AmCham's new Beijing-born Chairman shares insights on Hong Kong's future
AmCham’s new Beijing-born Chairman shares insights on Hong Kong’s future
despite challenges and uncertainties ahead
James Sun, the incoming 2012 AmCham Chairman, today highlighted the Chamber’s continuing commitment in helping Hong Kong to strengthen and enhance its competitiveness in the challenging global economic environment.
Beijing-born Chinese American Sun is the Managing Director and Responsible Officer of Charles Schwab, Hong Kong, Ltd., overseeing its business in Asia. He oversees the business in Hong Kong, and other key markets including China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Reflecting upon AmCham’s 43 years of service in Hong Kong, Sun emphasized that the Chamber and its members have a rich legacy of working with the governments of Hong Kong, China and the United States, as well as with the business community. He celebrated the tremendous amount of intelligence and experience of the Chamber with 1,850 international members from a wide variety of businesses, backgrounds and talents.
In 2012, Sun stated that AmCham would focus on three key priorities that would better serve its members and enhance Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s world city.
1.Proactive Participation in China’s 12th Five-Year Plan – The Chamber regards the 12th Five-Year Plan’s chapter on Hong Kong as a roadmap for identifying business opportunities and will proactively engage in empowering Hong Kong as a two-way bridge for trade and investment between China and the world, being both a “Gateway Into China” and a “Gateway Out of China”.
2.Hong Kong Competitiveness – Hong Kong being a First-Rate City needs First-Rate Air Quality, and the Chamber will urge the Government to adopt a “Carrot and Stick” approach to deal with road side pollution and energy efficiency problems; and Hong Kong being Asia’s World City needs World Class Talents, and the Chamber will urge the Government to strengthen education and training of human capital.
3.Effective Coordination with other Regional Business Organizations – AmCham is eager to work closely with other business organizations in Hong Kong and China to create synergies that will strengthen Hong Kong service industries, and help business development.
Sun further stated that the Chamber will continue advocating for the modernization of the US tax law which will bring more investment and jobs for American companies, American citizens and the US in general, and hence will raise US competitiveness.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties ahead, Sun emphasized that AmCham is optimistic about Hong Kong’s future and the Chamber leadership and staff all look forward to an exciting and rewarding Year of the Dragon.
Sun succeeds Robert Chipman, Chief Executive Officer of Asian Tigers KC Dat, in leading Hong Kong’s largest international chamber of commerce.
A copy of the Chairman’s Inaugural Address and photos of Chairman James Sun and President Richard Vuylsteke is available at: www.amcham.org.hk
New AmCham Chairman Confident Hong Kong will be able to Continue "Building on Success"
ATTN: NEWS / BUSINESS EDITORS
New AmCham Chairman Confident Hong Kong will be able to Continue “Building on Success”
Robert Chipman, the incoming 2011 AmCham Chairman, today emphasized the Chamber’s continuing commitment in helping Hong Kong to maintain and enhance its competitiveness in an ever challenging and global economy.
Chipman – Chief Executive Officer of Asian Tigers KC Dat, a leading executive relocation firm headquartered in Hong Kong – praised Hong Kong’s unrivaled ability to adjust and reinvent itself to adapt to new circumstances, especially during the recent global economic downturn. However, Chipman warned Hong Kong not to “rest on its laurels” and instead advised it to continue focusing on maintaining its core industries while developing new competencies in other areas. What is important in addressing the current challenges, Chipman said, is how well Hong Kong can focus on issues ranging from “responding to the competitive challenges from other cities in the region, in particular Shanghai and Singapore, seizing the opportunities from increased integration with the Pearl River Delta, dealing with the rising costs of doing business in Hong Kong, to tackling air pollution and other environmental matters.”
Referring to AmCham’s 42-year history in Hong Kong, Chipman also emphasized that the Chamber and its members have a rich legacy of working closely with the government and the community to build business competitiveness and encourage the expansion of the HKSAR’s core competencies. In 2011, Chipman said that AmCham would especially focus on three priority areas that would better serve its members and enhance Hong Kong’s world city status by: - Expanding its China agenda, leveraging Hong Kong’s world-class professional services to make Hong Kong the investment gateway of choice for going both into and out of China.
- Continuing to address environmental and related infrastructure issues, with special emphasis on roadside air pollution.
- Urging Hong Kong to become a global education & talent center - reaching out to students and institutions around the world to study or set up operations in Hong Kong - while also encouraging the government to expand its current educational facilities to accommodate more international students.
Overall, Chipman highlighted the optimism held by the American business community for the continued growth of Hong Kong. However, he emphasized that growth does not come without challenges, and that those challenges would need to be addressed through clear leadership and bold actions. Chipman reiterated that the Chamber stood ready to face those challenges with Hong Kong moving forward. Chipman succeeds Michael S. Brown, Managing Director & Asia Corporate Banking Head of JP Morgan Chase Bank, in leading Hong Kong’s largest foreign chamber of commerce.
For inquiries, please contact Government Relations Executive, Mr. Dannio Chan at 2530-6917, or by email:
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A copy of the Chairman’s Inaugural Address and photos of Chairman Robert Chipman and President Richard Vuylsteke will be made available at: www.amcham.org.hk
On Saturday, April 24, 2010, The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham) welcomed over 450 distinguished guests to a spectacular gala event that was themed, Jazz It Up!, at the Grand Hyatt hotel ballroom.It was a nostalgic evening embracing classic blues music from the 1920’s speakeasy clubs with swaying tunes from jazz giants like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald among others.
Guests were delighted by the exquisite and opulent decor and treated with an unforgettable fine dining and entertainment experience.Talented jazz pianist and composer Allen Youngblood and his band charmed the guests by filling the cozy ballroom with timeless classics in celebration of the great Swing Era. Afterwards the 9th State band took center stage and kicked off the sizzling dance portion with their infectious pop tunes which had the guests dancing the blues away late into the night.Raffle tickets were sold to raise funds for the AmCham Charitable Foundation and by the end of the night, the Chamber had raised HK$144,600 for charitable causes.The winning list of the fantastic raffle prizes that were drawn is posted on the AmCham website (http://www.amcham.org.hk/index.php/AmCham-Ball-2010.html) and will be published in The Standardand Sing Tao Daily newspapers on May 4, 2010.
In his comments about the event, AmCham Chairman Michael Brown said, “The sellout crowd and strong raffle ticket sales at the ball reflected very positive signs to the Chamber.It reinforces the sentiment that the economic environment is improving and our members’ strong commitment in contributing back to the Hong Kong community through the AmCham Charitable Foundation programs.”
A-123: Ms. Dong Jiayang, Chief Representative, CCPIT/CCOIC Representative Office in HK & Macau, Mr. Wang Hui, Deputy Director-General, The Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr. Richard Vuylsteke, AmCham President, and Mr. Feng Hongzhang, President, HK Chinese Enterprises Association.
E-1032: AmCham Chairman Michael Brown and wife Katherine, AmCham Executive Committee Member Charlie Wellins and wife Evelyn, and AmCham Vice Chairman Robert Chipman.
Spotlights on Women Visionaries and Leaders at the Women of Influence Awards Ceremony
November 6, 2009, Hong Kong – Three outstanding businesswomen and an international company well regarded for its support for women in the workforce received joyous support and applause for earning the “Women of Influence” Awards this year.Organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham) in association with the South China Morning Post, the awards seek to recognize and honor the accomplishments and success of these leaders in our community as they provide great inspiration for many other women to excel in their professions and for companies to support women in work life balance.
“Each year we recognize individual achievement as well as working women the opportunity to meet role models. Here are some women who are living big, widely successful lives.And that inspires us to live big lives too," said Ms. Maura Fallon, who chairs the AmCham Women of Influence Committee."All in all, this day is uplifting and energizing.
At a formal awards ceremony today, the following outstanding women for the three award categories were announced:
Ms. Eva Ip, Managing Director, Transaction Advisory Services of Ernst & Young Transactions Ltd., a professional who is under 40 and has achieved inspirational business success, received the Young Achiever of the Year award;
Ms. Esther Ma, CEO and Founder of Prestique Limited, who demonstrated outstanding success in running her own business, received the Entrepreneur of the Year award;
Ms. Vivian Lau, CEO of Junior Achievement Hong Kong & HK Petrochemical Co. Limited, who has successfully become an influential and leading practitioner in her chosen professional field, received the Professional of the Year award.
“The judges had a very difficult job this year as quality of the some 50 nominations received for the 4 award categories was exceptional," remarked Mrs. Sheila Chuang, Senior VP of ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Vice Chair of the Amcham WOI Committee and Chair of the judging committee for the WOI Awards."We couldn't help but marvel at the amazing accomplishments in so many different aspects by so many women in Hong Kong.Many judges indicated that it was a truly humbling while at the same time inspiring experience."Mrs. Chuang said.
The Best Company for Women Award went to Cisco Systems (HK) Limited, for having exhibited exceptional achievements in supporting the development of women in business and in providing work life balance programs aimed at empowering women to pursue business careers and personal development.
This is the fourth year that AmCham has partnered with the South China Morning Post to identify and spotlight Hong Kong’s Women of Influence and is the sixth year since AmCham founded and spearheaded this much-anticipated annual event.
This year’s WOI Conference & Awards are generously sponsored by Morgan Stanley, Citi, Tiffany & Co., Coca-Cola Pacific, FedEx Express, Goldman Sachs, Kellogg-HKUST Business School, Marriott International Inc., and Walmart Asia.
"We believe it is important to develop and recognize female role models," remarked Mr. Eddie Ahmed, Managing Director and Head of Human Resources, Asia for Morgan Stanley who also oversees the Firm's Talent Management Committee for the region. "This is why we find this program so attractive and have supported it since its inception. Through our support, we want to help showcase best practices for companies and help women make an even greater impact in their organizations and in their communities."
Nominations to the awards were received from June to September this year. More than 50 entries were submitted for the Awards. A panel of 12 judges reviewed this year’s nominations; they include:
Ms. Ingrun Alsleben, Chief Financial Officer,Bayer Group Companies in HK, Bayer
Ms. Jenny Bowen, Founder & Executive Director, Half the Sky Foundation
Ms. Janet De Silva, Director, Retail Asia Ltd.
Ms. ChristinaEllerker, VP, Regulatory Affairs, AP (ex-Japan), Moody’s Asia Pacific Ltd.
Ms. Michele Felder, Senior Director of Marketing, AP, Juniper Networks
(Winners of 2009 Women of Influence awards from the right: Ms Eva Ip, Ms. Esther Ma, Ms. Vivian Lau, and Ms. Sabrina Lin representing Cisco Systems HK Limited.)
Biography of winners for the three individual categories can be found at:
For inquiries, please contact Mr. Mark Wong, Public Affairs Manager, on 2530-6917 or
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About the Women of Influence Awards
Organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong in association with the South China Morning Post, the awards seek to recognize and honor the best that Hong Kong has produced and to provide inspiration to other women.Past winners of individual categories awards in 2008 and 2007 include Ms. Uhi MC Hui, Ms. Elizabeth L. Thomson, Ms. Julia Charlton, Ms. Barbara Wong, Ms. Jenny Bowen, and Ms. Miriam Lau. More details about the past WOI Awards recipients can be found at:http://www.amcham.org.hk/content/view/5789/554/
All individuals connected with AmCham, South China Morning Post, Women of Influence Committee, as well as all sponsoring companies of the event and the employees of those companies, were not eligible for entry to the Awards.
About The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
AmCham Hong Kong is the largest and most active international business association in the Special Administrative Region with about 1,800 members representing almost 700 American, Hong Kong, Chinese and other international companies from over 30 different nationalities. The SAR represents the regional headquarters for about 290 U.S. companies. For more information about AmCham Hong Kong, please visit www.amcham.org.hk
About TheSouth China Morning Post
First published in 1903, The South China Morning Post is the flagship publication of the SCMP Group Limited, a leading newspaper and magazine publisher listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK: 583). The paper has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It has won 32 awards in 2006 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability.
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