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Chairwoman Sabrina Chao steers Wah Kwong Maritime past rocky shoals

Wah Kwong Maritime chairwoman Sabrina Chao enjoyed a profitable 2013, despite volatile shipping rates which hit many of her rivals

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Sabrina Chao only became chairwoman a year ago, and has had to grapple with a wildly gyrating freight rates. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Sabrina Chao Sih-ming's life hasn't been plain sailing since she took control of 61-year-old Wah Kwong Maritime Transport a year ago.

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It has been a year in which the volatile market for dry bulk shipping mauled many of the firm's rivals.

The daughter of former film star Lily Chao emerged from her office wearing little make-up, her hair hanging over her eyes, and sporting a turtleneck jacket, looking a little as if she had spent the night poring over documents before a key business meeting.

Wah Kwong's chairwoman often stands out amid a gaggle of shipping tycoons and has got used to being the only woman in the room.

"Actually I find myself quite used to being around men, because when I was a teenager, I studied for my A-levels in a boys' boarding school," she told the .

Hong Kong could be a maritime hub positioned right between London and Oslo
SABRINA CHAO

After graduating from Imperial College London, she dived into the testosterone-dominated financial industry.

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