The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) marked its 60th anniversary by unveiling two major optimisation initiatives designed to enhance operational efficiency and capture opportunities in high-growth emerging markets. Chairman Professor Frederick Ma announced the restructuring of the council's services into six industry clusters and a reconfiguration of its global network resources to better support Hong Kong companies amid shifting geopolitical landscapes, supply chain reconfigurations, and technological advancements.
The first initiative, optimising corporate structure, involves reorganising HKTDC's functions into six sector 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 aims to improve efficiency, deepen sector knowledge, and foster synergy among teams. Executive Director Sophia Chong explained that the new structure allows stakeholders to access comprehensive, integrated solutions through a single point of contact, whether they need market intelligence, exhibition participation, investor matching, or expansion into new markets.
The second initiative focuses on optimising resources to tap new markets. HKTDC currently operates 51 offices worldwide, and as global economic momentum shifts toward emerging markets, the council is reallocating resources to capture opportunities in high-growth regions. Chairman Ma highlighted the success of a recent mission to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which opened doors for Hong Kong enterprises. Consequently, HKTDC will strengthen its consultant office in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to bolster support in Central Asia. In the Middle East, resources will be enhanced at the consultant office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. To leverage opportunities from the economic corridor spanning Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, a new consultant office will be established in Cairo, Egypt. Additionally, capabilities will be strengthened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, to capture opportunities in the Global South, while promotional work will be reinforced in ASEAN countries including Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Capabilities in Istanbul and Warsaw will also be enhanced. In traditional markets, HKTDC will maintain two-way trade and investment with 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.
Chairman Ma expressed gratitude to the Chief Executive for leading the successful mission to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which generated many potential opportunities. He emphasised that the optimisations reflect HKTDC's forward-looking approach to proactively respond to future challenges and opportunities. By adopting a customer-centric, industry-focused approach, HKTDC aims to help enterprises develop promotional strategies with comprehensive global solutions that leverage Hong Kong's unique role in connecting Mainland China and the world, align with Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan, and contribute to national development.
Looking ahead, HKTDC will continue to adapt to changes in the global economic and trading landscape, further leveraging Hong Kong's strengths as a superconnector and super value-adder. The council will support Chinese Mainland enterprises in using Hong Kong's international advantages and networks to go global, while encouraging more international companies to use Hong Kong as a base for their global expansion. More details can be found in the presentation download at https://bit.ly/3ThqfX8 and photo download at https://bit.ly/4wUoMEA. For information on HKTDC’s 60th anniversary activities, visit https://60.hktdc.com/en.
