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TRADER HOME /
THEY'RE HERE
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Overseas
companies setting up and expanding in Hong Kong |
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Asia
/ Europe / North America / Other
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Asia |
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Leading Japanese retailer opens first overseas store in Hong Kong, May 2003
BALS Corporation, a leading Japanese retailer of home furnishing products recently opened the Franc franc lifestyle concept store in Hong Kong, its first international outlet outside Japan.
China shipping unit sets up in region's maritime hub, April 2003
China National Foreign Trade Transportation Group has chosen to base its newly formed shipping unit, Sinotrans Shipping Ltd, in Hong Kong.
Science Park an 'ideal place' for high-tech R&D, March 2003
Singapore-listed modem maker Aztech Systems is expanding its Hong Kong operations, doubling the workforce and making it the base for research and development (R&D).
Bright idea sparks new lighting trends, February 2003
Singapore-listed Clipsal Industries has chosen Hong Kong to unveil its state-of-the-art lighting control and electrical automation system for home and corporate use.
Dynamic marketplace a boon for overseas players, November 2002
Government policy since the mid 1980s has ensured that Hong Kong has one of the region's most liberal telecommunications markets, leading many overseas telecom companies to set up their regional headquarters in the SAR.
All about Asia just a mouse click away, October 2002
Anything and everything an expatriate relocating to Asia might need can be found online, free of charge, at www.asiaxpat.com.
Korean
company LG Electronics
is using Hong Kong as a launch-pad for the latest in home and commercial
security application, using iris recognition biotechnology.
The
Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre (ADNDRC)
was recently set up in Hong Kong as the SAR is uniquely placed to
provide dispute resolution services and it can readily draw upon an
international reservoir of specialist legal expertise, according to
Neil Kaplan, chairman of the Hong
Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC).
Japanese
company Vexcel Co Ltd has partnered with Hong Kong jewellery manufacturer
Yee On Gems & Jewellery Fty Co Ltd for the past nine years to successfully
penetrate the Japan market. It was the Perfect marriage of Japanese
marketing skills and Hong Kong manufacturing know-how, according to
both partners.
Japanese
audio-visual equipment manufacturer Eiki Industrial Co Ltd has established
a strategic partnership with a Hong Kong company to tap into the vast
business opportunities in the Chinese mainland ahead of its accession
to the World Trade Organisation.
Japanese
high-tech firm Origin Electric
Company has established a regional head office in Hong Kong as
a platform for maximising business opportunities in the Chinese mainland
and Asia-Pacific markets.
Mitsui
& Co, the largest general trading company in Japan, cites joint ventures
with local companies as the strategy behind its continued success
in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland.
After
a two-year absence from Hong Kong, Japanese clothing and houseware
retailer Muji has outpaced initial revenue projections since its return
to the market in April.
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Europe |
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Swedish biotech firm chooses Hong Kong as regional headquarters, August 2003
Swedish biotechnology company Perbio Science AB has chosen Hong Kong as the location for its Asia-Pacific headquarters.
German chemical giant expands in Hong Kong, July 2003
BASF Group, one of the global leaders in the chemical industry recently expanded its Greater China and East Asia headquarters in Hong Kong.
Hermes builds presence in 'vital fashion centre for Asia', July 2003
Hong Kong is to stand alongside New York, Tokyo and Paris as a premier showcase for French fashion house Hermes.
The company is expanding its existing boutique to create a magnificent Maison Hermes, the fourth in the world.
Right time for Omega flagship store, June 2003
The international watch giant Omega - known for luxury timepieces that sell for up to HK$150,000 (US$19,200) - has opened a flagship store in Hong Kong, with the largest collection of its products in Asia.
Perfect platform to take a swing at Asia, May 2003
Leading Italian sportswear brand Chervo has launched its golfing collection in Hong Kong to spearhead an expansion in the Asia-Pacific region.
Friendly takeover paves way to new markets, April 2003
British-based insurer Friends Provident Life & Pensions - one of the biggest life insurers in Britain and a top 100 firm on the FTSE index - has entered the Hong Kong life insurance market with the recent takeover of Royal & Sun Alliance's international life business, including its Hong Kong office.
Best foot forward pays prosperous results, March 2003
Danish footwear manufacturer ECCO Sko A/S, which selected Hong Kong as its Asia head office two years ago as a springboard to the Asia-Pacific market, has recorded a surge of 80 per cent in business in Asia.
Smiles all round as Shriro buys leading brand, March 2003
Hong Kong-based international marketing and distribution company Shriro Group has further boosted its stable of global brands by acquiring the major shareholding in Swedish camera manufacturer Hasselblad Ab.
Dutch bank opens in 'gateway to Asian investors', February 2003
Dutch private and business bank F. van Lanschot Bankiers N.V. has chosen Hong Kong for the opening of its first Asian representative office. The bank cites Hong Kong's close proximity to the Chinese mainland and its role as a regional financial centre as among the reasons for the move.
Leading Dutch services firm sets up for ambitious growth, February 2003
Dutch testing and certification company KEMA Quality B.V. (KEMA) has chosen Hong Kong as its Greater China headquarters and the base for its regional growth.
Comforts designed for visiting executives, February 2003
Hong Kong developers are carving a niche in the fast growing serviced apartment market by offering boutique-style accommodation complete with designer furniture and state-of-the art interior design.
Millions set to say cheese to a snappy initiative, January 2003
Hong Kong is being used as a testing ground for the huge Chinese mainland market by an innovative UK-based technology transfer company that has recently launched digital photo booths in the SAR.
'Natural bridge' a two-way street, January 2003
When Jamie Paton moved to Hong Kong last year to set up a new north Asia office for 3i, the London-based venture capital fund, he expected that, when he wasn't seeking investment opportunities, he would be helping companies in which 3i has a stake to take advantage of what the region has to offer.
Coaches share their winning strategies, January 2003
The increasing number of multinational corporations setting up operations in Hong Kong spurred executive coaches Andrew Atter and Kate Michelson to establish a professional practice.
UK pizza chain finds love at first bite, January 2003
UK-based restaurant chain PizzaExpress is eyeing its share of the China pie following the successful launch of San Marzano, its first operation in Hong Kong.
Cutting-edge technology gives global foothold, January 2003
Frenchman Nicolas Gontard came to Hong Kong in 1988 to fill an unusual order for a customer back home: a watch for Muslims showing praying times and the direction of Mecca. Fourteen years later he is still here, now working at the cutting edge of modern technology, designing and manufacturing a key component for an exciting advance in communications.
An investment hub as safe as houses, December 2002
Hong Kong offers a highly competitive business environment as well as convenient access to north Asia, according to the head of an international property group.
Good health for expatriates worldwide, December 2002
UK-based healthcare provider Goodhealth Worldwide Ltd opened its Asian head office in Hong Kong a few years back to take advantage of opportunities in the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific.
Trendsetting marketplace attracts French designers, November 2002
Hong Kong may be better known around the world as a financial hub, but recently it has been emerging as a significant fashion and lifestyle trendsetter in the region. This has attracted some French design houses to set up shop in Hong Kong.
Armani megastore the largest outside Italy, November 2002
Upmarket Italian fashion retailer Armani Group has recently opened a 3,000 square metre flagship store in Hong Kong, the company's largest in the world outside its base in Milan.
An ideal environment to grow in Asia, November 2002
A leading manufacturer of power transmission, conveyor and processing belts in Switzerland, Habasit AG, has selected Hong Kong as its regional headquarters and fabrication and distribution centre to tap the potential of the growing Greater China market.
Acting locally to build brands globally, October 2002
Swedish-based advertising agency Sandberg Trygg has set up a regional office in Hong Kong as a platform for further expansion in the Chinese mainland and Asia-Pacific.
Two
international leaders in their field "Dutch jeans company Bram's
Paris and London-based corporate communications headhunter
Taylor:Bennett " have made the strategic move to Hong Kong
to capitalise on growing opportunities in the region.
Overseas companies in the media, legal services and garment sectors
have set up bases in Hong Kong citing the SAR as the perfect springboard
to conduct strategic expansion in the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific
region.
Irish software companies can use Hong Kong as a services platform
for tapping into the fast-growing China market, according to the director
for Asia/Middle East of Enterprise Ireland, Michael Garvey.
London-based
luxury hotel chain Le Meridien
has been awarded a 10-year management contract for the only hotel
in Hong Kong's Information Technology (IT) flagship project, Cyberport.
UK-based
Springpoint Limited, a
corporate identity design consultancy, recently opened its Asia-Pacific
headquarters in Hong Kong citing proximity to the Chinese mainland
and the SAR's "can do" spirit among the reasons.
French-based home furnishings company Roche Bobois has recently set
up an office in Hong Kong due to its reputation as a leading design
centre, according to director Tony Luk.
El
Corte Ingles,
the leading retailer in Spain, has set up a buying office in Hong
Kong to capitalise on the growing opportunities arising from China's
imminent accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), said the
director of the company's Hong Kong office Alejo Rodriguez.
Three overseas companies have recently set up offices in Hong Kong,
citing the Chinese mainland's accession to the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) and the SAR's world-class infrastructure as two of the reasons.
Overseas companies have cited proximity to the Chinese mainland and
business opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region as reasons for setting
up regional offices in Hong Kong.
Leading
UK retail group Tesco has established
Hong Kong as its global sourcing superhub by doubling the size of
its office in Kowloon.
Upmarket
Italian luxury group Giorgio
Armani is opening a megastore in Hong Kong next October, the second
in the world after its megastore in Milan's Via Manzoni.
UK-based Footfall Limited has opened its Asia-Pacific headquarters
in Hong Kong as part of its expansion strategy in the region. The
company is a market leader in discreet, automatic pedestrian monitoring
systems, which count visitor numbers in shopping centres for retail
clients.
UK sandwich chain Pret A Manger plans to set up shop in Hong Kong
early next year as a launch pad to the Asia-Pacific region.
British entrepreneur Richard Branson's Virgin Group has unveiled plans
to roll out a pan-Asia FM radio station network from Hong Kong under
the Virgin Radio brand.
International law firm Andersen Legal has joined forces with Hong
Kong's Kwok & Yih to expand its activities in the region. It is
the latest in a series of partnerships involving international practices
establishing a presence in Hong Kong ahead of China's entry to the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the further opening of the mainland's
legal sector.
The international express courier company TNT has opened a new depot
in Hong Kong and plans further expansion to meet surging demand for
distribution and logistics services in the region.
The vast business potential in the Asia-Pacific region and the Chinese
mainland continues to encourage international financial institutions
to set up regional offices in Hong Kong.
Italian luxury brand Gucci has opened a flagship store in Hong Kong.
Located in Canton Road in Kowloon, the 866 square metre store is the
largest of the nine Gucci boutiques in Hong Kong.
Dutch-based ING Group has made Hong Kong its headquarters for expansion
in the Asia-Pacific region following its acquisition of the international
insurance business of US-based Aetna last December. |
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North
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Expansion plans a jewel in the Crowne, July 2003
InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's second largest hotelier by rooms, will carry out major expansion in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland over the next four years bolstered by opportunities presented by the recent Chinese mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership (CEPA) agreement.
US investment and trade office opens in Hong Kong, June 2003
The Nevada Commission on Economic Development (NCED) opened a representative office in Hong Kong recently to promote trade and investment between the SAR and the US state of Nevada.
Many reasons why 'the best place in Asia' beckons, June 2003
Hong Kong is the destination of choice for many executives relocating to Asia, according to American Deborah von Eldik, founder of senior management relocation company Compass Worldwide Limited.
Global direct seller opens flagship store in regional shopping hub, June 2003
US-based Amway Corporation, one of the world's largest direct selling companies, opened its flagship store in Hong Kong recently.
Fashion brand grows in gateway to China, June 2003
New York-based accessories retailer Kate Spade is the latest overseas luxury brand to make its mark in Hong Kong.
Coffee 'king' brews a potent blend, May 2003
Thomas Neir arrived in Hong Kong in 1990 to work as the Asian finance director for a Silicon Valley computer company and discovered a vibrant, buzzing city, but with one thing missing ─ a decent cup of coffee.
Green solutions in a city that's 'ready for recycling', April 2003
Being green comes easily to Lisa Christensen, a Canadian entrepreneur and leading environmentalist. Spotting potential in Hong Kong's burgeoning recycling industry, she founded Ecovision, an environmental consulting firm specialising in waste management strategies and solutions for both the public and private sectors, in 2001.
US fashion leader sets up sourcing centre, April 2003
US apparel business Blair Corporation has opened a sourcing office in Hong Kong, citing the SAR's "long, rich history of textiles and fashion".
'Crucial factors' woo world's biggest hotel discounter, March 2003
US-based Hotels.com, the world's largest specialised provider of discount hotel accommodation, has chosen Hong Kong as its regional base for tapping the vast potential in the Asia-Pacific.
US pizza chain spots recipe for success, March 2003
US-based pizza chain California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) has brought its successful brand to Hong Kong, opening its first restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Magic to happen at Hong Kong's Disney 'blockbuster', January 2003
Promising that Hong Kong Disneyland will be a "truly magical destination'', Walt Disney Company chairman and chief executive Michael D. Eisner joined Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa at Penny's Bay on Lantau Island to break ground on the HK$22.45 billion (US$2.9 billion) undertaking certain to be an irresistible tourist destination.
A tax paradise for the world to share, January 2003
Businesses from around the world can reap Hong Kong's advantages as a tax paradise, according to Elizabeth Thomson, president of financial and taxation services firm ICS Trust.
Unanimous opinion on best base for regional expansion, October 2002
US company ORC International, the global research unit of Opinion Research Corporation, has set up a regional call centre as part of its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong.
US-based
satellite tracking company Aprize
Satellite Limited and BT Group
of the UK, one of the world's leading communications service providers,
are among the latest in a series of multinationals to locate their
Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Hong Kong.
Three
Silicon Valley enterprises are among the first group of companies
to begin operations in the newly opened HK$3.3 billion (US$423 million)
Hong Kong Science and Technology
Park, using Hong Kong as a base to strengthen their presence in
the Asia-Pacific region.
Companies
are moving to Hong Kong at a faster pace than the same period last
year, according to director-general of InvestHK
Mike Rowse. InvestHK helped 30 companies set up operations in the
first quarter.
Priceline,
the US Internet travel service that lets travellers name their own
price for air tickets and hotel rooms, has recently launched its Asian
foray from Hong Kong.
Three overseas technology companies have established bases in Hong
Kong to be nearer to markets in the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific
region.
Apart from being the quintessential world marketplace, Hong Kong is
a gateway to the markets of China and the Asia-Pacific region says
a senior executive of the New York-based Sterling National Bank, which
recently set up a base in Hong Kong.
Two overseas banks, an international film completion guarantor and
a US technology firm have recently set up bases in Hong Kong for expansion
to Asia-Pacific, underlining the SAR's role as a regional financial
hub.
Several overseas information technology (IT) firms have established
regional offices in Hong Kong, continuing strong international interest
in the SAR as the preferred location for multinational corporations
setting up their Asia-Pacific headquarters to access the Chinese mainland.
US-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has opened its new Asian
headquarters in Hong Kong.
Four US companies have recently opened regional offices in Hong Kong
for expansion in the Asia-Pacific region and to access the Chinese
mainland market.
The influx of overseas telecommunications and technology companies
setting up regional operations in Hong Kong to access business opportunities
in the region continues to grow.
A subsidiary of Toys 'R' Us, the leading international toys and games
retailer, has significantly expanded its sourcing operations in Hong
Kong. TRU (HK) Limited, which has 48 employees, has more than doubled
the size of its premises in Tsim Sha Tsui to 2,322 square metres.
Three leading international hotel groups are expanding in Hong Kong
to serve anticipated growth in demand from business travellers.
Three Silicon Valley companies have signed up as tenants at the Science
Park, adding to the growing number of international firms setting
up operations in Hong Kong to access business opportunities in the
region.
A recent influx of information technology and telecommunications companies
underlines Hong Kong's attractiveness as a location for regional headquarters
in the Asia-Pacific.
Hong Kong's strategic location in the Asia-Pacific region and its
role as a gateway to the Chinese mainland are proving a magnet for
overseas telecommunications and information technology (IT) companies.
Asia is the most successful and innovative business model for Coca-Cola's
global operations, according to the company's chairman and chief executive
officer Douglas Daft.
US-based financial adviser Money Concepts recently opened its Asian
headquarters in Hong Kong as part of an expansion plan for the region
and to meet growing demand for long-term investment planning. |
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Hungry for success, restaurateur takes his fill in 'best city in the world', March 2003
Australian businessman Wayne Parfitt has helped himself to a large slice of Hong Kong's hospitality pie since setting up his first Italian-style eatery less than a decade ago.
A stable platform for Asian IT operations, November 2002
A leading Australian provider of IT outsourcing services KAZ Group Ltd has entered into a joint-venture with SAR-based Tradelink Electronic Commerce Ltd, citing Hong Kong's advanced IT infrastructure as one of the main reasons for its presence here.
Partnership a prescription for success, November 2002
Hong Kong and Australian expertise combine to form a winning partnership in Vitapharm Research, a biotech company recently relocated to the SAR as a platform to the Chinese mainland and international markets.
Two Australian SMEs have demonstrated how persistence and a clever
idea can bring business success in Hong Kong.
Australia-based biotechnology company Vital BioTech Holding has become
the first Australian company ever to be listed on the Growth Enterprise
Market (GEM), the second board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE).
Israel's growing concentration of high-tech businesses in Hong Kong
underlines the SAR's role as regional IT hub and a base for Asia-Pacific
expansion, according to Ornit Avidar, commercial attache at the Israeli
Consulate.
Last year Hong Kong attracted US$64 billion in foreign direct investment
(FDI) according to figures released by the Government. This represented
a 160 per cent increase over FDI inflows of US$24 billion in 1999
and a massive 340 per cent increase over FDI inflows of US$15 billion
in 1998.
Hong Kong-based international moving company Crown Worldwide reported
a huge increase in businesspeople relocating to the SAR last year,
reflecting Hong Kong's attractiveness as a base for regional operations.
Hong Kong is the number one centre for regional headquarters in the
Asia-Pacific, according to a survey of North American, European and
Japanese multinational firms on the nature of their activities in
the region.
More than 500 overseas companies set up regional offices in Hong Kong
in the year to 1 June 2000, according to a recent Census and Statistics
Department survey, but the actual figure could now be much higher,
says Director-General of Invest Hong Kong Mike Rowse. |
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