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The UK community in Hong Kong
British
companies have shaped Hong Kong like no other business community. From
the early traders who established their firms in what was a British
colony to the high-tech investment of recent years after the handover
in 1997, relationships and commercial success with the Brits continue
to flourish.
Which UK companies?
The UK is one of
the largest investors in Hong Kong with investments amounting to US$6.1
billion at the end of 2003. The 1,000 plus companies making up this
figure are from a range of industries. Technology, telecommunications,
engineering and construction are well represented, as British companies
seek to support explosive manufacturing growth in the Mainland. In the
business world, large British financial institutions, insurance
companies, laws firms, accountants, consultants and surveyors also have
a significant presence. A few British high street brands are also very
conspicuous in the city.
The UK is also Hong Kong's leading
European trading partner, responsible for over US$12 billion in trade
in 2004. For more information about Hong Kong and the UKs trading
relationship, go to TDCTrade.com
Hong Kong and beyond
Hong
Kong is a strategic entry point for businesses seeking to establish
themselves in Asia; it is also a logical place from which to manage
Asian operations. Hong Kong is conveniently placed to enable the close
management of operations in the Mainland in a mature and robust
business infrastructure and legal framework.
According to the
Hong Kong Government's Census and Statistics Department, by mid 2006,
114 of the British companies operating in Hong Kong are regional
headquarters and 223 are regional offices.
Brits in Hong Kong
Today
there are some 17,780 Brits in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's education system
has strong British roots and the qualifications and degrees are very
similar to the ones awarded in the UK. There are about 16,000 Hong Kong
students aged below 25, in British schools. Their alumni networks
strengthen the ties between both places. |
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Leading UK companies operating in Hong Kong include:
Allied Pickfords
Barclays Capital
Body Shop
BP
British Airways
British American Tobacco
British Steel
BT
BUPA
Burberry
Coutts Bank
Diageo
Economist Group
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
HSBC
Inchcape
Intertek Testing Services
Jaguar
Jardine Matheson Group
Lloyds TSB Bank
Marks and Spencer
National Westminster Bank
Oxford University Press
Prudential Assurance
Reuters
Rolls-Royce
Standard Chartered Bank
Virgin Atlantic
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Key contacts for the British community in Hong Kong
British Consulate-General Hong Kong
The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
British Council
Anglican-Episcopal Church
The English Schools Foundation
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What leading Brits in Hong Kong say about the city
 “Hong
Kong is the ideal entry point to the thriving markets of the Pearl
River Delta in the same way as the UK is the ideal gateway to Europe.
Hong Kong's rule of law, respect for human rights, free flow of
information and people and sophisticated services sector create a
familiar operating environment for UK investors.”
Stephen Bradley, British Consul-General to Hong Kong
“Rule
of Law, level playing fields, adaptable, business focused, commercial,
practical - these are the words to describe Hong Kong. If you want more
- consider superb communications and logistics and a great jumping off
point for the rest of China. Hong Kong - a great place to be.”
Christopher Page, Chairman, British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Some recent UK investors and clients of InvestHK include:
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
Source Direct International Limited
Chelsea Mortgage Management International
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