Page 43 - HKMA Training Award 2019 Souvenir Programme

Excellence Award
Best in Digital Transformation

“DigiTalent”
New World Development Company Limited

The rise of digital transformation disrupts the ecosystem of the traditional economy. New World Development (NWD) decided to embark on the strategic
Digital Transformation journey, curate “The Artisanal Movement” as brand personality, and integrate these elements into its people, process and product.
With the lack of digital talents in the market, NWD decided to build its digital capacity and competence from within through its “DigiTalent Programme”.
The programme aims to drive the following objectives:
1. Turn New World into a digital pioneer in the property and services market;
2. Create a sense of urgency for change and build digital awareness;
3. Inspire and empower its talents to implement digital initiatives;
4. Enhance competence to build innovative products and transform the industry; and
5. Generate quantifiable and monetary return in short and medium terms.
After the Annual Group Management Forum chaired by New World Group’s Executive Vice-Chairman and General Manager, Dr Adrian Cheng, and Digitial
Symposium in 2014, NWD successfully identified the technology gap between the existing processes/ products and the international best practices.
During 2015 and 2016, different digital workshops were organized to cultivate the necessary awareness and understanding of the digital application in
various industries for employees at all levels.
After creating a sense of urgency and building digital awareness, NWD moved on to focuing on the business needs by partnering with Technology and
Digital Service Department to understand the competencies required for various digital projects. A structured DigiTalent programme was launched at the
end of 2016 with three main learning themes:
1. Digital Product Development Lifecycle;
2. Digital Marketing Optimization; and
3. Digital Data Analytics.
Through continuous communication with the business units to prioritize the strategic importance, NWD provide up-to-date training to those who need
to leverage their digital skills and also to facilitate the business units to excel in the digital transformation journey.
In partnership with leading technology giants, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Tencent, the talents could acquire with the latest digital
knowledge. NWD also invite startups (e.g., Cloudbreakr, and EONIQ) to share their successful cases in growing their business by leveraging new
technologies.
Since the DigiTalents are required to update the project status of their digital projects on hand, NWD could promptly identify and resolve their common
issues by fine-tuning the training contents.
By the end of 2018, we have recruited more than 200 DigiTalents who had gone through over 20,000 training hours in digital training since 2014. The
average post-course evaluation result is 8.5 out of 10.
While digital skills are learnt and competencies are enhanced through the Digitalent Programme, the most important impact is manifested in the solid
settlement of a digital culture in the hearts of all of the employees, fostering a true and sustainable digital transformation across all facets of the business
process.
NWD built its own Artisanal Living app for its property owners for serving them seamlessly in their daily lives with its artisanal property management
services. NWD built the A.Connect in-house app to serve the staff with many internal administration, logistics, basic approval as well as internal
communications. And recently, a new invention of digitalized payment procedure for purchase of new flats, disrupting the traditional payment and
registration procedure on purchasing of new flats. And also, the ground-breaking innovation of using of block-chain in property purchase, being the first
in Hong Kong, disrupting the status quo of the industry and become the leader.
Since the company has leveraged the expertise and resources internally and externally, the resources utilization has been optimized significantly. If NWD
outsourced all the training workshops and events to external vendors, it would have to spend 15 times higher than what it has invested..

Comments from Adjudicators
The strategic objectives of the programme were clearly set and defined. It was commended as a pioneering programme, which aimed at creating the
sustainable culture and momentum leading to digital transformation in the group.
The programme was highly original with no prior benchmark as most organizations were currently going through the transformation. The design of the
programme was solid. It created an impressive journey in applying digital transformation from product development, digital marketing to customer
experience. It also allowed employees to learn effectively through a lot of new experiences.
The programme was cost effective and practical with encouraging financial return and a double increase in the number of DigiTalents in less than two
years. More importantly, the programme would have a far-reaching impact on building an ecosystem of strengthening the digital competence of the
organization to meet the challenges of digital revolution.
All in all, this forward looking programme reinforced NWD’s leadership stance and provided an exemplary example for others to benchmark.

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 2019 41