Yang Mun-Tak, Marjorie
Chairman and CEO of Esquel Group
Nominator
The Hon Andrew Leung
Managing Director
Sun Hing Knitting Factory Limited
Marjorie Yang is the chairman and CEO of Esquel Group. She received a BSc in mathematics from MIT, and an MBA from Harvard Business School and returned to Hong Kong in 1978 when she helped establish Esquel. In 1995, Ms Yang became the chairman of Esquel.
Under her leadership, the company has adopted progressive management techniques. The dynamic, vertically integrated operations structure controls everything from cotton farming, spinning, weaving, knitting and garment making to packaging of the finished products, with production facilities in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.
Esquel has risen to become a powerhouse in the textile industry in Asia and throughout the world. It has close to 47,000 employees and has a prestigious client list including Abercrombie & Fitch, Brooks Brothers, Hugo Boss, Next, Nordstrom, Polo Ralph Lauren, Nike and Tommy Hilfiger. The Group makes 60 million garments a year and generates revenues of US$500 million.
In 1999, Ms Yang s leadership was recognized when she received the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business - Owner-Operator Award. From 2000 to 2005, she has been highlighted in Fortune magazine's annual list of the 50 most powerful women in business.
Ms Yang is concerned with education, with a particular interest in the development of young managers. She has also been very involved with the MBA programs at Harvard Business School, MIT, Tsinghua, Fudan and Lingnan Universities, and sits on the various advisory boards of these institutions. Ms Yang is also committed to community and environmental issues. She has an immense interest in conserving environment and culture, especially in Xinjiang. She currently sits on the board of Conservation International.
Since 2003, Ms Yang is a Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Textile & Clothing Sector Committee of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (CAEFI). Ms Yang also sits on the boards of prestigious corporations such as Swire Pacific Limited and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. She is a member of the MIT Corporation and the Court of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. In 2006, Ms Yang was appointed a member of the Greater Pearl River Delta Business Council. In June, She was named an Honorary Fellow by HKUST to recognise her significant contributions to the University and to Hong Kong.
