The Chamber was delighted to host Lincoln Pan, CEO of Jardine Matheson, one of HKGCC’s founding members, for a fireside chat as part of our flagship “CEO 123 Tell Me More” Series on 10 June.
Jardines and the Chamber are both deeply rooted in the history of Hong Kong. It is a shared legacy that dates all the way back to the HKGCC’s founding in 1861.
Drawing on Jardines’ deep-rooted presence in Hong Kong, Pan discussed how the organisation is finding ways to evolve alongside the city. As a corporation built on trust, Pan emphasised that while evolution is necessary, it should remain firmly grounded in the company’s long-standing values and heritage.
“We want to get into partnerships which last, are committed, and are built on trust and fairness for both parties. This is Jardines’ ethos and we want to preserve that. At the same time, we must ensure that our legacy supports our ability to evolve and grow into the future,” he said, while discussing the path forward for the nearly 200-year-old corporation.
That evolution is already under way at Jardines. The company’s recent investment in I-MED, a radiology network across Australia and New Zealand, has helped the firm diversify its portfolio into new industries and markets in developed Asia Pacific.
He noted that this is just the first step, “this is how we evolve the group. We are trying to become more thoughtful about reallocating capital in ways that support improving our quality of earnings.” Pan added that Jardines will need to continue to be proactive in identifying new avenues to deploy capital, generate returns and balance risks.
Chamber members participated enthusiastically in the Q&A session with Lincoln Pan, engaging in discussions on wide ranging topics. Pan offered thorough responses to questions surrounding challenges of managing portfolios in private equity firms versus conglomerates, the listing landscape in the city, and Jardines’ long-term regional ambitions.
The “CEO 123 Tell Me More” Series is a monthly initiative designed to bring forth distinguished speakers from academic, business, and cultural circles in a relaxed, friendly setting. It provides a platform for thought leadership and meaningful dialogue on Hong Kong’s ever-evolving business landscape.