SWKIT12 | PENTA | December 2020
I
n 2013, a cohort of eight students
from the New World Basketball
League in Hong Kong went to a
summer training camp in Beijing,
where they met Jeremy Lin. The
first Asian-American NBA star, Lin
encouraged them to strive for their
dreams in basketball.
The New World Basketball League
is one of an array of community and
mentorship programs offered at New
World Springboard, a nonprofit organi-
zation overseen by Adrian Cheng, CEO
of property developer New World
Development and executive director of
jewelry company Chow Tai Fook.
Cheng, 41, founded New World
Springboard in 2012, with a mission to
empower under-resourced youth in
different aspects of life, including health
and wellness, arts and culture, and
learning opportunities that advance
personal growth. Its core programs are
basketball and swimming for students
from age 8 to 12.
Cheng’s philanthropic ideals, as well
as his human-centric approach to busi-
ness, were inspired by his grandfather
Cheng Yu-tung, and his father, Henry
Cheng Kar-shun, two of the most prom-
inent business leaders in Hong Kong.
As the heir to his grandfather, who
died in 2016 at age 91, Cheng joined the
family business in 2006, after studying
at Harvard University and a stint as an
investment banker.
“I come from a family that believes in
creating shared value,” Cheng says. “We
have clear visions for taking social
responsibilities, sharing resources,
transferring knowledge, and empower-
ing the new generation.”
Youth development has since been a
focal point in Cheng’s philanthropic
pursuits. He currently serves as the
Adrian Cheng:
Inspiring and Empowering
The Next Generation
The CEO of Hong Kong-based New World
Development dedicates himself to youth
development, art, and cultural preservation
chairman of China Young Leaders
Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes
cultural exchange among college stu-
dents. He also supports programs at the
United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF), to which he recently donated
500,000 medical-grade masks to help
vulnerable children fighting against the
Covid-19 pandemic.
In the face of the global health crisis,
Cheng donated funds and medical
equipment to China, and launched
#LoveWithoutBorders, a charitable
initiative that has donated 2.5 million
medical face masks globally.
An avid art collector, Cheng
launched the K11 Art Foundation in
2010, which promotes Chinese
contemporary art in collaboration with
institutions around the world. Last year,
he transformed a historic site in Hong
Kong, Holt’s Wharf, into a global art
and design district. His latest project is
to preserve the State Theater, a derelict
68-year-old historic site.
For Cheng, philanthropy is about
quickly accommodating the needs of
local and global communities, and hav-
ing a long-term vision for the welfare of
those communities, he says.
“There is a paradigm shift in philan-
thropy,” he says. “Younger generations
like to get their hands dirty and have a
more measurable impact.”
Adrian Cheng
oversees
New World
Springboard,
a nonprofit
that includes
an array of
community and
mentorship
programs.
By FANG BLOCK