Introduction

The Young and the Restless

Welcome to 40 Under 40, our annual compendium of Hong Kong’s most audacious young talents from the worlds of art, commerce, sport, entertainment, fashion and philanthropy. For the fifth consecutive year, the editorial team convened in the summer to draw up a list of candidates — all under 40 years old, of course — and edit it down to the 40 individuals who passed muster. Newspapers were perused, social media were put under the microscope and sometimes we just relied on good old-fashioned word of mouth, but eventually, after some hard and at times brutal decisions, we were happy with our inventory of the city’s more youthful achievers. That being the case, the 40 personalities who made the cut were interviewed and photographed, and their profiles arranged within five categories: Change Makers, Creatives, Visionaries, Movers & Shakers, and Titans.

If there’s one thing our fab 40 share, it’s that they’re all led by a singular vision, savoir-faire and diligence. They sacrificed, they built, they gained and lost, they stumbled and they rose again. Some built with wisdom and flair on inherited riches, others were blessed with extraordinary talents that they skilfully exploited.

So here it is, dear reader, a small window into the lives of the young ladies and gents who are helping Hong Kong remain a matchless agency of change and growth.