Exploring new possibilities and gaining first-hand experience greatly help in understanding oneself and the business environment. In the September edition of our “Dialogue with the General Committee” series, Edwin Morris reflected on his extensive experience across different regions and industries.
“Studying accounting offers a versatile career path, as any business would require financial expertise,” he stated. Starting as an auditor in Australia, the early years of his career highlighted the importance of patience in the workplace. The routine work, which was initially mundane, began to make sense in his second year and gradually helped him gain a deeper understanding of business operations.
Later, Morris relocated to Hong Kong and eventually joined Goldman Sachs. While it was a dream come true to work at a prestigious investment bank, he realized that the demanding working culture with long hours was not suitable for everyone.
After gaining extensive experience at HUD, Swire Properties and Asia Miles, he entered Mainland China’s telemedicine market, joining Ping An Good Doctor as CFO in 2018. With a shortage of family doctors, patients had to visit specialists at hospitals regardless of their condition, often leading to a mismatch of resources. To address this, Ping An Good Doctor developed an AI engine and trained it with millions of cases, enabling a 24/7 online consultation service.
Nevertheless, the platform’s popularity fell short of expectations because it was not included in the basic medical insurance scheme. While spotting gaps in the market was crucial, the success of a product also relies on the regulatory and policy environment, as well as the various stakeholders involved. Cultural differences also created challenges – it could be hard to promote governance and compliance awareness, especially in emerging industries.
“During this time, I learnt to be assertive under all circumstances and focus on doing the best of what I could control,” he said.
As the CFO of Jebsen Group, a leading dealer of Porsche vehicles in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, Morris observed that consumers have become more cautious in a challenging economic climate, and the rising popularity of electric vehicles has further affected sales of traditional automobiles.
As more residents spend their weekends in the Mainland due to lower prices and enhanced cross-border connectivity, he said that other brands under the Group have also been impacted, including G-shock watches and Blue Girl Beer.
Efforts to develop new economic drivers, as outlined in the 2025 Policy Address, are especially welcome in this context. “We support any measures to restore retail and spending to Hong Kong, for example, allowing pets in restaurants and speeding up the approval process for outdoor seating arrangements,” he added. He also mentioned that nurturing the pet economy could create new business opportunities and enhance tourism, presenting the city as a pet-friendly destination.
Regarding the financial sector, Morris believes Hong Kong has unique advantages for developing digital assets, such as cryptocurrency and RMB-linked stablecoins. These include a solid legal system, free movement of capital and information, and a strategic position as the gateway to the Chinese Mainland. Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of ensuring this growth benefits the wider public and enhances their lives, thereby fostering progress across various sectors.