Mr Tony Cheung knows a thing or two about leading change, having seen much personal and industry transformation over a career spanning 40 years. A student in the first marketing cohort of the Hong Kong Polytechnic, Tony joined Jardine Matheson & Co Ltd soon after he obtained his Higher Diploma in Business Studies (Marketing) in 1977. In his 15 years with the company, he advanced from his initial position of Marketing Executive of care products and stationery to Director and General Manager of consumer products. During the same period, he gained an MBA from the University of Hong Kong and conducted postgraduate research at the University of Cambridge. He then served at Pepsico Inc and other companies in the consumer products industry.

During his 30 years in the fast-moving consumer goods business in China and the Asia-Pacific region Tony led companies through much change, many joint venture acquisitions and frequent business model revamping. That in itself is what most people achieve in the careers at the top level, but Tony wanted more. He wanted to use his extensive experience in people and operations management, strategic alliance and mergers and acquisitions to help raise the standard of living in China.

So in 2009 Tony became Managing Director, China of AB Sugar, where he began overseeing sugar mills spanning the country. This was, and remains, a very daunting task, focused on commercializing the business and enhancing its efficiency and competitiveness. Even so, Tony has not lost sight of his original goal. He finds fulfilment in supporting the sector and securing farmers' livelihoods.

Tony vividly remembers his days at the Polytechnic where his cohort spent two years in Quarry Bay while the Hung Hom campus was being built. He and his classmates formed the marketing student club, and they gained marketing and management knowledge and skills that are still useful today.

Tony believes that the economic prospects are good and encourages current students to always be ready for when opportunity knocks.