HKTDC Marks a New Beginning on its 60th Anniversary with Two Major Optimisations

HONG KONG, July 24, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - Faced with changing geopolitics, supply chain reconfigurations and the rise of new technology and its impact, businesses face a plethora of challenges, raising the demand for support. As the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, the Chairman of the HKTDC, Professor Frederick Ma, announced today two major initiatives for the organisation: (i) Optimising Corporate Structure by reorganising its services based on an industry cluster approach to enhance efficiency and to drive innovation, and (ii) Optimising Resources to tap new markets, whereby HKTDC's global network resources will be reconfigured to help Hong Kong companies capture opportunities in high-growth emerging markets, including Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, said: "I am pleased to lead the HKTDC to embark on a new chapter as we celebrate our 60th anniversary. These two optimisations reflect our forward-looking and innovative approach in responding proactively to future challenges and opportunities. By optimising our corporate structure and resource allocation around the world, we adopt a customer-centric, industry-focused approach to target high-growth emerging markets. This will enable us to help enterprises develop their promotional strategy with more comprehensive and integrated global solutions that can leverage the city’s unique role in connecting the Mainland and the world, align with Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan and contribute to our country’s development.”

I.Optimising Corporate Structure: Enhancing Efficiency · Driving Innovation

To better support industries in navigating an increasingly complex and evolving global trade environment, the HKTDC has reorganised its functions around a cluster approach with the following six sector clusters:

Finance and Professional ServicesGlobal Network and Supply ChainTechnology and Digital InnovationWellness and Creative IndustriesConsumer Goods and LifestyleCorporate Development

Sophia Chong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said the cluster approach not only enhances operational efficiency, but also the sector knowledge and network of the organisation, facilitating synergy among the teams, enabling them to provide more comprehensive and integrated solutions. “Whether companies are keen to gather market intelligence, participate in local or international exhibitions, conferences and overseas missions, match with investors, expand their production line or tap new markets, stakeholders across industries can access our one-stop support through a single point of contact."

II.Optimising Resources · Tapping New Markets

The HKTDC currently operates 51 offices worldwide, covering major markets from the Chinese Mainland and across Asia and the Middle East to Europe, the Americas and Africa. As global economic momentum progressively shifts towards emerging markets and enterprises accelerate their go global strategies, the HKTDC is actively optimising its global network resources to help businesses capture opportunities in high-growth markets and new economic corridors.

Prof Ma said: “We are grateful for the Chief Executive for leading the successful mission to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in June which helped to open doors for Hong Kong enterprises and generated many potential opportunities on which we will follow up. We will therefore enhance our resources at our consultant office in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to strengthen our support in Central Asia. Moving across to the Middle East, we will strengthen our resources at our consultant office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. And to leverage opportunities from the economic corridor spanning Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa, we will also set up a new consultant office in Cairo, Egypt to enhance our organisation’s existing presence in Africa. Furthermore, in support of the Belt and Road Initiative, we will strengthen our capabilities in São Paulo, Brazil as well as Santiago, Chile which will also oversee the market in Peru, to capture opportunities arising from the extended economic corridor in the Global South.”

Prof Ma added that in ASEAN, the HKTDC will strengthen its promotional work and support capabilities in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, while enhancing its capabilities in Istanbul and Warsaw. Regarding traditional markets, the HKTDC will continue to maintain two-way trade and investment with North America, encouraging enterprises in the United States and Canada to participate in HKTDC activities and foster greater economic engagement. At the same time, the Council will actively promote economic cooperation and cultural exchange across Asia, Europe and Africa, while expanding the responsibilities of the London office to oversee promotion and business development in the Nordic markets.

Looking ahead, the HKTDC will continue to keep pace with changes in the global economic and trading landscape, further leveraging Hong Kong's unique strengths as a superconnector and super value-adder. In addition to supporting Chinese Mainland enterprises to utilise Hong Kong's international advantages and networks to go global, the HKTDC will inject new momentum into our city’s economic development by encouraging more international companies to use Hong Kong as a base for their global expansion.

Presentation download: https://bit.ly/3ThqfX8

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4wUoMEA

Prof Frederick Ma, HKTDC Chairman

Prof Frederick Ma, HKTDC Chairman (Right), and Sophia Chong, HKTDC Executive Director (Left)

Prof Frederick Ma, HKTDC Chairman, and Sophia Chong, HKTDC Executive Director, with HKTDC Associate Executive Directors.

From left: Jacky Chung, Associate Executive Director (Global Network and Supply Chain), Anna Cheung, Associate Executive Director (Wellness and Creative Industries), Jenny Koo, Deputy Executive Director (Special Projects), Sophia Chong, Executive Director, Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman, Christine Cheung, Associate Executive Director (Corporate Development), Smilely Lam, Associate Executive Director (Consumer Goods and Lifestyle) and Silas Chu, Associate Executive Director (Technology and Digital Innovation)

Websites

HKTDC’s 60th Anniversary Celebration Activities: https://60.hktdc.com/en

HKTDC Media Room: https://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

Media enquiries

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Christy Lee	Tel: (852) 2584 4369	Email: christy.wn.lee@hktdc.org
Navin Law	Tel: (852) 2584 4525	Email: navin.cm.law@hktdc.org
Winnie Kan	Tel: (852) 2584 4055	Email: winnie.wy.kan@hktdc.org

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.