香港電台 – 管理新思維: 零售的傳承與創新

Retail is evolving at lightning speed. Global brands must balance heritage with adaptation, while leaders face the challenge of staying fresh even after decades in the same company.

Our founding Chairman Dr Charm had an insightful and inspiring conversation on RTHK New Management Thinking #管理新思維 with Elliot Lee, Managing Director of IKEA Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐀 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐢𝐚:
🇸🇪 Swedish culture vs local flavors — global values meet Hong Kong’s unique needs.
⚖️ Standardization vs autonomy — consistency vs local decision‑making.
🛋️ Offline immersion vs online convenience — creating experiences while embracing e‑commerce.
🆚 Traditional rivals vs platform competitors — disruption from all sides.
⏳ Longevity vs innovation — can decades in one company still spark creativity?

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐀 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡:
1. For nearly 30 years, Elliot Lee, Managing Director of IKEA Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, has lived these dilemmas. His rotations across customer service, logistics, marketing, and management — spanning multiple markets — kept him passionate and innovative. IKEA’s system of varied roles and locations ensures staff stay fresh, curious, and engaged, proving that long tenure can fuel creativity.

2. Elliot believes transferable skills — 🗣️ communication, 💰 cost sensitivity, 👥 customer centricity — matter more than technical expertise. Staff evolve into consultant‑like roles, building trust and resilience. IKEA invests in 🌱 sustainability, 💡 innovation, and 📊 digital transformation, showing that values and adaptability can coexist.

This is more than retail. It’s about shaping better living for millions, while proving that longevity and sustainability can drive innovation.

📻 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐈𝐧:
𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐊 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 1, *𝐃𝐞𝐜 14 𝐚𝐭 2𝐩𝐦 — a journey of culture, dilemmas, and leadership that bridges global vision with local impact. A heartfelt thank to Elliott for his inspiring sharing.

Based on this interview, I also wrote an article “傳承創新並行延續獨特價值” in my HKEJ Hong Kong Economic Journal Column