Pansy Ho, Macau kingpin Stanley Ho’s heir apparent, is proving to be a chip off the old block, managing several enterprises, including the high-profile MGM Grand Macau. She lets Christina Kautzky in on the person behind the dynamo.
You have worked on so many different types of projects and continue to be so instrumental to the growth and development of Hongkong and Macau, how do you manage to juggle it all?
I need to thank my colleagues for helping me and supporting me with all my responsibilities. It really takes a lot of teamwork to manage a tight schedule. I try my best to create a balance between work and social life. Being able to relax at times helps to keep me going. I derive motivation from the beauty of nature and indulge in my favourite past time, which is travelling and being inspired by the intelligence of mankind.
You have grown up in the limelight but do you still get nervous when you have to speak in public or when you meet famous people?
For over 20 years I have been running a public relations business as a hobby. Socialising and handling famous actors, business people and politicians comprise a major part of our job and is a skill that I am rather competent with. What project have you worked on recently, or IS currently in the works, that you are really proud of or excited about. I would say MGM Grand Macau is definitely the project that I’m excited about. It’s the first business of my own. (Editor’s note: this property is a joint-venture between Ho’s company and the Las Vegas household name MGM Mirage.)
You were the visionary behind the incredible VIP lobby at MGM GRAND Macau. was it nice to be able to use your creative side and not the business side for a change?
The design for the VIP hotel lobby at MGM Grand Macau is mostly influenced by my travel experiences. It is a collection of what I’ve been exposed to all these years. Therefore, in a way, yes… I’m glad that I’ve had the opportunity to use my creative vision for the design of this property, particularly the VIP hotel lobby. Managing a project while taking an interest in it at the same time, I guess this is what everyone longs for.
Which travels specifically influenced that project?
Travels to Venice, Barcelona, Croatia, where I was so inspired, especially by the Moorish architecture and all its opulence and intrigue.
You have been so successful in your career, having been recognised by Forbes and others for your impressive business record. What does success mean to you today, now that you've accomplished so much?
Success means more responsibilities, as well as the ability to do more to help others.
Where is your favourite destination for holiday?
One that’s packed with good food, sea and sun, and excursions to historical sites or grand palaces.
What do you pack for a long-haul flight?
My own travel blanket, pillow and pyjamas with a small wash bag.
When was the last time you really took a holiday? And who did you spend it with?
It was really brief, but a truly relaxing one: an entire week of absolutely no planned itineraries with my sisters and teenage nieces in Los Angeles this past summer.
What would you do if you took six months off and weren’t allowed to work? And you had to do something completely for yourself and not related to your business?
I would charter a boat and sail around the Mediterranean coast from France to Turkey.
Your family is such a Hongkong institution, could you ever live anywhere else permanently?
I’ve always assumed I’d retire owning two or three homes in different cities.
What’s your favourite part about living in Hongkong? What’s changed the most over the years?
No doubt it’s the convenience of getting to places, the abundance of good-quality food outlets and all the fashion stores. But I have much less time to enjoying these luxuries.
