Corporate coaches Kate Michelson and Andrew Atter found that Hong Kong’s large concentration of multinational companies provided a strong client base

Their firm, Corporate Coaching Partners, was founded in December 2001, bringing to Hong Kong executive coaching services of the kind now widely practised in the US and UK.

Business has been brisk and the partners have found Hong Kong an effective platform to other parts of the region. In just 12 months, they have also provided services for their Hong Kong clients in the Chinese mainland, Jakarta, Singapore and Seoul.

Mr Atter is originally from the UK, and Ms Michelson originally from the US. The third partner in the business is Bernard Miu, a Hong Kong professional with international experience.

Ms Michelson explained that executive coaching is being used increasingly in the globally-competitive corporate environment to accelerate the development of high-value employees considered essential to a company.

"Coaching focuses leaders on real business issues such as improving performance, managing a new technology or organisational change, delivering results from a merger or acquisition, or maximising the human talent available to the business in real time," she said.

"The coaching process focuses on achieving a sustainable balance between the needs of the individual leader and the organisational goals." 

Hong Kong was chosen as the company's base because it offers easy travelling within the region, and an established professional services infrastructure.

"As expatriates, we found it very easy and transparent to set up a business in Hong Kong," Ms Michelson said. "You can get the information you want, and you can choose the level of support required. Even though we are doing work all over Asia, we will keep our regional office in Hong Kong."

A strong incentive was the number of multinational companies - and thereby a potential client base - in Hong Kong.

"All the major companies we deal with have offices in Hong Kong. It is a great place to do business from, a great place to meet people, and the right platform for taking our business around the region."

Related link:
Corporate Coaching Partners www.corporatecoachingpartners.com