Melo Fellowship 2025

Co-Creation
Joint Discovery
How to Join

17

Co-creation projects created

60

Fellows

40

CEOs of leading organizations

32

Unique exchanges of new generation & CEOs

What is Melo Fellowship?

Melo Fellowship is our flagship program - an intense, rewarding 6-month fellowship where Melo Fellows will work closely with leading CEOs and social leaders for the betterment of our society.  

10 CEOs and social leaders, working with 20 Melo Fellows, on 5 themes, for Hong Kong.

Being selected as a Melo Fellow is one of the highest recognitions for a university student. It is widely seen as one of the most prestigious and rigorous programs of its kind available for university students based in Hong Kong.

We have had three classes of our Fellowship - Class of 2021, Class of 2022 and Class of 2023. Starting from 2025, we will have one fellowship class every two years. 

Co-Creation

20 Melo Fellows will be divided into 5 teams of 4. Each team will be paired with two leading CEOs / social leaders.
Each will work towards a proposal on delivering the most impact on their respective theme for Hong Kong society from Feb to June 2025.  
One of the leading region VC firms and its managing partner will seed one or more of their proposed programs for implementation.
View Past Projects

5

Major Themes for
Fellows and CEOs to Co-Create in 2025

Theme 1 - Journalism and storytelling

Supported by CEO of one of the largest news organizations and one of the leading influencers in the region

Theme 2 - Arts, culture and our society

Supported by CEO of one of the largest performing arts organizations and a senior board member of one of the largest museums in the world

Theme 3 - Large conglomerates and their impact on our community

Supported by CEO/chairperson of one of the largest banks in the world and Managing Director of one of the largest HK conglomerates

Theme 4 - Mental well-being and performance mindset

Supported by a former Olympian and CEO of one of the largest health and well being organizations in the region

Theme 5 - KOLs, influencers and their evolving roles on the society

Supported by two major influencers in the region (former leading government official and one of the most recognized YouTubers in the region)

Joint Discovery

From February to June, events for the entire fellowship will be organized where Melo Fellows will experience and learn from leaders of our society on a few key themes, in the most intimate and engaging way.
View Past JDs

2025 Joint Discovery Events Include...

Feb

Hong Kong as a financial hub

What is driving it and how to sustain it - private session with one of the most well known regulator and financial service leaders in Hong Kong

Mar

Global brands in Hong Kong and their secret recipes

Visits to one of the most sought after global brands in Hong Kong and time with their CEOs

Apr

Hospitality, travel and tourism industries

Session with CEOs of leading hotels, airline or tourism platforms

Feb-Apr

Leadership and influence MeloClass series

3 sessions during February, March and April (Second Wednesday evening) - structured learning on the topics of leadership and influence with 3 to 4 leading thinkers

and more to come...

Your Journey as a 2025 Melo Fellow

Jan

Kick-off your Melo journey

Meet your fellows, CEOs and social leaders, and get to know their expectations for the projects!

Feb-May

Engage in Co-Creation projects & Joint Discovery events

Fellows are expected to work on the Co-Creation project for about 4-5 hours per week with their assigned CEO / social leader.  Timing is flexible based on the scheduling of their team.  Join one Joint Discovery event per month from February to June (a total of 4-5) that usually happen on the first Saturday of the month.

June

Celebrate your journey at Graduation

Co-Creation project sharing, insightful discussions and fireside chats with industry leaders to mark the end of your 6-month co-creation journey at Graduation.

After June

Continue with your projects

If your proposed program is selected and seeded, you will have the opportunity to further enhance its impact through implementing your project.
One-of-a-kind journey of learning and mindset growth
Fellows will learn hard and soft skills and have direct exposure to leading CEOs, social leaders and thought leaders. The Fellowship includes project-based learning as well as group-based interactive learning.  
Melo Scholarship
Two Fellows will be selected and be awarded the SHKP x Melo Scholarship, which will cover the full tuition fee of the remaining years of undergraduate studies of the awardee.

Our Selection Process for Melo Fellows

Who can join?

Who can apply?

Any full-time university undergraduates from these six universities can apply - HKBU, CityU, CUHK, HKU, HKUST, PolyU. We will select 20 Melo Fellows from this pool of applicants.  Our selection criteria is simple - we are looking for high calibre students with a passion and track record of leadership and impact on the society. We look for authentic stories and real passion.

What is the expectation on the select Melo fellows?

The program will kick off at the end of January 2025 and end with a graduation in June 2025. The Fellowship has two main components - Co-Creation and Joint Discovery.


In Co-Creation, 20 Melo Fellows will be divided into 5 teams of 4.  Each team will be paired with two leading CEOs / social leaders. Each will work towards a proposal on delivering the most impact on their topic for Hong Kong society. One of the leading region VC firms and its managing partner will seed one or more of their proposed programs for implementation.


In Joint Discovery, these are events for the entire fellowship where Melo Fellows will experience and learn from leaders of our society on a few key themes, in the most intimate and engaging way.


In terms of time commitment, each Fellow will be asked to:

  • Join one Joint Discovery event per month from February to June (a total four to five joint discovery events) that usually happens on the first Saturday of the month
  • Work on the Co-Creation project for about 4-5 hours per week with their assigned CEO / social leader.  Timing is flexible based on the scheduling of their team
  • Join the final graduation event and competition that will happen in June

What will Melo Fellows get from the Melo Fellowship program?

Melo Fellows will go through a one-of-a-kind journey of learning and mindset growth. They will learn hard and soft skills and have direct exposure to leading CEOs, social leaders and thought leaders.  The Fellowship includes project based learning as well as group-based interactive learning.  

For the first time ever, two Fellows will be selected and be awarded the SHKP x Melo Scholarship, which will cover the full tuition fee of the remaining years of undergraduate studies of the awardee.

How can I apply?

1. Background details
Your name, mobile number, email contact and university degree details.

2. Choose a topic

Choose from one of the five themes we listed as your preferred topic of interest or you can write to us what one other topic you are interested in.

3. Tell us your story

Share why you want to join this program and why you are passionate about the topic you choose in one of three formats (A 500-word essay, a 90-second video, or a PowerPoint of fewer than 10 slides). We care a lot about authenticity. We would love to hear stories that come from your personal experience.

Past Projects and Events

Co-Creation

Throughout the past years, our Fellows and CEOs have created different initiatives to impact various stakeholders in the society. More to come!

Joint Discovery

Throughout the past years, we have created more than 40 dialogues exchange and experiences for our Fellows.

Our Fellows & CEOs

Johnson Chong
Class of 2022 Fellow
John Tsang
Former Financial Secretary of HKSAR and Founder of Esperanza
Laila Albuquerque
Class of 2021 Fellow
Darren Mok
Class of 2022 Fellow
Jason Yip
Former CEO of MWYO
Alice Dong
Class of 2021 Fellow
Dominic Barton
Chairman of Rio Tinto
Atta Yu
Class of 2025 Fellow
Marie Sun
Class of 2021 Fellow
Ayaan Zaheer
Class of 2025 Fellow
Alan Lau
Chief Business Officer of Animoca Brands
Bernard Chan
Chairman of M+
Jacey Cheng
Class of 2021 Fellow
Dash Tong
Class of 2021 Fellow
Jamie Parng
Fellowship OC Class of 2023 Fellow
Francis Ngai
Founder & CEO of Social Ventures HK
Ryan Ng
Class of 2023 Fellow
Joyce Yeung
Class of 2021 Fellow
Umang Chamaria
Class of 2022 Fellow
Ming Jai
Renowned YouTuber
Caecilia Chu
Co-Founder & CEO of YouTrip
Lily Lee
Class of 2021 Fellow
Fion Leung
Co-Founder & CEO of Time Auction
Jasmine Louie
Class of 2025 Fellow
Kurt Hui
Class of 2025 Fellow
Alice Au
Member of Spencer Stuart’s Global Board of Directors
Angus Loh
Class of 2023 Fellow
Jessica Tse
Class of 2021 Fellow
Katherine Wong
Class of 2025 Fellow
Yenn Wong
CEO & Founder of JIA Group
Vincent Lam
Class of 2023 Fellow
Tiffany Yang
Class of 2023 Fellow
Telia Mak
Class of 2023 Fellow
Hugo Leung
Class of 2023 Fellow
Stephanie Lo
Class of 2023 Fellow
Ryan Ng
Class of 2023 Fellow
Manya Khanduri
Class of 2023 Fellow
Leon Cheng
Class of 2023 Fellow
Khalil Mahmood
Class of 2023 Fellow
Keila Juganda
Class of 2023 Fellow
Justin Cai
Class of 2023 Fellow
Julius Choy
Class of 2023 Fellow
Joy Hsiang
Class of 2023 Fellow
Jovy Yu
Class of 2023 Fellow
Jamie Parng
Fellowship OC Class of 2023 Fellow
Chan Choi
Class of 2023 Fellow
Beatrice Chan
Class of 2023 Fellow
Angus Loh
Class of 2023 Fellow
Aditya Mangla
Class of 2023 Fellow
Samson Ng
Class of 2023 Fellow
View all Melo People

Thoughts of Fellows & CEOs

When comparing my current self, still on my ongoing journey with Project Melo, to the Leon who has just embarked on this journey, I recognize the immense personal growth and expanded horizons I have achieved in the past year. The Opportunity Bank co-creation project provided me with an incredible opportunity to collaborate with three exceptional fellows, as well as Tommie from Preface and Sarah from Big Bang Academy; the project exposed me to many undiscovered social issues in Hong Kong, specifically concerning underprivileged and marginalized youth.Collaborating with the CEOs and the D. H. Chen foundation granted me invaluable insights, allowing us to develop multifaceted solutions to address these pressing problems. Moreover, it instilled in me a profound sense of gratitude for my university education and membership in the resourceful and dynamic Melo community. I have come to appreciate the power of leveraging these resources to create opportunities not just for ourselves, but also for others.One vital lesson I have learned, through both learning and firsthand experience, is that there is always more to be done. Although the co-creation project has formally concluded, I am acutely aware of the boundless potential for Project Melo to explore new avenues and further empower the youth of Hong Kong, and I look forward to continuing this journey with these amazing Melo people!

Leon Cheng

Class of 2023 Fellow

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformedby the renewing of your mind.

The most exciting part of my Melo journey was the McDonald's experience because we had the opportunity to learn about leadership skills in such an interesting experience with the explorer theme. It was such a fun experience able to listen to the different talks given by McDonald's and also have a great time mingling with Melo peers and fellows.

I do not really recognize my growth. However, I was able to speak up to CEOs and other people more confidently and articulate ideas more clearly. Also, I've learned how to write and propose a business deck throughout this process. Also, I've just been inspired by the different keynote speakers, CEOs, founders, and fellows by their passion for what they are working on and their beliefs.

Maggie Lo

Class of 2021 Fellow

17 July 2022

Getting drunk for the first time might be a good way to end this journey 🤭…The whole thing is like living a life. Despite all the highs and lows, I never regret being a part of this. This is truly eye opening, how people with different backgrounds and values can get together and pulled off all these projects and the Summit. Getting to know everyone also helps me understand more about myself and the kind of people I want to become. It’s just such a shame that we didn’t have many opportunities to meet people from the other groups ;/

Of course, shit happens, but as the melo slogan goes - GET SHIT DONE. Now I fully understand what it means at the cost of feeling 5y older now 😄

To conclude, it’s absolutely a tough but rewarding journey. It may take weeks for me to get over the mental fatigue. Super grateful anyway

Janette Chan

Class of 2022 Fellow

"Really well organised conference. Superb contents, articulate speakers, fantastic venue, noble aim. Well done. Congratulations."

John Tsang

Former Financial Secretary of HKSAR and Founder of Esperanza

“This is truly a community effort....And I’m honored to be part of this new initiative.Yes, there are challenges ahead, for both our students and corporates... but I remain confident that our Melo Fellows and Peers together with the CEOs can learn from each other how best to weather the uncharted journey ahead.”

Bernard Chan

Chairman of M+

“This is an amazing program. I had a great time engaging with the Melo Fellows. We need more of this type of community driven leadership in the world and I see Melo an important empowerment platform for our exciting new generation. I am excited. For our new generation, let’s get into the arena!”

Dominic Barton

Chairman of Rio Tinto
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