CHAIR'S MESSAGE

Dear Members,

Since the last edition of the magazine, we have continued to enjoy an upswing in activities relating to the British Chamber of Commerce. These activities and events are not confined to Hong Kong, but we are also planning events in the latter part of this year in the UK as well as with other British Chambers of Commerce in China, and not just in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Through the hot and sticky summer, we have been continuing our planning for the upcoming Summit in earnest The Summit, which is planned for the 26 October 2023, has a very topical theme of “Hong Kong’s Rebound” This theme has been underpinning many of the events we have been holding and is also central to the submission we have recently made to Hong Kong Government in respect of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address. Watch out for more communications around the Summit, and please mark your diaries if you have not done so already – a great line-up of speakers and contributors is being planned, and there are plenty of opportunities for great networking and making those all important business connections.

I would like to offer a huge thank you to all who have contributed and provided input to the Chamber’s Policy Address, which is again an incredibly well prepared and well thought-through submission focusing on aspects that are most relevant for business today This year we focused on the short term issues, including but not limited to those around talent and the need for an injection of talent from a wide spectrum of perspectives in order to encourage a rebound, reinvention and redefinition of Hong Kong in the business context. In addition, we put forward a series of actions which are needed for the medium term that need to be taken now were identified. And furthermore, a couple of issues including the all crucial redefinition of Hong Kong as an international financial centre and healthcare were considered too significant to synthesis into the submission and will be presented as submissions in their own right. Thanks particularly go to Jim Taylor, Chair of the Business Policy Unit, and Christy Ng, Business Policy & Corporate Relations Manager at the Chamber for their sterling contributions to this paper as well as the committee’s input.

As noted above, one of the Policy Address’ key themes relates to talent Various activities have taken place and are planned, including a most engaging and inspiring event held in early June called the BritCham Impact Hackathon 2023 This was curated and run by the Future Leaders Committee with support and direction and guidance from Andrew MacGeoch, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (BCLP). Andrew worked alongside the committee with all working hard to ensure a quality and relevant event, and this was borne out on the day. The focus of the hackathon was on the allconsuming issue of talent in every sector and at all levels This is not solely an Hong Kong issue, and this is what makes the challenge even more grave. However, the discussions and debates were centered on solutions and opportunities, and these are now being synthesised into a White Paper which will be issued shortly to some Government departments with various suggestions and practical proposals Andrew shares, “It was humbling and inspiring to see the engagement and energy from over 50 of our future leaders (mostly aged between 25-35) offering constructive solutions to the critical questions of attracting talent to Hong Kong and retaining Hong Kong’s talent across a diverse range of industry sectors Short and long term solutions are being proposed from short term tax benefits, to developing more co-living product, enhancing student exchange schemes and scholarships, annual leave improvements, and stronger nurturing of creative talent. These young members also want to see better use of influencers, an all year round calendar for ‘wow’ events in Hong Kong and an accelerated programme of digitalisation for smarter city living. Hopefully our young members will find listening ears when they pitch their ideas to relevant senior Government leaders ”.

We continue to see more visitors coming into Hong Kong, and the airport is happily becoming very busy again We also continue to receive inquiries about doing business in Hong Kong, especially as a gateway to the Greater Bay Area We are always happy to talk to our members and senior colleagues when they visit Hong Kong, and we have quite a few visits planned for the last quarter of this year. Coming and seeing the opportunities for oneself and talking to members is a good way to get a sense of the “rebound”. Indeed, we are taking the chance to share some of the opportunities when we go to London in September to attend the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Dinner. During the week of 18 September, there are a variety of events planned by the Chamber as well as others taking place in London to share what is happening, planned and promulgated in Hong Kong, and to share the sheer scale of “business getting done, and still to be done”.

The first event of BritCham door knock week in London is an event curated around the Northern Metropolis The purpose of this event is to explain more about the number of services and sectors that will be needed to deliver the programme of work, to share the scale, the ambition, and the opportunities, and perhaps to excite and inspire. The event will be opened with a keynote address from the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Keith Howells. The first place Keith visited in his presidential year, outside of the UK was Hong Kong. For him, it was a bit of a homecoming, as he had spent several years working in Hong Kong early in his career. He therefore understands what is needed to deliver the ambitions set out in the Northern Metropolis and the other mega programmes of work It’s not all about design and engineering, but rather a vast spectrum of expertise is needed to deliver the plans.

Later in the week, we are also arranging events around the creative industries, as well as a series of meetings with some closed-door discussions with government and industry officials. Do let us know if you wish to know more about the events of the week, and be sure to watch social media as well as this page for updates.

Another focus area that is being driven by the Environment and Energy Committee (EEC) but also relevant across most businesses today is environmental, social and governance (ESG) The issues relating to governance around ESG, management of stakeholder engagement, and the quality of professionals providing advice in terms of the ESG agendas have been identified as a particular concern, and representatives of the Chamber and the EEC have engaged with the suggestions and solutions. This is an ongoing dialogue and one which has a way to run as various initiatives start to be rolled out.

With networking and making connections being a key component of the Chamber’s remit, we have been enjoying a range of connections not just with BritCham HK members but also engaging with other businesses through, but not limited to, the European Business in China event in July, the China British Business Council meetings in August, and a joint chamber networking event with the Irish Chamber in June. In the same vein, there will be an InterChamber Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) Mixer event, supported by Women in Business Committee, bringing together members from various chambers at the end of August.

We look forward to seeing you at upcoming events, including the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 12 September and the Summit: Hong Kong Rebound “Explore the business opportunities and challenges in rethinking, reinventing and redefining Hong Kong in the region” on 26 October.

Ir Dr Anne Kerr Chair The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong