HK offers accountants a healthy bottom line (hktdc.com)


	Andrew Brushfield of Robert Half International explains why finance professionals are better off in Hong Kong

Hong Kong will continue to maintain its leading position as a magnet for finance and accounting professionals, a survey by Robert Half International, the world’s largest finance and recruitment firm, shows.

Results from the International Financial Salary Guide 2007 reveal it is a good time to be seeking a role in Hong Kong, according to Andrew Brushfield, Director, Robert Half International Hong Kong. “A general shortage of professionals has pushed up the salary levels and certain market sectors are experiencing great demand. This has had a significant impact on remuneration.”

The survey found that senior treasurers in Hong Kong can earn around HK$200,000 (US$26,000) more per year than their counterparts in London and New York, and up to HK$100,000 ($US13,000) more than those in Singapore. Tax managers and internal auditors also have a better chance of commanding more salary in Hong Kong.

“The right professional in the right position can certainly make more money (here) than in any other market in the world,” Mr Brushfield said.

Attractive location

He added that Hong Kong as a location was a drawcard for globally-focused professionals. “Expatriates are attracted to Hong Kong’s booming economy, its lifestyle and tax rates,” he said.

New York-listed Robert Half International was itself drawn to Hong Kong, opening an office in the Landmark, Central, in late 2006. The company has more than 350 offices throughout Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North America and Europe, and offers worldwide job search services online.

Mr Brushfield said the Hong Kong office was a strategic addition to the Robert Half International network because of its status as a key financial centre.

“We really needed to be here,” he said. “What Hong Kong offered us was solid infrastructure for business, a strong mix of MNCs (multinational corporations) and local companies across a broad range of industries, and a relatively mature recruitment market. Importantly, we saw our competitors in the market as not having the same strategy as us, so we saw opportunity there.”

Adding value

The firm’s Hong Kong financial staffing divisions include Robert Half Financial Services Group, specialising in the placement of finance and operations professionals in the banking, brokerage and investment industries, and Robert Half Finance & Accounting, which works with organisations of all sizes to fill finance and accounting positions on both a full time and project basis.

Adopting a personalised approach to finding the right professionals for its clients, Mr Brushfield said the firm has designed a system that speeds up the recruitment process from the industry average of 10 weeks to less than six weeks to fill a vacancy, without compromising on quality.

“Robert Half prides itself on the value-added services it offers clients, such as the development of competitive compensation packages and guidance on the most efficient allocation of human resources for major initiatives,” he added.