Sabrina Fung is the group managing director of Fung Retailing, which is part of her family business Fung Group, founded by her great-grandfather over a century ago. Here, she reflects on her journey and sheds insight on the future of retail; having appeared on the cover of Tatler in 2017 to show off an incredible body transformation, she also shares her tips on health and wellness
My first retail role was in marketing and public relations for Salvatore Ferragamo Asia. Retail has always been a part of the Fung Group. As one of the world’s largest supply chain companies, we work the complete supply chain all the way to the consumer. Over the years, I have worked across all elements of [our family business’s] retail portfolio, from menswear to women’s fashion, toys, kid’s apparel, eyewear and bakeries.
It’s the values of our family that are most important. Legacy comes from being true to your values. We are bold and innovative entrepreneurs. We are a bridge between the east and the west. We are humble. The Fung Group has done many things: we have gone from exporting fireworks and rattan furniture from Canton [now Guangzhou] to launching NBA- branded men’s grooming products in China. We have also survived many things; two world wars, several recessions, Sars, bird flu and a global pandemic. Through all of this, the group has remained true to the values of the founders Li To-ming and my great-grandfather Fung Pak-liu. While they wouldn’t recognise the world we, the fourth generation, live in today, they would most certainly recognise the essence of the Fung Group.
Read more: Going beyond limits with Sabrina Fung
I am very proud that we have been in business for more than 117 years. Heritage and a proven ability to deliver are important. But when I step back and look more closely at what makes us different, [I believe] it is our ability to evolve with changing times. Because we can see from one end of the supply chain to the other, we can see how the world is changing, then react and adapt before others. These are the attributes, combined with our values, that I believe set us apart.
I have never focused on my gender or the gender of the people around me. Of course, I am aware of it and understand the challenges it brings. My approach is to focus on what skills are needed to do the job well, and the quality of the work. That’s how I have overcome the challenges.
I was inspired to launch Fung Retailing Group’s new entity Wellness Med because I became increasingly aware of the focus on individual wellness in China and across Asia, especially in the years leading up to and during the pandemic. There seemed to be enormous synergies between the supply chain and retail expertise within the Fung Group and this burgeoning market. Wellness Med is the result of that thinking.
Today, it has sports and health at its core, and is focused on innovation in urban sports, digital transformation and virtual technology—and as tools to drive personal wellness. Wellness Med creates business success for health, wellness and sports companies in China and Asia. We create the right partnerships to deliver value for brands looking for growth in one of the world’s fastest-growing consumer markets.
