Charm, Toa（湛家揚）

Biography

Prof. Charm has over 30 years of experience in the innovation and technology industry.  He held senior management positions in leading multinational, Hong Kong and mainland enterprises including Cyberport, HSBC, IBM, Oracle, Kingdee and Jardine Pacific.  Prof. Charm’s expertise is in big data & AI, fintech, digital transformation, corporate innovation, intrapreneurship, and start-up incubation and acceleration.

Currently, Prof. Charm is the Associate Director of EMBA Programme and an associate professor of practice in management at CUHK Business School.  He teaches EMBA, Chinese EMBA and MBA courses on digital transformation, corporate innovation, entrepreneurship, AI, FinTech and emerging technology subjects.  Prof. Charm is a founding member of a few key innovation and technology initiatives of CUHK including Corporate Innovation Index, Deep Tech Venture Launch Programme, Digital Leadership Series for Executives and Mini-MBA in Innovative Leadership.  Prof. Charm is also the Director of Business Development of the CUHK Asia-Pacific Institute of Business.  He has been designing and delivering various digital leadership and transformation training programmes to corporates for the Institute.

Prof. Charm has been actively cultivating the innovation and technology ecosystem in Hong Kong, mainland China and ASEAN countries.  He is the former Chief Public Mission Officer (CPMO) at the Hong Kong Cyberport.  Prof. Charm established and nurtured a world-leading innovation and technology ecosystem for Cyberport with more than 1,200 start-ups from over 30 countries.   He is currently chairing and advising several Asia’s elite FinTech, AI, Big Data, eCommerce and ESG start-ups.  Prof. Charm has been invited as an advisor and/or a mentor for a few influential organizations, such as, HKSTP’s LEAP Mentorship Programme, Cyberport’s Entrepreneurship Committee Advisory Group, ASTRI’s Technology Panel, HK Institute of Bankers’ FinTech Panel, FHKI’s Startup Council Executive Committee, Hong Kong CityU’s Hong Kong Tech 300, Hong Kong Consumer Council’s Digital Economy Committee, and more.  He was the Chief Judge of 2021, 2020 and 2019 HK ICT Awards – FinTech Award and in the judging panels of the world’s most influential start-ups competitions, such as MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 APAC, Alibaba JumpStarter, HSBC x HKET Innovative Business Award, HKSTP Elevator Pitch.

Prof. Charm has been empowering traditional companies to formulate their digital strategies and deliver digital transformation initiatives. Advising senior management on digital transformation, bringing in innovations from start-ups to match corporate needs, co-organizing innovation labs, accelerators, competitions and hackathons with corporates, and delivering best practices training to leaders and executives are some of the examples.  Companies that Prof. Charm has served include HSBC, Hang Seng Bank, ICBC, DBS, UBS, CCB, BOC, Dah Sing Bank, Shanghai Commercial Bank, Chiyu Bank, Fubon, Sun Life, Convoy, Chow Tai Fook, Bonjour, Wharf, Harbour City, HKSTP, MTR, Hong Kong Airport Authority, Baidu, Kingdee and more.

Prof. Charm published his book <數碼力大提升> on Enrich Publishing in 2020 and his case “HSBC–Embracing Open Innovation for SMEs” on Ivey Publishing in 2021.  He received the School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award from the City University of Hong Kong in 2019.  Dr. Charm has a Doctor’s degree in Business Administration, a Master’s degree in Business Administration, a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.  He completed senior executive training programmes from Harvard, MIT, UC – Berkeley, Ivey Business School and China Europe International Business School.

Teaching Areas

Digital Transformation
Corporate Innovation
Entrepreneurship/Intrapreneurship
Platform Strategy
Business Model Innovation
AI and Big Data
FinTech