Community Spirit

Vanessa Cheung’s grandfather founded Nan Fung Group in 1954 as a specialist Cotton Yarn production company. Now, more than 65 years later, the business is one of Hong Kong’s leading property developers and, as managing director, Vanessa is leading the charge.

- Nikki Stefanoff

While Vanessa Cheung may have only joined the business in 2013, it’s been part of her psyche her entire life. As the granddaughter of Nan Fung’s Founder, Dr Chen Din Hwa, Vanessa came into the business with not only a deep understanding of its values, but also ideas about how she could drive the company forward. She started by incorporating her passion for community.

“When I joined, the company had been around for 60 years and so was already well established. What I wanted to do was bring in a way for us to create a bigger impact on people’s lives,” she says. “I wanted us to be doing more than just providing shelter.”

Since becoming Group Managing Director in 2017, Vanessa has seen Nan Fung create meaningful projects and initiatives. She has also been the key driver in advocating for the company to embrace the global values of sustainability and innovation.

“As a business, we’ve focused on enhancing the environmentally sustainable elements in our real estate projects,” she shares. “And not just through obtaining the usual certifications, but really implementing improved processes and exploring innovative products to create a sustainable and safe environment for people to live and work in. To us, it’s about putting the user first. Our customers spend so much money on their home that it’s our responsibility to really create a space for them that’s secure and happy to be in. We want to make their lives better.”