Bio:
Hong Wei Liao has spent her life showing how leadership can be about more than business. As Chairman of the Botrich Family Wealth Heritage and Development Center, she has guided families and organisations through decisions that shape both their present and their future. She believes that success comes when people combine focus, perseverance, and responsibility with care for others.
Hong Wei Liao and her journey has been one of steady growth. Education gave her the tools, but experience taught her the value of patience and perspective. In her early career, she learned that people respond best not to authority, but to trust. Over time, she built her leadership style around listening first and acting with clarity.
Many of her projects have touched lives outside of boardrooms. She has supported charity events, promoted wellness initiatives, and encouraged community building. In one case, she helped bring people together through a golf tournament that supported local causes. For her, business and community are never separate—they are two parts of the same work.
Those who work with her often point to her calm presence. She makes tough choices feel steady, even in moments of uncertainty. Her belief is that true leadership means leaving others stronger than they were before.
Through her career and contributions, Hong Wei Liao has shown how success can ripple outward. It is not just about individual achievement, but about creating opportunities for others to grow, connect, and find strength in shared values.
Q&A:
Q: When you think about inspiration, what role has it played in your journey?
Inspiration has always come from small, steady examples rather than grand moments. Early in my career, I worked with a mentor who valued precision and patience. He never rushed decisions, even when others pushed him to. That showed me that strength is often quiet. I’ve carried that with me. Inspiration, to me, is about noticing the quiet things others overlook.
Q: What inspires you most today?
I am inspired by ordinary persistence. Watching families at our Center pass on not only wealth but also responsibility inspires me. I once worked with a family that insisted their children attend every planning meeting, even when the children were still teenagers. They wanted them to see the process of decision-making early. That level of commitment to the next generation keeps me motivated.
Q: How do you think about inspiring others through your own leadership?
I try to show calm in uncertain moments. Once, during a project where financial markets shifted suddenly, our team panicked. Instead of forcing decisions, I asked everyone to step back for a day. We regrouped, reviewed the facts, and only then moved forward. By not reacting out of fear, I helped the team see that stability is possible even under pressure. Sometimes inspiration is just showing that it’s possible to breathe in the middle of a storm.
Q: How do you inspire confidence in new ideas?
By asking better questions. When someone brings me an idea, I rarely say yes or no right away. I ask them, “What would this look like five years from now?” or “Who benefits if this succeeds?” This practice encourages people to think more deeply and gives them confidence that their idea matters. I once had a junior colleague propose a community wellness program. Instead of dismissing it as “too ambitious,” I asked her to walk me through how it would impact families long-term. That simple conversation helped her refine the project, and today, it’s still running.
Q: Taking risks is part of leadership. How have you managed risk in your career?
Risk can’t be avoided, but it can be respected. Early on, I was involved in a project where two different families had conflicting visions. It would have been easy to pick one side and push through. Instead, I spent weeks meeting with both groups separately, mapping out their non-negotiables. We found overlap no one expected. The risk of failure was high, but by slowing down, we created an agreement that lasted. For me, risk management is not about avoiding loss—it’s about creating pathways where trust can grow.
Q: What do you say to people who fear taking risks because they don’t want to fail?
I remind them that inaction is also a risk. Doing nothing can cost as much as doing the wrong thing. I once advised a family who had sat on a major decision for years. Inflation ate away at their options. When they finally acted, the choice was harder. I tell people: take small risks early, because the cost of waiting is often invisible until it’s too late.
Q: Do you believe inspiration is something people are born with or something they can learn to give?
It can absolutely be learned. Inspiration is about paying attention. It’s about making others feel seen. When you ask someone about their ideas, when you listen fully, you are already inspiring them to believe their voice matters. That doesn’t require natural talent—it requires practice and care.
Q: What is one story from your life that captures how you view success and inspiration together?
Years ago, I helped organise a charity golf event. It wasn’t just about giving back to the community. It was about showing people that business leaders could come together not for competition, but for community. I watched executives who normally argued over contracts laughing together on the course. At the end, a young volunteer came to me and said, “I didn’t know business could look like this.” That moment stayed with me. Success isn’t only about outcomes—it’s about the impressions we leave behind.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to young people about finding inspiration, what would it be?
Look closer at the people around you. Don’t wait for a big speech or a dramatic breakthrough. Notice the teacher who stays late, the colleague who double-checks work quietly, the neighbour who shows up for community events. Inspiration lives in those details. If you train yourself to see it, you’ll also learn how to pass it on.
Founder Dinis Guarda
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