Upholding an Altruistic Mindset to Build a Talent Ecosystem

Full Article in Chinese

• Master of Business Administration (Executive)
• Co-founder and Executive Director, KOS International Talent Group

As the old saying goes, "When brothers are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal." In Jackson Chan’s entrepreneurial journey, his two elder brothers played a pivotal role. Together, they drove KOS International Talent Group (KOS) from the ground up, successfully leading the company to its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2018. Exhibiting a forward-looking vision, Jackson later pursued an Master of Business Administration (Executive) degree at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) to establish a network in Mainland China, paving the way for the company’s expansion into the Greater Bay Area (GBA) market.

"I was worked at a bank. Because I was good at photocopying, I was jokingly crowned the 'King of Photocopying'." While it sounds like an amusing anecdote today, it belies a childhood of hardship. Jackson recalled that his family faced challenges during his youth, forcing him and his twin brother to leave school early. Fortunately, their eldest brother—five years their senior—took on the family's financial responsibilities, allowing them to grow up without worries. Driven by a strong work ethic, Jackson was quickly promoted to a salesperson. By the age of 21, he proposed to his wife and started a happy family.

Jackson added that to provide greater security for his family, he later transitioned to a job portal website, marks his formal entry into the Human Resources (HR) industry. Within just two years, his salary doubled, and he noticed the massive business opportunities within headhunting firms. "Back when we were studying for our Diploma in Marketing, my twin brother and I tried to write a business plan for a headhunting company. We made cold calls to major clients to figure out how the industry operated. Our lecturer strongly encouraged us to start our own business. However, having just married, I felt it wasn't the right time to be too aggressive. Instead, I joined Monster, the world’s largest job portal at the time, to gain multinational experience, and later sharpened my sales skills at a major foreign headhunting firm."

As the saying goes, "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity." Jackson revealed that the 2008 global financial crisis caused both him and his twin brother to be laid off. Surprisingly, this setback became the catalyst for fulfilling their entrepreneurial dream. "We borrowed some desks, chairs, computers, and phones from our eldest brother, investing only a few thousand Hong Kong dollars for initial operations. Leveraging the experience and network we had built, the company generated hundreds of thousands in revenue within just three months of opening."

"The success of a business relies heavily on collaboration and a clear division of labor. My eldest brother possesses an extensive high-level business network and focuses on business development. As the 'spokesperson' of the company, I am responsible for external communication. My twin brother handles internal operations, including HR, finance, and marketing. Meanwhile, our fellow co-founder, Raymond, oversees the IT domain. This complementary model allows everyone to maximize their value in their respective areas of expertise."

Jackson explained that after the company went public, the top priority was to elevate corporate management. To achieve this, he invited his former boss to serve as the Group CEO and rapidly expanded operations to Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Singapore. "I also seized the opportunity during the pandemic in 2021, while stuck in Hong Kong, to enroll in CityUHK’s Chinese EMBA program. This fulfilled three goals at once: obtaining a degree, improving my Mandarin proficiency, and building a professional network."

"What brought me the most joy was when border restrictions were lifted in 2023. CityUHK arranged for us to visit HEC Paris in France and Yale University in the United States. We also traveled to Kyoto, Japan, to experience firsthand the business philosophy of management maestro Kazuo Inamori. This trip allowed me to systematically structure concepts like the 'altruistic culture' that I had previously practiced purely by intuition, and taught me how to pass down the vision of turning the company into a century-old brand to the team in a 'structured' manner." He added that, more importantly, his persistence in continuing education served as a personal example and role model for his daughter, who was in primary school at the time.

In recognition of his contributions to the business services sector and his passion for public service—such as serving as a director of InspiringHK Sports Foundation, setting up scholarships through his company in collaboration with universities, and mentoring in the Executive Mentorship Scheme to help youth map out their careers—Jackson was honored with the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award – Best Business Services Award" in 2024. He was also named a recipient of the CityUHK College of Business "Distinguished Alumni Award" for 2026.

"I hope KOS is not just a participant in the Greater Bay Area, but also a builder and a bridge. We aspire to develop KOS into a Hong Kong brand with global influence in the service sector," he stated. Believing that education and sports foster resilience in the younger generation, Jackson hopes his current commitment to youth affairs will establish long-term connections that ultimately give back to society.

（Published at 2 July 2026）