Lead8 - Innovative Management in Business Product & Service Industries
Name of Organization / Company: Lead8, Hong Kong, Greater China
Category: B01 - B11 - Award for Excellence in Corporate Innovation > B01B. Award for Excellence in Innovation in Business Product & Service Industries - More than 100 Employees
Entry Title: Lead8
Lead8 is an international design studio with award-winning expertise in architecture, interior design, masterplanning, branding and graphic design. Founded in 2014, in just over five years we have grown an international presence with trusted partnerships with world-leading property developers, owners and operators.
With a team of over 250, our teams now work on projects in 40+ cities around the world from studios in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and London.
Organisational Management:
Over the last two years, Lead8 has made significant investments in bolstering international operations and management to support our expanding presence.
• Expanded Hong Kong Studio – Move to Grade A office in 2019 for team of up to 240
• New Shenzhen Bay Studio – Opened in Grade A office in 2021 to support growing China portfolio
• Within the last two years, organisation management strategies have increased revenue by over 170%
• Leveraged employee leadership, idea collection, and policy deployment strategies to grow repeat business by 55%
• Established the legal and economic strategy to handle over 500+ project wins since inception (45% of those within the last two years).
Customer Service:
The best example of Lead8’s commitment to service excellence is the repeat business from world and regional leading property developers. Lead8’s is trusted to multiple projects from these long-term clients: Sun Hung Kai Properties, New World Development, CRC Land, Longfor Properties, Shangri-La Group, Airport Authority Hong Kong, UEM Sunrise, and Hongkong Land.
Corporate Social Responsibility:
For Lead8, Corporate Social Responsibility is not an option, it is a part of our DNA. We actively champion and engage with a wide range of causes.
• 2020, 2019: Society for the Relief of Disabled Children – ‘Step out for Children’ Sponsorship
• 2020, 2019: World Vision – Hong Kong Campaign Sponsorship - Top Fundraiser First Runner Up Award, Highest Number of Enrolled Participants Award
• 2020, 2019, 2018: Chinese University of HK – ‘Master Graduation Show’ Sponsorship
• 2020, 2018: Urban Land Institute – ‘Urban Plan Volunteer Workshop’ Participation
• 2020, 2019: HK Polytechnic University Community College – ‘Lead8 Experience Day’
• 2020, 2019, 2018: International Women’s Day – ‘Lead8 Campaign’
• 2020: Chu Hai College of Higher Education – ‘Master & Bachelor of Architecture Graduation Show’ Sponsorship
• 2019: Save the Children – ‘Christmas Campaign’ Sponsorship
• 2019: Lead8’s Young Architects Event – Lead8 Children’s Event and UNICEF’s Education Programme Sponsorship
• 2019: Kellett School HK – ‘Lead8 Summer Work Experience Programme’
• 2019: University of HK – ‘Master in Landscape Architecture Thesis Review’ Participation
Human Resources:
• At Lead8, we are committed to diversity – our team represents 20 nationalities, 15 languages, and over 50% female representation. Within the architecture discipline, we have 48% female representation, significantly above industry averages.
• Our internal COVID-19 response helped to alleviate costs to staff by gifting personal reusable mask sets and refillable sanitizer bottles for all employees.
• In 2020, Lead8 was awarded the Good Employer MPF Award and MPF Support Award for commitments to enhancing the retirement benefits of employees.
• In the 2020 Employee Engagement Survey, Lead8’s engagement rates in each studio consistently beat national averages.
Employee Development:
As a design-led business, ensuring our teams consistently develop to innovate for our clients is paramount to success.
• Investment in employee development including software upskilling and opportunity to work on research and CSR-related design projects.
• Flexibility for employees undertaking tertiary study and company payment of license fees once qualifications are earned.
• Investment in internal Research Study Grant competition that sees winning employees travel to undertake research projects. Recent winners travelled to South Korea, Nepal, Norway, Spain, Portugal and the UAE and knowledge shared their research to Lead8 team on return.
Links:
Lead8-Award-APSA-20210114-Management Categories.pdf