Clement Shield (Security Specialist & Event Organiser) Ltd

He joined the Hong Kong Police Force in 1992 and quickly climbed the ranks, acting as Close Protection Officer for the visits of Chinese Presidents and Premiers, as well as for overseas dignitaries including U.S. President Bill Clinton. He took charge of the Airport Security Unit, established the Counter Terrorism Response Unit in 2009, and was promoted to Superintendent in 2012. And then he quit. This is Clement Lai, now Chairman and CEO of the Clement Shield Group. Explaining the decision to leave his 20-year career in the Force and set up the company in 2015, he said: “Building my own business had always been my ambition, and when I saw the gap in Hong Kong for a high-caliber security agency, I chose to be the one filling it.” The company prides itself on having one of the most experienced and qualified teams in Hong Kong. Now 30-strong, the team consists of former police officers, many with over 25 years of experience in the elite units of the Hong Kong Police Force. One of these veterans, Director of Training Peter Morgan, reached the rank of Assistant Commissioner and headed the Hostage Negotiation Unit before joining the group, and was also responsible for the development of time-critical police emergency response protocols during the SARS crisis in 2003. “The Hong Kong Police is very well drilled in identifying best practices, and the fact that our neighbours learn from our Force says a lot about our quality,” Morgan explained. “We hope to bring that same level of professionalism to Clement Shield.” He added: “What you would expect of the Hong Kong Police Force, you can more or less expect from us.”  Clement Shield started out providing close protection services, but has since expanded into security equipment supply and distribution, which now contributes 20% of the company’s revenue. It currently supplies the Force with expandable batons, and also represents European firearms brands. The company is also expanding its training programmes, having previously trained the police forces of three different provinces in Mainland China. Lai said the company’s background has helped them acquire clients. “We’ve had a Japanese client coming all the way from their country to hire our services,” he said. “They trust Hong Kong’s professional services.” Clement Shield’s services range from security consultancy, security training and risk analysis to detailed background intelligence reports. The list goes on – installing alarm systems, anti-bugging and guard dog patrol services are all covered. “It’s all about going the extra mile,” Lai said. “We listen to our clients and try to be as accommodating as possible.” He said that businesses need to be eager to learn, and to diversify to meet clients’ needs.  “You can’t just say ‘sorry we don’t provide this service.’ In the business world, that’s going to make you obsolete. If you don’t have the expertise, hire someone who does!” Being the head of the company does not mean that Lai has stepped back from the front line. “I enjoy the action,” he said. “When I was promoted to Superintendent in the Force, this meant I would see less action. I prefer to be on the ground, and that’s one of the reasons I founded Clement Shield.” Lai recalled an occasion when the company had six operations simultaneously in different parts of Hong Kong, but he still managed to visit them all and meet each of the clients. “The key to business is passion and a personal touch,” Lai said. While business is booming for Clement Shield, it is not without challenges. “Marketing, that’s an issue,” Lai explained. “As much as we want to show people that we provide the best services to the most important people in town, we must keep our clients’ names confidential,” he said. “I can’t advertise on TV and blatantly tell you I work with this celebrity, or serve that billionaire.” So the company relies on age-old methods to win new customers, and 50% of its clients come from word-of-mouth. “The ‘Hong Kong brand’ is very strong internationally,” Lai added. “As long as you do your job and you do it right, there’s never any lack of recognition worldwide.”  Another challenge lies in raising awareness of the need for security protection. “I like to think that educating people, corporations and governments of the hidden risks of terrorism and security issues, and the importance of professional security services, is one of our major missions,” Lai explained. “Any incident, no matter how slight, related to terrorism in Hong Kong could tarnish our hard-earned reputation and status as one of the world’s best international financial centres.”  He noted that Hong Kong is relatively safe because of the wide range of security professionals, both in the government and the private sector. But that does not mean the city can be complacent. Clement Shield has started to organize non-profit briefings and symposiums around the world. “We want to inform, rather than alarm people, but I think we need to be more proactive even for sensitive subjects,” Lai said.  The company has carried out operations in Japan, Canada, the Philippines and Cambodia. It is now setting up an office in Cambodia, after winning a contract for the upcoming 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh. Speaking of the future, Lai is not shy of revealing his ambitions. “In five years, I hope we will have established a strong footing in Asia-Pacific,” he said. “In 10 years? Clement Shield will be a global brand!”