Meet Clarisse Achard, Hong Kong CFI ambassador
Meet our very first CFI ambassador for Hong Kong, Clarisse, French and (Hong Kong) Chinese.
Miss International Hong Kong 2026 – a woman of many roles: digital transformation consultant by day, pageant queen by night, and advocate at heart.
Please tell us about yourself
My name is Clarisse Achard. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, with a French father and a Hong Kong Chinese mother. At the age of 11, I moved back to France – a transition that turned my world upside down, but also shaped much of who I am today.
I pursued my Bachelor’s in France, then a double diploma in Finland, and finally a Master’s in Italy, at Bocconi University, studying business management. Internationalism has followed me everywhere. I’ve never fully belonged to one place, and I’ve learned to be okay with that. I grew up speaking multiple languages, navigating multiple cultures, and figuring out where I fit in between.
When I came back to Hong Kong after graduation, I started building a career in consulting. For a long time, I followed a path that made sense on paper – the right degree, the right job, the right trajectory.
But somewhere along the way, I started asking myself: is this all there is? Life isn’t just about living – it’s about growing. And growth doesn’t happen inside your comfort zone.
That’s how I ended up in pageantry – on a whim, not because I dreamed of it, but because I wanted to challenge myself. I didn’t expect to win. But I did.
And that win opened a door to something I never anticipated – a platform to share my story, and to advocate for something bigger than myself.
Today, I’m still figuring it out. One day at a time. But I’m grateful for every step of the journey – the detours, the doubts, and the unexpected turns that brought me here.
From consulting to the crown – You work in digital transformation and only entered pageantry in 2025, almost as a personal challenge rather than a long-held dream. What made you apply for Miss International Hong Kong, and what did you discover once you were in it?
I was working as a digital transformation consultant, living a very structured, routinous life. But I kept hearing from people that I should give pageantry a try. Eventually, I thought: why not? Let’s see what happens.
I didn’t expect to win. I joined as a personal challenge – to step outside my comfort zone, to prove to myself that I could do something completely unfamiliar, and to grow in ways I couldn’t predict.
What I discovered once I was in it went far beyond what I expected. Of course, there were the obvious things – learning how to walk, do makeup, style my hair, pose, and speak in public. Those are the standard skills you pick up along the way.
But beyond that, I also learnt how to juggle a full-time job with pageant prep – time management, project management, and a level of discipline I hadn’t experienced before.
Most importantly, I discovered a side of myself I didn’t know existed – more creative, more expressive, more willing to be vulnerable. I discovered that pageantry isn’t just about beauty or performance; it’s about purpose. It gave me a platform to share my story and advocate for causes I care about.
The real crown isn’t the one you wear on stage. It’s the mission you carry.
Life after the title – Since being crowned Miss International Hong Kong 2026, what has actually changed in your day-to-day life, and which opportunities have mattered most as you prepare for the Miss International finals in Tokyo this November?
My life hasn’t stopped since the crown. It’s fuller, messier, and a lot less predictable than it used to be.
I still wake up early, go to work, and sit through meetings like any other consultant. But now, when the workday ends, the pageant day begins. Fittings, photoshoots, training sessions, sponsor calls, advocacy planning, events – my calendar has become a constant juggle between two worlds. And somewhere along the way, I stopped trying to find balance and just learned to live with the chaos.
What’s changed most, though, isn’t my schedule. It’s my mindset. Every conversation I have, every event I attend, every initiative I lead feels heavier now – because I know I’m not just representing myself anymore. I’m representing Hong Kong. I’m representing a message. I’m representing the causes I’ve chosen to fight for.
The opportunities that have mattered most are the ones that let me turn my title into action. I’ve been leading a charity initiative with CurePSP to raise awareness for PSP – the disease my mother is fighting. I’ve also partnered with Mind HK to support mental health, especially for caregivers like me. These projects aren’t just items on a to-do list. They’re personal. They’re meaningful. They’re the reason I keep going when I’m tired.
Preparing for Tokyo has also opened doors I never expected. I’ve connected with local businesses and artists. I’ve been featured in media. I’ve met incredible people who believe in the same mission. Every opportunity, big or small, has reminded me that this journey is about so much more than a crown.
It’s about showing up. Speaking up. Carrying a message that matters – all the way to Tokyo.
Dual heritage, without forcing a label – You were born in Hong Kong, spent formative years in France, studied in Finland and Italy, and now represent Hong Kong on an international stage. How do those places sit together in you? Do you feel more Hongkonger, more French, fully both, or simply international?
That’s a question I’ve asked myself many times – and I still don’t have a single answer.
I was born in Hong Kong, but I grew up between two worlds. At home, there was always a mix of languages, cultures, and ways of being. When I moved to France at 11, I had to learn how to belong somewhere new. Then came Finland, then Italy – each place leaving its mark, each place shaping me in different ways.
I don’t feel like I belong to just one place. And I’ve learned to be okay with that.
If I had to put words to it, I’d say I feel like a mosaic. Each piece is distinct – Hong Kong, France, Finland, Italy – but together, they form something whole. I carry the resilience of Hong Kong, the elegance of France, the quiet strength of the Nordics, and the passion of Italy. They all live inside me, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in tension.
Do I feel more Hongkonger or more French? I don’t think I can choose. And honestly, I don’t want to. Representing Hong Kong on a global stage doesn’t mean erasing the other parts of me. It means bringing all of them with me – because they’re all part of who I am.
If there’s one label that fits, it’s not about nationality. It’s about identity. I am a product of many places – and that’s not a contradiction. It’s a strength.
