Paul Kan, Chairman and Executive Director of Champion Technology Holdings Limited, believes that once you go down the entrepreneur path, there is no turning back. He is also convinced that entrepreneurship is one of the best ways to create jobs in Hong Kong.

　　It was Gordon Baty's "Entrepreneurship: Playing to Win" that inspired him to start his own business. He was introduced to this book while attending The Chinese University's MBA Programme. It proved to be a turning point in his life.

　　Even so, it took him seven years to turn his dream into reality. At the beginning, he hesitated, and for a good reason. It was hard to quit his $million job at Cable & Wireless and venture into unknown territories. His wife had strong reservations, and even Wong Tai Sin advised him to stay put.

　　A few years later, however, he decided to take the plunge. No more consultations with friends, professionals or Wong Tai Sin this time around, because he had sufficient confidence in himself.

　　Thus Champion Technology Holdings Limited was born.

　　Leadership, in Paul's definition, means innovativeness and commitment. A true leader should not be afraid to make commitment. His personal success formula is 4P-3M-2L-1K, which, incidentally, also incorporates his initials (Paul ML Kan):

4P: Perspective, purpose, proactivity and persistence
3M: Money, media and motivation
2L: Love and loyalty
1K: Knowledge

　　He cautions all entrepreneur-hopefuls to bear in mind that all worthy things in life are riddled with difficulties. Careful planning is crucial. His own approach is to be aggressive in marketing but conservative in financial matters, and exercise tight control over operating costs. He would therefore provide for operating costs for five years instead of 2.5 years as recommended by some consultants.

　　Why?

　　Because there are always a lot of imponderables, whether it's the buyer, the employee or force majeure factors and, of course, external crises such as the stock market crash (1987), the Tiananmen Square incident (1989), the Middle East crisis (1990), the Asian financial crisis (1997)… the list goes on.

　　It is therefore advisable to plan your business the way you play chess - think at least a few steps ahead. And do not give up too easily. Very often the benefit is not immediately visible.

　　Mr. Kan shared these insights with a group of EMBA & MBA students and alumni at the CUHK EMBA "Talking to CEOs" programme held on June 2, 2003. This show was co-hosted by the EMBA Programme and RTHK, and supported by Cable TV.

　　In his view, SARS could well be a blessing in disguise for Hong Kong. The low opportunity cost at present is most conducive for starting a business. A banking professional specializing in IT with ten years' experience, for example, can rent a small office, or part of an office, and set up a company to help other companies promote services and products through IT.

　　He thinks the SAR Government should provide more help to budding entrepreneurs. One option is to relax the regulations to allow commercial offices in domestic premises.

　　He summarizes the competitive edge offered by Singapore, China and Hong Kong as follows:
- Singapore: tax free, very aggressive and flexible
- China: while it varies from province to province, Shanghai for example is very progressive and getting to be like Singapore
- Hong Kong: has advantage in terms of geographical location, language, rule of law

　　"But Government is not doing enough," he said. "Most other countries have a "catalyst" to facilitate investment, an agency -- like Singapore's Economic Development Board -- that will bend over backwards to accommodate investors, but not in Hong Kong."

　　He attributes his personal success to being in the right place at the right time. China was opening up at the time, and opportunities abound, but most people were afraid to enter this market. He had the conviction, and the determination, and had identified a niche market for wireless software products.

　　As for discovering and retaining talents, instead of running after proven gems, Mr. Kan prefers to "treasure hunt: -- look for stones in the rough which he can shape and polish. It is less expensive and he will get more fun and satisfaction out of the process. "There are lots of talents around you," he emphasized.

　　He urges his audience to take a positive view of everything and let their heart be the guide. It is important to work from the premises of social contribution.

　　Mr. Kan is a shining example of a high achiever with not only exceptional talent, but also a social conscience. His CV spans five pages and includes a list of awards received in Hong Kong, France and Japan for his accomplishments. He also has an impressive record of diversified public professional, business and community services in Hong Kong and China. He has confessed that his biggest personal expense item is donation to charities.

　　The EMBA "Talking to CEOs" programme featuring Mr. Paul Kan was publicly broadcast on June 15, 2003 at RTHK Radio 1 and simultaneously posted on the RTHK website (http://www.rthk.org.hk). It was also aired by Cable TV News Channel One on Monday, June 23, 2003. Information and photos of previous shows can be viewed at http://ihome.cuhk.edu.hk/~b845744/.