses were fit in one day, which made a regular school day very intense, lasting from 8:00am to 6:00pm. Despite all these challenges, he persisted in completing the two-year programme. ‘I remember my marketing professor the most. He loved talking to us and the atmosphere in the classroom was very lively. I still keep in touch with him today,’ says Dr Lau. ‘Also, most of my classmates were management professionals, so it was natural for us to build a synergistic alumni network.’

After graduating with a master’s degree, Dr Lau led his company to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the company became the largest publicly listed global logistics group based in Hong Kong. Today, as a veteran in the logistics industry, Dr Lau continues to steer the industry towards success by seizing opportunities available in the supply chain of the Greater Bay Area.

Hardship is the Pathway to Growth

Lau was born in a turbulent time of China, and his ancestral business was completely destroyed during World War II and the Second Sino-Japanese War. Since his family was in decline, his parents had to work very hard for a living and they had no time to supervise his studies. The hardships in childhood made Lau an independent person and he grew up with a good understanding of the world. In the early 1960s, Lau moved to Hong Kong to develop his career and started by working at Alitalia in a job with a decent salary. Later, he found the job not challenging enough and applied for a position in the LEP Group, then the second largest publicly listed logistics group in the United Kingdom, where he was appointed a commercial representative in Hong Kong to explore new business opportunities.

However, after the probationary period, the head office was unsatisfied with his performance and even intended to replace him or send staff from Europe to take over the business. Fortunately, the then director of the office’s Swiss branch was willing to give him one more chance – an intensive six-month training programme, during which Lau was required to meet with four to five clients daily, write reports for each client and report back to the Swiss director. The one-to-one training not only allowed him to acquire necessary analytic skills but also enhanced his communication skills.  

‘I strived for the best and worked tirelessly to make the Hong Kong office an outstanding commercial office for the group and the result was recognised by the managing director of air freight at the headquarters in the UK,’ Dr Lau says with a smile. ‘When I was a young student, I studied well only hoping to find a stable job and improve my family’s financial situation. As I grew older, it began to dawn on me that the higher you stand in life, the further you can see.’

A Beacon of Light in the Journey of Life

Most people would not become successful without the help of others. Dr Lau is no exception. He recalls that his success would not be possible without the support of an old friend. In 1982, the founding year of his company, his partnership coincided with the United States recession and the Middle East energy crisis. At the time of financial crisis, no one was optimistic about the future of his company. Only his friend, a Taiwanese partner, stepped up to the plate, offering a HKD 5 million working capital guarantee in exchange for a 25 per cent stake in the company to help him tide over the difficult start-up period. ‘During that time, banks were pushing interest rates up to 20 per cent and most small and medium-sized enterprises could not afford the high interest rates. Thanks to my good friend’s injection, I was able to raise funds for my start-up company,’ says Dr Lau. ‘I was and still am very grateful to him for his unreserved trust.’

This experience made Dr Lau a strong believer in being generous, respecting commitments, keeping promises, treating people fairly, and pursuing new knowledge and skills. ‘This is in line with our university’s motto “Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, and Sincerity”, a beacon of light to me in the journey of my life that has made me sail steadily and far,’ says Dr Lau.

We may not be able to stop the waves, but we can learn to surf. As Dr Lau’s story shows, we must teach ourselves to ride the waves in order to set sail ahead.

Supporting Higher Education

As an alumnus of UM, Dr Lau shows great passion and care for the development of UM and is currently an honorary advisor to Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management. He was also the former president of the University of Macau (Hong Kong) Alumni Association and has donated to his alma mater multiple times to support its goal to nurture future leaders for China and Macao. In appreciation for his generosity, the university has named a building on the campus after Dr Lau. In 2018, UM conferred an honorary doctorate on Dr Lau for his outstanding achievements and contributions to social development and education.

In addition to UM’s development, Dr Lau also attaches great importance to education. He has established scholarships in Hong Kong, Macao, and the UK to support students in poverty, and has provided assistance for university students in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia to receive better educational opportunities. He also set up a trust scholarship in the name of his mother to reward outstanding students. These altruistic acts show Dr Lau’s determination to bring education to those less fortunate without expecting something in return.

‘I wish the University of Macau happy birthday on the occasion of its 40th anniversary! As an alumnus, I am delighted to have witnessed the growth of my alma mater and that UM students today are now enjoying a more comfortable learning environment,’ says Dr Lau. ‘I look forward to seeing our students follow the university motto and become pillars of society.’ As Dr Lau points out, in addition to the quality of its education, the success of a university also depends on the support and encouragement of its alumni. ‘I will continue to participate in the development of UM and motivate more alumni to support its development,’ says Dr Lau.

Source: My UM Issue 109