Editorial Board Spotlight: Carol Mo's holistic view of success
Carol Mo, deputy chief investment officer of Chow Tai Fook Life Insurance Company (CTF Life), is a big believer in the importance of communication and cultivating a ‘harmonious relationship’ with money.
As deputy CIO, she oversees a 15-member investment team that manages about $10 billion in assets under management at CTF Life, the insurance arm of Hong Kong conglomerate Chow Tai Fook Group.
Mo said one of the key traits needed to be successful in any role is to have great communication skills.
CTF Life
“Strong communication skills are paramount, in my opinion,” she told AsianInvestor.
COMMUNICATION MATTERS
“Strong communication skills encompass the ability to understand people from diverse backgrounds, the ability to convey ideas clearly across various audiences, and the ability to understand what is happening in the world.”
In today's context, it also includes the ability to communicate with artificial intelligence to accelerate efficiency, she added.
Communication skills are particularly important in a large corporation for mobilising teams with different professional skills and expertise to achieve organisational goals.
“In my current role, I frequently engage with stakeholders to advocate my proposals,” Mo said.
“During these discussions, I often encounter differing viewpoints. I listen and understand their perspectives and address their concerns to establish common ground, which facilitates progress.”
CREATING HARMONY
Creating common ground and doing it in harmony matters for the investment executive.
“A mentor once shared with me that the insurance industry is a people-oriented business, encapsulated in the Chinese phrase “以人為本,” she said.
This principle emphasises the importance of harmony – harmony with customers, with counterparties, within the company, and among team members.
This perspective has significantly influenced her approach to work.
“As a member of the investment team at an insurance company, one of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the opportunity to create a positive impact on both my organisation and the well-being of our customers who are individuals and families from the general public.”
People have to deal with several different aspects in their lives – finance, health, education, employment, among others.
“Among these, financial stability is paramount, particularly amid the inflationary environment,” Mo said.
“I am glad that I can contribute my investment expertise to the professional management of financial assets, helping to alleviate concerns for our customers and enabling them to lead healthier, more balanced lives.“
Another aspect of work that she enjoys is the opportunity to engage with ‘smart brains’ such as capital market practitioners and talented professionals within her organisation.
“As a buy-side multi-asset investment manager, I am actively engaged along and across the investment value chain, from deal origination to execution, and from public securities to private assets,” said Mo.
Such involvement continually expands her knowledge base and enhances her ability to support the company in creating value beyond insurance, she said.
HOLISITIC VIEW
One book that has heavily influenced Mo is The Psychology of Money.
It shifted her mindset from looking at purely technical metrics to adopting a more holistic view of success and failure of the financial journey, and “to seek a harmonious relationship with money.”
“Acknowledging that uncertainty is a constant in investment, and life, I have adopted the philosophy of embracing uncertainty and remaining flexible in investment strategies, as well as in my overall approach to life,” she said.
This book shapes her behaviour, both professionally and personally, the investment executive added.
Indira Vergis contributed to this story.