Your AmCham just held its first Ball since the last one four years ago, and it was very well-received, with great fun being had by almost 400 guests under the theme of “The Future is Now”. It was a celebration of how technology permeates our lives on a daily basis in a way that is no longer “science fiction”.
On Thanksgiving Day, AmCham leadership will have a chance to dine with HKSAR government officials, an AmCham tradition reflecting our appreciation for their support of Chamber mission. On the evening before that, November 22, I know that many of you will be at our packed Hub for our very own Thanksgiving celebration! Finally, a Distinguished Speakers Series speech featuring Schneider Electric Chairman Jean-Pascal Tricoire, an ESG Conference, and a Google-Sponsored Smart City Innovation Series session top off our year’s very full programming.
As the year winds down, AmCham is also very busy with advocacy efforts. The Business Sentiment Survey which we hope you are filling out is a way to help us formulate our advocacy. Please express your views on the Hong Kong business environment through our Survey. In addition, several of the suggestions in our 49-page Policy Address Submission found their way into the HKSAR Government Policy Address. If you have not received a copy of the comparison between our submission and the Policy Address itself, let us know and we will send you one. You will find our overall assessment of the Policy Address to be positive, in its promise to address the talent issue with more coordination, the attraction of strategic enterprises with more urgency, the problem with affordable housing with new measures, and improvement of the governance of the SAR Government. However, we continue to urge more emphasis by the SAR Government on maintaining our “Two Systems” characteristic, something AmCham deems vital to strengthening Hong Kong’s positioning as an international business city. But in general, the Policy Address gives a good blueprint for Hong Kong in the next year, as it continues on its road to economic revitalization.
In this second issue of this AmCham e-Magazine, you will find a Cover Story on Hong Kong as a creative hub, a CEO Interview with Harshika Patel, Asia Chief Executive of JP Morgan’s Asia Private Bank and Hong Kong CEO, articles on a couple of technology member companies and on Web 3 and Fintech Week by the organizer, Karena Belin, as well as highlights of some of our recent events. I hope you enjoy reading our e-Magazine!