JNA Awards 2020 - Jewellery Industry Best Practices

24 JNA AWARDS 2020 More than four decades ago, this young man ran errands, served tea to his superiors and worked extended hours to fulfil his duties as a newly recruited apprentice at Chow Tai Fook’s Central branch in Hong Kong. Today, he has grown to become a giant among his peers – one who is credited, not only for his company’s success, but for his invaluable contributions to the industry as a whole. “My job then was very different. I had to learn how the store provided a unique shopping experience for its customers and familiarise myself with billings, transaction processes and deliveries, among other things,” recalls Kent Wong, Managing Director of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group and a Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient at the JNA Awards 2020. Professional journey Wong’s passion for the jewellery industry grew more fervent when he met some of his earlier mentors. Among them were Cheng Chi-ling, the Branch Manager who taught him much of what he knew about products and customer behaviour back in theday, as well as givingWong the spaceand trust for exploringareas outsideof his jobduties, and Ho Pak-tao, theDirector who gave him the opportunity towork inwhat is nowone of theworld’s most iconic jewellery companies. In a few years, Wong was promoted as Mongkok store’s branch manager. By then, he had begun exploring innovative ideas on product development and had created marketing communications plans for the Lifetime Achievement Award Kent WONG Siu Kee 2 1