CAREERS: Q&A with Felix To Chi Hak

Name Felix To Chi Hak

Age 37

Job title Chief executive officer, MindWorks

Advertising

Q: What is your greatest work achievement?

A: Frankly speaking, nothing really "great" yet. But the current venture

to make use of content creation power to provide added media value to

advertisers in Asia could become a very satisfying experience.

Q: What would be your dream brand to work on and why?

A: Dream brand? The media industry is so versatile, chances are that the

most original brands are the ones created by one's own team. To answer

the question, therefore, MindWorks.

Q: What would you do if you weren't in marketing?

A: I'm not sure. Production, probably, or maybe a school teacher.

Q: What was your big break?

A: I would say that came in stages, but the starting point would be 1990

when I joined the television industry, and found out that there was not

many fixed rules to rely on, and that one has to work out one's own

understanding.

Q: Who was your mentor and how did this person influence you?

A: There have been many but I feel it would not be fair to them if I

quote them.

Q: Is there a secret to your success?

A: The key is the people on the team.

Q: How do you handle difficult clients?

A: It might sound absurd, but I am not good at "handling" clients. The

way I usually approach a business and the clients involved is to

understand their needs as thoroughly as possible and ask myself if I can

honestly deliver the result that would be mutually beneficial.

Q: What advice would you give to the next person to do your current

job?

A: I would say being in syndication we are in a business that requires

an incessant quest for inspiring ideas. It would be very tiring if you

do not enjoy it. So enjoy as much of the work as you can. Discipline is

very, very important.

Q: What are you currently reading that will help you in your job?

A: My current reading is ad hoc, impulsive and never with any direction.

I consistently read The Economist and The Asian Wall Street Journal for

regular updates on current events.

Q: Who is the business person you most admire and why?

A: I have not positioned myself as a corporate businessman, so I don't

have a clear idea which business person I admire most. I do admire Deng

Xiaoping for the breadth of his life and his sense of direction.