Welcome to the June 2026 edition of the FB Magazine.

It is always a pleasure to share the latest stories from our vibrant community of students, alumni, and faculty. This mid year edition comes at a time when technology and leadership are converging in ways that will shape the next era of business.

The theme for this issue, “Transforming Ideas into Impact: Harnessing AI and Web3 to Advance Innovation and Excellence in Business”, reflects how two powerful forces are redefining commerce and society. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving from analysis to action, while Web3 is building a new trust layer for decentralised networks. Together, they are opening new frontiers for innovation and calling for fresh approaches to leadership. For PolyU Business School, this is not an abstract concept — it is central to how we prepare our students, at every level, to navigate complexity and drive meaningful change.

Building on this theme, the Feature Story highlights the 30th Anniversary Dinner of our DBA programme, where a panel of industry leaders explored how AI, robotics, and Web3 are converging to redefine business. Their discussion underscored a powerful conclusion: future success will depend on integrated systems that unite intelligence, trust, and execution — a timely reminder that leadership today requires not only understanding these technologies, but weaving them into strategies that deliver real world impact.

The Alumni Feature continues this narrative through the story of Dr Heatherm Huang, a DFinTech graduate specialising in AI. He shares how AI has transformed his company’s software development and explains how, when combined with Web3, these technologies can form a “dream team” for enabling transparent, decentralised business models. His reflections remind us that innovation is not only about technology, but also about clarity of ideas and the courage to experiment.

In the Achievements section, we showcase how PolyU Business School continues to advance its global standing, with new rankings and awards underscoring the breadth and impact of our work. We also celebrate faculty members recognised with Outstanding Achievement Awards and the Case Centre’s second prize in the Global Contest for China Focused Cases, alongside other notable honours that affirm our position in the global business education community.

The Research Perspectives section presents recent faculty research in an accessible and engaging way, demonstrating its relevance to today’s business challenges. One study finds that user engagement with sponsored social media content is strongest when influencers promote brands either rarely or frequently, but weaker at moderate levels. Another investigates how start ups can protect themselves from imitation on crowdfunding platforms, showing that progressive launch strategies can help deter copycats and safeguard innovation. A third explores how companies adjust IT spending after data breaches, revealing that firms typically invest more in strengthening existing systems to regain confidence, while holding back on new technologies until stability is restored.

Finally, the Around the Faculty section gathers newsworthy updates that celebrate the accomplishments of our staff, students, and alumni. These stories showcase the energy, diversity, and collaborative spirit that define the Faculty of Business as a lively hub of innovation.

The stories in this edition remind us that technology alone does not create progress; it is leadership that transforms ideas into meaningful change. This is the core of our theme, “Transforming Ideas into Impact”.

As summer begins, I wish you a season of rest, reflection, and renewal, and look forward to sharing more achievements with you in our next edition.