With more than 30 years of bartending experience, John Ma makes you feel right at home at the FCC.

Tell us about your career!
John Ma: My first bartending job was about 30 years ago. I worked at a really local bar in Tsim Sha Tsui, where I learned how to make classic cocktails like gin and tonics, martinis, Negronis, and boulevardiers.

When did you join the FCC?
JM: A long time ago, in 1992. I almost always work the late shift – and I love it. I actually left the FCC for about two years to go work at a yacht club, but it wasn’t for me. It was too quiet, too calm, too empty… I really missed the FCC atmosphere and all of the members.

How has the FCC changed over time?
JM: We have seen many members come and go. Staff, too. It changes all the time, but I love meeting and talking with our new members. Often, we become very good friends. Of course, when members move away, it can be hard – I really miss them.

What do you love so much about the FCC bar?
JM: The bar is an important place for the community, for friends, for relaxing. I love the energy here – it is a special place.

What’s new at the bar?
JM: We are always working on new cocktails, experimenting with techniques, and adding wines and beers to the menu. We just bought a smoking machine, which we’re using to create new cocktails downstairs at Bert’s. We also introduced beautiful rocks to serve with our premium Scotch and whisky.

So which drinks should we try on our next visit?
JM: Our new smoky cocktails downstairs! For wine drinkers, our House Champagne is well-balanced and delicious. I would also suggest our Headline beer, an FCC signature. And for a cocktail, I’d say our espresso martini. That’s a good choice if you need extra energy after a long week.

What’s your go-to drink on a night off?
JM: A classic gin martini with a lemon twist – it is very elegant and refreshing. In general, I am obsessed with gin. My favourite type is Bombay, because it has a distinct aroma of spice and citrus.

What’s a fun fact about you?
JM: My first job was as a barber. I still have all of my tools. But don’t ask me for a haircut now! It has been way too long… I really loved working with hair, but it was too hard on my hands. That’s when I became a bartender. It was a perfect fit: Just like being a barber, I get to make new friends, create new things, and make people happy.

Amid the many challenges the club faced last year, one stood out: Choosing the FCC’s new signature beer, Headline Pilsner. Richard Macauley, who was instrumental in bringing the beer to life, spills the story.

A pint of Headline Pilsner being poured at the FCC’s Main Bar.

Beer is the single-most popular drink at the FCC’s Main Bar – which sold upwards of 4,000 draughts and bottles a month pre-pandemic – so it felt only natural to introduce an exclusive FCC beer. Early last year, the F&B Committee set to work, pouring ourselves into Hong Kong’s craft brew scene to find the perfect beer for FCC members.

We quickly identified its ideal brewing partner: Young Master Brewery. Founded in 2013, Young Master is one of Hong Kong’s most successful craft breweries, standing out from the pack with its creativity, consistency and commitment to the city.

We knew the FCC’s signature beer had to be refreshing, flavourful and versatile, plus pair well with the club’s food. And as tempting as it was to experiment with more avant-garde brews, we ultimately selected a beer that would speak to the majority of FCC members.

After tasting dozens of beers, we narrowed it down to a pale ale or a Pilsner, essentially a classic Czech style of pale lager. During one of the tasting sessions, Young Master introduced us to a contemporary take on a Pilsner that ticked all of our boxes: a bold yet approachable flavour, crisp and clean finish, mild and tangy hops, and an all-weather quality that stands up in winter and summer.

As a final touch, we needed a catchy name fitting of a correspondents’ club. Enter Headline Pilsner – a beer so good, you’ll never need to read the full beer menu again. Since its launch, Headline has been one of the club’s top-selling draught beers, which is a testament to its easy-drinking style and compatibility with everything from spicy Indian curries to salads, Asian noodles or simply some peanuts and crisps.

If you haven’t tried a pint of Headline yet, there’s plenty of time to change that. Next time you’re at the Club, sip a draught with your favourite meal or just savour it solo. And take pleasure, if you like, that you’ll not only enjoy a great pint but that you’ll also be supporting one of Hong Kong’s best young businesses.

The Membership Committee is always impressed by the diversity, experience and talents of FCC applicants. Join us in welcoming our latest batch of new members.

Howard Chang

I am a Hong Kong native currently working as a tax director at a technology firm. Most people think taxes are painful, but I actually find the topic very enjoyable, especially when it comes to participating in policy work, such as representing industry groups in front of LegCo, or OECD tax policy working groups. Recently, I have taken the opportunity to try new indoor activities, like online learning and some serious cooking — well beyond mere sustenance! I look forward to being part of the FCC community and meeting new people!

Dr. Francis Neoton Cheung

I am an urban designer and development consultant by profession, a property developer in my own time, the convenor of urban development think tank Doctoral Exchange, and a champion of the Marine Enclave developments. Born and bred in Hong Kong, I studied at Queen’s College, then graduated with distinctions from the University of Hong Kong. I have served on the HKSAR’s first Election Committee, as well as the Land and Building Advisory Committee and the Town Planning Appeal Board. In my free time, I am a contemporary porcelain artist and I like hiking, reading and playing mahjong.

Yoon Kueen Chong

Apa khabar? That’s “How are you?” in Bahasa. I am Y. K., a Malaysian with two lovely daughters who has lived in Hong Kong for over a decade. I work in international real estate and am now the Managing Director of Artana Asia Limited. Besides work, I enjoy reading, bowling, golfing, boating, and travelling – my ability to speak and write in five languages has made many journeys extra memorable. The FCC was the first club I visited when I landed in Hong Kong, and I’m grateful to become a member today.

Kevin Ding

I was born in Wuhan, but I grew up in Shenzhen where my height and exceptionally large feet drew the attention of national swimming coaches. I almost made a career of it, but I prefer drinking red wine to spending hours underwater. After moving to Hong Kong 15 years ago, I earned a finance degree and two master’s degrees in economics and international relations. I’m now working for Hang Lung Properties Limited. But the truth is, I still prefer the wine. I’m happy to discuss/debate the latest seasonal Beaujolais, or maybe even some politics.

Peter Paul de Groote

I arrived in Hong Kong last May, and to say that it has been interesting so far would be an understatement. Before Hong Kong, I spent 26 years with Médecins Sans Frontières and have lived and worked in many places, from Zaire and Ethiopia to Myanmar, South Sudan, Nepal, India, and a few more. Currently, I’m the director of the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation. The combination of dynamic city life and the outdoors makes Hong Kong ideal for me. Mingling with the wonderful (and sometimes eccentric) FCC crowd only adds to the experience.

Susan Latimer

I was born in South Africa and moved to Hong Kong in 2001. I derive enormous pleasure from running my business, Jetfresh Foods. We import and distribute microgreens and edible flowers to restaurants and hotels in Hong Kong and Macao. I like to keep busy and have a broad range of interests and creative pursuits. In the summer, I enjoy travelling to new places and always go back to visit my daughters in South Africa. I love to soak up the rural, untamed beauty of the Eastern Cape coastline, where we have a family home.

Billie Lau

I’ve covered banking and finance for more than 25 years, and I am currently working as the deputy news editor of the Business section at Apple Daily. Amid Hong Kong’s darkest hour, I am honoured to be a member of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

Fran Lebowitz

I’m Fran Lebowitz — no, not that Fran Lebowitz! Funnily enough, however, I too, was in the book business in New York City, where I once worked as a literary agent and editor at Writers House and William Morris Agency. I’ve lived in Asia for years but there was a time at the start of 2020, a time of flying, of congregation, when I thought I would resume life in New York. Alas, that has not been the case. After a stint in Singapore, I am now in Hong Kong, and keen to be part of the conversation at the FCC.

Tiffany Liang

I am a freelance reporter at The Washington Post, focusing on social issues in Hong Kong. Born and raised in mainland China, I came to Hong Kong three years ago to pursue a master’s degree in international journalism. I cover public affairs and international insights, as well as human-interest stories in mainland China and Hong Kong. Currently, I am also exploring financial journalism. Outside of work, I love hiking, art exhibitions and trying new restaurants. I am really excited to become an FCC member! 

Natasha Marks

I’m an architect at Aedas Architects, and I moved to Hong Kong in September 2019 with my husband Richard. I am British but I lived in Kuwait for a couple of years when I was young and spent a year in Hong Kong during university. I recently started my own practice here called NK3 Ltd, which specialises in commercial architecture. I’ve travelled extensively in Africa and the Middle East both for work and pleasure, and when not at my desk, I can usually be found hiking or paddle-boarding in Stanley with my dogs.

Rahul Mehta

I am a solicitor at Slaughter and May. I came to Hong Kong in 2016, supposedly on a two-year secondment from the corporate law firm I was working for in London at the time. But, as is tradition, I am still here almost five years on! Off-duty, I’m partial to a game of squash or golf, a hike, a beer or a decent bottle of wine, and wish I understood the intricacies of mahjong. As amusing exploits go, I once accidentally won a Russian verse-speaking competition. Do ask me about it at the bar sometime…

Win Pang

Hello! I was born and raised in Hong Kong, though my family is Indonesian-Chinese, from an island named Belitung. I love my job in equity sales at UBS AG, because it allows me to meet great people and stay up-to-date with global news. Aside from work, I liked to travel and hang out with friends pre-pandemic. Now I enjoy reading, meditation, jogging, yoga, watching NBA games and the occasional Zoom chat. I am also taking psychotherapy classes and a children’s coding course, taught by my 8-year-old niece, who taught herself to code during the lockdown.

Benjamin Qiu

As a capital market and intellectual property lawyer, I often split my time working and travelling between Asian cities. In my free time, I also volunteer on the Board of the Shanghai FCC. I studied and worked in Silicon Valley prior to returning to Asia, and I grew up in Beijing where, to my knowledge, I was the first kid to have a skateboard! 

Bill Rigby

I’m the Spot Enterprise Editor at Reuters. I moved to Hong Kong last December to edit some of the longer-form stories Reuters produces in the Asia region, ranging from local unrest to street protests in Thailand. I grew up in Manchester, England, went to university in London and started my career at Reuters there in the late 1990s. I spent the last 20 years working for the agency in New York and Seattle, writing and editing news about finance, markets, aerospace and technology. When I’m not working, I like to ride my bicycle up and down the Peak.

Neville Sarony

I’m an Anglo-Irish, ex-Gurkha, ex-Foreign Service member who has been a practicing barrister in Hong Kong since 1986. Before that, in the 1960s, I practiced in London and Kathmandu. A Queen’s Counsel, I’m a specialist in professional negligence and complex crime, author of the Max Devlin novels (including the forthcoming The Chakrata Incident), and a contributor to online news platforms EJ Insight and Asia Times. Besides that, I am also a political satirist, jazz pianist and singer, an after-dinner speaker, and sometimes an actor. Joining the FCC is a high quantum of solace for me.

FCC member Noel de Guzman’s new book celebrates illustrious Filipinos, from Jollibee’s founder to fashion moguls and tech wunderkinds.

In 2018, graphic designer and illustrator Noel de Guzman stumbled upon a Google doodle of Fe del Mundo, the first Filipino woman admitted to Harvard Medical School and the first person to establish a paediatric hospital in the Philippines. 

Fe del Mundo, the mother of Philippine pediatrics.

But this was the first time de Guzman, a native Filipino, had heard of her. “When I learned about del Mundo, I was in awe. At the same time, I felt a little ashamed for not knowing who she was, so that inspired me to research more notable people from the Philippines,” says de Guzman. Determined to learn more about his country’s history, de Guzman began compiling information on a Google spreadsheet, amassing research on more than 500 notable personalities. 

Tony Tan Caktiong, the face of Jollibee.

Fast forward two years later, and de Guzman has transformed that research into a new book, 100 Filipinos: A Collection of Biographies of Remarkable Men and Women of the Philippines. The 212-page compilation highlights inspiring success stories, from the inventor of banana ketchup to a “computer genius who rocked Silicon Valley” and the first Filipino fashion mogul. An accomplished illustrator, de Guzman pairs each profile with colourful portraits, making this book a joy to read. 

Dado Banatao, the rock star of Silicon Valley.

“We should learn from the people who really matter – people who are leaders, pioneers, and mavericks,” says de Guzman. “This book is my contribution to the country. It aims to inspire and educate. I hope one day, the book will be in every Filipino home.” 

Order your copy here: 100filipinos.com

Jonathan Sharp dives into ‘A Stormy Petrel: The Life and Times of John Pope Hennessy,’ by FCC member P. Kevin MacKeown.

Anyone wishing to divert their attention away from the actions of the Government House incumbent would do well to dip into a fascinating new book about a past – and equally controversial – holder of the city’s highest office. 

A Stormy Petrel: The Life and Times of John Pope Hennessy chronicles the remarkable life of Hong Kong’s eighth governor who, as author P. Kevin MacKeown puts it, “seldom evoked indifference.” That’s putting it mildly. An Irish Catholic born in 1834, Pope Hennessy courted controversy almost everywhere he went throughout his career, which was mostly spent running Britain’s smaller colonies. 

Initially, the need to shore up shaky finances (a suggested alternative title to MacKeown’s book was A Mick on the Make, an informal way of saying “an Irishman intent on personal gain”) drove his career choice, because he could earn more overseas than at home. 

On the personal front, he also raised eyebrows by marrying a Eurasian, Kitty, in a match almost unheard of among UK’s colonial administrators. He made a veritable Cook’s tour of the more far-flung of Britain’s colonies, starting as governor of Labuan, off Borneo, then taking in West Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean as well as Hong Kong, where he served as Governor from 1877 to 1882. 

John Pope Hennessy

Though he was liberal-leaning man of considerable charm, Pope Hennessy had a volatile temperament and High Dudgeon in High Places Jonathan Sharp dives into ‘A Stormy Petrel: The Life and Times of John Pope Hennessy,’ by FCC member P. Kevin MacKeown. was widely accused of inefficiency. Still, he had ideas and policies ahead of his time, including the advancement of the local populations he governed. He inevitably ran up against conservative vested interests among his fellow colonials and his reform record is short. 

A particularly hostile adversary in Hong Kong was Jardine’s William Keswick (another family name inseparable from the city’s history), who opposed most of his lenient policies. Especially egregious, according to his detractors, was Pope Hennessy’s efforts to install – perish the thought! – a Chinese representative, Ng Choy, in the Legislative Council. An incident perhaps most remembered about Pope Hennessy’s tenure had a whiff of scandal about it. Suspecting that lawyer Thomas Hayllar was having an affair with his wife Kitty, Pope Hennessy struck Hayllar with an umbrella near Mountain Lodge, the governor’s Peak summer home. Hayllar had the weapon mounted with a plaque inscribed “A Memento of the Battle of Mountain Lodge.” 

As the author concedes, readers may be baffled by the myriad emotions aroused by Pope Hennessy, and MacKeown lists no fewer than 236 adjectives, for and against, to describe him. One that is missing could perhaps apply to both Hennessy, as well as the present resident of Government House. That word is “polarising”. 

Pick up a copy at the FCC.