Past Activity

Breakthrough projects 2025-2026 – STCEF has participated in several groundbreaking initiatives this season, one of which was “Project Agora” – a 6-hour speech marathon beautifully presented by some 70 students and 30 schools to inculcate ideas and values.

I and STC Education Foundation fellow director Kevin Ho were invited by the Common Core, University of Hong Kong, as panelists/adjudicators for the TED Ed event held at The Harbour School on April 26.  

All students spoke very well with confidence and conviction, about the world they expect to see in 2046 !

Taking advantage of some nice seasonal weather we arrived at the Convention & Exhibition Centre one beautiful April morning.

We took the breezy path heading to Wanchai through the gorgeous Boardwalk ! STC met a new friend Frank Chen, a seasoned journalist working for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Frank just completed an assignment based in the United States. We splitted at one point – eager alum with young legs continued heading over to Causeway Bay for a private tour of SCMP led by Frank. A rewarding morning walk with talks about geopolitics…Hormuz, Gaza, and geoeconomics.

China emerged as the winner of the day, with Phil saying that China did not fire one shot but gained the respect from the international community as a supreme arbitrator !

Looking Back and Moving Forward

At the end of 2017, Mimi stepped down from her high-profile position at Kering Group, marking the beginning of a new chapter in her life. She now devotes more time to NGO charity work, continuing her long-standing commitment to giving back to society. In Hong Kong, she is actively involved with several charitable organizations, including the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation and the Against Child Abuse organization. Internationally, she serves as a board member of the Kering Foundation, participating in strategic decision-making.

Mimi says that because she is a woman, the charitable causes she supports focus on improving the lives of women and children. A hands-on person by nature, even though she is now over 60, she remains full of energy — contributing not only money but also her time and effort. She is willing to travel to remote areas to visit those in need. Another plan for Mimi this year is to continue contributing to the retail industry by sharing her insights and providing training based on her more than 40 years of experience.

From the Kowloon Walled City climbing all the way to the top of the fashion world, maven Mimi Tang pulled out all the stops to achieve something extraordinary !

“My career has been built gradually over time. Decades of new challenges mean I have stumbled and fallen many times along the way”.

Mimi Tang is a well-known name in the fashion industry. Born into an ordinary family with only a secondary school education, she rose through the ranks to become the President of Kering Group (formerly PPR Group) for the Asia Pacific region, relying entirely on her rich work experience and hard work.

Mimi entered the high-end fashion sector in 1985 when she joined Joyce, Hong Kong’s renowned luxury fashion boutique at the time. During her 10 years at Joyce, she described it as the golden era of Hong Kong’s fashion industry. The top-tier fashion available in the market and the sophisticated taste of customers greatly broadened her horizons and helped develop her sharp fashion sense. The hands-on experience she gained on the front lines also reinforced her belief that team spirit is the most important factor in a company’s success.

After the 1997 financial crisis, Mimi joined the Gucci Group, where her career reached new heights. However, she candidly admitted that this period brought her many challenges and opportunities for growth. She was tasked with the important mission of expanding the business in mainland China. From the group’s first store opening in Shanghai in 1997 to 28 retail points across the country by 2009, this was a time of rapid expansion in China’s luxury market. Mimi had to seize business opportunities in China while maintaining steady growth amid economic fluctuations. Under her leadership, the Asia Pacific market became the largest market for the Group outside of Europe.

Career Highlights:

• 1985: General Manager of Joyce, responsible for sales and operations in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.
• 1996: Executive Vice President of HPL-21 Limited.
• 1998: Managing Director of Gucci Group (Hong Kong and China).
• 1999: Promoted to Regional Managing Director of Gucci Group Asia Pacific (excluding Japan).
• 2000: Promoted to President of Gucci Group Asia Pacific.
• 2006–2014: President of Gucci Group Asia Pacific (now known as Kering Group), overseeing brands including Gucci, YSL, and Bottega Veneta across 13 countries in the region with over 2,000 employees.
• 2007: Awarded the “Top 100 Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs in China”.
• 2009: Received the Jessica Successful Women Award.
• 2012: Listed on Forbes “Top 25 Chinese in Global Fashion”.
• 2015: Founded Ying Yu Limited.

The small group started sail outside IFC slowly walking towards the widened part of the promenade along the pier. We stopped by Cafe 8 inside the the Maritime Museum for coffee and cake loading up on caffeine and carbs for the impending 2-hour walk.

The shoreline was spectacular as it was majestic ! Overlooking to the other side of the Harbour TST was smack on in sight; West Kowloon plainly in our view on the far left, and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on our right.

An hour and a half later we arrived on the north side of the C&E Centre where the golden statue stood. A swarm of tourists crowding over the Bauhinia Square for a simple lunch, sip of water, and photo taking, etc.

A great walk nonetheless, not too demanding, quite refreshing in fact. What beautiful way to spend Sunday morning on the Island !

A gorgeous, sunny morning on January 18, a small group of us took a small ferry to a remote part of the New Territories. Destination : the famed “Ma Shi Chau 馬屎洲”, an outlying island that’s been designated one of Hong Kong’s UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK.

On the way there we walked past a simply decorated eatery likely run by some local villagers, and had a most wonderful, hearty meal of marinated pork, egg omelette, pan-fried vegetables and steamed rice.

The trail is relatively easy – flat dirt road mixed with the occasional steep climb over stone steps. However after an hour or so nonstop pounding of the soles a few of us started to feel the unthinkable… Legs wobbled, breathing quickened and heart rates increased…

Voila ! Finally the glittering water and rock beach beckoned to the delight of most of us dying to get a much-needed break.
After mandatory toilet breaks and photo ops some of us opted for a sampan boat ride back to shore instead of overland…

All in all what an exhilarating excursion snaking through winding paths taking in breath-taking views of the New Territories…truly a rewarding and heartwarming way to spend a coolish January Sunday !

A relatively quiet evening at the Jardine’s Lookout Residents Association attended by some 80 current STC students and alumni over traditional roasted turkey and festive savoury catered by STC’s favorite caterer Cafe De Coral !

Highlight of the evening was the cameo appearance made by our handsome 10-year-old grandson Miles Matthew Lee and The Head of Rotaract Hong Kong Bernard Lee who dropped in to surprise us. Miles conducted small talk chatting up young men and women 15-plus years his senior exhibiting confidence with remarkable precocious qualities !

Small Talks Circles Social Education Foundation 15th Anniversary Celebration at Tai Kwun on October 30 !

Proving naysayers wrong Hong Kong’s most refreshing learning community has been chugging along nonstop since 2011 !

Founder Phil’s message : cultivate knowledge base beyond academics.

1,200 years ago our forefathers institutionalized the imperial examination system – ‘Keju’, putting a stamp on the pursuit of scholastic achievement. Tang Dynasty scholars were placed above all mortals in the society, such as those plying trades and commerce for a living. Heavily in agriculture where knowledge tending the crops reined supreme, a good harvest meant everything, one that failed, nature’s curse and punishment. Literacy rates were typically low among folks in the farming community as a result…

STC invites parents to consider a balanced approach when it comes to nurturing their children from as early as young toddlers through adolescence to young adulthood. This critical phase of shaping and moulding lasts 15 years. Not for the faint of heart, a solid plan and a steady hand would ensure superiority – what’s commonly but not specifically known as ’whole person development’.

I’d venture out to list key areas a young person must be exposed to, to reach a certain competency level loosely defined as a B grade. Higher than B would be a real joy !

On the eve of STC’s 15th birthday, stealing the thunder from Hong Kong Golden Girl Vivian Kong who will open Season 15 at Tai Kwun on October 30, I invite young students to sign up the evening program getting to know Vivian !

Health is Job #1 – Physical Health and Mental Health in Equal Measure !

We will also surprise you with an amazing presentation on the application of AI, by our very own Adam Au, who’s widely recognized as an expert in the field !