Rock: a sturdy rock standing between heaven and earth, signifying unwavering faith; Ping: a cold-resistant pine tree standing upright in the snow, symbolising perseverance.

– Imagine having a name embodying the blessing of both a hard rock and a pine tree, how tough can this person can be? Yansong Li, former President of iQiyi Pictures, has perfectly interpreted the meaning of his namesake with his dedicated hard work and perseverance.

– Looking back, my friendship with Li started at a work meeting. Clothed in a trendy outfit and wearing a short beard, he looked cool and majestic. He may seem a bit restrained if you meet him for the first time. Nevertheless, after exchanging a few words, you would be affected by his warmth and fun-loving demeanour, which would gradually break the ice and put you at ease. As the president of iQiyi, an Internet film and television company which has been hailed as a promising unicorn, he was kind enough to let me call him “brother Song” during our first encounter. Whenever a delicacy was mentioned, he said he would bring me along to try it, which made him an approachable and friendly person.

After several meetings with Li, I noticed he smoked and drank. Sometimes, he may not be sober. Appearing unscrupulous, he seems unruly, however, under his aloof facade, he actually has a restless and passionate heart.

– Li led iQiyi Pictures since its establishment in July 2014. In the preliminary stage of the company, it grew from a handful of staff to a big team of 200 in just a year and a half. iQiyi has become a fast-growing Internet film company in China. Nowadays, iQiyi is making a splash in the Internet film and television industry with its innovative development strategy and marketing model, shotting eight to ten movies on average every year with box office revenue exceeding RMB 1.5 billion. It has earned the coveted title as the number one player in the Internet film and television industry.

Many people admire the success of iQiyi and Li, but few understand how much effort and hard work the entrepreneur has put in. As the pioneer of iQiyi, Li still remembers the challenging struggles in the early days of the venture: he spent a long time waiting outside the entrance of the largest film company to have a chance to make a connection with the boss to establish a collaboration relationship. His action moved the boss of the film studio, who subsequently granted him to nine trips around the globe. When he flew back from Munich, Germany to Beijing after a business meeting, he had an acute spinal disc herniation due to the long-haul flights and extended fatigue, which forced him to rest for four months in order to recover.

“ Li has found his own way to de-stress: in the late hours, he pours a glass of whiskey, lights a cigarette, turns off the light, and sits alone on the window sill listening quietly to the sound of the cigarette burning. Through this ritual he savours the bitterness that is not known to others and lets go. ”

Even though Li’s body can tolerate a normal work load now, in order to avoid the recurrence of old ailment caused by strenuous exercise, he has to give up his favourite – football, which he still deeply regrets. Football is not only a relaxing sport for him, it has enlightened him on business strategy. Li shared that: “The skills of managing a business are the same as those required to win a football match. You have to consider the big picture when playing the game, not just looking at the ball under your feet. Besides, football is not only about strategy and tactics, it is a team sport. Your teammates are the best partners that work alongside you. I value trust and teamwork very much. ”

Indeed, Li trusts his team and has actively promoted the young subordinates. He has delegated a lot of power to young people so as to offer them more opportunities to practice. Even though they might make mistakes, as long as they are willing to learn from the lessons and reflect on their experiences, Li is willing to stand up and bear the responsibilities. As such, he has demonstrated the virtue of tolerance, not just leadership skills.

Speaking of his success, Li humbly thanked his company, the industry, and said he was grateful to have met a great boss, who owned a wonderful company with a great team. Recognising he is not so smart, Li firmly believes diligence can make up for his shortcomings. He makes sure that he keeps abreast with the development of the Internet and the latest trends in our times, and maintains the capabilities for continuous learning. When you are confronted with difficulties, it is best not to circumvent it. You have to believe in yourself since there are always solutions to the challenges out there. Persistence and perseverance are vital.

Now, standing at a new height and facing new difficulties and pressures, Li has found his own way to de-stress: in the late hours, he pours a glass of whiskey, lights a cigarette, turns off the light, and sits alone on the window sill listening quietly to the sound of the cigarette burning. Through this ritual he savours the bitterness that is not known to others and lets go. He puts on a smile and bravely faces the rising sun the next day. Indeed, life is not easy for everyone and no one would rise for no reason.

– During the conversation, we gradually turned the topic to Club ZFU. Li, who is familiar with the services and business philosophy of Club ZFU, said: “You are very practical. Whenever you touch on Club ZFU, you would talk about the product and service itself. For instance, how an Dedicated Lifestyle Ambassador provides members with unparallel concierge services in order to create unique experiences. While others often show off by saying whom they have served, who are their customers, and ignore the service itself. Since the Club’s Founder, Kelvin, is a good friend with wonderful ideals, integrity and sincerity, I believe under the baton of Kelvin, Club ZFU will make more people appreciate this concept of creating a prestigious life and thus gaining more recognition from people. ”

My interview with Li went on smoothly. Li, who has seen many star- studded occasions, posed confidently and naturally in front of the camera, making all the photos aesthetically pleasing. He rushed to our interview after getting off a plane. After the interview, he had to hurry to the next event. With extensive resources and connections, Li has countless friends inside and outside Hong Kong’s film circle. Therefore, whenever he visits Hong Kong, his social calendar is be packed with many gatherings, where many prominent entrepreneurs or superstars are present. This maybe the gorgeous life that everyone dreams of however, behind this façade, I can sense the bitterness that has built up from the past and turned into the sweetness of today.

– “Heart is as strong as a rock, and the spirit is as strong as a pine.” This is Yansong Li. As his name suggests, Li has deployed his unwavering principle and perseverance to achieve an extraordinary self, which has shaped his honourable life today.

Words : Kelvin Yeung

#Vol.09

The post FIRESIDE CHAT WITH YANSONG LI appeared first on CLUB ZFU.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ATHENA HUNG AND GEOFFREY WANG

– I still remember that at the launch ceremony of Club ZFU last year I said: “Club ZFU is not a social platform, it is a place for everyone to enjoy their own lifestyle and create a better life. When everyone has the same sophisticated sentiment and pursues similar tastes, friendship would naturally form.” My friendship with Athena Hung and Geoffrey Wang was naturally formed this way.

– One of them is a socialite, philanthropist and entrepreneur, while the other is an Executive Director, Acting Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of a listed company. The level they live at determines their quality of life which is bound to be sophisticated. Nevertheless, everyone has their own unique lifestyle and pace of life. They accepted my invitation for an interview, which was held at the office of Club ZFU at K11 Atelier in Tsim Sha Tsui. Athena arrived at the building in a chauffeur driven Rolls-Royce while Geoffrey opted to take a ferry from Central to the Star Ferry pier and walked for ten minutes.

– Dressed in a sheer organza dress from Valentino’s new fall collection, Athena looked enchanting and elegant in the long dress with classical and romantic patterns in pure white. Athena was active in the social circle before becoming a businesswoman. She has a good aesthetic acumen and special preference for the splendour of luxury.

– As always, Geoffrey is dressed in a suit. He is tall and handsome, and his neat and sunny disposition meets the expectation of a successful businessman. After all, working as part of the management of a listed company does not give you many choices when it comes to the wardrobe for work.

– Instead of calling Athena by her Chinese name, I am more used to simply call her Athena. This English name can better capture her blend of Chinese and Western culture. It sounds more intimate to call her Athena, as she has been called Lady Hung, Dr. Hung, Chairman Hung etc., since she focuses on investment in mainland China in recent years.

– I am used to calling Geoffrey Wang a big brother. I wouldn’t usually make such a connection with someone to call them ‘brother’ so why would I hail Geoffrey as brother Wang? It is because Geoffrey Wang is a real gentleman in my heart. He embodies the good morals and aptitude of a gentleman. He is also a caring senior, who has supported me sincerely and encouraged me to pursue the ideals of Club ZFU. Calling Geoffrey Wang a big brother stems from a natural admiration. Without the word “big” preceding “brother”, it cannot aptly capture my respect of him.

– Both of them have worked hard to achieve all that they have accomplished today.. They are the truly successful people who are well respected and admired. Both of them can do whatever they like, and choose to pursue the lifestyle they would like to.

– Regarding a life of sophistication, they have their respective views.

“ The exemplification of a prestigious life is to set your heart at ease, master your time and live the way you like.  ”

– GEOFFREY WANG

“ To live a prestigious life is to create meaningful values for a better life and enjoy the fruits of your endeavours.  ”

– Athena HUNG

Athena believes that: “A respectable life is to work hard to create meaningful value for your life, to pursue a life of better quality, and to enjoy the fruits from struggle. It is also to influence people around you, and to inspire everyone to pursue their own ideals to create a beautiful life for themselves and their families. While enjoying a good life, you have to have a grateful heart, to help and treat those around you nicely, and help those in need to spread love.”

– Geoffrey thinks that: “We deserve to pursue a gorgeous, high-quality life and enjoy the wonder and abundance in life. For instance, in formal social and business occasions, having proper dress code and choosing fine materials of clothes are the necessary social etiquette, which shows the respect for others. He said, “I will not deliberately pursue luxury goods or show off a high-end lifestyle. It is because many ways like being able to master your own time, live according to the way I like, be carefree and at ease, are the manifestation of sophisticated living. I am grateful for everything in my life. I cherish and support the friends and good things around me. I hope that beautiful things will blossom everywhere. ”

– Athena and Geoffrey’s interpretation of a sophisticated life touches on their own lifestyle, which shares a common ground: treating people with gratitude and bringing positive influence and positive energy to those around them. This aptly captures their true selves.

There is no holiday in Athena’s life. She enjoys working and strives to create a more meaningful life every day. Often busy with researching various investment opportunities in Europe,
the cities in mainland China, her only leisure and entertainment may be the sightseeing tours and gourmet food arranged by her hosts (local government and enterprises). Despite her busy schedule, she contributes money and takes time to invest in the charity work of Hung Chi Ching Charitable Fund, which she established in 2008. She has contributed money to help those in need and spread love and happiness. It is worth mentioning that during the financial tsunami in 2008, when Hong Kong’s stock market plummeted and unemployment rate was high, Athena, the former singer issued a charity album “Walk with Love”, which contains many beautiful songs full of positive energy, thus motivating people to confront challenges with an optimistic attitude and proactively achieve success.

– For Geoffrey, despite the fact that he can always enjoy the luxury of a private jet or a super yacht, he can still take a tram or walk to work, so that he can cherish life and fully appreciate the bustling beauty of the city. As an avid lover of nature, he loves the grass and trees around him. He ever prefers to swim in a beach and be carefree.

– Born in a scholarly family, Geoffrey is a kind mentor and friend who is easy-going, enthusiastic and full of sentiments. His WeChat account is like a diary, where he chronicles moments
in his life with true emotions and eloquent writing. He brings warmth and positive energy to people around him. Therefore, Geoffrey is popular in both business and political circles.

– At the end of the interview, they both showed encouragement and support for the exclusive concierge membership of Club ZFU.

– Athena said: “The innovative model and membership service of Club ZFU is pretty attractive. Even I have sampled global cuisine, I still look forward to the refreshing and delicious food recommended by Club ZFU. Many of my friends around me have often felt lost in their busy work life and neglected to enjoy a life of abundance that should have belonged to them. Club ZFU makes careful recommendations and arrangements for members in all aspects of life, so that busy entrepreneurs can have a great partner helping them to enjoy life and adjust to the pace of life. We hope Club ZFU’s services can be extended to all parts of the world, so that members can have a unique and distinguished experience in a foreign country.”

– Geoffrey said: “Kelvin, the Founder of Club ZFU, is a very trustworthy friend. What impressed me most and made me envious is that he is a young dad of four kids with positive energy and responsibility. I really appreciate this young man’s enthusiasm and drive to create a wonderful career. Club ZFU has its own uniqueness: it helps allocate and integrate the resources of many existing club houses and concierge services in Hong Kong to make them more effective. It satisfies the tastes of high-end business folks and caters to the specific needs of a niche segment. Many friends of mine belong to such a group, and I believe that as everyone gets to know each other and better understand themselves, more sparks will be generated and we can find a better match for each other. This will enable Club ZFU to create more unique and distinguished service that meets the specific needs of a niche market in Hong Kong. In doing so, more people would accept and trust Club ZFU. I wish Club ZFU will become better and better for everything.”

The interview with two friends took place in a congenial and warm atmosphere, which ended in a reluctant farewell. Athena rushed to the convention centre to attend a dinner party. Geoffrey also has his own arrangement. Even though the company’s limousine has been waiting downstairs, he insisted on walking to the Star Ferry pier to take a ferry back to Central. After shaking hands with each of our team members, Geoffrey left politely.

– After sorting out the photos taken during the interview, I sent them to Athena, who was on board a plane to Shanghai. Athena reminded me to confirm with her the photos that will be published so that she can show the most beautiful side of her. This has prompted me to add another note: in the sophisticated life of a woman, maintaining youthful beauty is a constant theme.

– When I greeted Geoffrey sometime later, I learned that he went to the Clock Tower and quietly enjoyed the charming night view of the Victoria Harbour after the interview. When “A Symphony of Lights”, a light show at the harbour front started at 8 o’clock, was on, he broadcasted the event live via his mobile phone so that his family members in Xinjiang could watch the splendour with him at the same time.

– When I learned on this, a warm picture emerged in my mind which made my admiration for him surface again.

– A respectful life can take on different definitions in each person’s mind. After all, pursuing life with avid passion and having sunshine in your heart to enlighten others in order to live a more meaningful life, is the true interpretation of a respectable life.

Words : Kelvin Yeung

#Vol.08

The post THE ESSENCE OF PRESTIGIOUS LIVING EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ATHENA HUNG AND GEOFFREY WANG appeared first on CLUB ZFU.