Latest news with #InvestHK
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
InvestHK at 25: powering growth for global firms in Hong Kong and beyond
When InvestHK was established in July 2000, its mission was clear: attract overseas and mainland Chinese companies to establish or expand in Hong Kong, reinforcing its position as 'Asia's world city'. Twenty-five years on, that mission remains unchanged, but the tools and the scale of support have evolved significantly. Advertisement This year, both InvestHK and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) marked their silver jubilees with notable results. In 2024, InvestHK assisted a record 539 mainland Chinese and overseas companies in setting up operations in Hong Kong. Since its establishment in 2000, 145 of InvestHK's clients have listed on HKEX. Between January 2023 and June 2025, InvestHK helped more than 1,300 companies set up or expand in Hong Kong, bringing in over HK$160 billion (US$20 billion) in foreign direct investment. These companies created more than 19,000 jobs in their first year of operation, exceeding the government's 2022 Policy Address targets ahead of schedule. Hong Kong's initial public offering (IPO) market has maintained steady momentum in 2025, with HKEX recording more than 50 listings between January and mid-July, a year-on-year increase of 30 per cent. The exchange ranked first globally in IPO fundraising during the period, with more than 200 companies actively preparing for a public offering in the second half of the year. Support from InvestHK for overseas and mainland Chinese companies and institutions includes planning, setting up and expanding their operations in Hong Kong. The agency provides strategic advice on market entry, practical guidance during the establishment and launch phases, and continued support as businesses grow and scale across international markets via Hong Kong. When an IPO is on the horizon, InvestHK offers pre-listing workshops covering disclosure, environmental, social and governance (ESG), and investor-relations requirements, enabling founders to scale up without needing to shift jurisdictions, a stability that is increasingly valued in an era of geopolitical uncertainty. Advertisement Beyond projects: building ecosystems
RTHK
13-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
InvestHK again flags SAR as stable business location
InvestHK again flags SAR as stable business location Invest Hong Kong director-general Alpha Lau was speaking after a Commercial Radio programme. Photo: RTHK Current geopolitical tensions may bring more opportunities to Hong Kong as companies require a stable business environment, Invest Hong Kong director-general Alpha Lau has reiterated. Speaking after a Commercial Radio programme on Sunday, Lau said the number of foreign companies moving to Hong Kong had been on the rise in recent years and that tariffs were now also a factor. 'The companies told me that, although in the short term these uncertainties are not very good for doing business, they are looking for a platform where the whole region is growing,' she said. This month Invest Hong Kong announced that it had helped over 1,300 overseas and mainland companies expand their business here, bringing foreign direct investment of more than HK$160 billion and exceeding the performance indicators set out in the 2022 Policy Address.
South China Morning Post
08-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong leaders say city is good place to seek stability, capitalise on China growth
Hong Kong is an ideal place for investors to seek stability and move resources away from riskier parts of the world, according to Alpha Lau Hai-suen, the director general of InvestHK Speaking at the South China Morning Post's China Conference on Tuesday, Lau said that since the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong's investment flows have not returned to previous levels due to global trade and tariff challenges. InvestHK is a government agency tasked with promoting the city overseas. 'Despite all that, the opportunities are rebounding because companies need stability,' she said. She said the city was both an ideal place to 'shift some of your concentration risk away from less certain regions' and a bridge to the mainland. 'This is a two-way flow, and we're placing far more emphasis on it,' she said. At the conference, themed 'Where Capital Meets Innovation,' Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said Hong Kong was a vital global link connecting the world to mainland China's growth and stability amid shifting geopolitical landscapes. 'Hong Kong is the 'superconnector' and 'super value-adder' that links the world with opportunities from China's growth certainties,' he said in a keynote speech. 'A link you can always bank on.'
RTHK
07-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Bane of tariffs 'boon for HK investment promotions'
Bane of tariffs 'boon for HK investment promotions' InvestHK chief Alpha Lau says around 1,300 enterprises have come to Hong Kong since 2023, with almost half of them made up of mainland companies. Photo: RTHK Invest Hong Kong director-general Alpha Lau said on Monday the disruption caused by US tariffs is an opportunity for the SAR to attract more business. She made the comment as the government's investment promotion agency said that over the past two years it had attracted more than HK$168 billion in investments to the city, more than twice the target laid out in the 2022 Policy Address. "We do not want to see the world being affected by new tariffs, or the US changing the established trade rules that we've been using for decades," Lau said. "But having said that, since it's happening anyway, we believe that Hong Kong is an ideal platform to turn these dangers into opportunities because most companies around the world require stability to do business," she added. Around 1,300 enterprises have entered Hong Kong since 2023, with almost half of them made up of mainland companies, followed by those from the United States, United Kingdom and Singapore. More than half of the enterprises were from the finance, technology and innovation and family offices. Meanwhile, more than 670 applications have been approved through the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme introduced in March last year, bringing in HK$21 billion. The scheme grants longer-term visitor's visas to applicants who will invest a minimum of HK$30 million into the city's technology and innovation sectors and permanent residency after they have stayed here for seven years. Lau said the agency has assisted more than 7,700 enterprises to set up offices in Hong Kong, bringing in more than HK$440 billion. She said InvestHK would continue to promote the SAR in both traditional and new markets and be in line with policies such as the low-altitude economy, liquor trade and the Northern Metropolis.
South China Morning Post
25-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
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. Advertisement 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.'
