Leadership, legacy, philanthropy and commitment to risk aversion asset management are key to how William Louy operates Courun Motor Bass Company in Hong Kong.
William Louie, the fourth generation steward of Hong Kong’s Kouulun Motor Bass Company (KMB), does not stick to tradition, whether it’s business, philanthropy or wealth management.
“I run my business very differently than other family-owned businesses,” he says. With a warm smile on his video call, his youthful energy is celebrating 65 years. “It all starts with value and luck. But most of the time it’s about knowing what you’re good at and finding the right people to help the rest.”
Under his surveillance, KMB has evolved from a traditional bus operator to a high-tech forward transport provider serving 2.8m passengers daily. The publicly available parent company, Transport International (which is held by Louey Family as a majority owner), remains the business based on pragmatism and purpose.
Let go
Inheritance, he says, is about identity and emotional connection, not control. “Most families lose their wealth by the third generation,” he points out. “I’m fourth and my son is fifth. But I’ve never made the mistake of thinking that everything has to stay within my family.”
He attributes their success to small, tight structures, strong values and lack of internal conflict. His great grandfather founded the company in 1922 after returning to China from Australia, where his family moved. “There were no concubines and no rival siblings.
Raised by a caring grandmother after the intense divorce of his parents, Louie faced an early challenge. His father died suddenly five years after he left for boarding school in the UK, when he was only 18 years old. “It was a difficult childhood,” he recalls. “But it taught me diplomacy.”
That experience shapes an approach to family succession. His eldest son, an Oxford-educated biochemist and former Hong Kong Olympic ice skater, currently runs his own fund. The future board role at KMB is optional and not an expectation. “He grew up watching buses throughout Hong Kong. It creates bonds. But KMB doesn’t need rocket scientists,” laughs Louie. “My job is to hire the best professionals to run it every day.”
Charity as leadership training
His younger age denied his early influence on the company’s board – he was 30 when he joined the company – Louie turned to charity. Inspired by his grandmother, whose “quiet generosity” emerged only after her death, he created the Scholarship Foundation in 1995.
For more than 30 years, he has funded research from more than 60 academics from China’s underprivileged backgrounds, and has donated more than 6 million pounds ($7.8 million) of his own wealth to support his participation in major UK schools. Many studied at Oxford and Cambridge University, becoming founders, scientists and leaders of their fields.
Some graduates have launched their own initiatives, such as the Pay It Forward Scholarship under the China Oxford Scholarship Fund.
KMB sponsors education for 50 children of frontline workers, including mechanics, bus drivers and other frequently overlooked staff. “We want to lift people up,” he says. He does not hold a formal administrative title, but Louie is practical. “I visit injured staff, go to their homes and hospitals and take selfies.” Every March, he attends most of the 30 thanksgiving lunches and dinners hosted for the company’s 15,000 employees. “It’s a way to wave my hands, show my gratitude and make people laugh.”
KMB’s innovation is people-focused and not profit-driven. “It’s not about printing money,” he says. “Our average fee is around HK$7.5 ($1). We serve people. We are a service provider in the city.
Designed to help riders avoid extreme weather, the company’s mobile app features real-time tracking, with over 8m of downloads, overtaking WhatsApp in Hong Kong. It was developed with input from Louie’s global scalar network. “We brainstorm on Zoom like a startup. They’re in New York, London and Tokyo.”
Other ideas include pet-friendly buses, Olympian-named routes, and captain services for all female buses. “80% of our department heads are women, not because of quotas, but because they’re good.”
He compared leadership to soccer. “Everyone plays a different role, but they work together to win. The same is true in business, the same in families.” At KMB, he sees himself as a united person. “There are times when managers come up with me. I play CEO Rogerry – a bad cop. My job is to create a comfortable environment.”
Greener and smarter
Sustainability is another priority. Solar Panels have 90% of the company’s 4,500 buses equipped with power lights and air conditioners, reducing fuel usage by 5%. The company is also investing in electric vehicles, but Hong Kong’s limited charging infrastructure is slowing its conversion target for 2040. “We’re ready, but we’re working with the government rather than working in a vacuum.”
KMB’s Green Light System monitors driver behavior in real time, helping to reduce accidents and fuel usage. Top performance drivers are publicly available, but those who are lacking will receive additional training. “Some people haven’t done something by chance for over a decade. That’s a real pride.”
Louie’s approach to wealth reflects his preference for transparency and trust in experts.
“I fired all private bankers 30 years ago. There are too many conflicts of interest. They push bank products. Not the best for me,” he spoke from experience, serving as a stint full of audits and banking in London. He was later accepted by Central Saint Martins and studied fashion design. This is an opportunity to be kicked out of family duties before returning to Hong Kong. Today, the photos line up with his greatest passion, fashion and interior design.
For the past 25 years, he has relied on the former Guggenheim multi-family office, now an albarium investment, for transparent fee-based asset management. “The hidden fees and pushing products also find the best option for me,” he says. “I look at a bird’s-eye view of my assets and get access to opportunities that private banks can’t offer.”
He avoids emerging markets and speculative bets, focusing instead on the US and Europe. “I want to sleep well. There’s no variation. Developing countries are a big risk. That’s not my style,” he says. “I don’t like to trade or be a slave to money. I want to give it to an expert who knows what they’re doing.” He doesn’t believe in negotiating expertise. “My grandmother said, ‘If I pay for peanuts, I’ll get a monkey.” ”
Louie is investing some of his capital in a former scholar who has built AI trading algorithms focused on liquid assets that can be sold within 24 hours. “He beats my family’s offices for almost years. But I didn’t put all of my eggs in one basket.” He also built a considerable real estate portfolio in Hong Kong, but is no longer optimistic about the local market.
Beyond the balance sheet
Louie’s legacy is beyond wealth and is defined by influence. “I see myself as a catalyst. I don’t have to do everything. The right person helps me do my best,” he says, repeating my grandmother’s advice.
Personal losses deepened his focus on health and happiness. His father, grandfather and great grandfather are all younger. Through expert-led YouTube interviews and upcoming books, he shares insights into happiness and positive living. He recently launched a new foundation initiative to address mental health and academic pressures affecting young men in Hong Kong.
He also focuses on macroeconomic changes, from rising disparities between China and the West to rising supply chain costs and geopolitical tensions. But he remains practical. “We’re certainly affected. But KMB tends to do well when the economy drops. People take buses instead of taxis.”
Despite rising costs, Louie continues to source buses from the UK rather than relying solely on Chinese suppliers. “You never want to rely on one source,” he says.
Looking back at KMB’s history, through war, riots and economic recession — he says.
Going forward, he sees opportunities for self-driving cars, the emerging low-altitude economy and the development of the Greater Bay Area. But his focus remains on people. “If my son wants to run his own business, that’s fine. If he supports KMB from the board, that’s great too. I’m not worried. Between him, our team and our academics, I have enough successors.”
“William Louie has a refreshing approach to creating impact, and his ‘Pay It Forward’ initiative is testament to that,” said Anant DeBorer, Hong Kong-based Strategy Director for Global Creative Agency VML. He brings external talent.
