AS Watson, the world's largest international health and beauty retailer, has accelerated its sustainability efforts in its global supply chain by transitioning its delivery fleet to electric vehicles and launching initiatives in waste reduction to fight climate change.
According to Dr. Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson, "As a responsible global retailer, sustainability is at the heart of our business. We've been investing and innovating to reduce our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future. Our latest initiative focuses on making the delivery fleet of our supply chain more environmentally friendly. We operate 12 retail brands in our global portfolio, and 60% of them have started using electric vehicles for some of the warehouse-to-store and online order deliveries. While the adoption of electric vehicles is slow in the industry, I believe that we should take on the challenge to launch this initiative in as many markets as possible.”
To mark its 30th anniversary, Watsons Malaysia announced the launch of its first-ever Watsons-branded airplane in collaboration with AirAsia today. Watsons is the first retailer in Malaysia to bring health and beauty to the skies. The Watsons-branded airplane will start serving passengers from mid-July onwards at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2, and it will feature Watsons' branding, in-flight shopping opportunities, and various in-flight engagement activities.
Watsons, the flagship health and beauty brand of AS Watson Group, has been putting customers at the heart of its business. As customers' expectations for a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience continue to rise, in 2023, Watsons invested in opening and upgrading over 2,200 O+O (Offline plus Online) stores across 15 markets in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The company expects to have over 3,800 new and refitted O+O stores by the end of 2024.
AS Watson Group announces its first collaboration with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and has donated HKD1 million to establish a scholarship programme, recognising students who have outstanding performance in the areas of academics, extracurriculars, and leadership. The first AS Watson Scholarship Presentation Ceremony was successfully held yesterday, commending ten outstanding students and encouraging them to continue to develop their talents and become future leaders.
AS Watson Group Hong Kong Student Sports Awards (HKSSA) held the 19th award presentation ceremony at Fortune Metropolis in Hung Hom today. HKSSA is the first and only award programme of its kind in Hong Kong, open to all local schools from primary, secondary, and special schools to commend one sports talent from each school every year. Since 2005, HKSSA has recognised over 16,400 student athletes and has earned a reputation as one of the most magnificent local youth sports awards in Hong Kong. This year, HKSSA recognises 991 student sports elites with participation from nearly 90% of local schools, setting a record for the highest number of participants in the programme’s history.
The award presentation ceremony was graced by Guests-of-Honour, Sze Chun-fai, Jeff, JP, Under Secretary for Education, Education Bureau, and Wong Tak-sum, Sam, MH, Commissioner for Sports, Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. They unveiled the ceremony and presented the awards to the student sports elites along with other distinguished guests.
As Earth Day approaches, Watsons, the flagship health and beauty brand of AS Watson Group, is proud to launch Naturals by Watsons’ Special Edition Blue Beauty range in Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan markets, as well as plans to expand to Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.
Every year, 14 million tons of plastics enter our ocean, which is equivalent to the weight of over 140,000 blue whales. By 2050, the weight of plastics in the ocean is projected to surpass that of fish, and a major contributor is ocean-bound plastic, which is defined as an abandoned plastic waste located within 50km from shores where waste management is inexistent or inefficient. These impacts affect at least 700 marine species and result in the deaths of 100 million marine animals annually.
AS Watson Group, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, hosted its first-ever European Hackathon in Amsterdam on 13-14 April. The 24-hour Hackathon was attended by 70 university students, who came together to tackle real-life business challenges related to Next Generation Loyalty. The participants were driven to utilise their skills, creativity, and collective expertise to develop innovative solutions that redefine the future of loyalty in the retail landscape.
Dr. Malina Ngai, CEO of AS Watson, said, “Customer loyalty is of utmost importance for a retailer, but customer expectations have been evolving, particularly among the next generation. That’s why we want to develop the next generation of loyalty, and there is no better way than having the next generation of talents propose to us.”
AS Watson is pleased to announce the promotion of Malina Ngai to Group CEO, effective from 1st May 2024.
Malina Ngai currently holds the position of Group Chief Operating Officer, AS Watson, and Chief Executive Officer, AS Watson (Asia & Europe). Congratulating on her promotion, Dominic Lai, Group Co-Managing Director of CK Hutchison and Group Managing Director of AS Watson said, “After a very fulfilling 17 years of leading the AS Watson Group, I think it is the appropriate time to pass on the baton. Malina has been crucial in successfully driving AS Watson’s digital transformation, implementing the O+O (Offline plus Online) business model, and fostering positive cultural change in the past decade.
CK Hutchison’s Audited Results for the Year Ended 31 December 2023 (in PDF)
AS Watson Group announced the appointment of Clarice Au as the Managing Director of MoneyBack, one of the largest loyalty programmes in Hong Kong. In her new role, she will be responsible for leading the MoneyBack, driving innovation and bringing endless exciting rewards to members across Hong Kong.
Dominic Lai, Group Managing Director of AS Watson Group said, "AS Watson Group has appointed Clarice Au as the Managing Director of MoneyBack, while she will continue to hold the position of Managing Director at FORTRESS. Clarice has served airport retail and FORTRESS for 26 years and held important leadership role in driving business growth. She has successfully led FORTRESS in its digital transformation, seamlessly integrating O+O (Offline and Online) platforms. I believe she will continue to implement our growth strategy and apply her extensive experience to driving the growth of MoneyBack, leading Moneyback towards new heights."
