In our last issue, we interviewed long-term Hong Kong resident HOWARD CLARK-BURTON about his career in financial planning and wealth management, including as CEO of BMP Wealth since 2018. This time, he outlines how to to grow your nest egg and achieve the lifestyle of your dreams while reducing your financial risk. Plus how to start building wealth in just three steps! If you look at some of the world’s most successful businesspeople, such as Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, and Li Ka-shing, you might wonder how they’ve got to where they are. Do they have a secret formula for creating wealth, o ..read more

For a newcomer, the first exposure to Hong Kong’s humidity can come as a bit of a shock, especially as you see your gorgeous new hairdo turn literally to a hot mess not long after stepping outside! Thankfully, the team at Glow know how to control frizzy hair using a new organic hair smoothing treatment or one of their popular keratin treatments. Why is our hair frizzy in the summer? The subtropical, humid climate here contributes to frizzy hair during the summer months. The high humidity causes the hair’s outer cuticle layer to swell and lift, creating the appearance of frizz. Interestingly, t ..read more

Along with all of her work here in Hong Kong, JENNY PERRY from Perry Contracting has been busy with a modern house design project on a coastal Thailand property. She shares some insights here about what it was like building a house in Hua Hin and what she loves about her dream holiday home. Tell us about your new Thailand property. The house is in Hua Hin, near Khao Tao Lake. It’s about 10km south of the Hua Hin town centre – a happy medium between Pranburi and Central Hua Hin. South Hua Hin and Khao Tao have some great cafés to choose from, nice restaurants and beautiful natural beaches. The ..read more

Opened in 2017, Rugby School Thailand provides a British education and the opportunity to board in a location with a difference. Here we find out what the school offers students and families and why it’s one of the best British boarding schools in Thailand. #1 A noteworthy location and campus The campus is best appreciated in person, so the school encourages anyone who is interested to visit if they can. The 80 acres of grounds have everything students might need to flourish. The rural location is beautiful, too, and only 20 minutes from the Pattaya coast and 70 minutes from Bangkok’s main int ..read more

Neurodiverse children commonly face challenges with emotional regulation, executive functioning, self-esteem and belonging – all of which can be further impacted by divorce, affecting their sense of connection and belonging, according to DR QURATULAIN ZAIDI of MindNLife. Here she discusses how to navigate the effects of divorce on a family and more specifically parenting a neurodivergent child through a separation. What is neurodiversity in children? Give us some examples of the developmental differences that it can lead to. From my perspective, how I understand and explain neurodiversity is a ..read more

If you’re casting your eye further afield for the next stage of your child’s education, be aware that competition for a spot at one of the top UK schools can be especially tough. JEROME BARTY-TAYLOR, a private tutor in Hong Kong and founder of consultancy BartyED, outlines these application challenges specifically for an education in the UK – and how to get on the front foot through entrance exam preparation! How has competition for spots at the top UK schools changed in recent years? It’s certainly true that we see more applicants at all levels – especially from families who are based oversea ..read more

The Paris Olympics 2024 are almost here! Can’t make it to Paris? Learn how to watch all the excitement online in Hong Kong. Get ready for all the action – whether it’s on the track, in the pool or on the court –with our Olympics mini guide. When are the Olympics 2024 happening? The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, will be held from Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 11 August. The Paralympics will follow, running from 28 August to 11 September. This year, the games will feature 33 sports and a total of 329 events. Where are the games taking place? This year’s ..read more

Hong Kong-based boutique design studio The Trace Creative describes itself as “dedicated to sculpting interiors that transcend mere aesthetics”. Founder SAM MARSDEN runs us through a recent project that shows this ethos in practice through a minimalist interior design. Read on to discover some small home design ideas and how to create a warm minimalist style. What was the design brief for this property? The design brief was centred on creating a peaceful haven for the clients – a space conducive to relaxation and unwinding, free from the visual and physical clutter that can so easily accumulat ..read more

Sha Tin resident JEFFREY LAU is studying in Singapore and is a boarder at UWCSEA. Here, he gives us the inside scoop on life at his Singapore boarding school. Tell us a bit about yourself. I’ve lived in Hong Kong all my life, specifically in Sha Tin for the past 17 years. I would say I’m quite an active person who loves to do sports like football, rugby, track and gym. Besides sports, I enjoy books that foster personal growth, such as The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to His Son.  I’m currently a boarder at UWCSEA East, Singapore. In my free time, I often chat with friends over a nice ..read more

What is a gemologist and who is behind this jewellery design brand? We have a chat with RAHILA REFAAQ about how her background and training have influenced her Hong Kong-based brand Zaha et Cetera and why diamonds are being upstaged by jewellery with gemstones. Rahila comes from a family with a rich history in the diamond and gemstone industry. Her early exposure to the business came when she moved from Sri Lanka to Hong Kong at a young age. This was for her father’s work in gem and jewellery manufacturing, which he began here in the early 1960s. “I fondly recall assisting him in sorting parce ..read more