Youders’ Story – Mr. Albert Yiu
Recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Undergraduate Students in 1993/94
尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金1993/94年度得獎者
The recipient of Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Undergraduate Students in 1993/94, Executive Director of the Empire Group Holdings, Mr. Albert Yiu, experienced family turmoil in childhood, which made him understand that opportunities are to be strived for by himself. With his diligent study, he gradually became someone well-known in the architectural field. A few years ago, confronted with the sudden passing of the company’s founder, he took the lead and assisted to steer the company back on track in the ripple times.
Born into a low-income family and his mother passed away when he was only six, Albert’s family struggled to make ends meet. Albert recalled his aunts’ murmurs that if he failed academically, he would need to forgo the opportunity to study and work to earn a living. This urged Albert to pay special attention to his studies during his times at St. Joseph’s College. With an immense interest in drawing, even the school did not offer visual art courses back then, he self-studied with an “A” in HKCEE where he learnt about the architecture history in the Renaissance Period , paving the way to his study of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong. He picked architecture because he wanted to improve the living standard of poverty, and to design a housing which can integrate with the environment more, i.e. a passive energy design. Upon graduation with First Class Honours, he went on to study the Master degree and Post-graduate Diploma, in which he graduated with flying colours, both with distinctions.
His one-year internship after his undergraduate programme graduation is another experience to highlight. In order to gain more exposure, he decided to intern in a domestic scale architectural firm. After graduating with his Master’s degree, he first worked in a medium-sized company for about 4 years, during which he designed his first scale-project in Discovery Bay, and obtained his qualifications as a Registered Architect and Authorized Person. In 2001, due to the economic downturn, he went to work with Cheung Kong Holdings as a project manager, and participated in the entire development process of land acquisition, design and construction. In 14 years, he has mastered design and extended his expertise to project management. With an architectural training background, he was able to combine aesthetics with a balance of time-and-cost parameters. He joined Wing Tai Properties Limited after leaving Cheung Kong, by then he met his most important mentor Mr. Walter Kwok was the former chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) and founder of Empire Group Holdings in 2010. He was also one of Hong Kong’s most insightful business leaders, who has successfully delivered many of the city’s iconic residential and commercial developments during his time in SHKP. Albert was deeply charmed and joined the Empire Group Holdings in 2016.
Albert has participated in the management and decision making of the company. He had to consider not only a single project, but also the strategic development. He was also able to learn from other tycoons in different joint-venture projects. Regrettably, in 2018, Mr. Kwok passed away suddenly without any succession arrangements, causing the company to encounter a crisis of confidence. Albert was tasked to present and comfort the banks on credit issues, and to make several successful land bids with partners, and to pose a message to the public that the company was still healthy and active despite some ripples during the transition. With his efforts and collaboration with Mr. Kwok’s three children, the situation gradually stabilized. The company has acquired more lands and projects, signaling the company’s official return to the track, and the number of projects has increased from 3 to the current 13.
Looking ahead, the company will continue to develop simultaneously in residential, hospitality and commercial projects. When asked on the outlook, Albert opined that although hotel development may not be the fastest investment vehicle in term of returns (vs buy-to sell in residential development), there are intangible values that tourism is one of the pillar industries of Hong Kong, they hope to support the development of the industries through hotel investment. On the other hand, the company has highly recognized its corporate social responsibility and has committed to supporting a range of charitable projects since its founding. The Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation and Kwok’s Scholars, for instance, are established to provide financial support for the disadvantaged groups and students who wish to study abroad. During the pandemic, it has donated lots of anti-epidemic supplies to the NGOs, supporting the poor community to weather the storm.
Albert received the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Scholarship for Undergraduate Students in 1994, and he was blessed that the greatest impact of the scholarship on him was to boost his self-confidence. He recalled that when the school recommended him to submit the application, he doubted his self-deeming average grades, and even asked himself “can it be done”. When he was awarded with the scholarship, his question to himself was answered affirmatively. During his award period, he was preparing to make a model for his graduation thesis, and he utilized the scholarship money to make an ingenious model that stunned everyone. It has been nearly 30 years since he received the award, and Mr. Yiu is deeply grateful for the kindness of the Fund Council. Apart from charities within the company, he also serves various public roles, using his knowledge and skills to give back to the community. Lastly, he concluded with his motto: Staying hungry is always his driving force. Knowing self-requirement will make you stronger. He encouraged young people to get prepared and seize every opportunity.
尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金1993/94年度得獎者，帝國集團執行董事姚志偉先生自幼經歷家庭的變化，使他明白到機會需要自己爭取的。他自修美術科其後進入香港大學建築系，加上勤勉地學習，慢慢成為建築界的翹楚。幾年前，他更在公司創辦人突然離世的情況公司曾進入信心危機，令公司在短時間內重上軌道。
姚先生出生於貧苦家庭，母親更於他六歲時離世，父親需要一兼三職，而他和妹妹則由他的兩位姨母撫養長大。姨母常常叮囑他們要努力學習，讀書不成的話就需要進入職場幫補家計。這使姚先生在學業上格外用心。他中學就讀於聖若瑟書院，由於自小他喜愛畫畫，雖然學校沒有美術課程，他自修美術並在會考中考獲”A” 。課程中亦令他第一次接觸到文藝復興時代建築史, 促使他追求入讀使他獲得香港大學建築系的夢想。他選擇修讀建築的原因是希望自己所學的知識,能改善低收入家庭住宿問題，也希望自己的設計能融合天然環境的元素。他以一級榮譽的成績畢業，之後更進一步花兩年時間讀取碩士學位以及深造文憑課程，兩者皆以優等成績畢業。
學士畢業時，他需要一年的實習經驗。為了接觸不同範疇的知識，他決定到一家小型的建築則樓學習。碩士畢業後，他到一家中型公司工作約4年，期間設計了他的第一個愉景灣鄉村式住宅項目，同期考獲香港建築師和認可人士資歷。到2001年，由於當時經濟走下坡，他轉職至長江實業擔任項目經理，並開始接觸到土地買賣, 平整設計以及售樓的整個發展過程。14年間, 他從樓宇設計成長到到項目管理營運。憑藉建築的知識，他能夠在美學、時間和成本上取得平衡。離開了長實後，他轉到永泰地產轉到工作, 偶然間認識了郭炳湘先生。郭先生是新鴻基地產的前主席, 於 2010 年創立帝國集團。郭先生是香港具影響力和洞察力的商界領袖，在新鴻基期間推出多個香港具標誌性的住宅和商業開發項目。姚先生非常欣賞郭先生的前瞻視野, 並在2016年加入帝國集團。
姚先生參與到公司的管理和決策。他兼顧的不只單一項目，而是公司整體方向上的發展。他更有幸在不同的合資項目中，向其他大亨學習。不幸地 , 2018年的一個晚上傳來噩耗，郭先生因病離世。 由於事出突然，公司經營上出現信心危機。姚先生臨危受命，逐一解決問題:他先到訪銀行，向他們表達公司發展意向,以強化他們的信心；並與友好發展商共同投地，希望向市場注入一個正面的訊息 -公司營運一切如常。在他和團隊的努力下，加上郭先生的三位子女支持和帶領，慢慢把局面穩定下來。公司參與的項目亦由郭先生生前的3個增加至現時的13個。
展望將來，公司繼續會在住宅、酒店及商業項目三方面同時發展。姚先生提到,在一般發展商眼中,酒店項目比住宅項目回本期較長，而且營運亦需要投入更多時間，但他們深信旅遊和酒店業是香港的支柱產業，公司期望透過投資酒店以支持業界的發展。另一方面，公司亦在慈善事業上有更多的付出。自成立以來，公司一直認識到它對社會的責任，並致力於支持一系列的慈善項目。集團內分別設有郭炳湘家族基金和郭氏學者協會，分別為支持弱勢群體的項目和有志到海外升學的學生提供財政支援。疫情期間，公司亦捐獻了不少抗疫物資，支援香港有需要的貧苦大眾,共渡難關。
姚先生於1994年獲得尤德爵士紀念基金本科生獎學金，他指出獎學金對他最大的影響是增強了他的自信心。他憶述，當校方推薦他去申請時，他自問成績算不上優秀，更反問自己「真的可以嗎?」。當他獲頒獎學金，這使到他認可自己的能力。而在他獲獎期間正值是他準備製作畢業論文的模型，他正正用了獎學金的金錢製作出一個別出心裁的模型，所有人為之讚嘆。獲獎接近30年，姚先生深深感激當年基金會的知遇之恩。除了公司內的慈善機構，他亦在一些學會擔任幹事，利用自己的知識和技能回饋社會。最後,他勉勵大家,做任何事也要對自己有要求，做好準備，抓緊每一個機遇。