Anthony Lam Sai-ho

EMBA Graduate, College of Business
Recipient (2025), CityUHK 8th Distinguished Alumni Award
Principal Member, CityUHK Foundation
Vice-Chairman (2023-2025), CityUHK Eminence Society
Chairman (2023-2025), Advisory Committee, Department of Marketing, CityUHK
Member (2023-2025), Steering Committee, CityUHK Industrial and Business Leaders Circle
Vice-Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, Golden Resources Development International Limited
Executive Deputy Chairman, Federation of Hong Kong Industries

“Keeping a positive mindset to see all things.”

Born into a family engaged in the rice wholesale business and as a third-generation successor, Mr Anthony Lam Sai-ho stresses that continuous learning is the key to leading the family business to innovations and breakthroughs. His active participation in public services and significant contributions to City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and society earned him CityUHK’s 8th Distinguished Alumni Award.

Mr Lam believes consistent enhancements are a must, even for traditional industries. Hence, his family has pioneered Australian rice in the Hong Kong market and has strived to improve rice packaging. From replacing newspaper bags with plastic ones and inventing vacuum packaging to kill bugs, his company has enhanced freshness and improved transport, exemplifying its quest to innovate in a traditional business.

Furthermore, Mr Lam collaborates with CityUHK on building a monitoring system for better logistics management. He also works with Japanese manufacturers to develop new machines for milling and selecting rice, and he often visits international exhibitions to keep himself abreast of the latest technology. He says technology becomes useful only when it benefits farmers, consumers and corporations.

Another vital area of running a successful business is recruiting talented people who smoothly integrate into the company’s culture and fulfil their missions. He stresses teamwork, too. “As a leader, I should trust the capability of my colleagues and give my full support to them.”

During his studies on CityUHK’s Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) programme, Mr Lam had to analyse real business cases and deliver presentations to teachers and fellow students. The enhanced communication skills that he acquired have laid a solid foundation for his career development. After receiving his EMBA, he had the opportunity to learn more about risk management, particularly through virus outbreaks in buildings, on his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme at CityUHK.  This experience helped him develop contingency plans for his company during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic.

For Mr Lam, a business company should not simply hanker for profit but ought to pay more attention to how to benefit society. Based on this belief, he has worked with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) to reintroduce the local rice variety Fa Yiu Tsai, which was extinct from Hong Kong since the 1960s. Beyond conserving historical local varieties, his efforts have benefited local farmers. “The re-introduction of Fa Yiu Tsai was a continuation of a local flavour and the inheritance of a local legacy,” he says. Moreover, his company insisted on maintaining a stable rice supply without raising the price, even when there were market fluctuations or supply difficulties, which is a testament to his company’s core value.

As Vice-Chairman of the CityUHK Eminence Society and a Member of the CityUHK Industrial and Business Leaders Circle Steering Committee, Mr Lam emphasises integrating government, industry, academic, research and investment sectors. He strongly agrees with CityUHK’s initiative to promote innovative technology development and convert research achievements into commercial use. Hence, he offers business experience to contribute to the alma mater and support young students. Through HK Tech 300, CityUHK’s large-scale innovation and entrepreneurship programme, he helps Wada Bento, a CityUHK College of Business alumnus start-up company under the programme, to develop its business. To him, collaboration between corporations and universities assists corporations and fosters academic research, leading to a constructive partnership.

Mr Lam suggests that CityUHK students boldly express themselves by making more presentations and public speaking. “Whether you are a scientist or an entrepreneur, you need to know how to communicate,” he says. “Don’t be afraid to make blunders. Be bold in expressing yourself, and your performance will become better and better.” When facing difficulties, he advises students to remain calm. As every cloud has a silver lining, he suggests maintaining a cheerful outlook. As he says, “Nothing is impossible in this world.”

For more stories about our Heroes, please click here.

Last updated: 22-12-2025