Foreword 1

Chuan Neo Chong

Operating Director at Partners Group,Investor, Board Member,Former Chairman of Accenture Greater China

I have known Andy for many years and I have always admired his diligence, positive attitude, strong work ethics, commitment to life-long learning, and most of all his willingness to share his knowledge and experiences with the people around him. So it came as no surprise to me when Andy told me that he will write a book to share his life journey,from a humble beginning as a new migrant in Hong Kong to eventually be a legal counsel of high standing. Although Andy and I spent many hours sharing “life’s lessons”, I was not aware of his struggles,hardship, sense of mission and his immense gratitude for little blessings in life, until I read the script (cover to cover) for this book.

Andy shared with me that he wrote this book to share with ordinary people — whether you are a worker, a professional, a busi nessman, a housewife, or a student — on how to deal with adversity in life. This book is filled with honest and sincere experiences that Andy has personally encountered, no “sugar coating” and no “ex aggerations”. The fundamental that Andy had relied on to help him overcome adversity is a set of principles, values and methods which he has systematically shared in this book. The eight rules outlined in this book is for everyone who wants to take charge of his/her life and to achieve own life mission.

When I was the Chairman of Accenture Greater China region(2015–2018) and Andy was my legal counsel, we encountered many challenges and I saw first-hand how Andy had employed his set of disciplines, beliefs and methods to handle each and every issue, with calmness, fairness, integrity and facts.

Andy is always willing to learn and grow, with a humble heart and an open mind.

I still recall vividly during one of our leadership events in Hong Kong in 2015, when we had a celebration dinner. I was sharing with the newly promoted Managing Directors about the Accenture’s business models, technology visions and trends, the importance of thinking outside of the box and creativity, sacred Accenture values of stewardship and integrity, unconscious bias and Inclusion & Diversity— being important for our people and business. Andy who is always writing down new ideas and learnings did not have his usual notebook with him since we were having a formal dinner event. He collected as many napkins (clean ones) and wrote furiously the key points from the sharing. Such is Andy’s passion for learning. He is never without his writing “materials” even if he needs to improvise.

So much has changed over the past year when the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the world. The poorest and disadvan taged are the worst hit. There is no better time than now for the “Able”to help the “Unable”. When Andy left Accenture he was at the top of his game, having spent over 10 successful years at one of the world’s largest Technology companies. He could readily find Top manage ment roles with suitable large Technology Multinationals but he de cided to join the NPO Shenzhen Benchmark Chambers International and Benchmark International Mediation Center as the Chief Legal Officer and then the related Lan Hai Institute as the Head of Com pliance Research and Study Committee. In addition to generously contributing his time in this “pro bono” role, Andy plans to donate all proceeds from this book to Lan Hai Institute.

Andy embodies the power of giving back, stewardship and self lessness. He lives a modest life even when he can easily afford the life of extravagance and materialism in the modern world. Instead Andy is always thinking of how he can contribute to the community,society and those whose path crosses his. Writing this book to share his experiences in handling adversity and his inner most thoughts has not been an easy journey but Andy is determined to share (as he has learnt from others and benefited) as much as he can to help others get to a better place in life.

The concluding remarks of this book captured my attention and resonates completely with me:

Don’t be afraid of poverty; it makes us struggle, each day lived more abundantly than the one before.

Don’t be afraid of clumsiness; it makes us diligent, humble as an empty glass, with plenty of room to fill with new knowledge.

Don’t be afraid of ageing; it makes us experienced. It takes time for wisdom to sink in, so think of ageing as a charming friend.

Don’t be afraid of illness; it is the body sounding the alarm, reminding us to slow down and reflect on the most important people and events in our lives.

Don’t be afraid of adversity; it is certainly painful and uncomfortable,but every challenge also makes you grow. Accept it and break through it; many challenges are not as scary as one might think.

Andy’s mission in life is to learn and share knowledge and experiences, and he hopes for others to enjoy life-long learning and to benefit from such activity. His book is a powerful reminder that having the right attitude, keen awareness and knowledge, and accountability for our own life, are key to living a successful life.

Chuan Neo Chong
Singapore