Finding Certainties in Uncertain Times: Cherry Lu (MBA 2004) Spearheads Healthcare Investment Growth
Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, in the investment market as in life. We must learn to navigate this treacherous sea, to turn uncertainties into opportunities – a formidable challenge it is, but not without pleasure. At the helm of Redhill Capital, Cherry Lu (MBA 2004) looks beyond the tip of her nose to prescribe her course of life and her pursuit of healthcare investment.
As an undergraduate in Clinical Medicine, Cherry tapped into the private healthcare sector after graduation. Her resourceful spirit allows her to explore new possibilities in an ever-changing market environment. This led her to the MBA programme of CUHK Business School, where she was initiated into the burgeoning venture capital market in China. Leveraging her medical background, Cherry started a business of her own after a decade into venture capital investment in healthcare, with a view to forging ahead with a bright future for her own as well as the industry.
Introduction to Venture Capital via MBA Programme
The tie between Cherry and venture capital investment is rooted in CUHK’s MBA programme. “I am a woman of vision”, Cherry explained. “After my undergraduate years, I had been searching for my true calling until I decided to pursue further study before the age of 30.” And Hong Kong being a global financial hub full of potential opportunities was a perfect place for Cherry to find enlightenment.
“During my MBA study in Hong Kong, I met classmates from all walks of life. I am grateful to have the chance to be initiated into venture capital that has broadened my horizon.” Cherry was particularly impressed by the business plan contest at CUHK. Her team won the first prize with a start-up proposal, which was later put into effect. “I did not realise that the proposal was as well a prototype of venture capital investment until I myself embarked on a career in the field. The MBA programme was a par excellence starting point for my pursuit.”
Graduated with a clinical medicine degree, Cherry tapped into the venture capital investment industry with her medical specialty and started her business in the Greater Bay Area.
Pursuing Entrepreneurial Dreams in Venture Capital
By 2018, the former analyst was promoted to partner who still had her eye on long-term planning at the zenith of her career. “I always look beyond the present and plan in reverse. I start with my end goal and work backwards from there to develop a plan of action,” said Cherry whose end goal was to start her own venture capital business from the very beginning. Spurred on by her passion, she left Sequoia Capital after a tenure of over ten years to found Redhill Capital. Starting a business in the context of a downward market trend is challenging, not to mention the change of role in her professional life. Nevertheless, Cherry succeeded in adapting her mindset to the changes and thereby finding joy in the course of her entrepreneurial pursuit.
“My new capacity allowed me to approach the latest development of the industry from a new, broader perspective,” she commented. Persistence and the will to keep learning have helped catapult her to new heights.
Tapping into Uncharted Waters in the Greater Bay Area
Cherry was confident that the burgeoning healthcare industry in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) was venture capital’s new promised land. Leveraging the synergy between the robust Mainland healthcare industry and the rich talent and academic resources in Hong Kong, both places could benefit from the development framework of the GBA, she added, anticipating the two-strong collaboration to drive innovative development in healthcare and medicine.
Looking ahead, Cherry Lu expects a revolutionary transition in the healthcare industry. As issues such as the ageing population and AI technology development are factored in, followed by the increase in medical data and shortened research cycles, uncertainties will weigh heavily on venture capital investments. “But that’s what makes venture capital investment so amazing,” Cherry enthused. “Uncertainty and possibility are two sides of a coin. With a firm grasp on the rigid market demand, you can unlock the potential of venture capital by identifying the right investment opportunity that will meet the demand.”
Cherry shared her thoughts on how AI applications would foster the development of the healthcare industry at a conference