RICK ADKINSON, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Rick Adkinson is a fierce advocate of consumer interests, and aims to ensure clients are treated fairly in terms of the services they receive and the fees they pay. Rick has championed fee-only investment services for well over two decades and was an early pioneer in fee based financial planning in Hong Kong and the wider region. Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities
AAKRITI BATRA, SECRETARY AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Aakriti is a Business Development Specialist at Latham & Watkins, working in the Asia New Business Team. She leads on variety of pitch opportunities for a range of practices, markets and industries across Asia. Aakriti completed her undergraduate degree at New York University, before undertaking the Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course at BPP University – London.
BEN KENDE, DIRECTOR AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Ben is a lawyer for Norton Rose Fullbright. After his accident in 2010 he helped to set up this charity and through this site and the Facebook he hopes to aid others with spinal injury through his own experiences, and challenge mindsets on disability. He finished two degrees at Sydney University, a Bachelor in Commerce and Juris Doctor in Law, and had the good fortune to do an exchange in Tel Aviv. During his studies he received commendations for outstanding achievement.
SALLY LAIGHT, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sally Laight is a Chartered Accountant who works as an independent CFO specialising in providing business performance review and strategic planning for small and medium sized businesses. Prior to this Sally has held a number of senior management and board level positions during her 25 years in Hong Kong in both the commercial and non-profit sectors.
ROBBIE NIMMO, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Robby Nimmo, journalist, is an award-winning advertising writer and creative group head, who has been writing for the South China Morning Post (SCMP) for over 12 years. She writes the left-field rather than the on-field, social commentary rather than sporting commentary, and has a passion for writing about people and humour, and often in the field of sport. Robby has written detailed stories about Ben for SCMP, and is now in Australia with her family, and keeps in close contact with Ben who enjoys spending time with her family, their friendship borne from her interviews with Ben and the Kende story.
SIMON REID–KAY, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Simon Reid-Kay is a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute UK and The Hong Kong Securities Institute, and has been in professional practice in Hong Kong since he became resident in 1985. Through his firm, Simon Reid-Kay & Investments, he deals with all types of real estate transactions and regularly advises on the real estate aspects of IPOs, funds (including REITs), securitizations, sale and leaseback and portfolio management for substantial Hong Kong-based international investment banks and conglomerates. He regularly advises private funds and investment banks on their own and their clients’ real estate requirements including investments, financing and property management. As well as handling purchases, sales and leases, Simon has advised owners, developers and lenders on the planning and construction aspects of many major developments and infrastructure projects in Hong Kong and the region. He also has extensive experience in government land administration and heavyweight commercial leasing work.
JONATHAN THOMSON, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Jonathan Thomson is a chartered accountant and an artist, art historian, critic and curator. He has held senior management position in arts administration including Deputy Director Strategic Development and Head of Secretariat at the Australia Council of the Arts and as Deputy Secretary General of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He established Thomson Fine Art as an art consultancy in 2000 and as an independent curator has devised and managed dozens of exhibitions across Asia for a variety of clients including Osage Gallery and Louis Vuitton Asia Pacific. In 2013 he was appointed adjunct Professor of Art History at SCAD (Hong Kong). He writes extensively on all aspects of global contemporary art and is author many hundreds of essays and reviews.
GEORGE WATKINS, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
George is currently playing rugby for Kowloon and working within sportswear sales. He has been a professional rugby player for over 10 years playing for Bristol, Cardiff Blues, Jersey and Yorkshire Carnegie. George is also spending some time working in the finance sector doing fund analysis and helping with the Love 21 foundation in Hong Kong which helps people with Down’s Syndrome and Autism with their well-being through sport.
JENNIFER BOVARD, ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Jennifer Bovard is a registered Organizational Psychologist and academic. Her most recent full time post was Head of Academics at the University of Sunderland in Hong Kong. Currently she is lecturing in Business Management at Hong Kong University and Psychology at the University of St Joseph Macau.
