The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrated its 60th anniversary by announcing two major initiatives aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and tapping into new markets. Chairman Professor Frederick Ma outlined the optimizations during a press conference, highlighting the need to adapt to shifting geopolitics, supply chain reconfigurations, and technological advancements.
The first initiative involves an optimization of the corporate structure, reorganizing the HKTDC’s services around six industry clusters: Finance and Professional Services; Global Network and Supply Chain; Technology and Digital Innovation; Wellness and Creative Industries; Consumer Goods and Lifestyle; and Corporate Development. This cluster approach is designed to enhance efficiency and drive innovation by fostering synergy among teams and providing more comprehensive, integrated solutions. Executive Director Sophia Chong explained that stakeholders across industries can now access one-stop support through a single point of contact, whether they seek market intelligence, exhibition participation, investor matching, or expansion into new markets.
The second initiative focuses on resource optimization to tap into high-growth emerging markets. The HKTDC operates 51 offices worldwide and plans to reconfigure its global network to capture opportunities in regions such as Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Specifically, the Council will enhance resources at its consultant office in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to strengthen support in Central Asia, and boost operations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Middle East. A new consultant office will be established in Cairo, Egypt, to leverage opportunities from the economic corridor spanning Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Additionally, capabilities in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile (which will also oversee Peru), will be strengthened to capture opportunities in the Global South. In ASEAN, the HKTDC will intensify promotional work in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines, while also enhancing its presence in Istanbul and Warsaw.
Professor Ma emphasized that these changes reflect a forward-looking approach to support Hong Kong’s role as a superconnector. The optimizations align with Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan and contribute to national development strategies. The HKTDC will continue to maintain two-way trade with traditional markets like North America, encouraging U.S. and Canadian enterprises to participate in its activities. The London office will expand its responsibilities to oversee promotion in Nordic markets.
These initiatives come as businesses face challenges from changing geopolitics and supply chain reconfigurations. By adopting a customer-centric, industry-focused approach, the HKTDC aims to provide global solutions that leverage Hong Kong’s unique position connecting Mainland China with the world. The Council will support Mainland enterprises in going global and encourage international companies to use Hong Kong as a base for expansion. For more details, the presentation is available at https://bit.ly/3ThqfX8 and photos at https://bit.ly/4wUoMEA.
