Name? Fanny Wong
Job title? Head of custody, deputy general manager, Global Transaction Banking.
Previous company and job title? Head of securities and fund services, Hong Kong, Citibank.
How many years in the region? More than 20.
What do you consider to be your home town? Hong Kong.
Educational background? MBA, Heriot-Watt University. Bachelor of social sciences, University of Hong Kong.
First industry job? Business development manager, custody and clearing services, Standard Chartered Bank, Hong Kong.
What is the toughest challenge you’ve faced in your professional life?
Although it was 13 years ago, I have vivid recollections of a pitch made to a government body in Taiwan to bid for their pension assets under a public tender. Each candidate was given 15 minutes. Our global deck comprised more than 50 pages of slides in English, and the presentation had to be in Mandarin. Neither is my mother tongue and the time pressure was daunting. It was a miracle we won the mandate, which came despite my failure to cover the last ten pages!
What achievement in your job are you most proud of?Being granted a personal achievement award by The Asset as the ‘custodian banker of the year, Hong Kong’ in 2015.
What advice would you give to someone who is beginning their career in the funds industry? Keep an open mind and learn as you go. Nothing is too mundane and nothing should be below your dignity. This is a worthwhile industry which provides immense growth opportunities, so you are lucky.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? To centralise the transfer and registration of funds.
What is your greatest ambition? To live my life to the fullest because it is short.
What’s the best investment you’ve made? To groom the next generation of practitioners so as to leave a certain impact.
Tell us something about you that most people don’t know? Believe it or not, I enjoy knitting.
Favourite country to visit for a holiday? New Zealand for its natural beauty and tranquility.
Favourite type of food? Sandwiches as they are reasonably handy and fulfilling.
Favourite book or film? Lonely Planet guidebooks.
Your house is burning. Your family is safe. You have time to rescue one object. What would it be and why? For sure, it would be my ID card.
2017 funds global asia