Alan Chen came to Hong Kong from Fujian in mainland China when he was twelve. He became a waiter after Form 5 and a manager three years later, but he saw limited opportunities for advancement despite this promotion. He then took a job as a shop assistant in a large retail chain and began to build a new career. Within a few years he had become a Senior Area and Business Development Manager. During his spare time he studied business administration at the OUHK and got a degree in five years. 'Retail work requires long hours, especially during the Chinese New Year, which is exam time at the OUHK. There were certainly many long nights. But if I hadn't studied, I wouldn't be where I am today. And I wouldn't know much about marketing or management,' he said. An OUHK MBA is his next target.