CHAIR'S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

In the last couple of months, we have surely seen Hong Kong commence its “bounce back” with increasing fervour. We have seen a steady stream of visitors metaphorically and physically knocking on our door, both from a business and a leisure perspective. The message is clearly about “seeing is believing”. Many of those who have visited recently have taken away messages that business is back While there may be different distances to travel depending on the sector, there is a feeling that we need more to “come, see, and perhaps stay to enjoy the opportunities”

As I noted in my previous address, I am keen to engage with the wider membership in both the business context as well as that important sense of connection and community we enjoy as a Chamber of Commerce. We are looking to bring a variety of exciting activities and events in the months ahead.

Together with our Executive Director David Graham, Vice Chairs Jeremy Sheldon and James Turner, and Treasurer Paul McSheaffrey, we are endeavouring to get around the committees and membership to understand the wider market sentiment, the opportunities and the hurdles being experienced as we move away from restrictions

To this end, it is really helpful for us to meet with colleagues of member firms and organisations as they visit Hong Kong, and to meet new potential members where we can do what we set out to do and “get business done”

With the opportunities in mind, we are focusing much attention on outcomes and actions with respect to the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Committees are considering how to shape agendas and activities xxxxx around the opportunities for the benefit of members.

Christy Ng, our Business Policy and Corporate Relations Manager, and Tommy Han of Prudential and Chair of the China Committee, represented the Chamber in a recent visit to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Dongguan in the GBA organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representatives from foreign Consulates, other Chambers in Hong Kong, and multinational and financial institutions were among those in attendance

The trip consisted of banquets hosted by officials of the Guangdong Province and the four cities Christy and Tommy have shared that they were impressed by the progress in the GBA, the companies and officials they met, and the aspirations for each city. They also had the chance to visit various large and smaller corporations in industrial parks and of the cities, such as Tencent, Huawei, Gree Co. Ltd, iFlytek. These corporations step across very different industries, including technology, healthcare and biotechnology, intelligent speech and AI, home appliances, aeronautical engineering, conservation and environment protection, etc

This has been an eye-opening journey for them after years of travel restrictions, and has certainly ascertained our views that the GBA embodies potential to become a world-class top bay area and provide great opportunities to businesses With the contacts they both made during the trip, we look forward to keeping in touch with local officials to see how Hong Kong can further amplify its role in the region. We will stand ready to continuously promote Hong Kong as the “super-connector and gateway" of the Mainland and the world.

Upon Tommy's return to Hong Kong, he noted,

“Clearly driving economic growth is back at the top of the local agenda, and I’m impressed with the cities’ keenness to attract international investment

We shall make the most of the window and seize business opportunities as market integration progresses in the Greater Bay Area ”

As for Christy, she indicated that

"If opportunities in the Mainland are the fruits, then Hong Kong is the ladder. Don't just look for low hanging fruits, climb up the ladder to reap them all."

Events undertaken in the last couple of months included the very successful BritCham Social Sustainability Symposium on 23 February 2023, which was attended by over 120 participants and focused on sharing good practices and opening dialogue around social sustainability We had an excellent presentation from Matt Friedman of The Mekong Club, who shared shocking statistics (among other things) about the fact that over 40 million people are subjugated in modern slavery in the world today. This has to be a key issue for all –not just in terms of ensuring our businesses are not contributing to or engaging in practices or activities relating to modern slavery, but also ensuring we know how to identify and avoid it

In the last edition, I highlighted the Women in Business Committee held an event for an Asian Comedy Premier of PIVOT which has now been launched This is a pilot series on unconscious or otherwise biased behaviour in the workplace It is sometimes amusing, sometimes toe-curling, and very much on the mark in terms, according to many who have watched the short 4 x seven-minute PIVOT web series. Worth a watch if you have anything to do with people, promotions, or behaviours in the workplace.

Our advocacy work continues with meetings in Hong Kong with Government officials, as well as informal meetings when I was recently in London with organisations related to Hong Kong The level of engagement is good, and we continue to provide inputs and suggestions to the Government in connection with the Policy Address, the budget, and other business opportunities that evolve from the various Committees and their members

March bounded in like the proverbial March Hare, and was an incredibly busy and uplifting month in terms of activities, including but not limited to the Literary Festival which our Chair of Creative Industries co-hosted, the various celebrations for the 75th anniversary of our ex-officio member the British Council – congratulations, and the irrepressibly exciting Rugby 7’s Thank you to KPMG for cohosting the BritCham & KPMG Rugby dinner which was enjoyed by all who attended. The general cry was “it’s great to be back” from many stalwarts who returned to the city for the weekend, and in some cases fitted in a few business meetings as well.

Earlier in March, I met with organisations and associations while I was on a business trip to London. Key messages were around “what can we do to help businesses flourish in Hong Kong and ensure the opportunities are articulated in many sectors, traditional and sometimes new” Ideas are forming and will be shared as they unfold

Just to give a heads up for the diary, planning is well underway for the annual British Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong Summit, which will be held on 26 October 2023 Please mark your diaries with the title “Hong Kong Rebound”. Between now and then, there will be many activities, opportunities to connect and engage, so keep tuned in and stay connected.

Last but not least, there are changes afoot at the Chamber David Graham, our Executive Director since 2020, will be retiring on 1 June 2023. He is leaving for family reasons but assures us he is planning on spending a significant amount of time in Hong Kong in the future. On behalf of the entire membership, the Executive team, and the General Committee, I wish to thank David for his steady, calm and very thorough approach to managing the Chamber through difficult times – an enormous challenge that you managed extremely capably With every best wish for the future, we offer a warm welcome to David’s replacement, Paul McComb, whom many of you will already know Paul will be returning to Hong Kong albeit in a different capacity, and will be taking up the mantle of the Chamber as Hong Kong bounces back We look forward to introducing members and seeing Paul reconnect with old friends and associates

Thank you.

Ir Dr Anne Kerr Chair

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong