Yue shows youth the way forward

The chief executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Eddie Yue Wai-man, shared his career path to encourage young people in an interview with CU Alumni Magazine, giving a rare glimpse of his personal life.

Speaking to the quarterly alumni magazine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Yue said he was born in a grassroots family, living with seven siblings in a few-hundred-sq-ft unit at Tai Hang Tung Estate.

Yue said he had dreamed of being a doctor since childhood. After being accepted into CUHK's biochemistry department, he was planning to change his major to medical school. However, Yue gave up the plan due to policy changes in switching majors. Considering his introverted character and other factors, he finally chose business administration.

Yue's first job was as an intern manager in a British bank. After that, he began his career in government as an administrative officer in 1986. He said he knew little about finance before being transferred to the Office of the Exchange Fund in 1991, which spurred him to get master degrees in financial economics and business administration.

He joined the HKMA upon its establishment in 1993.

Yue told youngsters who intend to tap into the financial industry that they have to be interested in their jobs as the industry has expanded to fintech, big data and green finance, and that they should show empathy in communicating.