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At a recent media session, HRO’s Tracy Chan spoke with the Chief Executive, current SPPA students, and alumni to uncover what makes a youth empowerment initiative truly impactful.
Swire Properties recently hosted a media session, where the current cohort of the Swire Properties Placemaking Academy (SPPA) presented their ideas and planning for the annual Swire Properties White Christmas Street Fair 2025 to the Chief Executive, Tim Blackburn (pictured below).
Following the presentation, Blackburn engaged in a candid dialogue with students and alumni, sharing his thoughts on youth development and the importance of empowering Gen Z as they enter the workforce.
“It is a pleasure to be here for the seventh edition of the Placemaking Academy, and to see so many bright and passionate young minds gathered,” Blackburn said in his welcoming remarks.
“This is a powerful reminder of why we invest in youth empowerment – because youth is the future of our communities.”
Speaking exclusively with HRO’s Tracy Chan at the event, Blackburn shared his perspective on cultivating the next generation of leaders in today’s fast-evolving business landscape.
“We are always looking for people who share our values and are willing to experiment. Personality is key,” he said, pointing to the success of youth-led projects like SPPA as prime examples.
Blackburn highlighted that SPPA gives young people the opportunity to take ownership of the company's major year-end event every year, and to bring their creativity and individuality to the forefront.
“It is about enabling young people to take a huge amount of responsibility, and we are very proud of how creative they have been in creating one of the signature events in the city.”
He also introduced another initiative – the Bi-city Youth Cultural Leadership Programme – which connects students from Hong Kong and Beijing through cultural exchange and collaboration.
“These programmes provide young people with opportunities to express themselves and connect with the cities they live in.”
Leadership support
To empower young talent, Blackburn emphasised that buy-in from senior leadership is not just symbolic – it is active and enthusiastic.
“Great ideas come from every age group. Just because you are older does not mean you have a better idea,” he said.
“We are trying to understand what young people want, and that helps us to design projects for the future. Our senior leaders are always excited to work with young people.”
To ensure young talent has a seat at the table, Blackburn further shared that Swire Properties has launched NextCom, a committee for future leaders that involves young talent in more meaningful and ambitious projects, giving them an official platform to shape the future of the business.
Additionally, the company also runs the Property Executive Scheme, recruiting graduates across Mainland China to support its RMB 50bn investment in new developments in the country. Encouragingly, many of these young executives have progressed into key roles, with some even transitioning to positions in Hong Kong.
“They need to feel a sense of meaning and pride, and the SPPA programme is a great example of that,” concluded Blackburn.
“We will continue to create new programmes and hire young people to ensure we understand what the future of our industry will look like."
Voices of youth
Also speaking with HRO, Calvin Chu, SPPA alumnus from 2022 and now Events and Project Officer at Swire Properties, described the programme as an eye-opening and transformative experience.
“It was my first exposure to a real corporate environment. The SPPA programme offered a rare opportunity for university students with limited experience but strong passion to learn and explore different things – from event design and community engagement to public presentations.”
Now part of Swire Properties’ youth empowerment team, Chu said the most valuable skill he gained from the programme was storytelling.
“I learned how to turn my thoughts into stories that others could visualise and connect with. That is a skill I will carry into any career.”
He also stressed the importance of ownership in youth initiatives.
“For young people, having the chance to build something from the ground up, to take the lead, and be given the space to unleash our creativity and realise our visions are all incredibly empowering.”
Echoing these sentiments were Joshua and Hannah, current SPPA students. For them, the programme has been a journey of exploration and self-discovery.
“The programme gave us room to try and innovate, and the chance to turn ideas into action. This is what Gen Z value most – we want to be seen, be acknowledged, and contribute to society,” said Joshua.
He added that engaging directly with business leaders and media professionals helped him better understand the real-world context of his work.
“Gen Z is full of creativity – we don’t want to just repeat tasks. We want to understand ourselves, explore what society needs, and find work that aligns with our values,” he added.
Hannah agreed, and shared how the programme helped her broaden her career perspective beyond her university major.
“I have learnt not to limit myself and to explore fields beyond my academic background. It helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses, and guided me toward a career that truly fits.”
“Also, learning how to effectively communicate your vision and message is a powerful tool. It is not easy, but essential,” she added.
When asked what makes a youth empowerment initiative truly impactful, Hannah emphasised freedom, support, and voice.
“Give us enough freedom to imagine our future, and enough support and guidance to make it real. Most importantly, listen to our voices. When we know we are heard and valued, we are more motivated to give our best.”
Empowering youths through placemaking
In alignment with its ongoing commitment to nurturing Hong Kong’s youth, Swire Properties has been running SPPA since 2019.
As the company’s flagship youth empowerment initiative, SPPA offers Hong Kong university students a six-month apprenticeship each year, where they ideate and execute the company’s annual The White Christmas Street Fair in December.
Throughout the apprenticeship, participants gain hands-on experience through mentorship and on-the-job training from Swire Properties’ senior management, event-planning experts, thought leaders from the design and community-planning industries, as well as their predecessors – SPPA alumni.
To date, SPPA has engaged 70 university students, with 15 alumni joining Swire Properties as full-time employees or collaborating as project vendors.
Photos / HRO
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