This panel discussion will explore the critical role of leadership in preparing the workforce for future challenges and opportunities. As industries evolve rapidly due to technological advancements and changing market demands, it is essential for leaders to proactively equip their teams with the skills and mindset necessary for success.

Since 2019, we have gone through social instability, the Covid-19 pandemic, heightened geo-political risks, the rise in AI, renewable energy tech, extreme climate events, etc. Interest rates were historically low pre-pandemic and were cut to near-zero during Covid. They then entered an aggressive hiking cycle from the end of 2022 to 2024; a gradual cut is happening now.

We've been searching for leaders to lead various transformation projects to cope with changing and challenging business environments, regulatory changes, meeting customer expectations. Often, we find 20% of the leaders taking on 80% of the projects. We need a bigger pool of leaders who can drive transformation, build resilience and future-proof the organisation.

Our C-suite then partner with HR to co-create talent strategy, map existing skills against strategic goals, redesign high-performance training and development programmes, and drive resilience culture.

We, as C-suite leaders, own people development. Our HRBPs are embedded in our business to translate business goals into talent priorities, to provide workforce analytics to support business outcomes, to foster psychological safety, inclusion, and innovation.

The development of Skytopia and the Three-Runway System at Hong Kong International Airport will lead to an increasing need for skilled professionals to keep up with the airport's development, presenting new challenges for HR. The panel will address this by discussing how HR can play their role as a business partner to help organisations achieve success, while embracing technology to enhance workforce efficiency and management.

Emerging technologies have the potential to drive innovation, improve decision-making, and address complex organisational challenges by streamlining operations, enabling data-informed strategies, and fostering greater adaptability within dynamic business environments.

The average domestic household size in Hong Kong fell from 3.7 to 2.6 people in the past 4 decades. Against this backdrop, the working population increasingly juggles between work and family responsibilities due to lack of available help from family. Family-friendly Employment Practices (“FFEPs”) help individuals participate in the workforce without fully leaving behind their family responsibilities. Meanwhile, FFEPs also help employers retain talents and ensure a stable workforce by allowing employees to make predictable interruptions in their work.

The Equal Opportunities Commission has recently conducted research on FFEPs, and identified mutual grounds as well as gaps between the expectations of Human Resources (“HR”) professionals and family members of employees. Certain FFEPs may greatly benefit families without incurring additional costs to employers, and have the potential to increase employee productivity. HR professionals can stay creative and look for flexible solutions in enhancing work-family balance in order to create win-win situations.

This panel will discuss the opportunities presented to organisations to harness the strong business benefits of a diverse workforce. Panelists will share success stories while also highlighting the challenges they have faced in doing so.

From Fashion Designer to Airline Pilot, Christina's journey has been anything but ordinary. Each step came with challenges, doubts, and uncertainty. But what gives her the courage to venture into the unknown? In a world that's constantly changing, how do we find the strength to adapt, take risks, and create opportunities? In this presentation, Christina will share her story of transformation and explore how passion can guide us through life's uncertainties. It's not about where you started—it's about discovering where you're meant to go.