After over three years as Chamber CEO, I will step down from my role at the end of this month. It has been a privilege to serve the HKGCC, which is Hong Kong’s oldest and most influential business organization. I have had the honour of working shoulder to shoulder with the city’s aspiring, hardworking business community, from titans of industry and entrepreneurs to multinational corporations and SMEs.
I also had the pleasure of serving the Chamber’s varied membership, who have played an invaluable part in supporting my work. I would like to thank members of the General Committee and the committees’ leadership, whose collective expertise and knowledge as business leaders ensures that the Chamber continues to uphold its storied 162-year history as a leading business organization.
I am especially grateful to current Chairman Betty Yeun and former Chairman Peter Wong, who have striven to lead the Chamber with fortitude and foresight in the face of unprecedented challenges these past few years. While I was at the helm, I would like to believe that I have succeeded in some way towards maintaining the stability and credibility of the Chamber during such critical moments.
Advocacy and policy work lie at the very heart of everything the Chamber stands for. While the pandemic-induced disruptions of the past three years threw a spoke in the wheels of economic progress around the world and especially in Hong Kong, we continued to actively lobby the Government on various issues, from easing pandemic-related measures to providing financial support for struggling firms.
We also redoubled our efforts to help the Hong Kong community recover. We conducted a highly successful HK$43 million city-wide vaccination lucky draw, which helped boost the jab rate remarkably. We handed out 4,800 anti-pandemic and food packages worth more than HK$3.6 million to the underprivileged, and hosted an anniversary charity golf tournament that raised HK$300,000 for the protection of children.
Eight scholarships for brilliant students were introduced to celebrate our 160th anniversary, and over 1,600 internship positions have been provided to local undergraduates. We also organized our annual photography competition to showcase the city’s appeal as a business city. As restrictions were eased, we held many well-received signature events – including the successful 160+1 Gala Dinner featuring Government and business leaders, and the long-awaited HKGCC Business Summit.
Our member surveys and press statements made a huge impact on various economic and social issues, and were widely reported in media. I would like to thank everyone who responded, as this helped consolidate our position as the “Voice of Business.”
While we managed to achieve many successes, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. For the city to cement its status as a competitive global business hub, we have to work together to uplift struggling sectors and address issues including the talent shortage to seek swift economic revival.
As the indomitable “Voice of Business” in Hong Kong, I wish the Chamber every success as it ensures that the needs of the business community are heard and met. Last but not least, I would like to sincerely thank the Chamber’s staff for their hard work, as well as all our members for their loyal support these past three years, which I am sure will also be extended to my successor, allowing him to lead the Chamber as it rises to the next level.
George Leung
[email protected]