Macao News Macao News https://macaonews.org Tue, 12 Dec 2023 00:20:29 +0000 <![CDATA[Meridith Beaujean]]> Thu, 10 Dec 2020 11:57:46 +0800 Tanja Wessels 32802 2021-02-02 17:10:31 2020-12-10 11:57:46 Meridith Beaujean is well positioned for her future facing role, as the Executive Director of Sustainability Sands China, her work will have far reaching impacts. ]]>If you had told Meridith Beaujean when she was a young girl that someday she’d grow up to become the Executive Director of Sustainability at one of the world’s largest integrated resorts in a far-off city called Macao, she would have been surprised.  After all, she grew up in a small town in Belgium and Asia felt like a world away. But she would have leapt at the challenge, nonetheless – spontaneity, curiosity and tenacity have marked every chapter of Beaujean’s life so far.  “I am always surprised by what comes next,” says Beaujean. “I’m always wondering: Am I capable of doing that? It’s a kind of challenge and motivation, and in the end, I love it.” Born in 1976, Beaujean grew up in Ciney, in the French speaking region of Belgium. Her parents ran a third-generation butcher shop. “Because my parents were so busy with the shop, I was lucky to be looked after by my grandparents and I travelled extensively from a young age,” Beaujean recalls of her trips around Europe. “For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to travel more.” As a teenager, Beaujean spent a year in a Dutch boarding school, followed by a gap year before university, where she travelled between Germany and the UK, learning both German and English. Once back in Belgium, Beaujean enrolled in Business Administration at ICHEC Brussels Management School, completing a degree in Developing and Emerging Markets’ Economy between 1995 to 1999.  “It was business, but more on an international level – not just accounting and finance – that was interesting to me,” she recalls.  While studying, Beaujean took an internship in Cameroon, on the Atlantic coast of central-western Africa, in the summer of 1998. She spent a month working for a small, local NGO, where her role was to educate people on waste management – sorting, reduction and composting – in the suburbs of Douala, the largest city in the country. The environmental work would serve her well later in life, but not before a number of other opportunities shaped her career.  In her last year of university, Beaujean spent four months in Turkey conducting textile market research for an American company. After finishing her studies, she took a job with an accounting and consulting firm, like many of her peers. “Out of security, I said yes, and I worked for them for 1.5 years in Brussels,” she recalls. “It was a good experience, but definitely not what I was meant [to do].”  Following the advice of a former teacher, she applied for an auditing and administrative role at AEDES, a consulting company specialising in public health in developing countries. The organisation offered her a job in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which the 25-year-old accepted, but not without careful consideration.  At the time, Congo was in the midst of the Second Congo War, a five-year conflict that involved nine African countries. Given the turbulence, Beaujean felt uncertain living and working in the country, but decided to seize the opportunity.  From 2001 to 2003 Beaujean led the Finance and Administration of the European Union Health and Development Program in the DRC for AEDES. At the time, the programme financed global humanitarian organisations, such as Medicines Sans Frontiers and Action Against Hunger, to develop healthcare centres in Congo.  Working alongside doctors, Beaujean managed the administration, logistics and financing of 50 public health development projects financed by the European Union and executed by international or local NGOs. Staying in Kinshasa, in November 2003, Beaujean joined the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS’s Junior Professional Officer Programme. As a Program Officer she spent the next two years heading the office administration and finance department, working with doctors and the government, and raising awareness about HIV/AIDS in Congo.  When a family situation provided an opportunity to move to Asia, Beaujean, who had never been to the region asked herself: “Why not? Let’s try Macao!”  Pregnant with her first child, Beaujean resigned from her role at the United Nations and went to Belgium in 2004 to deliver her son. In March 2005,  she arrived in Macao with a three-month-old, ready to start the next chapter of her life.  “Funnily enough, the first thing we saw when we arrived by ferry at night was the red logo of the Sands Hotel,” she recalls. “ I will always remember that.” Though safer than Congo, Macao presented its own challenges, particularly when it came to communication. Beaujean spoke French, English and German but she didn’t know Chinese nor Portuguese, the city’s two official languages.  There was also the question of returning to work. With no obvious opportunities related to her previous career in developmental agencies, she researched and cast a wide net – and her tenacity paid off.  At the end of 2005, Beaujean sent her CV to the Grand Coloane Resort [then The Westin Resort]. Although the resort didn’t have any job vacancies at the time, the director passed her CV to the pre-opening team at Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. The company was looking for a technical writer, someone to create step-by-step instructions to help workers carry out routine operations.  “I joined that [Venetian] team in January 2006, and over the next two years, we wrote over 2,000 standard operating procedures [instructional handbooks], documenting everything from how to clean a room to how to set a table to [company] financial procedures.”  In 2007 Beaujean had her second son, just as The Venetian opened its doors. After the opening, Beaujean joined the finance department in 2008, working part-time on “process improvement” – essentially, analysing and streamlining financial processes, then implementing them across departments.  In 2011, with the opening of Sands Cotai Central, Conrad Macao and Holiday Inn Macao across the road, they invited Beaujean to take on a full-time role as Quality Assurance Manager for both Conrad and Holiday Inn. Without hesitation Beaujean joined the team, where she managed the training programmes until 2015.  That same year, another opportunity came knocking. “When the company started building The Parisian [Macao], they asked if I was interested in joining The Parisian Identity Team,” Beaujean recalls. The role involved developing brand guidelines, quality assurance and guest satisfaction – similar to the work she had been doing for Conrad and Holiday Inn.  She accepted the position as the Director Operations Excellence, then set to work building the teams to ensure brand compliance and quality standards in a wide range of areas from service to design, construction, brand safety, and guest satisfaction.  “[Our work] was really at the heart of everything,” she recalls. “In the hospitality business, providing unmatched guest experience and satisfaction is key. The Operations Excellence [team] collects, reviews and reports guest feedback to the hotel operations team and management.” After three years, Beaujean was then approached to take the lead on Sands China’s sustainability programme as the Executive Director of Sustainability.  It presented new challenges, which excited Beaujean, but at this advanced stage of her career, the stakes were higher. “Professionally, it was a risk because I was already recognised in my previous role,” she recalls. “I would have to restart, build the trust and prove myself.” [caption id="attachment_32804" align="alignnone" width="2500"]Meridith Beaujean_Portrait Meridith Beaujean is well positioned for her future facing role, as the Executive Director of Sustainability Sands China, her work will have far reaching impacts - Photo by António Sanmarful[/caption] The promise of an exciting new chapter, support from her company, and the opportunity to give back to the community convinced Beaujean it was the right move. “It almost felt like going back to university and learning new things really anchored in the real world,” she says. “Nowadays, you can't ignore sustainability and I was happy to get a chance to contribute.” Set up in 2010, the Sands ECO360 global sustainability strategy is based on six key themes: energy, waste, transportation, food, water and procurement. When Beaujean took over in December 2018, the programme had already hit its stride with recognition across a number of platforms.   Las Vegas Sands had been added to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, Sands China ranked ninth on the Greater Bay Area Business Sustainability Index and 10th on the Hong Kong Business Sustainability Index. And in Macao, the Venetian became the first hotel to receive the Macao Green Hotel Award – Platinum (2018).  “My predecessors [Syed Mubarak and Rishi Tirupari] did a really good job – they really managed to create a spirit of sustainability in the company,” says Beaujean. “I didn’t have to start everything from scratch.”  Her first full year on the job, 2019, was a “ good year in terms of business,” she recalls. “It was easy to get support from everybody, from management, from staff. We took a lot of action on single-use plastic reduction – it was thrilling.”  In 2019 alone, the hotel removed 2.2 million plastic straws from its food and beverage operations; 15,400 plastic garment bags from the team’s laundry services; and  switched from plastic takeaway packaging to corn starch.  This past year, however, has proved more challenging. With Covid-19 and the obligatory face masks and hygiene measures, it’s been harder to curb plastic and waste. “We understand ‘safety first’, so [we are] looking at the best sustainable alternatives.”  Beaujean says it’s important to raise awareness about waste, sustainability and other environmental issues in Macao, because even small changes can make a big impact. “I have always identified with the quote [by Mahatma Gandhi]: ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world,’” she says. “Every little step, every behaviour change is important in terms of sustainability. Don't wait for big solutions – you can take actions for yourself, your family, your friends and your community.” Outside of work, Beaujean has an active social and family life, filled with dance classes, fitness activities, gardening, and getting involved in community activities, such as rugby with her children. She’s also actively involved with breast cancer awareness initiatives, a cause that’s close to her heart.  “As a woman – and because I had close friends who had to fight the disease – I felt very connected to the cause,” she says. “[Raising] awareness gives [people] more chances to cure the disease, so it’s really important to speak [up] about it.”  Reflecting on her diverse and unpredictable career, Beaujean says that having an open mind and diligent work ethic have paid off. “My attitude is: even if you are a bit scared, don't say no. Investigate first, and then try it out.”  “I definitely want to continue my work in sustainability – there is still so much to be done and so much to learn. It feels good to have a purpose in your job.”   ]]> <![CDATA[Annie Lao]]> Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:11:51 +0800 Cathy Lai 16651 2021-02-03 10:17:51 2018-09-18 18:11:51 Around the world there is a growing movement to curb plastic waste by discouraging, or even banning, the biggest source: single-use plastics. Eco-activist and writer Annie Lao knows how destructive these innocuous items can be, and when Macau officials proved slow to act, she stepped up. ]]>The call of nature Perhaps becoming an eco-activist was not a path Lao envisioned in her younger years. Born in Macao on 9 September, 1989, Lao grew up as the eldest of three children with a stay-at-home mother while her father chose a business career. To this day, she remembers her childhood as rather monotonous, with too much study and homework, and too little contact with nature. “Macao is such an urbanised place and people keep telling you to get good grades to secure your future. How can you build up an environmental awareness when nature is so far away from you?” she reflected. Lao did get good grades. She maintained as one of the top-10 students throughout her secondary education at Saint Paul School in Macao. With commerce-related subjects being her strongest area, she decided to pursue a degree in this field at the University of Sydney in 2008. For Lao, it was an easy decision to go for a top-notch university in a country with beautiful weather and good quality of life. What she did not foresee was the impact of this experience on her world view. “It was the first time in my life that I had ever felt so close to nature – the fresh air, blue skies, and clear water. Once you’ve had this encounter, you realise what is truly important in your life and feel responsible for protecting it.” Being a commerce student did not deter her environmental curiosity. By conducting research and speaking to knowledgeable people, Lao became aware of a variety of environmental issues to which many people were oblivious. “For instance, it was already five or six years ago when I was told by a friend that items as common as skin care products and toothpaste contain microplastics that could cause great harm to marine life, but I didn’t see many media discuss this at that time.”

Taking the lead

After completing her bachelor’s degree of Commerce in 2012, she started working in the accounting department at the University of Sydney. One and a half year later, she quit her job to begin a backpacking trip around Australia and Europe. In 2015, she returned to her hometown Macao. Being fluent in Chinese and English, she made a turn in her career and became a writer for a local company (whose name she preferred not to reveal). “Because I like writing and meeting interesting people. It offers me the chance to learn a lot of new things.” Returning to Macao after her years in Australia, Lao couldn’t help but notice the contrast. Many things she had once considered normal now stood out as areas for concern. She became more sensitive to the polluted air and observed a lot of irresponsible behaviours towards the environment which made her feel uneasy. “Here in Macao, people don’t separate their waste. They don’t even bring reusable bags to the supermarkets.” Fortunately, it wasn’t all negative: the more Lao talked about her concerns, the more she connected with like-minded people who were also trying to adopt a green lifestyle in Macao. They started an information-sharing group, exchanging tips on reusable products and everyday waste reduction strategies. “Everywhere I go, I bring a shopping bag, water bottle, and a set of cutlery,” she said. “Waste reduction is all about better planning. Once we start practicing it, we will inspire other people will to follow.”

Demanding changes

What drove Lao and her friends to take public action was the startling figures revealed by the Report on the State of the Environment of Macao 2017, released in early August this year by the Environmental Bureau. According to the report, in 2017, the solid waste of Macao reached 510,702 tonnes, translating to 2.16 kilos of solid waste per person per day, a figure significantly higher than the neighbouring regions of Hong Kong (1.41 kilos) and Guangzhou (0.98 kilos), and more than three times that of Shanghai (0.71 kilos). “It is also the highest in the last 10 years,” she pointed out, “meaning the government has done nothing effective to reduce solid waste.” The report also indicated that while organic waste (27.4%) made up the largest percentage of waste produced in 2017, plastic waste (23%) was a close second. To Lao, it was a problem in need of an immediate solution. “We have to understand that not every plastic product can be recycled,” she explained. “And burning them in an incinerator doesn’t mean that they are gone – incinerators produce a lot of pollutants that are detrimental to our health.” Within two weeks, Lao and four friends had formed an ad-hoc group and started an online petition urging the administration to roll out measures banning plastic bags and single-use plastics such as plastic water bottles, take-out containers, cutlery, etc. To date, it has gathered more than 5,000 signatures. On 30 August, Lao, as a representative of the group, delivered the petition to the Macao SAR Government Headquarters. Addressed to two of the top government officials in Macao – Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo Arrais do Rosário and Environmental Protection Bureau Director Raymond Tam Wai Man – it calls on the government to promote zero waste policies, such as banning single-use plastic and unnecessary plastic packaging at local supermarkets, and requested them to respond with a press conference by 13 September. “Everything done by the government is wrong, and severely lags behind global standards!” she exclaimed. “They have been planning a charge on plastic carrier bags since 2015, and it’s still up in the air.” Lao acknowledged that the government does give out rewards for not using single-use plastic bags through lucky draws, but contests that such limited programs are ineffective and do nothing to educate the public about the importance of waste prevention.

Disappointed, but not deterred

Unsurprisingly, the deadline of 13 September passed without any press conference or open response from the government. Instead, Lao received an email from the Environmental Protection Bureau, detailing their progress in introducing the plastic bag charge and the various anti-disposable plastic activities organised over the years, such as the lucky draw. “Such information is not new to me.” Frustrated, Lao replied that she found their response unacceptable. On the next day, an official from the bureau called and invited her to a close-door meeting, which she firmly refused. “From day one, we have been asking for a press conference, so that all Macao citizens will be able to participate,” she said. “Their response just shows that they don’t care about the environment. We are extremely disappointed.” While continuing to demand effective action from the government, Lao and her friends are well aware that there is no time to lose in the fight against plastic waste. If the government is not ready to cooperate, they will rely on themselves and support from the public. Right now, the group is drafting a complaint letter to supermarkets in Macao, in the hope of eliminating unnecessary plastic wrapping on fruits and vegetables. “I believe that we can do our part to make a difference. The [response to our petition] shows that Macao people do care about the environment,” Lao asserted. Many of the thousands of signatories left comments expressing their concern for a clean, healthy environment in the city – and the world more broadly. “That’s what keep us motivated and we will not give up.”]]> <![CDATA[Joe Chan]]> Wed, 01 Nov 2017 16:12:53 +0800 Cathy Lai 14256 2021-02-03 10:26:59 2017-11-01 16:12:53 In addition to Chan's environmental work and teaching full-time at Macau Anglican College, Chan runs a two-storey sharing space called 1930 Dream Corner.]]> Photo courtesy of Joe Chan[/caption]

Growing up with nature

Chan was born in Macao on 7 February 1979. His parents were overseas Chinese who, fled to Macao from Indonesia amid a rash of anti-Chinese riots in the 1970s. According to Chan, he was a troublesome kid, getting into street fights and stealing, until one day his busy parents turned to his grandfather for help. “I was around eight when my grandfather began taking me to Guia Hill or the Camões Garden every day. He encouraged me to explore the nature, teaching me all the good things about the little animals that were often detested by people, such as gecko,” he recalls. With a growing curiosity, Chan started to take care of small animals, tending to everything from tadpoles to injured sparrows. “I treated them like my babies.” When his dear sparrow died suddenly, Chan was so shocked that he conducted a little forensic procedure to find out what went wrong. “After studying a biology book, I cut open its stomach with a knife and found that it was full of undigested rice,” he says regretfully. “I had been feeding him the wrong food the whole time.” Chan looks back on his childhood as a time of fun and wonders. “I felt very close to nature at that time. I stepped on the grass and would hear the hissing sound made by fleeing lizards. They were once everywhere,” he recalls. “It is very sad to see how things have changed nowadays. I feel like my old friends have all disappeared.”

From confusion to clarity

After finishing secondary education at Pui Ching Middle School in 1998, Chan was guaranteed admission to Beijing Normal University to pursue a degree in biology. There he met his girlfriend who was studying geography; two married in 2006. Upon graduation in 2002, he returned to Macao and took a job as a biology teacher at The Workers' Children High School, a role that holds a special place in his heart. “Being a teacher allows me to educate future generations on the importance of nature, just as my grandfather did for me.” The following year, Chan joined the Macau Ecological Society. Through the society, he took part in a variety of environmental initiatives, from organising petitions to saving street trees under threat, to promoting waste collection and the annual Bird Protection Week in Macao. The work proved an uphill battle: public awareness around environmental protection was low and the government offered no support. After five years of hard work without seeing significant results, Chan began to lose faith. “I felt like I was making a fool of myself.” Chan gave up his environmental work. Without the connection to nature that had guided him since childhood, Chan developed a debilitating drinking habit that took him two years to quit. “I remember there were nights when my friends had to carry me home because I was too drunk. I was once sent to the hospital because of stomach bleeding caused by excessive drinking.” It was concern for his son, then three years old, that started Chan on the path to recovery. “Watching my son growing up day by day I started to feel a strong sense of mission: to provide him a future with a better environment.” Today, Chan is the chairman of Macau Green Student Union and the vice-chairman of Green Future, groups which he established with his like-minded friends in 2008 and 2012, respectively. Recounting his experiences in environmental advocacy, he remains encouraged by the positive results achieved in recent years, including the city-wide “Guarding Green Coloane” campaign in 2013 that halted a controversial plan to build a 100-metre high residential block in Seac Pai Van in Coloane. "It is a collective achievement made by everyone who contributed an effort. It proves that by standing together, we can make a difference in society, and created a better future for us and nature."

Finding the missing piece

The disappearance of flight MH370 on 8 March 2014 sent shock waves around the world. For Chan, seeing more than 200 people vanish without a trace raised one pressing question: if he were to disappear, what would be his biggest regret? “I had already found my path in life being an environmentalist, but I knew I still had a deep urge to explore the world, to see some fading cultures and how people from different parts of the world interact with nature.” It became a compelling urge, an unknown that left him feeling restless and unsettled. "It’s like you are completing a puzzle but the last piece is missing. You can’t be happy until you find it.” Although a difficult decision for Chan and his family, his wife understood that it was something he needed to do. They agreed on a 300-day trip, beginning in August 2014, that would take him through 39 countries spread across five continents. [caption id="attachment_14259" align="alignnone" width="960"] Nepal: facing the peak of Mount Everest - Photo courtesy of Joe Chan[/caption] Wherever he went, Chan asked the local people the same question: what does happiness mean to you? More than 100 people from different countries, different cultures and religions, overwhelmingly gave the same answer. “They told me that the greatest happiness is to be with your friends and family.” His surprise at that answer dwindled the longer he was away from his own loved ones in Macao. “I was once climbing a massive ice wall in the Himalayas region. I still had some 1000 metres to finish, but was too exhausted to carry on,” he recalls. “Then my hiking guide yelled at me, ‘There is network up there!’ I had already lost contact with my family for more than 10 days. I was desperate to hear their voices.” The promise of reconnecting with them spurred him into action. Chan managed to reach the top in two hours, only to realise that the guide had been lying to him. “There was no network up there. He just wanted to motivate me,” he laughs.

A space for dreamers

[caption id="attachment_14262" align="alignnone" width="2500"] 1930 DREAM CORNER: Sharing space established by Joe Chan - Photo courtesy of Joe Chan[/caption] In addition to his environmental work and teaching full-time at Macau Anglican College, Chan runs a two-storey sharing space on top of Mount Hill. He opened it in 2015, shortly after returning from his trip, as a space to help preserve fading traditions and bring together like-minded people who wish to follow a sustainable lifestyle. "I called this place 1930 Dream Corner, because my grandfather belonged to the 1930s. He has been such an important mentor to me and I want to dedicate this place to him,” Chan explains. He invites local people from that generation to share their life stories and experience in Macao. “They are valuable sources of old-time wisdom,” he enthuses. Reflecting on his early work in the movement, Chan admits that he had been quite aggressive in disseminating environmental concepts. “I just said ‘no’ bluntly to everything I disagreed with.”. Experience gained in his travels, where he was exposed to a range of different cultures and values, led him to the realisation that to change the mindset of a society, he needed to adopt a gentler approach. [caption id="attachment_14263" align="alignnone" width="2500"] Inside 1930 DREAM CORNER - Photo courtesy of Joe Chan[/caption] Opening 1930 Dream Corner (located at Travessa Do Penedo No. 4) is a part of that shift. "I want this place to become a living example that proves the possibility of a conservation lifestyle, and a more connected society.” The cosy space, its pale-yellow walls dotted with murals and old newspaper clippings, is furnished with renewed items rescued from garbage stations and given new life. The doors are left unlocked, welcoming tourists and locals to stop in anytime, even stay the night. For Chan, promoting trust in this manner is one more way to develop the sharing and connection necessary to sustainability. "Even if you can inspire only one person, you are already making an impact.” Watch his Ted talk HERE.  ]]> <![CDATA[Syed Mubarak]]> Mon, 05 Jun 2017 12:22:46 +0800 Macao News 13038 2021-02-03 10:03:21 2017-06-05 12:22:46 Syed Mubarak is Director of the Sands ECO360 Global Sustainability and MEP Plant Operations Department at Sands China Ltd. He is in charge of Engineering (MEP) and Sustainability, driving and implementing environmental responsibility and sustainability goals at Sands China Ltd. ]]>“Free money and modernisation changed us. We don’t care anymore about the durability of things since so many things are available. Back in the 70s, I remember that there was no waste. I used to go to the grocery store carrying my own cloth bag and bottles to fill up.” Although modern society has changed the rules of the game, the sustainability expert firmly believes that, “Given the right tools and education, millennials can make a difference for the good. There is no need for us to be pointing fingers at others; we have to remember when pointing one finger, there are three more pointing at you.” [caption id="attachment_13041" align="alignnone" width="640"]Syed Mubarak 1 Syed Mubarak [/caption] For his dedication and hard work in his field, Mubarak has received several acknowledgements and commendations, including a 2014 China Hotelier Award for Corporate Social Responsibility. He is frequently invited to be key speaker at industry conferences and is actively involved with a number of organisations and associations, such as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the International Facility Management Association, the Singapore Green Council, among others. Mubarak ends each sentence with a smile, and he is ever ready with a laugh.  ]]>