Q&A: Group CPO Derek Wu shares the recipe to take ‘Tam Jai Taste’ to the world

In this exclusive interview with HRO’s Tracy Chan, the HR leader underscores the power of connecting individual achievements with team and company goals to foster shared success.

Vital stats: Derek Wu joined Tam Jai International (TJI) as Group Chief People Officer in May 2023 to lead the people and organisational strategy to support the group’s visionary global expansion. With more than 30 years of global and regional HR leadership experience across FMCG, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chains, he has driven transformative initiatives that align talent strategies with business growth.

Beyond his corporate role, Wu actively contributes to the HR community and social sector. He serves as chairman of the HR committee at Fu Hong Society, and has been a council member for 14 consecutive years, advocating for inclusive services for people with disabilities. He also sits on the people management committee at the Hong Kong Management Association.

Introduction: Since joining Tam Jai International Group (TJI), Derek Wu has spearheaded a bold transformation of the HR function from being an administrative contributor into a strategic business partner – focusing on establishing HR infrastructure and strategies aligned with the business goals.

Overseeing a team that supports more than 3,000 employees across markets that include Mainland China, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Malaysia, Wu champions a people-first approach rooted in Tam Jai’s DNA of ‘Will to Win’ and ‘Passion to Serve’.

Guided by the mission ‘Spice Up our People, Business, and Community’, he and his team have developed a comprehensive HR mission and framework to enhance the group's people management and development initiatives, focusing on five priorities to position TJI as an employer of choice.

The five strategic priorities are:

Leadership and succession: Fostering sustainable organisational growth through targeted leadership development and robust succession planning, ensuring continuity and stability in the leadership pipeline.

Talent capability: Equipping the organisation with a skilled and knowledgeable workforce through talent acquisition and development.

Rewards and recognition: Revamping the performance management system to reinforce the linkage of performance-driven compensation frameworks and strategically designed incentive programmes that align with corporate objectives, ensuring that the rewards system motivates and retains top talent.

Culture and engagement: Developing structured programmes aimed at enhancing organisational culture and fostering employee engagement through targeted initiatives that resonate with the group’s values.

Operating excellence: Streamlining HR processes to maximise efficiency, ensuring HR operations provide essential support for broader business objectives.

“By embedding these strategic priorities, we are committed to advancing the people agenda, and positioning ourselves as an enabler in talent management and organisational excellence,” he says.

“Due to this transformation journey, all HR team members view themselves as integral parts of a unified strategy. This cultivates a culture of collaboration where every HR function contributes to the organisation’s overarching goals. As a result, we have energised the HR team with a high employee engagement score and a low staff turnover rate.”

In this exclusive interview with HRO, Wu shares with Tracy Chan an inside look at Tam Jai’s unique culture and its journey from local roots to global expansion.

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Q: How would you describe the company culture at Tam Jai International?

Our corporate culture is anchored in a distinctive framework of organisational DNA and core values that drive our success. Our brand DNA captures the spirit that unites our people and shapes everything we do.

‘Will to Win’ encapsulates our culture of striving for success in every endeavour. It is the motivational force that propels us to innovate, challenge the status quo, and emerge victorious in a competitive marketplace. This tenacity ensures we are constantly pushing the boundaries to deliver exceptional products and services.

Our ‘Passion to Serve’ goes beyond mere customer service; it is a heartfelt commitment to creating meaningful connections with every individual we encounter. It drives us to understand the unique preferences of our customers, allowing us to cater to them with personal care and attention. This passion is the essence of our hospitality, ensuring each guest feels valued and appreciated.

Our culture is further reinforced by our core values, encapsulated in the ‘ACE IT’ framework – accountability, creativity, empathy, integrity, and teamwork. These values serve as guiding principles for our daily operations and decision-making processes across all levels of the organisation, fostering an environment where employees feel empowered to take initiatives, collaborate, and innovate.

Additionally, our DNA and core values also influence how we develop products, uphold quality, and serve customers. By instilling these principles in our processes, we ensure that every single food item reflects our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. Our dedicated frontline staff – ‘Jeh Jeh’ – brings this to life by delivering exceptional experiences that create ‘KANDO’ (感動 in Japanese) moments for our customers. They are more than servers: they are culture ambassadors, proudly recognised as ‘KANDO Creators’, who make every interaction memorable.

By fostering a culture that prioritises engagement, service excellence, and continuous improvement, we ensure that we not only meet, but exceed customer expectations, ultimately fulfilling our brand promise to ‘Spice up Your Day’. This enduring commitment positions us as a trendsetting F&B leader in Hong Kong and empowers our people to march towards the long-term vision of taking the ‘Tam Jai Taste’ all over the world.

Q: Tam Jai’s culture is deeply rooted in the iconic Jeh Jeh spirit. How do you ensure the unique culture scales across international markets while staying authentic?

The Jeh Jeh spirit embodies our brand DNA of ‘Passion to Serve’. It is a living expression of our warm service, and genuine care for every customer – bringing joy and excitement to every dining experience.

To sustain this Jeh Jeh spirit globally, we invite overseas staff to Hong Kong for immersive training experiences. This first-hand exposure enables them to learn our restaurant operations, as well as our service philosophy and standards directly from our most experienced Jeh Jeh mentors, helping new teams internalise our service mindset effectively.

In turn, seasoned Jeh Jeh team members travel from Hong Kong to new markets to train local employees, remaining on-site during key phases of store openings and operations for weeks or even months. Through their guidance and example, they ensure the essence of our culture is faithfully passed on and adapted with local sensitivity.

This approach not only ensures cultural consistency, but also enriches our people. Many of our Hong Kong-based Jeh Jeh gain valuable international exposure – an opportunity that broadens their horizons and brings fresh insights back to our home base, strengthening our Hong Kong operations.

By integrating training, with hands-on support and personal development, we ensure the Jeh Jeh spirit remains at the heart of our operations, maintaining authenticity as we expand globally.

Q: You’ve led a transformation of the HR function from administrative to strategic. What were the biggest mindset shifts required within the team?

The transformation of the HR function demanded a proactive, growth-oriented mindset, shifting from compliance to business drivers. Key frameworks included a growth mindset – 'TEAM+' (trust, energy, adversity, moment) – and integrated transformational/coaching leadership for resilience, innovation, and alignment.

1. From a reactive administration to a strategic value driver
The core shift repositioned HR to a strategic value driver, not just as paperwork support. Team members now see HR’s direct impact on outcomes such as talent development and employee engagement. By linking HR to metrics, we empowered them as business contributors, adding purpose and supporting strategic executions.

2. Embracing a growth mindset to drive high performance
We adopted a growth mindset for learning and adaptability, and the TEAM+ framework to energise and multiply the positive mindset of the team:

• Trust: Trust builds the foundation of collaboration. It serves as the cornerstone of effective teamwork, standing in contrast to mistrust which can erode collaborative potential.
  
• Energy: The power of positive energy transforms team interactions and outcomes, counteracting negative forces that can drain motivation.
  
• Adversity: The adversity quotient converts challenges into opportunities. Rather than avoiding difficulties, teams that embrace adversity develop stronger resilience.
  
• Moment: Moments create lasting positive memories. Cultivating positive moments builds a reservoir of shared experiences that strengthen team bonds.

In addition, we integrated transformational and coaching leadership to drive visionary changes and nurture individual success, shifting from a directive oversight to facilitative inspiration, while fostering psychological safety for open communication, feedback, and challenges. This empowered the team to embrace change which boosted engagement and relationships.

As a result, our team has become a high-performing unit where development drives collective achievements – team members are freely selected for cross-functional projects such as an HR officer from compensation and benefits joining talent development initiatives, while a talent development officer can participate in the employee engagement survey project team, etc.

By linking individual success to team and overall company triumphs, these mindset shifts have elevated the HR team from a backend function to a strategic value partner. This evolution isn't just about HR – it's about winning together.

Q: What leadership traits do you believe are most critical in today’s HR landscape, especially in a multicultural, fast-paced F&B environment?

In today's dynamic F&B environment, I believe the most critical leadership traits for HR leaders are market orientation, flexibility, and a deep human touch – especially in multicultural, high-velocity settings, like Hong Kong's bustling scene.

First, maintaining a market-oriented perspective is essential. We must always remember that our ultimate customers are the consumers savouring our products. This mindset shift aligns HR initiatives directly with business objectives and market demands, ensuring we’re not siloed, but strategically driving growth, talent strategies, and customer experiences.

Second, given the F&B industry’s rapid changes, flexibility and empathy are non-negotiable. HR can’t be a rigid, conventional function, it needs to blend proactive agility with genuine human connection. Our leadership emphasises understanding employees, customers, and market dynamics on a deep level.

By fostering teams that are market-sensitive and forward-thinking, we uphold our commitment to both internal teams and end consumers. Ultimately, these traits turn HR into a resilient partner which fuels innovation and loyalty in a fast-paced world.

Q: How would you describe your leadership style?

My leadership style is a combination of Eastern wisdom and Western management frameworks. As a leader, I believe in the importance of self-leadership before guiding others, influenced by the five attributes outlined in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War (孫子兵法): wisdom, credibility, benevolence, courage, and discipline. These qualities are essential for commanding respect and leading effectively, enabling sound strategic decisions and maintaining discipline within the team.

1. Wisdom (智): A leader must possess foresight and critical thinking abilities. This involves understanding their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as anticipating challenges.
   
2. Credibility (信): Trustworthiness is fundamental. A leader must be a person of integrity, aligning their actions with their words. This fosters loyalty and inspires confidence within the team, ensuring that everyone is united in pursuing common goals.
   
3. Benevolence (仁): Compassion and concern for team members are vital. A leader should treat individuals with respect and kindness, creating an environment where followers feel valued and motivated.
   
4. Courage (勇): Effective leaders must be brave and willing to make quick and sometimes difficult decisions. Courage inspires the team and uplifts morale. A leader’s determination can galvanise the entire team towards success.
   
5. Discipline (嚴): Maintaining high standards and a clear chain of command is crucial. A disciplined approach ensures that rules and methods are consistently followed, which can be the decisive factor in achieving success.

My leadership philosophy centres on being an integral part of the team rather than maintaining hierarchical distance. I see myself as a coach and facilitator of growth and development, focusing on understanding each team member's strengths and aligning their interests with the broader objectives of our organisation. This collaborative approach not only motivates individuals, but also enhances our collective effectiveness.

I foster an environment of open communication where all team members, regardless of their position, feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. This collaborative atmosphere nurtures a cohesive team dynamic, ensuring that everyone recognises their value and contribution to our shared success. By maintaining regular dialogue and engagement, we cultivate a culture of mutual trust and continuous improvement, essential for achieving our goals.

Q: How closely do you work with the CEO, and what are the specific projects that both of you work closely on?

I work very closely with our CEO Daren Lau in shaping the people strategy that supports TJI’s long-term growth. We collaborate frequently on strategic initiatives that bridge our business goals with our people priorities, particularly in the areas of company culture, leadership development, and employee engagement.

Together, we have spearheaded a cultural transformation initiative to strengthen the Tam Jai DNA and its core values. Recognising that corporate culture starts at the top, we have organised workshops with active participation from our CEO, other executive committee members, and department heads to revamp our organisational DNA and redefine our core values. This initiative ensures that our culture scales effectively across markets while staying authentic to Tam Jai’s brand spirit.

We also work side by side on developing the company’s ‘Competency Framework’, a cornerstone of our HR transformation. This framework defines the skills and behaviours required for success, empowering employees to align their growth with the company’s strategic objectives. By integrating culture and competencies, our CEO and I ensure that Tam Jai attracts, develops, and retains passionate talent ready to drive sustainable growth.

This close collaboration has strengthened Tam Jai’s foundation for expansion. As we continue to implement these initiatives, our joint commitment to cultivating a positive, high-performing workplace, will remain central to our mission of bringing the Tam Jai taste to the world.

Q: With women making up over 80% of the workforce, how do you ensure they’re not just represented, but empowered at every level of leadership?

We recognise that empowering women in our workforce is essential for fostering a diverse and effective leadership culture. Firmly believing that leadership excellence transcends gender boundaries, we have implemented initiatives for their leadership development.

One significant initiative is the 'District Manager Leadership Programme' (DMLP), launched in partnership with HKU SPACE. This programme focuses on personal effectiveness, team management, and task management, equipping our district managers with essential managerial skills tailored to meet the evolving needs of our business. Graduates of the DMLP receive the Qualifications Framework Level 3, reflecting our commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

We have also introduced the 'Situational Leadership II Programme' and the 'Mastering Multi-Site Leadership Programme' (MMU). These programmes are designed to provide our operations management, most of whom are female, with both theoretical frameworks and practical skills necessary for effective leadership.

They focus on establishing new benchmarks in operational leadership, developing comprehensive leadership capabilities, and creating a common language across functions. Participants gain robust leadership mindsets while enhancing their practical management skills, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle the complexities of their roles.

At TJI, our Jeh Jeh, who manage the day-to-day operations, including operations management, people management, and customer service, exemplify how women can lead effectively at every level. Our district managers oversee multiple units, demonstrating that women’s leadership is integral to our success. Programmes such as the DMLP and MMU initiatives enhance their leadership and career development, and prepare them to take on more significant roles within the organisation.

Q: It is time to shift the focus to the future – how do you see the role of HR evolving in the next three to five years, especially in the F&B sector?

Hong Kong’s F&B sector is fast-paced and demanding, propelled by acute labour shortages and intense competition. High staff turnover makes talent acquisition and retention top priorities. Diversity, inclusion, and sustainability are rising imperatives, as consumers increasingly favour eco-brands. HR can respond by integrating ESG principles into recruitment, training, and performance metrics to attract purpose-driven talent and enhance brand loyalty.

To alleviate high stress from long working hours, HR can foster engagement through mental wellbeing workshops and recognition programmes that build supportive environments – emphasising mental and physical wellbeing, ultimately boosting employee loyalty.

Digital transformation is accelerating in traditional outlets, heightening upskilling demands for tools such as POS systems, kitchen automation, and CRM analytics. HR can address this with brief digital workshops and predictive staffing tools to streamline operations and improve efficiencies.

Overall, F&B HR must embrace agile, people-first tactics to tackle shortages, trends, and tech shifts. By prioritising talent pipelines, inclusion, sustainability, and upskilling, HR can convert challenges into strengths, driving innovation and customer-centric growth.

Q: Wrapping up our interview with a personal note – what is one thing you’d like to continue as you set your resolutions for the year ahead?

I am proud to be part of TJI, where I benefit from the unwavering support and trust of our people-centric CEO. This collaboration enables me to lead initiatives that drive impactful people leadership, contributing to the success of the organisation.

Moving forward, I remain deeply committed to furthering our mission of ‘Spice Up our People, Business, and Community’ by sharing my experiences and offering guidance across companies, NGOs, educational sectors, and professional associations.

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All photos / Provided

This article first appeared in the H2 2025 edition of Human Resources Online's Hong Kong e-magazine. Explore the full e-magazine here for insightful features and exclusive interviews with leaders across diverse industries!