Former Hong Kong leader CY Leung dismisses concerns over talent lost to Singapore, stresses allure of ‘gateway to China’
- But consulting and recruitment professionals warn that Hong Kong faces hurdles in drawing companies back
- Leung also reveals he will lead delegation to economic zone of Nansha in hopes of convincing businesses to establish operations
But consulting and recruitment professionals on Saturday cautioned that companies would consider the expenses involved in returning to Hong Kong and noted some firms had laid down roots elsewhere in the region after the pandemic upended traditional supply chains.
Leung, a former top non-executive director of several companies under Singapore’s state-owned investor Temasek, expressed confidence that Hong Kong’s advantages would once again take centre stage in the region, given Covid-19 restrictions had ended.
“I believe that the moving of talent and enterprises to Singapore is solely temporary due to the pandemic situation in Hong Kong previously and relevant isolation policies,” he told a radio programme.
As proof of Hong Kong’s vitality, Leung pointed to the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit held in November last year, which attracted more than 200 decision-makers in banking.
