CHAIR'S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

A very Happy New Year to one and all!

The New Year is a popular time for reflecting on what has been achieved, and there were many great Chamber achievements in the last 12 months It’s also a time to focus on the future, and there is much to be optimistic about as we look to the year ahead But first, a pause for reflection

We recently published the Annual Year in Review of the Chamber events, which I hope you all enjoyed. I will not elaborate on the content, but I will draw attention to a couple of key activities that were important in overall terms for the Chamber. One of these was the BritCham Hong Kong Summit held on 26 October 2023 with theme “Hong Kong Rebound”. An impressive array of speakers and panellists were curated for the event, and we heard deep insights into the challenges of the previous months when coming out of the COVID era, which were balanced with the exciting opportunities we see ahead Some of the best conversations and outcomes were those discussions around the edges of the Summit, and as we step into 2024, we are planning for this year’s event The Summit was held shortly after the Chief Executives Policy Address had been announced, and as usual, we made our Policy Address Submission to Government with suggestions and proposed actions for consideration. Thanks as ever to Jim Taylor, who leads the Business Policy Unit and Christy Ng, the Chamber’s Business Policy & Corporate Relations Manager, who directed and orchestrated inputs from what is a very broad business community. The suggestions made are, of course, being picked up at the policy level within the Government and by the Committees, so rest assured that the work does not end with the submission We have started thinking about this year’s Policy Address, so if you have ideas or suggestions, we would like to hear from you via Paul, or Christy, or relevant Committees

Another activity we were pleased to resurrect was the annual “door knock” in London in September. We curated a BritCham Hong Kong week in London when we held events to share opportunities around the Northern Metropolis, met with business and government representatives both formally and informally, enjoyed the HK Dinner curtesy of HKTDC and the luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Association, as well as a splendid launch of our Creative Industries Committee refresh in the 3/6” venue in Fortnum and Masons, Piccadilly All very enjoyable, engaging, and informative events. Planning is underway for this year’s similar event. More details will be shared to encourage members who may be in London at the time of the event to engage and participate.

Since the first announcement of the Greater Bay Area plan from the Central Government in 2019, the Chamber has spent a lot of effort promoting alongside the Government the great opportunities imbedded in the region to wider businesses We were particularly delighted that the Government had reopened the borders of Hong Kong in 2023 The Chamber was invited onto a GBA delegation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March, and the Chamber also led a trip to Shenzhen and Guangzhou in November, bringing members to experience and see the new developments, and to meet and speak with people, government officials and businesses in the region. It was a memorable trip for both Paul, Christy, and members as we could finally see it in person instead of only “believing by hearing”. (See a more detailed report on page 5-6)

Before we get too far into the future, let’s pause to reflect on the work done by the chamber team Led with great enthusiasm and aplomb by Paul McComb since 1 June 2023, the team has done a massive amount to pivot from mostly online activities to a mix of online and many in-person events We keep in sharp focus the raison d’etre of the Chamber, which is to facilitate members to getting business “done” This is important, and as we observe the changing business landscape over the last few months, we need to think about how we can best serve the membership. To that end, we will be reaching out and asking these questions over the next few weeks and months, and we will also be sharing thoughts and ideas as to how members can be more engaged. We would love to hear from you with your thoughts. Any suggestions, please contact Paul in the first instance

We are also looking at the many Committees and working groups we have established to determine whether we are focusing on the topics of most interest or relevance to the wider membership and to see whether there are any new or different Committees, etc , for members to get involved in or be inspired by The Committee Chairs group will be led by Vice Chair Jeremy Sheldon, who will convene several meetings each year and work through an agenda of items and points of interest that often cut across many of the Committees Watch this space for follow-up and please do provide feedback –remember it is your Chamber.

The year ahead will be essentially shaped by two halves. I will continue in the role of Chair in the first half with a new Chair taking over at the AGM which will be held once again in June. This will give the new Chair the chance to reflect on the appointment over the summer and to pick up with vivacity at the end of August In the first half, we will be hosting a Symposium relating to diversity and inclusivity in the workplace This topic is often raised by Boards and in terms of governance, but are we achieving enough, is there more we can do, and are we clear about our goals and targets? These questions and many more will be raised and discussed by an expert panel on 22 February 2024 With the theme "Belonging by Design - A Journey of Inclusion", the BritCham DEIB Symposium will explore what it takes to proactively build a culture of belonging and inclusion, transcending boundaries, offering actionable insights on global DEIB perspectives, and harnessing the power of design thinking for realworld impact. A keynote address will be given by The Hon. Mrs. Regina Ip, Convenor of the NonOfficial Members of the Executive Council

In the first quarter of the year, there is a focus on Creative Industries, from the ongoing spectacular exhibitions at the Palace Museum, for example, the exhibition “Botticelli to Van Gogh” a visual feast on loan from the National Gallery, London, beautifully curated in a wonderful setting, to Art Basel and the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, and the Cultural Summit and more. Details will be shared, so watch this space.

Last but not least, I would like to thank a special group within the Chamber, our future leaders The Future Leaders Committee was the first committee meeting I attended at the start of my tenure as Chair. The energy created, ideas shared, enthusiasm, and generosity of time and spirit shared give me great hope for the future of the Chamber as well as the success of the collective businesses. One of the compelling points they made was that they were all working in Hong Kong because they wanted to be. The stories vary slightly, but the points made about opportunities being given, reminded me of my Hong Kong journey, and arrival as a graduate to take up my first posting Having the idea of sharing such stories on social media, the idea snowballed, and thanks to Invest HK, a set of professional videos was created showing five of our future leaders I am so proud of each of them – and the many others who have not (yet) featured The videos were first showcased at the Summit and are available here.

And so to the future – together in 2024 May it be an exceptionally successful year for all, in whichever way you measure success. Good health, happiness and prosperity for our business community and the Chamber that connects us.

Ir Dr Anne Kerr Chair

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong