Hong Kong is a wealthy town. Being a millionaire is common place, and with it comes a peculiar class structure. Striving & thriving are the hallmarks of Hong Kong’s movers & shakers, where entrepreneurs are born day in day out.
Godfrey prides himself on being a rogue amongst his peers. His leather bracelet & open shirt are an instant, albeit subtle give away to an otherwise responsible looking money man.
He is “a natural” - undoubtedly gifted, but with an old soul. He’s worked in various roles from accounting in Sydney, to corporate finance in Singapore to being a venture capitalist in China. His talents & sense of adventure have taken him to some interesting places (e.g. telecom start-ups in Papua New Guinea, floating companies in Haiti, private equity in Tokyo, starting up a modeling agency in HK).
With that in mind, the progress he’s made in life has had little to do with a vision of the future, or passion for winning. Every role he has had is just another puzzle to fix & play with. Where he goes, success follows. In truth, he actually seems quite lost. Wealth is merely a fringe benefit to a man who has successfully stumbled his way into various opportunities. Personal progress has been organic rather than well planned.
When we asked what inspired his current role, he made the strangest reference. “I remember seeing Pretty Woman as a kid. I thought Richard Gere had it all, but at the end he had a revelation – “We make money, but we don’t build anything…””. This is what sets him apart from his finance buddies.
Status-seeking is something he fiercely rejects, and he goes to great pains to express his desire to have a tranquil, authentic life. “I’ve never really changed – I’m still that same Chinese boy that plays his games, jumps around, and eats his wonton”. He’s not self-effacing, but he’s aware of labels that come with his financial wealth & the demons of the stereotypical cash hungry Hong Konger. “My aunties believe I am successful but how do you define success. I don’t want to be labeled when I am poor and jobless.”
With that, he is careful to put a ceiling on his ambitions. “I’m looking to make a change in my life, but everything I do has to be a step forward. I won’t jump into the river without a floaty (support). I’ll jump when I know I can swim”.
Money is also something he is quick to dismiss. Largely because he has lots of it, largely because he’s sees money as a “problem solver” rather than facilitating his happiness. “That will change – If I had a family and my last child was sick, money will probably become more important to me, but for now I just do what I’m good at”.
Godfrey ambitions are simply defined by his CEO, Simon Murray. A gentleman who built Orange into the brand it is today, ran across the Sahara at age 60, fought with the French Foreign Legion, and still dreams today. “I was inspired by this quote by Simon – don’t walk along the path. Go where there is no path.” Despite being wealthy and a desire to be adventurous, inside Godfrey there is a conflicting interest of thriving for flexibility in life and gaining certainty. “I can’t let go, it’s hard to move on, drop things. “ The economic crisis has further eroded this. ”Flexibility has changed. Consumer behaviour is not the norm.”
The idea of thriving also makes Godfrey squirm a little. “Words like thriving & striving remind me of desperate men – which is the opposite to the happiness I want in my life”. He seeks a deeper, more sustainable ideal to life success.
What’s next for Mr Ngai? He’s still searching for a dream. His wealth may well be taken for granted, but he’s devoted to being himself and always moving forward.
No comments:
Post a Comment