Q . WHO WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD HERO AND WHY ?
» Odysseus — sometimes known as Ulysses . As a child I was fascinated by Ancient Greece , and read the Iliad and the Odyssey multiple times . Odysseus captured my imagination with his epic journey , never giving up on his quest to return home even when it seemed impossible , and the intelligent and creative ways he overcame all the challenges and temptations along the way .
Q . WHAT ' S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED — AND FROM WHOM ?
» I always remember my grandmother telling me , when I was about eight years old , that ' It ’ s not the hand of cards you are dealt , it ’ s all about how you play it ’. Many things are always beyond our control , as the pandemic has dramatically illustrated , and the only thing we can control is the perspective we choose to take on a situation , and our own decisions and actions . I always try to take a constructive and positive mindset , even in the toughest situation , and to focus on ‘ what ’ s the next best action I can take ?’ This often opens up bigger opportunities than I could see initially . The other great piece of advice my grandmother gave me was ‘ footprints in the sands of time are not made by sitting down ’ — she was a very strong , determined woman !
Q . WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU READ , WHY DID YOU LIKE IT — AND HOW LONG AGO DID YOU READ IT ?
» I just finished three weeks of quarantine coming back into China , and have almost finished “ The Long Game ” by Rush Doshi . It is a thoroughly researched and insightful analysis of the last 40 years of China ’ s economic development and international relations , but also sets the analysis in the context of the history of the last two hundred years . China is so different and largely misunderstood by the West , and most of the media coverage doesn ’ t help . There is a huge information asymmetry between China and the West , because so many Chinese people have studied and worked in the West , but so few Westerners have spent any time in China . I have been coming to China for over ten years and feel I am still just scratching the surface of a country and culture which have developed over thousands of years .
Q . NAME ONE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY YOU COULDN ’ T LIVE WITHOUT AND TELL US WHY ( EXCLUDING YOUR MOBILE PHONE ).
» I recently got a digital notebook , which really is like writing on paper and it ' s quickly becoming indispensable . I was a bit unsure about buying it because I have so many screens and apps already , which are amazing productivity tools but can often be distracting . This tablet ' s value is completely different from other types of screens , because it enables me to think and focus better by writing things out .
Q . IF YOU HADN ’ T BEEN INVOLVED WITH FINTECH , WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR OTHER TOP CAREER CHOICE ?
» I ’ ve worked in other tech sectors and mobile before , and while I think fintech is the most exciting area to be focused on for the next five years at least , I do have an interest in the future , in looking at new approaches to education . I was lucky to have a great education and know how it completely changes lives , but I think education can be reinvented for the future . Leveraging technology will be a key part of this , but