Gettys, celebrating its 20th Anniversary, is an award-winning global design firm specialising in interior design, architecture, procurement and development advisory services for the hospitality industry. In 2008, as the company’s global business continued to grow steadily, Gettys chose Hong Kong as the home of their first offices outside of the Americas.

Business opportunities on the rise in South East Asia

As China’s economy continues to prosper, and the population’s wealth increases, national spend in the tourism sector is on a definite upswing with the strongest growth trends among high-end and luxury hospitality outlets. As the demand for stylish and large-scale developments increases, so has the need for design firms with a global aesthetic and a worldly understanding of the nuances of the culture of hospitality in South Eastern Asia. With such a limited pool of design firms available for hire in this part of the world, hotel design and architecture was on a standardised trajectory…increasingly lacking the innovation and creativity that their wealthy clientele was demanding.

With this, “Gettys saw what was happening in the marketplace as an ideal opportunity to open offices in Hong Kong and bring a new approach to design and client service to the region,” says Ms Ariane Steinbeck, Managing Director and Principal of Gettys Hong Kong as well as one of the company’s four founding members.

“When we started Gettys in 1988, the four of us had just graduated from Cornell School of Hotel Administration and we were excited to bring a progressive, innovative bent to hotel design and consultancy while never forgetting that the ultimate success of the project is its ability to return on its investment. Through our dealings in China, we have found that there is a real need for this approach to hospitality design and our unique point of differentiation, in delivering visionary designs that can be delivered cost effectively with limited business risk brings great value to our clients and partners,” explains Ms Steinbeck.

Why Hong Kong?

Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong were on the company’s short list of potential locations in South East Asia. Hong Kong was the final choice because of its central location and world-class airport that made connections from the company’s offices in Chicago, Irvine, Miami and New York easy to navigate. However, Hong Kong was also a great choice because 
it is “…truly one of the world’s ‘International’ cities,” expounds Ms Steinbeck. “We were looking for a city that appreciated a fresh and innovative approach and Hong Kong delivered.”

Gettys set up its Hong Kong offices in early 2008 and since then has steadily grown. Currently employing a staff of 10, Ms Steinbeck plans to double the size of the office by the first quarter of 2009. “Our growth plan is aggressive to be sure, but the opportunities abound,” says Ms Steinbeck. “Our first objective is to attract the freshest talent who will be prepared to serve our clients and partners with the best. As long as we have that, there is definitely no lack of opportunity.”

Currently, 40% of Gettys’ business is from overseas, predominantly from South America, the Caribbean and the Middle East. “We are projecting that as our Hong Kong office expands and interests here grow, we will be seeing 80% of our business to be foreign and 20% to be US –based,” Ms Steinbeck expects.

Easy to set up in Hong Kong

“I never expected setting up an office on the other side of the globe to be simple, but with the proper paperwork in order, I found there to be very little bureaucracy. With the technology we needed readily available and our office space fully built-out, we are in a great place only six months after opening. InvestHK has provided advice every step of the way; including giving us tips as to how to move and the best way to obtain visas for expatriates,” Ms Steinbeck admits. “Frankly, it’s been easy.”

Hong Kong lifestyle

“Gettys has always been a progressive company with a commitment to work-life balance, which is why Hong Kong is such a great place for us to open shop. In such an international city, I am able to contribute to our business and watch it grow with great success while also allowing my family to grow up in one of the world’s richest and most fascinating cultures. It is quite gratifying,” says Ms Steinbeck.

www.gettys.com