 Hong
Kong's international business community continues to welcome
newcomers from a variety of industries from around the world.
From New Zealand comes the luxury coffee shop Fuel Espresso,
which opened its first location in the International Finance
Centre Mall in Central. The shop targets coffee lovers who
savour exquisite coffee and fashionable Italian style. Founder
Mr. Sanjay Ponnapa said the company had chosen Hong Kong for its
first overseas presence because of its cosmopolitan food
culture, proximity to Mainland China and its growing role as a
trendsetter in the region.
 British
firm Meridian International Marketing (Asia) Limited took
advantage of the opportunities offered by the Closer Economic
Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), a WTO-plus free trade agreement
between Hong Kong and Mainland China, by launching its services
in Hong Kong. The company's Managing Director, Mr. Brian McLean,
described Hong Kong as the ideal location: "a central hub
between the Eastern and Western world."
 Japan's
oldest auction house, Est-Ouest Auctions, established a presence
in Hong Kong with the launch of a Hong Kong auction series in
November. As the first Japanese auction house to hold sales in
Hong Kong, Est-Ouest plans to, through Hong Kong, further
develop the company's international reach and "help promote
Japanese art and culture to other parts of the region," said the
company's President, Mr. Takashi Seki.
 The
Australian online cruise travel agency, ecruising Asia Pacific
Limited, has opened regional headquarters in Hong Kong. Founder
and General Manager of ecruising Asia Pacific Limited, Mr. Brett
Dudley, said, "ecruising chose Hong Kong mainly due to the level
of government support and the city's simple tax structure,
central location in the region and the ease of doing business."
Regester Larkin, a UK crisis and issues management consultancy,
has opened an Asia Pacific office in Hong Kong which will serve
as a regional hub, offering a full range of consulting, analysis
and training services. Describing this as a major step in the
company expansion, founder Mr. Mike Regester said, "We are
looking forward to working more intensively in Hong Kong and the
rest of Asia Pacific."
Yoga-inspired Canadian athletic apparel company, lululemon
athletica, has opened its first Asia-Pacific retail showroom in
Hong Kong, a latest addition to its 90 locations across North
America and Australia. The new showroom will be a hub for the
Hong Kong health and fitness community, as well as a regional
hub covering Japan and the Greater China markets. |
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