CHAIR'S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

This edition of the magazine focuses on clean innovation and the potential technology that can accelerate efforts to combat the effects of climate change It follows on from a very successful ReThink Hong Kong conference which BritCham was honoured to support At the ReThink event, we participated in panel discussions and were also pleased to meet exhibitors bringing new technology and solutions to Hong Kong The future is very much today in terms of action, which is urgently needed, and many speakers gave good examples of how to address and fund the solutions. It is of note that the event continued without a hitch in the midst of tremendous rainstorms, which reminded us of the climate imperatives.

Through the hot and humid summer, we have continued to connect across the membership and enjoy many events and activities, not least the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which was held in midSeptember 2023 At this meeting, I was very pleased to be confirmed into my second year of the two-year term, together with two extremely capable and supportive Vice Chairs, Jeremy Sheldon and Paul McSheaffrey We are delighted to welcome Keith Pogson as our new Treasurer, along with a very strong General Committee, and together with Committee Chairs and the Executive team, we look forward to having a sensational year ahead. The five pillars or focus areas for the Chamber I set out this time last year remain in place, and our focus of activities will centre on: Hong Kong Rebound, Hong Kong’s reinvention as an international finance centre, Hong Kong in the context of the Greater Bay Area and in relation to ASEAN, as well as the Creative Industries

Hong Kong’s rebound takes many different forms, one of which is the return of many wonderful in-person, restriction free celebrations, and as part of the celebrations for the Mid-Autumn festival, our Executive Director, Paul McComb, represented the Chamber at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CPPIT) Networking Dinner We are happy to be reunited with other Chambers and government organisations in Hong Kong Paul also enjoyed National Day celebrations for the 74th Anniversary of the Founding of the PRC by attending the Flag Raising Ceremony cum National Day Reception held on 1 October 2023 Personally, I was disappointed to miss the celebrations in real time, but saw some fantastic footage of fireworks shared on social media. Absolutely not to be missed next time!

One of BritCham’s contributions to Rebound Hong Kong includes, but is absolutely not limited to, the hosting of our annual Summit. This is where we gather industry experts together to share insights in various formats, including significant opportunities for networking Following on from the Chief Executives Policy Address, the Summit took place on 26 October 2023, where we “Explored the business opportunities and challenges in rethinking, reinventing and redefining Hong Kong in the region”

Topics focused on the aforementioned pillars and how all these integrate to creating and nurturing a desirable and highly livable city. We were pleased to read a good review in the South China Morning Post immediately after the Summit [Link]

The Chamber welcomed the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Nicolas Lyons, as well as City Marshal Philip Jordan QPM for a breakfast roundtable with senior representatives of the Chamber and British Consulate General in Hong Kong The roundtable discussion emphasised shared interests between Hong Kong and the City of London, Hong Kong’s current talent market landscape, and business opportunities in the GBA for British companies.

As part of our continued exploration of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) opportunities, Paul joined 1,000 delegates for the first “Business Conference on Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development” held in Macao The conference brought a strong focus on the ‘construction’ of the GBA, providing a platform for the international business community to share investment opportunities in the GBA and engage in its development The conference also allowed the Chamber as well as other trade and business associations in Hong Kong to come together and expand their networks in Macau and Guangdong. Another GBA trip will be held from 20-23 November, this trip is long awaited by the Chamber as a lot has developed in the GBA however we have not yet seen and felt them. Part of this trip, we also support The China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), a renowned organisation that helps promote trade and investment between the UK and China, to run a GBA conference We believe that with the borders opened again, people now being able to travel, the message to encourage trade and investment between Hong Kong, China and the UK will be better delivered or facilitated

One of the highlights of the visit to the UK in September has to have been the Creative Industries Networking event at Fortnum and Mason’s newly revamped 3rd floor of their emporium in Piccadilly. The event was held in the 3/6’ bar, which was not only a beautiful venue but also had a historic connection in terms of the name and showcased excellent examples of sustainable end-of-life ecological design in the form of the bar and side tables, which were 3D printed using sugar! The purpose of the event was to create a networking event that showcased both Hong Kong and the UK’s creative industries and also to make connections and hatch plans for future events Watch this space as there are many plans evolving for exploring this important component of the economy. When one considers the tangible benefits to both Hong Kong and the UK’s gross domestic product generated by creative industries, it is evident this pillar needs to come up on the agenda in terms of events, activities and exploration of opportunities. Watch this space as these unfold over the year.

Finally, a note on the successful visit Paul McComb and I made to the UK in September The purpose was to reconnect business communities after a long hiatus of in-person activities, and to support the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at their dinner in London which was attended by around 500 senior business leaders and trade representatives, and to provide a briefing of business activities to the Hong Kong Association based in London. In addition, we took the opportunity to connect with business connections, professional bodies and institutions to showcase the opportunities Hong Kong has to offer, including but not limited to the developments in the Northern Metropolis. My thought had been to anchor an event with a real life example, and what better than to showcase the multitude of opportunities that exist around the delivery of a programme of developments in the Northern Metropolis An event was curated with speakers and messages from the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office (HKETO) in London, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and panelists from a range of backgrounds, all with deep knowledge of the programme, and the extent and ambition of the programme. This resulted in a lively discussion both during the panel session as well as during the networking session afterwards A follow-on “phase 2” event has been undertaken at the end of October by the president of HKIE to keep the dialogue going and to encourage a broad spectrum of interested parties to “come and have a look for themselves”.

Last but not least, it’s beginning to feel a bit like Christmas with decorations going on sale in various shops, and thus I will take this opportunity to ask you to mark your diary and get your ticket for the Christmas Countdown drinks on the 5 December 2023 What better way to start the “season”?

Ir Dr Anne Kerr Chair

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong