Ivan Sze Wing-hang, a distinguished industrialist in Hong Kong, serves as a Director of Hang Tung Resources Holding Limited while holding prominent public roles, including Vice President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, Convener of Hong Kong and Macau of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee, Advisor to Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, and Chairman of the Tuen Mun Hospital Governing Committee. His longstanding reputation in the business community stems from his unwavering integrity and measured leadership. Embracing the Confucian ideal that "to elevate oneself, one must elevate others," Ivan has dedicated himself to philanthropy, tirelessly advocating for social inclusivity. When reflecting on his life philosophy, he underscores the imperative of "relentless self-betterment and bold innovation"—a commitment to perseverance and visionary exploration to expand societal horizons.
Learn to Seek Truth, Leap to Test Innovation
Ivan’s trailblazing ethos and multidisciplinary curiosity emerged during his academic years in the 1980s. Upon completing secondary education, recognizing his family’s nascent foray into textiles, he enrolled in a textile diploma program at Kwai Chung Technical Institute (now IVE Kwai Chung) to acquire applicable expertise. The institution’s rigorous 2-year curriculum, taught by adept instructors, coupled with hands-on factory apprenticeships, instilled in him not only a genuine love for learning but also a foundational tenet: mastery demands diligence.
In recollecting his internship in the dyehouse, Ivan detailed the intricacies of textile dyeing—particularly the exacting task of colour-matching buttons to fabrics. Demonstrating reverence for his mentors, he sought to absorb their guarded techniques. His dedication bore fruit—"fortune favours the earnest" (人道酬誠) —as they entrusted him with proprietary methods. Undaunted by initial setbacks, he meticulously trialled chromatic variations until achieving a flawless batch of harmoniously dyed buttons, much to his mentors’ acclaim. This formative episode crystallized his conviction that audacity in experimentation is indispensable to professional growth.
Steadfast Progress, Pioneering New Frontiers
Upon graduating from the technical institute, Ivan found himself at the cusp of China’s reform and opening-up era. Recognizing the fleeting nature of opportunity, he chose to prioritise enterprise over further studies. Armed with his engineering expertise, he was entrusted with a pivotal mission: establishing his family’s textile factories on the mainland. Not only did he spearhead the groundwork for these facilities, but he also confronted the formidable task of simultaneously launching a new quarrying venture—a dual responsibility that demanded both strategic foresight and operational grit.
Confronting these challenges with tenacity and a pioneering spirit, Ivan adopted a pragmatic approach—"crossing the river by feeling the stones." Initially dismissed by suppliers of raw stone materials as an inexperienced newcomer, he gradually earned their respect through relentless perseverance and honed acumen. His resilience transformed early setbacks into mastery, enabling him to navigate transactions with deft precision and expand the business methodically. During this period, he even extended his ventures into trade with North Korea—a testament to his audacity in carving opportunities from uncharted terrain. "Heaven rewards the diligent," (天道酬勤) and true to this adage, Ivan’s unwavering self-discipline propelled him from obscurity to eminence in the business world.
In subsequent years, as competitors began replicating his textile production models, Ivan and his family conglomerate made a strategic pivot: they exited textile manufacturing to focus exclusively on mainland textile import-export trade. Today, the group’s portfolio spans real estate, international trade, and software development. Ivan attributes this sustained relevance to a refusal to cling to convention. "In commerce," he asserts, "one must embrace timely transformation and dare to innovate—progress waits for no one."
Beyond Success: A Commitment to Community
It is said that "the highest virtue of commerce lies in balancing righteousness with profit, and in returning to society what one has drawn from its resources." This philosophy took root in Ivan during his secondary school years, when he frequented social welfare centres to purchase subsidized meals, frugally saving his lunch expenses. There, he encountered students with special educational needs and grew acutely aware of their struggle for understanding and support.
Years later, with his family’s enterprises flourishing, Ivan joined Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, determined to rise to its chairmanship. He sought to leverage the institution’s vast service network to empower marginalized communities. During his tenure, he championed the diversification of social enterprises—from retail and catering to bakery workshops—creating employment pathways for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. A man of profound empathy, Ivan believed in "giving both fish and the fishing rod"; his actions embodied the spirit of "virtue begets reward" (地道酬善), where moral generosity fosters social harmony.
Strategic Foresight, Proactive Leadership
Another of Ivan’s visionary pursuits was to introduce Hong Kong products to mainland markets. Amid global trade volatility and tariff wars, he urged businesses to capitalise on Hong Kong’s zero-tariff advantages to expand into Belt and Road Initiative cities. Opportunities multiply for those willing to venture beyond convention. Yet challenges loomed as the mainland integrated services of spanning manufacturing, logistics, and retail, posed stiff competition to Hong Kong’s industries. As Vice President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association and Convener of Hong Kong and Macau of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC Shanghai Committee, Ivan actively organised trade fairs to promote Hong Kong brands inland. He emphasised the city’s enduring strengths in creativity, professionalism, and excellence in exhibitions and industrial promotion. However, he cautioned that even with green-channel privileges, complacency could risk obsolescence. The adage "A ripple heralds the wind; wise preparation secures the future" (青萍微動知風起，未雨綢繆布遠局) epitomised Ivan’s advocacy to trend anticipation and pre-emptive strategy to seize competitive edges in an era of tectonic shift.
Ivan’s legacy is one of grounded diligence and relentless refinement. He understood that success, like "sailing against the current," demands unwavering effort. Whether pushing beyond comfort zones to unlock market potential or driving societal progress, his life exemplified the creed that "mastery begets enduring excellence" (業道酬精)—a principle that propelled both personal achievement and Hong Kong’s collective prosperity.
