Commentary

The number of mobile internet devices is set to outnumber humans by the end of this year. There'll be more smartphones and internet-connected tablets and monitors than there are people on the planet. The prediction is especially amazing when you think that 3G – already fairly old news – is just over a decade old.

On July 10, 2013, the Hong Kong Legislative Council moved to enable Hong Kong to enter into stand-alone Tax Information Exchange Agreements and, more importantly for U.S. persons who have financial accounts there, to sign an “intergovernmental agreement” (IGA) with the U.S. for implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA).

Hong Kong and the rest of the world are becoming increasingly connected electronically, expanding markets and reducing the inefficiencies of doing business across borders. Services can be hosted anywhere and customers served can be from anywhere as the Third World catches up to the First World’s broadband penetration and narrows the digital divide.

Doing business in Hong Kong, you'll realise that we are all connected, somehow, with someone who tries us to the brink of our emotional sanity. Those who are lucky have had to deal with them on occasion, alright, but without chance of another or regular interaction.

Traditionally, the summer months are the busiest for travel in Hong Kong.

The rapid adoption of the Internet has been impacting the community at large. In Hong Kong, the number of Internet users today has reached nearly 4.9 million, which accounts for 68% of total population, as revealed by the report, We are Social - 2012 Social, Digital and Mobile in Asia.

 

In Hong Kong and Singapore, as two of the most advanced Asian economies, knowledge-based work is increasingly important. At the same time, the number of business, charitable and government initiatives which are delivered through projects are increasing. So why is it that we still regard project management as a role--a job to be done by any manager or qualified professional--and not as a profession in its own right?

The prospect of returning to work after having a baby is sometimes quite daunting especially as there is a desire to stay at home with the new child rather than commute leaving baby behind.  Planning the transition back into the workplace or setting up a company instead need not be a frightening prospect or saga.

Getting ahead in Hong Kong business used to be about who you knew.

Apple’s newly unveiled iOS7 gives a dramatic re-work on the interface, and has some interesting new features under the hood, some that users will enjoy and some that will delight or frustrate your developers.

With the Hong Kong’s summer convention and exhibition season in full swing, many executives are thinking about their company’s next big or small events. But what’s the best strategy, to organise an event through an internal team or an outsourced event management company?

Data is increasingly described as the “new oil” of the 21st century. Few would argue the point that data is a valuable asset. However, in an unrefined state, data cannot really be used.

Hong Kong Financial Secretary John Tsang has provided several indications of the increasing importance that government is placing on providing high quality healthcare services to the population of Hong Kong.

With only one real accelerator program in Hong Kong (AcceleratorHK focusing mainly on mobile startups, ChinaAccelerator in Dalian and JFDI in Singapore), where is a startup based in Hong Kong to go for seed funding and mentorship?

As Asia’s World City, Hong Kong plays host to a huge variety of events. While highly successful, some of these events may not be taking full advantage of the amazing technological and social opportunities offered by our incredible city. How can you make sure your business squeezes every drop of potential out of your next big event? Traditions can be hard to break and like people, some companies are resistant to change. ‘Tried and tested’ formulas, successful in the past, are still relied upon to generate future business. But the world is changing faster than anyone could have predicted. Driven by the incredible pace of innovation, particularly in the field of technology; some tried and tested events practices are in need of a little freshening up. That’s not to say that the convention, the product launch and the trade fair are becoming obsolete by any means, there certainly has been no drop off in venue bookings in the city! However, smart, hyper-advanced cities like Hong Kong, have an incredible suite of tools and excellent connectivity available to companies.