An expert in family business 

Deeply dedicated to supporting HKUST over the years, Roger King is known as one of the world’s leading experts in Family Business, Family Office, Entrepreneurship, Corporate and Family Governance. He is the senior advisor and founding director of the Roger King Center for Asian Family Business and Family Office. A key research arm of the HKUST Business School, the Center was established over a decade ago and has become the world’s premier research and teaching center in Asian family business, with added focus on family office, a fast-growing sector in Asia.  

Roger was a former US naval officer. He also served at various leading positions in large corporations, associations and advisory bodies, for example, Non-Executive Director of Orient Overseas (International) Limited, President of Harvard School Association of Hong Kong, and the Standing Committee Member of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.  

Asia at the crossroads 

The family office is in its infancy stage in Asia, but as the number of billionaires has grown, the need to pass on family wealth and values, all while maintaining harmony within the family, has become more crucial. This need has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of Asian family offices that are impacting the future, all while family office research has continually neglected Asian perspectives. It’s a gap that Roger is determined to fill.  

For him, the future of Asian family businesses is fascinating and dynamic. "The younger generation wants to do things differently, they are better educated, have studied overseas, and many are even reluctant to join the family business because they seem traditional or even in sunset industries. With COVID-19 and Industry 4.0, things are looking at a radical shakeup, and the way things are conducted from now on will be different from the past. Even the concept of the ‘office’ is completely changed from before. We haven’t seen the end results, it’s a dynamic situation," says Roger. 

With change in mind, one of the concepts Roger came up with is "From Family Business to Business Family", which is a hybrid concept that sees the traditional revenue streams fund new ventures. The result is a layered portfolio that reflects the old and new, allowing traditional business to modernize, while the new generation ventures can leverage on existing connections and resources. Another important concept is the ‘3Ps’ – preservation of Family Wealth, Harmony, and Value Systems, which is more crucial to Asian family businesses as the new guard takes over, and the next generation takes over.  

Firmly established in Hong Kong 

Deeply dedicated to supporting HKUST over the years, Roger donated generously in 2015 to our Alumni Endowment Fund to help provide a holistic learning experience to our students. On top of this, HKUST recently received a generous donation from his children Stephen, Daphne and Geoffrey to support research on Asian family business and family offices. Roger is the brother-in-law of Tung Chee Wah, HKSAR’s first Chief Executive, so he is uniquely placed to understand the ins and outs of business in Hong Kong.  

Connecting to alumni 

Another one of Roger’s missions is encouraging the next generation and helping alumni connect to HKUST. Having grown up in Shanghai and Michigan, and spent the majority of his career in Asia, Roger knows the importance of bridging cultures in the new economy. "The world is complex and yet more interconnected than ever – remember to link back to your alma mater, network with fellow alumni, and mentor our students too," he says. For young people seeking to make it big, what would Roger advise? "I have this concept of 'CCKP' – you need self Confidence, Commitment, Knowledge and Passion. If you are missing any of these, your chances of success are slim," he says. 

Know more about Roger's story from Alumni Newsletter Spring 2023