HKB Technology Excellence Awards welcomes Adele Yim as one of its judges

Adele mentioned that adopting new technologies, diversified business portfolios, and internal structure reorganisation are important in sustaining business post-pandemic.

Director and Head of Mazars Risk Advisory Services Limited (Mazars RAS), Adele Yim is an experienced professional, having more than 15 years of experience combining external audit, management accounting, operations management, internal control review, ESG reporting and enterprise risk assessment. Prior to joining Mazars RAS, she was a Director of Risk Advisory Services at a leading accounting firm.

She joined one of the Big Four for a few years after her graduation and became responsible for supervising auditors in a number of systems reviews and audit assignments for both listed companies, large private enterprises, as well as listing candidates.

Adele has also worked in the commercial field in the internal audit department of a large hotel group and a large property development company in Hong Kong and has extensive experience in risk advisory services.

She has a Master of Laws (international and commercial law) degree and a Bachelor of Business (Major in Accounting and Banking and Finance) degree. She is also a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the CPA Australia. 

For Adele, a key to success in the field is to keep a keen eye on technological advancement in the market to ensure the latest technologies are brought to the table upon delivering our technology consulting services to clients. 

“When identifying technical trends and opportunities in the market, we work with clients to achieve competitive advantage in their industries, meeting their goals and objectives in an efficient manner,” she said.

As part of the judges for this year’s Hong Kong Business Technology Excellence Awards, Adele hopes to see projects that provide a remarkable solution to elevate enterprise operating efficiency, include ESG programmes, and show competitive advantages.

How has your experience in technology consulting across different regions impacted your professional career?

As a technology consultant, we assist clients in transforming the way they use technology in their business. These transformations can help clients gear towards accelerating growth, minimising costs, maximising tech opportunities, and streamlining critical processes. In a nutshell, technology consulting allows us to advise enterprises on how to select the most suitable technology that meets their objectives and needs.

With our experience in technology consulting services across a wide portfolio of clients, including manufacturing, retailing, food and beverage, and financial services industries; spanning from Hong Kong, China to overseas, we work with clients to explore technical opportunities whilst fulfilling necessary regulatory requirements. 

When identifying technical trends and opportunities in the market, we work with clients to achieve competitive advantage in their industries, meeting their goals and objectives in an efficient manner. A key to success is to keep a keen eye on technological advancement in the market to ensure the latest technologies are brought to the table upon delivering our technology consulting services to clients. 

How can the Hong Kong government help businesses become more resilient and welcoming of digital innovation?

The pandemic redefined the working norms and strategies businesses adopt. Digital innovation is becoming more important to enable business continuity across most industries. However, this comes with certain costs for businesses at the initial set-up stage. In Hong Kong, the government provides great support in helping businesses become more resilient and welcoming of digital innovation. The government of HKSAR offers a number of funding schemes related to technological adoption available to SMEs, namely the Technology Voucher Programme, and the Reindustrialisation and Technology Training Programme under the smart city initiative. Moreover, the Distance Business Programme under the Anti-Epidemic Fund provides funding support to enterprises for adopting IT solutions in order to continue their business and services during the pandemic. Consultancy services and training are also provided by various departments and agencies, including the Trade and Industry Department, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Cyberport, and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, all of which show support by the Hong Kong government in promoting digital innovation.

How should firms use technology and risk projections to help their businesses become more sustainable?

New technical tools enhance efficiency by automating time-consuming manual tasks. In recent years, the growing interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG) by investors increased demand for the disclosure of the relevant data of their organisation. Standardisation of data for mandatory regulatory disclosures is essential. Technological advancement allows automation of cumbersome, complex, and manual data. Organisations can not only improve data standardisation of data disclosure, it can also benefit from the collection and classification of non-financial data to facilitate the analysis process for decision-making. Automation can increase the reliability of corporate sustainable management tools. Technology applications can assist in accessing real-time granular data, which results in more accurate disclosures of the ESG-related risk and better evaluation of related impact.

In today’s economy, what are the risks and opportunities that companies can afford to take in order to thrive during and after the pandemic?

For more than two years since the pandemic, we have experienced so much change in our daily lives as well as our working behaviour. We have witnessed the use of new technologies make companies widely known to the world, whilst we have also seen businesses that were phased out due to being unable to adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic. The ways of life and working are changing due to the pandemic. Therefore, enterprises cannot be static in their operational process as well as their way of thinking, and it is desirable to seek opportunities in the changing environment. In order for businesses to sustain, transform, or thrive during and after the pandemic, the following could be considered.

• Adapting new technologies. Videoconferencing, remote working, virtual private networks, etc., are commonly and widely used by enterprises during the pandemic due to strict immigration control, social distancing policy, and safety reasons. Companies may also consider using new media advertising, such as short video platforms, social media, etc. to reach their target customers more precisely. 
• Seeking new markets or diversifying a business portfolio. The business landscape has become much more precarious due to the uncertainty of the epidemic development trend as well as the challenge of changing market demand. Companies should rethink their position in the market, identify their advantages and diversify their revenue portfolio accordingly. Entering a new market area, such as the Greater Bay Area, is also an opportunity that companies could consider and take to expand their business.
• Internal structure reorganisation. The long-term and healthy development of an enterprise is inseparable from a good internal governance structure. Whilst adapting to the changes brought about by the external environment, it may also be a good opportunity to reorganise the internal structure. A good and efficient internal governance structure is beneficial to the company's development. On the contrary, a bloated, complex, and inefficient internal structure will make the business difficult to succeed in.

However, opportunities always come with risks. Whilst adopting the changes to the business, the management of the business should always consider the balance of cost and benefits. 

As a judge in the HKB Technology Excellence Awards, what projects or innovations are you expecting to find amongst the entries?

• Projects or innovations that provide a remarkable solution to elevate enterprise operating efficiency, projects or innovations that include ESG features,
• Projects or innovations that bring something new whilst appropriately handling the associated risk,
• Projects or innovations that show competitive advantages, and projects or innovations with excellent user experiences.