AustCham celebrates 36th Anniversary in Hong Kong
HONG KONG, 7 June, 2024 --- The Australian Chamber of Commerce celebrates 36 years in Hong Kong and announces 2024 Community Award Winners.
Guest of Honour Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, John Lee Ka-chiu and Australian Consul-General to Hong Kong & Macau joined over 190 members and guests from the Australian and Hong Kong business community at the Conrad Hotel to celebrate 36 years since the establishment of the Chamber in Hong Kong and to recognise and highlight the achievements of the 2024 Australia-Hong Kong Community Awards winners.
The AustCham 36th Anniversary Dinner and 2024 Community Awards provided an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the Australian Chamber of Commerce and its development over the past 36 years as a key representative voice and business organisation within Hong Kong. AustCham and its members have been critical to strengthening the bilateral relationship between Hong Kong and Australia and building a vibrant international business network in Hong Kong.
The Chamber was formed in 1987 with around 20 corporate members and many more individuals, due to the growing mass of Australian business professionals in Hong Kong at the time. Now representing more than 900 members and over 240 companies, the Australian Chamber of Commerce has evolved from a regular business lunch club to one of the largest offshore Australian chambers and one of the most influential international business organisations in Hong Kong.
Now, over three and a half decades later, the Chamber’s diverse membership is a cross-section of start-ups, NGOs and large corporates across all industries and expertise. Today AustCham supports not only Australian businesses but also Hong Kong and regional investors who provide capital and investment into Australia. The Chamber supports connectivity between Australia, Hong Kong, and the Greater Bay Area.
Guest of Honour, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, Mr John Lee Ka-chiu, said “My warmest congratulations to the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong on its 36th Anniversary…. AustCham members are important partners for the continuous and prosperous development of bilateral relations between Hong Kong and Australia...With Hong Kong’s firm commitment to free trade, we will continue to promote dialogue, inclusive collaboration and mutual prosperity, a vision that is shared by AustCham. I look forward to more partnerships and closer cooperation on various fronts between Hong Kong and Australia.”
Australia’s Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams said “AustCham is one of the leading chambers of commerce in Hong Kong, playing an active role in promoting the extensive trade, investment and people-to-people links between Australia and Hong Kong. Hong Kong is home to Australia’s second largest expatriate community, and our largest commercial presence in Asia, covering legal and financial services, construction and engineering, education, F&B, technology and more. The Australian Consulate-General is proud to sponsor the inaugural Outstanding Alumni Award, recognising the extraordinary impact of the large Australian alumni community based in Hong Kong. AustCham members have contributed so much to the Australia-Hong Kong relationship.”
AustCham Chair, Josephine Orgill, said “The long presence of the Chamber is testament to the value of collective voice, the critical role of AustCham in representing our members in the business community, and the resilience and optimism of our businesses. Our belief in a bright future for Australia – Hong Kong relations binds us together. The Australia-Hong Kong Community Awards demonstrate the strength and value of the bi-lateral business relationship and the depth of the Australian ties to the Hong Kong story.
“Over the last year we have seen significant improvements in relations between Australia and China and the role of the Chamber is now more critical than ever in supporting our members and Australia’s economic engagement in the region. We look forward to continuing to provide a constructive voice in the evolution of Hong Kong, with its dynamism, unique business environment and the opportunities this brings.”
AustCham Community Awards – 2024 Winners Announced
AustCham Hong Kong is pleased to celebrate the winners of the 2024 AustCham Community Awards who were announced at the Anniversary Dinner in Hong Kong on Friday 7th June. Now in their second year and expanded from last year’s three categories, these awards recognise the outstanding achievements of members of the Australia-Hong Kong business community in five categories.
Winners presented on the night were:
- Sustainability, Social Impact and Governance Award (Award Sponsor: Sino Group) – Winner: Link Asset Management
- This award aims to recognise a company’s effort towards the use of best practices to limit negative impact or enhance positive impact on the environment, society, and governance bodies.
- Women in Leadership Award – Winner: Alice Ting, Managing Director, Telstra
- This award is designed to celebrate and honour successful women in the Australia-Hong Kong community; women who lead teams, businesses, and agendas. This award highlights the inclusiveness and courageousness that women who serve as role models and mentors in their fields of expertise embody.
- Business Innovation and Professional Services Award – Winner: Quinlan & Associates
- This award recognises excellence and demonstrated commercial success in furthering Australian-Hong Kong trade, investment, and/or tech transformation.
- Australian Consul-General’s Outstanding Alumni Award (Award Sponsor: Australian Consulate General Hong Kong) – Winner: Professor Sally Wai-Chi Chan, President, Tung Wah College
- This award is designed to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumni of Australian universities and highlights their positive impact on business and society.
- U-40 Entrepreneur Award (Award Sponsor: Australian International School Hong Kong) – Winner: Lizette McNeill, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, IXO Partners
- This award identifies and celebrates an outstanding young Entrepreneur, highlighting the achievement and growth of the individual and their company’s achievements.
AustCham acknowledges with gratitude all the companies and individuals who entered the 2024 Community Awards.
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About AustCham Hong Kong
The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AustCham Hong Kong) was incorporated in 1987 to promote Australian business interests by providing ongoing business development and networking opportunities. AustCham HK has over 900 members, who are representatives of more than 240 Australian, international, and local companies within the Hong Kong business community.
The Chamber seeks to connect, engage, and represent members through networking and informative events, supporting and facilitating industry-led committees and representing the views, values, and interests of Members to government departments, private think-tanks, and other leading organisations in Hong Kong and Australia.
The Chamber’s mission is to promote and represent Australian business and values, while enabling members to connect, engage, and grow bilateral relationships.
Contact: Stefanie Evennett, Chief Executive