A two-day executive training programme tailored for Hongkong Yingyou Technology Co., Limited, the Hong Kong-based office of leading Chinese enterprise APST Yingyou Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (APST), was successfully held on 18 and 19 March 2026 at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), marking a significant collaboration between the two institutions in advancing executive development.
A two-day executive training programme tailored for Hongkong Yingyou Technology Co., Limited, the Hong Kong-based office of leading Chinese enterprise APST Yingyou Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (APST), was successfully held on 18 and 19 March 2026 at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), marking a significant collaboration between the two institutions in advancing executive development.
Titled "Global Leadership: Overseas Business Expansion & Management Empowerment," (寰球領航：企業海外拓展與管理賦能計畫) the programme brought together company executives for a rigorous curriculum blending strategic theory, institutional visits, and practical industry insights.
Prof. Stephanie Gao, Professor of Practice at CityUHK College of Business
Strategic Frameworks for a New Era
The training opened with welcome remarks by Prof. Stephanie Gao, Professor of Practice at CityUHK College of Business. Over the following two days, Prof. Yangfeng Cao, Adjunct Professor at CityUHK, delivered two keynote sessions addressing the most pressing strategic challenges facing enterprises today.
In the first session “New Strategic Challenges for Enterprises in the Era of Deglobalisation”, Prof. Cao guided participants through the complexities of overseas expansion, market involution, and customer engagement, while introducing both Blue Ocean Strategy for product innovation and Black Ocean Strategy for business model innovation.
The second keynote “Reshaping Competitive Advantage in an Era of Uncertainty”, focused on the sources of competitive advantage, strategic barriers, and the T-Model for sustainable growth, concluding with ten fundamental principles of strategic transformation.
Participants visited the Hong Kong Science Park, where they engaged with leading technology enterprises at the forefront of innovation.
Participants visited Fano Labs Limited to meet the specialist in voice AI technologies, Mr John Poon, Vice President of Business Operations, who shared practical and forward-looking insights.
Immersive Visits and Engaging Industry Exchanges
On the afternoon of 18 March, participants visited the Hong Kong Science Park, where they engaged with leading technology enterprises at the forefront of innovation.
At Fano Labs Limited, a specialist in voice AI technologies, Mr John Poon, Vice President of Business Operations, shared practical and forward-looking insights with the participants, supplementing his presentation with live product demonstrations that showcased the real-world applications of AI-driven voice solutions.
The delegation then visited IQAX Limited, a leader in shipping and logistics technology, where Mr George Guo, CEO, and Mr Eric Wong, Chief Product Officer, engaged in a dynamic dialogue with participants. The discussion ranged from AI adoption and digital transformation to risk management and ecosystem collaboration, creating a true two-way exchange.
The visits concluded with a briefing session at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), accompanied by Prof. Cao and Prof. Hwa-ping Chang.
Regional Insights from Industry Experts
The second day featured an industry sharing session by Ms Mary Zhou, former Vice President of Singapore-based AI company Vocalbeats and former Chief Marketing Officer of Lazada Group. Drawing on her extensive experience in Southeast Asia, Ms Zhou provided practical insights on multi-country business setup and organizational design, with content tailored to participants’ specific needs.
Ms Mary Zhou, former Vice President of Singapore-based AI company Vocalbeats and former Chief Marketing Officer of Lazada Group
Participants praised the programme’s depth and relevance.
Mr Jeffrey Li (李仁俊), General Manager at the General Management Office, shared: “I had the opportunity to join the first cohort of core team members for training at CityUHK, where Professor Cao’s excellent teaching, especially the T-Model of ‘seizing the Blue Ocean, competing in the Red Ocean, and deepening the Black Ocean,’ provided clear direction for our company’s healthy growth. This was a highly rewarding experience. My sincere thanks to the CityUHK professors, Fano Labs, IQAX, the Hong Kong Science Park, and all the organising staff for their dedication. I look forward to our company’s second cohort of younger core members quickly following suit, advancing steadily together.”
Mr Yuan Renbo (苑仁波), Deputy Section Chief at the Marketing Center, added: “I was fortunate to participate in the specialised training led by Professor Yangfeng Cao and Professor Yuanyuan Zhou. Their teaching was insightful and packed with practical value. Through real-world case studies, I not only learned practical methods for cross-border operations, customer development, and risk management but also gained a more systematic understanding of business model innovation and overseas market expansion, broadening my international perspective and enhancing my business acumen. I am committed to applying this knowledge to customer development, market expansion, and business implementation, contributing to our company’s high-quality development and the expansion of its cross-border operations.”
A Model for Academic-Industry Collaboration
The programme concluded with a closing ceremony and certificate presentation, marking the successful completion of a comprehensive executive education experience.
By integrating academic rigour with real-world application, the training exemplified the value of university-industry collaboration in preparing enterprises for the complexities of global markets.