Philip’s colleagues in the Registry usually call him “Big Brother” because he is the department’s first male staffer who carries the staff identity card numbered 43. In his eyes, the never-haggle, never-grumble attitude of his colleagues is his greatest source of gratification at work. He reckons that having gone through the different stages of development together at the HKIEd has heightened everyone’s sense of belonging.

Philip understands his colleagues’ feelings, particularly the tremendous pressure they face when dealing with student admissions and programme promotions. He often tells his colleagues, “My office door is always open for you. There is no need to knock. Just come in whenever you have a problem and we can discuss and tackle it together.”

A coffee fan, Philip draws an analogy between life’s challenges and a cup of unstirred coffee with sugar inside. After sipping the initial bitterness, one can savour the increasing sweetness until finally tasting the real essence of the coffee. The remaining quarter cup of the coffee, however, is already a bit too sweet for Philip.