SL: The Jockey Club is an extremely demanding user of IT and is dependent on technology to ensure the business operates effectively. IT impacts, influences and enables the business here: look at the new services we have launched in the last year or two, all of them enabled by new technologies.

At Towngas I also managed the launch of new businesses and had a view of the organizations beyond IT that make a business succeed--marketing, sales, PR etc. While this was invaluable experience I found myself missing the technology side.

So having a chance to focus again purely on technology was a great opportunity.

CWHK: Can you detail the immediate challenges of your new role?

SL: IT currently supports all the different functions and operations at the Jockey Club, from gambling, the lottery, membership, charities, to ongoing catering and entertainment systems. The racing itself requires IT--we have to track 1200 horses, owners, and the customers, plus look after the various logistics of holding race days. Running the show twice a week requires a lot of IT with all the data flow and event support.