Hong Kong Director of Social Welfare Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has long dazzled officials and journalists with her skill in handling figures.
'I am not that good at mathematics, but I am not afraid of numbers,'' she says.
The highly organised official often impresses the public, too, as she explains government policies - such as cuts in welfare payments - by referring to dozens of sets of numbers without even a glance at any script or file.
Her office in Wan Chai looks like a small library, with dozens of files and reference books displayed neatly around her desk.
She usually holds up a large folder when she is interviewed, and then draws statistics from it when needed. 'I just like things to be organised,' she said.
Perhaps such a character trait is linked to her career background. Before becoming welfare chief nearly three years ago, Mrs Lam worked for the Finance Bureau for more than six years. She was a deputy secretary for treasury between 1996 and 2000, a position overseeing all spending by every government department.
