Guy Bradley, Chairman of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd. and HKGCC Deputy Chairman, kicked off our “Dialogue with the General Committee” series for 2025 on 21 January. In an engaging conversation with Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung.
In a lively conversation with Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung, he reflected on his remarkable journey with Swire, which began in 1987 when he first arrived in Hong Kong.
“While all my classmates headed to London to take up jobs as bankers and consultants, I decided to venture out in Asia and see what was going on in this part of the world businesswise,” Bradley recalled, nothing that Hong Kong was the clear choice due to its status as a robust financial centre with diverse job opportunities.
He shed light on the city’s incredible growth over the past three decades, highlighting its unique advantages, particularly its strong ties to the Mainland. Despite its small economy and domestic market, he emphasized that being part of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) – with a total population of nearly 90 million and a combined GDP exceeding RMB 14 trillion – has elevated Hong Kong to a significant global position. He views Hong Kong’s role in the GBA as a key development in the coming years, and stressed the need for enhanced infrastructure links to strengthen this position.
Bradley said Hong Kong’s geographic proximity to Mainland China offers a competitive edge over alternatives like Singapore. As the city continues to evolve within China’s broader narrative, its advantages will become even more pronounced.
With Swire as a century-long member of the Chamber, he underscored HKGCC’s unique position in terms of being international. “What Hong Kong needs now is to get its message across, ensuring the world knows that it has great potential and offers many opportunities. This is what the Chamber excels in and is doing now, with several overseas missions in the pipeline,” he explained.
Swire is actively seeking to expand into new areas of operation beyond Hong Kong to complement its existing portfolio. As part of its diversification strategy, the group recently invested in a hospital chain in Indonesia and operates hospitals in Shenzhen and Shanghai. It has also acquired the Coca-Cola franchise in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
“Property development remains our largest business, with six new projects underway in Mainland cities such as Beijing, Xi’an and Guangzhou. Additionally, our aviation sector is experiencing significant growth, with Cathay’s low-cost carrier HK Express named the world’s fastest-growing airline in 2024, expanding into various new destinations in Asia,” he said.
Looking ahead, Bradley expressed optimism for the business community, emphasizing Hong Kong’s remarkable ability to recover and adapt. “Anyone who believed the city would not change post-1997 was short-sighted. Indeed, it has evolved powerfully, especially with the support of the Chinese economy.”
In the near term, Hong Kong still faces challenges due to the ongoing economic cycle, which has also impacted China, primarily within the property sector, creating a sense of caution in both economies. “However, things are beginning to improve, particularly in the Mainland, where the residential market is slowly getting back on its feet,” he noted. “We can expect to see an increase in consumption.”