ALUMNI AWARD-WINNERS
Alumni Achievement Award PATRICK ZHU MSc Mobile Communication Systems, 2002
Patrick has been recognised for his exceptional career at the world’s leading mobile application provider.
A defining moment in Patrick Zhu’s career was attending a House of Commons event on behalf of his company Sungy Mobile. The mobile application provider had been selected as one of the top 30 Chinese brands across the world and Patrick remembers the pride he felt, not just for the organisation but for the Surrey education that had led him there.
That was in 2017 and Patrick is now President and COO of Sungy, the first Chinese mobile internet company listed on NASDAQ (as GOMO) and the biggest utility application provider on Google Play.
The fast-paced environment, although challenging, brings with it the excitement of constantly developing technology and learning news ways to connect the world. The company is behind products such as GO Launcher and GO Keyboard, and provides digital marketing and game
distribution services for other brands and companies.
Patrick says: “We are always challenging the status quo. We have 200 million active users and when we do our monthly updates it affects almost three per cent of the world’s population!”
Patrick is a firm believer that technology companies should be using their expertise as an opportunity to give back to society. The company has recently set up a charity to provide cancer screenings for all 55-75- year-olds in Guangzhou, which has a population of 15 million and is the third biggest city in China.
“Technology is not only for efficiency – but more importantly for the wellbeing of people and families. This is the point of development. We really want to expand the service to more provinces in China.”
Young Achiever Award ALEXANDER WILSON
BSc International Hospitality Management, 2012
Alex has been recognised for his early career success and ambassadorial role within the hospitality industry, both on a local and national scale.
Successful hotel career, charity volunteer and government advisor – Alex has packed in an awful lot in the seven years since graduating.
Alex is a leading ambassador for the hospitality sector with a passion for encouraging young people from all backgrounds to enter the profession. As Reception Manager at five-star Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, he has set up a mentoring scheme to retain talent to ensure skills and knowledge are kept within the business.
He gives up much of his own time, working with the Institute of Hospitality and the Springboard charity. He is a judge for the Institute’s annual awards and has so far mentored three students for the charity which helps young people from less privileged backgrounds gain the skills they need to secure employment in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries.
He is particularly proud of his new role as a government advisor. Alex sits on two panels – Business and Administration and Hospitality and Tourism, looking at the new vocational T Level qualifications that follow GCSEs.
“I am the youngest member of the panels and there is a great weight of responsibility to get things right as we are developing the high-end strategic vision for the next five years. It’s a real privilege to be part of it.”
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Forever Surrey 2019
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