/ Gusto Collective founder Aaron Lau on business’ raison d’être: the Hong Kong tech CEO explains why brands need to adapt to the emerging Web3 and metaverse worlds to connect with Gen Z
- Lau describes his company as Asia’s first ‘brandtech’ group that uses latest technologies to help brands tell immersive stories – it even created a virtual artist who has her own Instagram account
- With roots in corporate advertising, he appreciates his Cartier Tank Américaine; he’s also interested in how other people live their lives and suggests that others ‘stay curious’
CEOs don’t often conflate philosophy and business outside of Randian discourse on the benefits of self-interest and the merits of unfettered profit – a philosophy best exemplified in Gordon Gecko’s classic line that “greed is good”.
Speak with Aaron Lau, founder and CEO of Gusto Collective, for any length of time and it quickly becomes apparent that he feels the need for a loftier motive. Lau talks about how his business needs “a reason to exist”.
This same combination of interests is what led Lau to enter the world of advertising and marketing, which he perceived as a good compromise between business and creativity.
Lau’s roots have been in the region for decades. Before his own ventures, Lau was with advertising agency DDB as its Asia-Pacific chairman and chief executive.
After climbing the corporate ladder, Lau decided it was time to strike out on his own. His first venture was Bravo, a consultancy aimed at helping brands enter the China and Asia markets. Eventually he was bought out by Cheil Worldwide, a global advertising, digital and experiential agency that is part of the Samsung group, where he became president of international.