An Afternoon of Insights and Delight with the Chairman of Gree

A staunch commitment to strengthening links with industry, academia, and research, while driving talent development and innovation, was proudly on display at HKUST during a special event titled “Afternoon of Insights” featuring Ms. DONG Mingzhu, Chairman of Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai.

Ms. Dong shared her valuable experiences and perspectives on corporate management and talent development at GREE during the event on March 26 in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 600 students, alumni, and faculty members, both in person and online. 

Held as part of HKUST’s 35th anniversary celebrations, the event began with a warm welcome address by Prof. Charles NG, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement at HKUST, who thanked Ms. Dong for visiting the University and engaging with the community. 

He noted that, as a trailblazer in China’s manufacturing industry, Ms. Dong has led GREE from a small air-conditioner factory to a globally recognized, diversified industrial group that has made the Fortune Global 500 list for years. 

Guided by the vision “Made in China, Loved by the World,” she has driven industrial innovation and transformed how the world sees Chinese brands, emphasizing how her leadership and entrepreneurial spirit offered an invaluable learning opportunity for HKUST’s students, faculty, and alumni, Prof. Ng explained.

During her talk, Ms. Dong described GREE’s journey from its early days with limited scale and technology to becoming a global manufacturing group with 80,000 employees and a strong command of critical technologies. 

Stressing that talent is the most crucial resource for a company’s growth, GREE stays focused on its core manufacturing business and insists on self-developed innovation. She added that technological self-reliance must be built on a steady stream of outstanding talent. 

According to Ms. Dong, true talent requires solid professional knowledge, integrity, a strong sense of responsibility, and dedication to the country. She encouraged young people to embrace challenges and sharpen their skills through practice.

Additionally, Ms. Dong highlighted the importance of collaboration between companies and universities in developing well-rounded talent, saying that education should go beyond teaching professional knowledge. It should also help shape values and cultivate a new generation of capable and passionate individuals. 

“While we cannot choose our age, we can choose our spirit. As long as we remain energetic and committed to striving forward, success will surely follow,” she said, drawing on her life experiences.

Ms. Dong’s reflections on talent as the engine of innovation and elevating Chinese brands on the world stage were both inspiring and thought-provoking. Participants were fully engaged throughout the session and gained valuable insights from this opportunity to interact closely with a distinguished business leader. 

HKUST believes that lasting innovation can be achieved only through strong cross-sector collaboration between academia and industry. Partnerships like this are essential for nurturing talent with both a global vision and practical ability, empowering them to serve society and make meaningful contributions to Hong Kong and the nation.