INTERVIEW

Edith Wong is the Chief Marketing Officer at Invest Hong Kong, a government department tasked to attract foreign direct investment into the city. Her division oversees marketing and communications, digital strategy and social media, events, public relations, and market intelligence. Her teams work closely with 32 offices in key markets worldwide to reach out to potential investors and to strengthen and promote Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s premier business location. Recent campaigns spearheaded by Invest Hong Kong include the StartmeupHK Festival and Hong Kong Fintech Week.

CMO Council: What are your priorities when it comes to organizational change, operational lift and staff development?

Wong: The pandemic has revolutionized the ways we do marketing and accelerated pre-existing trends, especially around digitization. My first priority is always about talent development, and I keep reminding my team members to constantly re-skill and up-skill themselves. To achieve operational lift, all teams in the organization must work in sync with aligned objectives.

CMO Council: Which digital marketing innovations are most enabling your go-to-market process, customer value creation and campaign effectiveness?

Wong: We have conducted and participated in countless webinars and online events since the pandemic started. Digital marketing innovations around events are crucial in keeping people together, especially with social distancing and traveling restrictions in place. The blossoming of innovative event platforms is impressive and holds one of the keys to consistently keeping our clients informed and engaged.

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CMO Council: How well have you and your marketing team adapted to the virtualized work environment and what have you learned?

Wong: The teams have adapted very quickly to the virtual work environment, which I am very grateful for. While working remotely, I had Zoom meetings with individual teams to make sure all of our activities were aligned, but more importantly to keep up the team spirit. We are back in the office now, but regardless of where the team is working, one thing never changes: show that you care about what they are doing and constantly set goals for yourself and for the organization as a whole.

CMO Council: What marketing skills will be needed in the future and why?

Wong: We all know digital savviness is key, but I would say the ability to empathize. To understand what your consumers or clients are thinking is so critical. 

CMO Council: What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given? Or what career advice would you give to developing marketing leaders?

Wong: “Be a force to be reckoned with”. Develop your confidence, speak up and don’t be afraid to hold different views. This still rings true to developing marketing leaders.

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