The 19th induction ceremony for the Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) HKUST Chapter was an occasion to welcome new members to the international honor society and to reaffirm the values and principles it seeks to promote.
The event, which took place on April 6 at HKUST, saw a total of 130 students, graduates and faculty members formally admitted to the society, along with this year’s special honoree Dato’ Seri CHEAH Cheng Hye, the Chairman and Co-chief Investment Officer of Value Partners Group.
All those who accepted the invitation to join have already shown distinction in the teaching, research, study or practice of business. And, with their induction, they have also made a commitment to uphold academic and personal excellence in the field and, where possible, to create opportunities for others in the broader community.
For students and alumni in particular, the benefits of BGS membership include becoming part of an elite group of academics, professionals and business leaders, which is now about 2,500-strong in HKUST alone.
Significantly, though, it also makes them part of the society’s international network, which currently has 600 chapters in more than 35 countries, providing untold opportunities to connect with the wider business world.
In offering his warmest congratulations to all this year’s inductees, Professor TAM Kar Yan, HKUST Chapter President and Dean of the HKUST Business School, noted the importance of honoring excellence and achievement.
He also emphasised the need to maintain high principles and correct standards in any endeavours. And, with reference to the personal story of special honoree Dato’ Seri Cheah, he pointed out that success in the sphere of business was one thing, but it was also essential to pass on knowledge and experience, whether by supporting education initiatives or having an impact in an area of public service.
The BGS honor society was founded in the United States in 1913. The name comes from the first letter of the ancient Greek words meaning honor (beta), wisdom (gamma), and earnestness (sigma). Taken together, the three words represent a commitment to personal integrity, learning and fostering a culture of excellence.
In order to promote active participation at the local level, there are regular member events throughout the year. These include forums and conferences featuring well respected guest speakers ready to debate ideas and share insights, as well as more informal networking sessions and purely social gatherings.
There is also a fast growing BGS online community, with members now using various social media platforms to make new contacts, ask for advice on specific matters, or just remain in the loop.
True Management Success
When choosing their special honorees, the BGS HKUST Chapter looks to recognise individuals who have not only made a significant contribution to the world of business but who also stand out for their services to the broader community.
This year, the deserving honoree was Dato’ Seri Cheah Cheng Hye of Value Partners Group, who co-founded the asset management firm in 1993 and has since built it into a leading name within the investment sector.
In his address at the ceremony, Cheah took the chance to share his guiding principles and some highlights of his career journey with the inductees. And, in doing so, he showed, with good humour and all due modesty, how his story serves as a fine example of the qualities, outlook and attitudes that BGS holds dear and aims to inspire in others.
In particular, he reviewed the series of steps in his development as a top professional. It started with his first part-time job as a 12-year-old pineapple delivery boy, where he learned the importance of mastering the “objects and tools” of the trade – in that case riding an adult-sized bicycle – which were needed to move up.
Step two was to understand the right “procedures and flows” that go with a job, which became apparent once he began work as a newspaper reporter in his native Penang, aged 17 and a half.
The boss explained, for example, that no story was complete without answering the five Ws – who, what, when, where and why. He absorbed such lessons and was soon promoted to sub-editor before going on to high-profile assignments with the Asian Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review.
And when he switched to the world of asset management he saw it was essential to pay increasing attention to the third thing: mastering people skills in order to motivate, communicate, organise and lead more effectively, so as to bring out the best in others.
“As you become more senior, you realize that business is all about people and getting them to work with you,” said Cheah, who is an honorary fellow of HKUST and was an early supporter of the University’s Center for Investing. “Every day, I have ‘people issues’, but one tip I would give is that the most powerful emotion in dealing with people is love, not hate.
