The increase in demand for executive recruitment services in Beijing spurred a move north for headhunter Kong To.
'The CEO of the company I was working for in Hong Kong called to invite me and I didn't have to think twice, they are hiring like crazy up here and I've never looked back,' said the 36-year-old.
Mr Kong was invited in 2003 to join a reputable firm in the capital where he led business development activities and executed senior level searches with assignments for clients in the oil and gas, professional services, metals, mining, advertising and media, telecoms, automotive and government trade sectors.
'The job is to consult and advise clients on sound market conditions, talent sourcing strategies and retention techniques, and provide them with the highest calibre of suitable candidates,' Mr Kong said.
He earned a reputation for delivering value to his clients, and praise for his professionalism and sound career counselling advice. His expertise now extends beyond the mainland to executing senior management searches across Asia-Pacific.
He was born in Britain to a family who had a restaurant businesses, but wanted to move away from that field so he completed a Higher National Diploma in aeronautical engineering, then a bachelor of science in engineering and manufacturing management. But his first line of work was in marketing for several multinational companies.