A legacy beyond wealth: Chocolatier Janice Wong on building resilience and shaping lasting impact

FOR celebrated chocolatier and entrepreneur Janice Wong, legacy goes beyond awards and achievements. It means building something that lasts well into the future.

“Legacy to me isn’t just about the money you leave behind. It’s about creating sustainable wealth that can compound across generations,” she said.

For Wong, business growth alone is not enough. She sees wealth planning as equally important in protecting and sustaining what she has built through changing times.

As a business owner who has been in the trade for almost two decades and established brands beyond Singapore’s shores, Wong has grown to approach wealth with the same creativity and discipline that fuel her culinary art.

“Having built businesses from the ground up, I’ve learnt that true wealth isn’t just about accumulating assets, it’s about creating diversified income streams and investment portfolios that can weather any storm,” she said.

Resilience was a central theme at the HSBC’s Premier Elite Mid-Year Market Outlook, where Wong and seven-time Paralympic gold medallist Yip Pin Xiu joined HSBC experts on stage and discussed their approach to wealth management.

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Yip drew parallels between her sporting journey and financial planning, emphasising how small, consistent steps, as well as goal-setting and daily discipline can lead to big outcomes.

“Once you know you have a plan and you’re ready, it’ll be much easier to transit into the next chapter of life,” she shared.

The event, held at Andaz Singapore, was attended by over 200 clients and their guests.

At the event, Ashmita Acharya, HSBC’s head of International Wealth and Premier Banking for Singapore, spoke about the need for wealth strategies that align with the increasingly global lifestyles of Singapore’s affluent.

“Our clients are not just investing. They’re planning for global mobility, multi-generational legacy and long-term resilience,” she said.

Acharya shared that over half of HSBC’s wealth clients in Singapore are international, with many choosing the bank for its ability to support them seamlessly across markets. Meeting complex needs requires comprehensive wealth conversations – a key reason behind HSBC’s significant investments in client-facing capabilities to strengthen its presence in Singapore’s wealth management sector.

This includes three new wealth centres that are designed to offer premium and bespoke services spanning the wealth continuum. Two have already been opened at Marina Bay Financial Centre and The Star Vista, with a third set to open in the east of Singapore later this year.

“We see ourselves as more than a bank. We’re a long-term partner to our clients as they grow, preserve and pass on their wealth across generations and geographies,” she added.

Positioning for the next wave of growth

Through its Premier and Premier Elite propositions, HSBC offers tailored solutions that are designed to support client needs as they evolve over time, helping them stay on course across all life stages and access long-term opportunities across markets.

These solutions range from managing wealth and planning for future goals, to growing a business, preparing for retirement, and leaving a lasting legacy.

Presenting HSBC’s investment outlook for the months ahead, James Cheo, chief investment officer for South-east Asia and India, pointed to diversification and quality as key investment themes.

“Diversified and actively managed multi-asset portfolios focused on quality are well-positioned to capture opportunity and withstand short-term turbulence,” he said.

On the topic of diversification, Wong shared that she has been more proactive than ever in diversifying her revenue streams – not only in her business but also in her personal portfolio, spanning various asset classes and income types.

“The pandemic taught me that having all your eggs in one basket, even a very successful basket, can be dangerous,” she said.

The speakers also highlighted structural trends such as artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and Asia’s domestic growth engines as potential drivers of long-term capital appreciation. Despite global market volatility, Cheo said HSBC maintains a mild risk-on stance, especially in China, India and Singapore, driven by domestic demand and targeted stimulus measures.

As the event concluded, the overarching takeaway was that navigating uncertainty requires more than just market insight and calls for a trusted partner who understands the full arc of a client’s financial journey.

Said Acharya: “For our clients, financial resilience goes hand in hand with quality of life. Our focus remains on delivering propositions that are not only holistic but deeply attuned to what matters most to our clients across a lifetime.”

Learn how you can build your legacy with HSBC.

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