Pictured at the opening in Hong Kong of Dutch bank F. van Lanschot Bankiers N.V. are, from left: Dutch consul-general A.C. Brouwer, Financial Services Secretary Frederick Ma, managing director of van Lanschot Asia Ltd Eric Kampman, bank board member Carel N van der Spek, and director-general of Invest Hong Kong Mike Rowse

Eric Kampman, managing director of Van Lanschot Asia Ltd - a subsidiary of F. van Lanschot Bankiers - said research by the bank showed that about 25 per cent of all high net-worth individuals (HNWIS) in the world live in Asia, totalling some 1.7 million people.

"Hong Kong is indeed the gateway to Asian private investors and our main target, the Asian HNWIS. Apart from the fact that there is a high density of HNWIS in Hong Kong, the city offers the huge hinterland of China," Mr Kampman said.

He said many HNWIS and people working for multinationals have reaped the fruits of economic growth, particularly in the so-called Tiger economies - Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore - in the past 20 years. "Research shows that these people have a strong need for asset advice, asset management and estate planning."

Mr Kampman says Hong Kong's lack of hierarchy and its business-oriented environment is good for banking. "Hong Kong is the absolute profit centre for most of the foreign banks operating in Asia. We believe that the success rate has proven higher in Hong Kong."

With total assets of HK$90 billion (10.7 billion euros) in 2001, F.van Lanschot Bankiers N.V. is the sixth largest Dutch private and business bank, established in 1737. Outside the Netherlands, the bank has operations in Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Curacao and Jersey (UK), besides the representative office in Hong Kong.

Related links:
van Lanschot  www.vanlanschot.com
Invest Hong Kong www.investhk.gov.hk