Please share with us your background in the Tahitian pearl sector.

I was director general of TPAHK for almost five years. During my term, I worked closely with the board of directors and the general manager. A clear understanding of the hierarchy within the association; a shared confidence in the pearl industry; as well as more than 30 years of industry experience combined with my passion for pearls and jewellery, ultimately led to my appointment as co-president of the association.

What inspired you to take up this position?

Working with industry leaders such as Johnny Cheng, who's also co-president of TPAHK, and Chan Ming Wing, honorary founding president and supervisor of TPAHK, has been a pleasant experience for me. We have the same passion for pearls, Tahitian pearls in particular.

What are the association's greatest achievements?

I would like to further strengthen the membership of TPAHK, and to join forces with jewellery organisations in Hong Kong and China. Since TPAHK was founded, the association's senior officials have placed a tremendous amount of effort in promoting awareness for Tahitian pearls. As a result, the Tahitian pearl has risen in popularity within the industry. A significant increase in the sale of Tahitian pearls was also reflected in export figures. Hong Kong has become the top trading hub for Tahitian pearls. 

Another milestone is our continuous support and sponsorship of jewellery design competitions, which help encourage designs using Tahitian pearls. The study tours that we organise, which involve wholesalers, jewellery retailers, members of the press, Miss Jewelry Hong Kong representatives as well as winners of our jewellery design contests, also help educate the market about Tahitian pearls.

In 2018, we held various marketing and education programmes on the sidelines of major trade exhibitions. These initiatives included seminars; the display of jewellery pieces by award-winning designers; a study tour to pearl farms in French Polynesia; auctions; sponsorship of selected jewellery design competitions; and charity sales of Tahitian pearl jewellery pieces. We also intensified our social media promotions and revamped our website.

What will be the highlights of TPAHK's operations in 2019?

Following our successful participation in major jewellery exhibitions over the years, we will continue sponsoring jewellery design competitions and the Miss Jewelry pageant; and organising study tours. We will also strengthen our digital marketing campaign. We will likewise focus on promoting the winning piece in the Tahitian Pearl – Asymmetric Perfection category of the JNA Jewellery Design Competition. In the area of education, we will concentrate on secondary school students and community outreach programmes in Hong Kong and major cities in China.

Do you foresee any challenges in the pearl industry now?

High-quality pearls only account for 1 to 2 percent of overall production. It's important to raise the production of premium-quality pearls and to educate the public about the beauty of the pearl's natural shapes and colours, in all sizes.