Interview conducted in August 2005

Mr Derick Leung

University Education

Master of Science (Engineering Business Management) (Warwick, 2003)

Bachelor of Engineering (MechEng) (HKU, 2002)

current employment

I am currently working as an Analyst in a boutique investment bank providing diversified services on merger & acquisitions (M&A), corporate finance, equity capital market, financial modeling, etc.

employment history

Credit Officer, Corporate Finance Department, Bank of China UK Headquarters, London (4/2003 – 7/2004)

Trainee Administrative Executive, Banking Department, Bank of China UK Headquarters, London (10/2003 – 3/2004)

how did find your first job?

I identified language skills as my strengths, and I exploited all the ordinary means (e.g. classified posts, job agencies, etc.) to pitch for a job which specifically required a high level of language skills. At last, I found a job in the Bank of China UK Headquarters through a job agency.

what hardship have you faced and what have you learned in the process ofovercoming it?

I underwent the process of self-discovery. I knew more about myself – I discovered what nature of a job I did not like, and I noticed that some jobs are not as much as how the textbook describes when they come into real practice.

What I gained from this process was I began to have a clear career planning. I spent most of my spare time chatting with the more experienced in the field, discussing on the different possibilities I had thought of as my life-long career. I learnt a lot from them as they reminded me of potential pitfalls of my plans.

what about the ups?

I proved to myself my ability in coping well with a foreign working environment. Also, the overseas working experience has put me in a more favourable standing as far as career prospect is concerned. I learned more about the different working attitude and culture, and the relationship between the supervisors and subordinates, between that of the UK and of Hong Kong. In the UK, people are generally more relaxed. The bosses generally respect the workers’ private lives, and don’t usually make them stay at work overtime. Yet in Hong Kong, work is more hectic.

any advice for students who would like to work outside hong kong?

If you are local Hong Kong students, do expect that you may encounter tougher questions at the interviews when you apply for jobs overseas. Nevertheless, my key advice is: Explore every means to do what you want to achieve in your career

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