InvestHK celebrates 25 years of spotlighting Hong Kong on the global business stage
02:33
InvestHK marks 25 years as Hong Kong's ambassadors to the global business community
InvestHK marks 25 years as Hong Kong's ambassadors to the global business community
For its 25th anniversary, InvestHK has numerous achievements to celebrate in its role as the government agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Hong Kong and promoting the city as a hub for business.
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Last year, InvestHK reached record-breaking numbers for FDI, by helping 539 mainland Chinese and overseas-based companies establish or expand their operations in Hong Kong – a 41 per cent year-on-year increase. These companies brought a total investment of HK$67.7 billion (US$8.6 billion) into the local economy, 10 per cent higher than 2023, plus an estimated 6,864 new job opportunities.
The agency's success can be attributed to its ability to follow major shifts in the global economy and establish dedicated units to serve enterprises in fast-developing sectors such as fintech, robotics, autonomous vehicles, gaming platforms, creative industries and start-ups within the digital space.
Alpha Lau, director-general of investment promotion for InvestHK, says that throughout its 25 years in operation, the agency has remained true to its mission of facilitating and promoting investment in Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP/Nora Tam
'We have stayed true to the mission, just in new and different ways,' says Alpha Lau, InvestHK's director-general of investment promotion. 'I am very proud of how far we have come, and the numbers really speak for themselves.'
Over the years, more than 7,700 projects have been successfully completed in Hong Kong, which includes getting over 130 companies listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. In the process, around 93,000 new jobs were created and a total of about HK$420 billion in FDI has been generated.
When it comes to working with clients, the InvestHK team has found that the keys to success are building strong relationships, supporting innovation and spearheading events. The agency organises the popular Hong Kong FinTech Week and StartmeupHK Festival, which will both mark their 10-year anniversaries in November.
Hong Kong FinTech Week, one of InvestHK's flagship events, showcases the technologies shaping the future of finance, including artificial intelligence and Web3. Photo: SCMP/Matt Haldane
'It is about doing something that no one else has done before,' says Arnold Lau, InvestHK's associate director-general of investment promotion, adding that there are now nearly 4,700 start-ups in Hong Kong, with 13 per cent of them active in fintech. 'It is a matter of finding the people who are innovators, bringing them here and then helping them take their innovations to a broader market.'
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