The Continuity Challenge
The PEAK Hong Kong|November 2016

Adrian Li is a scion to one of Hong Kong’s best-known and most wide-ranging families. How he has learned to appreciate the philanthropic efforts of his well-known father are a matter of patience and exposure.

Ryan Swift
The Continuity Challenge

To say Adrian Li belongs to an illustrious Hong Kong family understates the case. The Li family is regarded as one of the Four Big Families of Hong Kong, and its members spread from business to government and law. Maintaining continuity that stretches back generations to the very founding of modern Hong Kong isn’t always easy. Philanthropy has been one of the ways in which families have sought to instill a sense of responsibility in young scions, and to help prepare them for a life of decision-making.

In Li’s case, a life of privilege had to be tempered by experiencing the ways in which people who are not so fortunate live. Li recalls being taken as a child to see Christmas carols at the Salvation Army. “It was quite a positive experience for me and my brother (Brian Li). We were in primary school, and we saw that it brings a lot of happiness to people’s homes.”

Li recalls from his youngest days that it was his grandmother, Daisy Li Woo Tze-ha, then involved in the Hong Kong Red Cross and St James Settlement, who pushed philanthropy into the family. “She influenced my father to be involved with different charitable organisations in Hong Kong, (and he) in turn introduced me and my brother to these initiatives.”

That grand motherly influence had an impact. Li recalls his grandmother fondly, describing her as “the first stage” in the Li’s relationship to philanthropy and society. Later on, when Adrian was in school in the UK, he would come back during the summer and participate in events at both the Red Cross and the St James Settlement, taking two weeks at each centre. “That let us look at the different initiatives, so from a very young age we got exposed to their works, and we saw how meaningful or how important these initiatives are.”

This story is from the November 2016 edition of The PEAK Hong Kong.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 2016 edition of The PEAK Hong Kong.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE PEAK HONG KONGView All
Supercar Condos
The PEAK Hong Kong

Supercar Condos

This new property project is set to be the perfect spot for elite supercar owners to store and show off their rides. 

time-read
1 min  |
October 2017
New Gear
The PEAK Hong Kong

New Gear

Lamborghini unveils an upgraded supercar that boasts breathtaking performance with open-air driving thrills.

time-read
1 min  |
October 2017
Aquatic Timekeeper
The PEAK Hong Kong

Aquatic Timekeeper

As a nod to the futuristic glass bathysphere from The Abyss, this timepiece raises the bar for horological aesthetics by marrying abstract visual concepts with mechanical wonders.

time-read
1 min  |
October 2017
A New Way To Do Business
The PEAK Hong Kong

A New Way To Do Business

Attracting and retaining a creative workforce is a perpetual challenge. The answer may lie in B Corps, a certification process that’s focused on the societal impact a company has.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2017
Circular Opportunities
The PEAK Hong Kong

Circular Opportunities

Why Hong Kong companies should start turning their waste into a supply source.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 2017
The Game Changer
The PEAK Hong Kong

The Game Changer

After years spent residing in Spain, Paris and the US, Northacre CEO Niccolò Barattieri di San Pietro now has his eyes set on London. The forward-thinking property giant is aiming to restore the former glory back into historical developments in the British capital.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 2017
The Quiet Giant
The PEAK Hong Kong

The Quiet Giant

Dr Jonathan Choi wears a lot of hats and sobriquets as he heads up low profile conglomerate Sunwah Group. But with a rising tide of interest in ASEAN and a pending free trade deal, the quiet days may get a little noiser.

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2017
The Boutique Experience in Mexico City
The PEAK Hong Kong

The Boutique Experience in Mexico City

When it comes to Latin America, Mexico is Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner and the biggest buyer of Hong Kong exports.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2016
Discovering the Dark Side
The PEAK Hong Kong

Discovering the Dark Side

Following a growth in the number of protected 'dark sky places' and stargazing travel destinations, all of which offer visitors increasingly luxurious ways to gaze in awe at the night sky, there has never been a more exciting time for astrotourism.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2016
Back On Top
The PEAK Hong Kong

Back On Top

Angela Merkel looks set to stay in charge of Germany as national elections approach, cementing German prosperity and engagement with Europe. 

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2017