The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrated its 60th anniversary by announcing two major initiatives: optimising its corporate structure through an industry cluster approach and reconfiguring its global network resources to tap high-growth emerging markets. Chairman Professor Frederick Ma unveiled the plans, which aim to enhance efficiency, drive innovation, and help Hong Kong companies capture opportunities in regions such as Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The first optimisation 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. Executive Director Sophia Chong explained that this cluster approach enhances operational efficiency and sector knowledge, enabling teams to provide more comprehensive and integrated solutions. Companies can now access one-stop support through a single point of contact for market intelligence, exhibitions, conferences, overseas missions, investor matching, production expansion, or market entry.
The second optimisation focuses on reallocating resources to emerging markets. HKTDC currently operates 51 offices worldwide, but with global economic momentum shifting towards emerging markets, the council is strengthening its presence in key locations. Professor Ma highlighted that HKTDC will enhance its consultant office in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to support Central Asia; strengthen resources in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the Middle East; and open a new consultant office in Cairo, Egypt, to bolster its presence in Africa. Additionally, capabilities will be strengthened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, to capture opportunities in the Global South. In ASEAN, HKTDC will enhance promotional work in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines, while also boosting capabilities in Istanbul and Warsaw.
For 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 council will also expand the responsibilities of its London office to oversee the Nordic markets. Professor Ma emphasised that these optimisations reflect HKTDC's forward-looking approach to responding proactively to future challenges and opportunities, aligning with Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan and contributing to the country's development.
Looking ahead, HKTDC will continue to leverage Hong Kong's unique role as a superconnector and super value-adder, supporting Chinese Mainland enterprises to go global and encouraging international companies to use Hong Kong as a base for expansion. For more information, visit the HKTDC's 60th Anniversary Celebration Activities page at https://60.hktdc.com/en and the HKTDC Media Room at https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en.
