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My Life

My Life
The latest news, analysis and opinion on My Life. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
The Reverend Will Newman, chaplain of Hong Kong’s St John’s Cathedral and priest-in-charge of St Stephen’s Chapel, in Hong Kong's Stanley district. Photo: Alexander Mak
Catholic Church

Meet the Reverend Will Newman, chaplain of Hong Kong’s St John’s Cathedral and Stanley Prison

From India to Hong Kong, Reverend Will Newman’s journey from missionary child to prison chaplain is a fascinating tale of faith, family and service.

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Former Hong Kong rugby team captain reflects on the first Sevens tournament in 1976

Art

Philip Tinari on his global journey through art and culture

Get to Know

Jane Houng: musician, author – and mother of a murdered child

The founder of Becky’s Button tells how she channelled the grief from losing her daughter into tackling gender-based violence.

Jane Houng set up charity Becky’s Button to provide women at risk with a panic button after her daughter Rebecca Dykes was murdered in Lebanon in 2017. Photo: Bella Galliano-Hale
Books and literature

He thought his life was a failure. Then he wrote it down.

The author of I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, a viral account of China’s gig economy, will appear at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival in March.

Macau

He planned to only stay in Macau for a year. Now he runs the literary festival

The Mozambique-born journalist once chose Stanley Ho for his magazine’s cover instead of Gong Li, and later bought the Portuguese Bookshop.

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Interview

Barrister by day, jazz singer by night – and that’s only half the story

The British barrister tells of his years in the Gurkhas, long career in law, and singing at Ned Kelly’s in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Neville Sarony at his office in Central, Hong Kong. Photo: Tracy Wong
Architecture and design

‘Architects are always jumping in water that’s over our heads’

Billie Tsien, founding partner of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, tells of designing the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre and the Obama Presidential Centre.

Hong Kong

The Peninsula’s first female GM on burnout and the joy of reinvention

A colleague once told her she’d never make it at The Peninsula, ‘an old boys’ club’ – now she’s executive director of Hong Kong Design Centre, which runs Business of Design Week.

Art

T-shirts, TV fame and now a village art takeover: Dominic Johnson-Hill’s wild ride

The entrepreneur behind irreverent brand Plastered 8 talks about serendipity, celebrity, and leaving his colourful mark on Hong Kong.

Dominic Johnson-Hill in front of a mural featuring a yellow-browed warbler in Mui Wo, Lantau Island. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Hong Kong's music scene

He plays music with his elbows and brings skateboard tricks into his performances

Steve Hui Ngo-shan reflects on his journey from teen raver to Hong Kong’s leading sound artist. He even writes operas.

Steve Hui Ngo-shan, aka experimental musician Nerve, pictured in his studio in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Photo: Eddie Huynh
Art

This writer went from dishing dirt in Manila to curating art in Hong Kong

Once infamous for her tell-all novels, Kitty Go has channelled her boldness into meaningful art and impact projects across Asia.

Hong Kong

His Parsi great-grandfather chose Hong Kong in 1880. 6 generations followed

Jimmy Minoo Master went from importing Indian textiles to running a Swiss asset firm. Now he plays golf and runs a family charity.

Art

He finger-painted until it bored him. Then came the fire

The Filipino designer on his sold-out exhibitions in the 1990s, a terrifying incident with a gas canister, and his daily Hong Kong hikes.

Noel de Guzman, pictured hiking at Pok Fu Lam Reservoir in Hong Kong, says forest walks help fire his creativity. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Books and literature

Can a psychic reading change your life? He thinks so

Angus Donald’s reporting took him from Hong Kong to Kabul. When he finally slowed down, he found love because of a psychic.

Angus Donald at his house in Kent, UK, last month. Photo: James Clarke
Hong Kong's music scene

Andrew Tuason on his music career alongside Cantopop’s biggest stars

The record producer, composer and band leader discusses learning his craft from his father and working with Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau.

Hong Kong police

An ex-policeman recounts fighting triads, kidnappers and counterfeiters

The cop-turned-security consultant on a life of fighting crime in Hong Kong – from investigating tycoon Teddy Wang’s death to dealing with corporate crime.

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Hong Kong

How social worker Jeffrey Andrews went from gangs to grass-roots leadership

The third-generation Hongkonger discusses being easy prey for triads, the ‘subtle bias’ of locals, and why Chungking Mansions isn’t ‘a scary horror house’.

videocam
Social worker, activist and former Legislative Council candidate Jeffrey Andrews poses for a portrait on the staircase of Chungking Mansions, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Chan
Hong Kong

This botanical artist’s journey from the ‘garden of England’ to Lantau

British artist and teacher Sally Grace Bunker once spent 7 years creating watercolours of 100 indigenous trees for the University of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong

The audition tape she hid under her bed launched this radio DJ’s career

‘I learned English from the Backstreet Boys because I was going to marry one of them,’ says Alyson Hau of her preteen self – years later, she introduced them on stage.

Books and literature

What tailoring and book publishing have in common

Hong Kong art book publisher Mary Chan on her decades-long publishing journey, from journalism and art, to advertising and books.

Mary Chan, founding publisher of MCCM Creations. Photo: Eugene Chan
Hong Kong

Film producer Jessica Kam-Engle talks Disney, John Woo and more

The Hong Kong-born head of CreAsia Studio discusses why she left a booming Silicon Valley and returned to Asia.

Jessica Kam-Engle, Hong Kong film producer and head of CreAsia Studio. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Cantonese

From a corner shop to cabaret star: Rick Lau reflects on his journey

A clairvoyant told him he was destined for the stage, so he changed his whole career trajectory, but even growing up in Hong Kong, he was inspired by Barry Manilow.

Hong Kong

From Ireland to Kowloon: one educator’s 70-year journey

Brother Patrick Tierney, veteran of La Salle’s Hong Kong Catholic schools, discusses his devotion to education, his fondness for football and Bruce Lee.

Conservation

Gary Ades speaks on animal conservation and ecology in Hong Kong

Gary Ades, the head of fauna conservation at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, on the evolution of animal welfare and conservation in Hong Kong.

Dr Gary Ades speaks on animal conservation and ecology in Hong Kong. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Doing Good

He held Hong Kong’s elites to account. Now he’s running out of time

Corporate governance activist and newly awarded MBE David Webb reflects on his decades of advocacy, his cancer diagnosis and the legacy he hopes to leave.

David Michael Webb (born 29 August 1965) is an activist investor, transparency advocate and public data archivist/analyst. Long based in Hong Kong, he was formerly an investment banker. He maintains a large, open set of highly synthesised public data records, at Webb-site.com, photographed in Mid Levels Hong Kong, 29May25 SCMP / Jocelyn Tam
Hong Kong culture

Rowena Cortes on her life, and working with Elton John and Leslie Cheung

The Filipino-Hong Kong singer and actress talks about cutting her first record at age 5, working with stars, and getting married in front of 3,500 people.

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

The magical, musical, mildly chaotic world of Harry Wong

From passing props to his father, children’s TV host Uncle Calvin, to conducting orchestras in tutus, this Hong Kong radio host has always believed in the power of joyful chaos.

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