On weekdays, Lok Kee is a senior executive of an independent rail consulting firm based in Hong Kong. He and his team provide consultations on different types of railways from light rail transits to mainline railways and freights in the Asia Pacific Region. 


Out of the office

Lok Kee’s weekends are quite different. As an “avid alpinist” he has explored various regions, amongst them the Himalayas, the European Alps, and most recently the summit of Everest from the Nepal south-east side. 

He admits his strengths have come to the fore during his mountaineering trips. “Climbing a big mountain like Everest demands a whole host of activities,” he says.

“These include planning things like team formation, gear and supplies packing. I also have to train physically and mentally, and of course, do the climb itself.


“All of these call for attention to fine detail. Any mistake could be fatal. As an engineer, I love to plan and execute at each different stage of the expedition.” 


Lok Kee describes how he also had to “keep the big picture” in mind at the summit of Everest, balancing joy with caution. “It was a mixed feeling, standing on the summit of Everest,” he says. “It was spectacular, with a 360 degree view of the surrounding 7,000 metre and 8,000 metre pinnacles. “In the back of my mind, though, I was acutely aware that I still had a long way to go back down to the temporary safe haven – the base camp.”

Lok Kee tackled the descent relying on various skills that, he says, are transferable between mountaineering and business. “Climbing has been excellent training ground for me to develop the various aspects of being a businessman and project manager,” he says. “It’s helped me to estimate risks and balance the risks against the recourses available. It has also enhanced my patience and my tenacity of mind when the going gets tough.” 

Passing on experience

Another way that Lok Kee has applied his professional skills outside of his day job is through “giving back” to engineers who are at earlier stages of their career. He has shared his mountaineering experiences, along with his reflections on dealing with risk, failure and project management, with student engineers, IET members and colleagues.


In the past, he’s mentored and lectured at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, as well as speaking at events for young engineers at the IET Hong Kong Local Network. His more long-term commitment is as an International Professional Registration Advisor (IPRA), guiding engineers with their applications for Chartership or IET Fellowship. 

Volunteering as an International Professional Registration Advisor

Lok Kee is aware that his voluntary role, too, develops skills he uses in the office, primarily his communication and management skills. “As an IPRA, I support candidates in preparing their professional registration applications before submission,” he explains. “This can involve meeting face to face, corresponding over email or on the phone. I’m also a point of contact for my Local Network and occasionally adjacent networks, if they require advice on professional registration.” 


Lok Kee notes that his motivation for volunteering is in part to develop himself, and in part, to give back what he received as a young engineer. I often think of Isaac Newton’s quote:

 

If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants’”, he says.

“For me, those giants have been members of the IET. Among them are my mentors who I met back in my university days at the University of Birmingham. They had a huge impact on me and I want to use my professional experience to do the same for others.”

 

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