Laura Neville

What do you like about living in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is such a vibrant and exciting place. I live and work in Central (Hong Kong CBD) so life tends to move very quickly during the week. I love to get out to one of the many smaller islands or beaches on the weekends, and walking up to the Victoria Peak is a very important part of the weekly routine – looking down over the city from the leafy trail is an incredible feeling. Hong Kong is seen as a concrete jungle, but there’s so much greenery and plenty of quieter nooks to explore. I find there to be a great balance between relaxing spaces and fast paced ones, and I always make sure any visitors have their sneakers packed as getting a hike in while here is an absolute must!

What were your favourite subjects at school?

I studied all of the sciences but particularly loved the drama curriculum in senior. I didn’t study accounting at school but moved into that field at university.

What was the environment like at Stuartholme?

Stuartholme fostered the attitude of ‘showing up and giving it a go.’ You didn’t have to be the best at it – be it an athlete or student, but there was importance placed on developing your strengths and achieving your individual best. The environment was hugely supportive, which encouraged us to try out new things and speak up with our opinions and questions in class. Some of my fondest memories are days spent at sports competitions – there were certainly more than a few times where rowing into a bottom place or losing a tennis match were quickly forgotten on looking back to a spirited crowd of red and yellow supporters loudly cheering you on anyway.

What have you taken away from your time at Stuartholme?

The emphasis on self-belief and confidence, as well as the importance of good teamwork were the most significant life lessons for me. Being able to positively influence people and standing behind my opinions and ideas is very important in my career, as is working productively with a very diverse group of people in many locations across the world. Through my involvement in a number of different sporting teams during my years at Stuartholme – often with girls from different year levels or social groups – I was able to gain a great sense of the value of each individual to the team’s end goal and the need for strong communication skills.

Do you still catch up with the girls you went to school with?

I think there’s a special bond between Stuartholme girls. I’ve got school friends across Australia and all over the world doing such a range of interesting and incredible things. We’re very good at keeping in touch and I’m forever boasting about their achievements. It’s not just girls that were in your grade either, I have close friends who were both above and below my year group and I’ve also met a number of alumnae from other Sacred Heart schools over the years and found there to be an instant connection. There’s always been a great sense of community at Stuartholme – we’re very lucky to have such a wonderful network of women.

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