“I have been with the company for 13 years, starting as a junior sales person and ending up as managing director after buying out the existing shareholders and later, three months ago, selling the company to a US buyer.

The scope for personal advancement is tremendous in Hong Kong. As a member of the golf club I can potentially sit at the same table as the chairmen of a number of listed companies, so the opportunities for networking with decision-makers are much greater in Hong Kong than anywhere else. This is particularly beneficial for a young person in business.

With so many multinational companies based in Hong Kong, there is a good concentration of top corporate decision-makers whom I am able to meet with quickly and easily.

It is easy to grow business here because of the availability of qualified personnel, who are educated, speak good English and have an understanding of foreign culture. And the work ethic of the Hong Kong people is unlike any other in the world.

In our business where we are mostly buying from China, we can have samples here on the same day, achieving a quick turnaround that would be difficult to match elsewhere in the region. A customer can come to Hong Kong, see us as the people responsible for taking care of their accounts, talk about those issues and then go and see a selection of factories in China, all in one trip.

There is no restriction on moving capital in and out of Hong Kong and this also helps business grow. Hong Kong has great infrastructure, five-star hotels and a magnificent airport. Visitors are pleased to come here, and that makes Hong Kong stand out in the region.

The duty free port makes it simple to import from Europe and the US; the telecommunications system is reliable, world class and inexpensive; taxes are low and simple.

With the currency being pegged to the US dollar, there is no fluctuation between the price we quote a customer and the price at the time the order is concluded.

As China enters the World Trade Organisation, I see even more scope for our company’s growth. Forty per cent of what’s made in China flows through Hong Kong and if more products come out of China because the duty makes them more competitive, the total figure will increase which will only benefit Hong Kong’s economy.

I have been in Hong Kong for over 30 years and just experiencing the day-to-day activities of Hong Kong is beneficial to anyone.”