HSBC celebrates 160 years in Hong Kong with display of the bank’s heritage and innovation

Extensive line-up of anniversary festivities includes a special installation at HSBC’s iconic headquarters, plus an array of community events

In partnership with:HSBC

Reading Time:3 minutes

To celebrate HSBC’s 160th anniversary in Hong Kong, senior executives joined the staff celebrations at the bank’s Main Building in the city’s Central district.

Published: 6:00pm, 4 Mar 2025Updated: 6:01pm, 4 Mar 2025

HSBC marked its 160th anniversary with a vibrant celebration at its famous Hong Kong headquarters at 1 Queen’s Road Central, the same address where the bank first opened its doors on March 3, 1865. This landmark occasion not only honoured the bank’s rich heritage, but also highlighted its ongoing evolution as a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s financial landscape.

The anniversary celebration started with Luanne Lim, CEO of HSBC Hong Kong, sharing muffins with bank staff. The muffins were handmade by iBakery, a social enterprise that supports the development of individuals with disabilities. Staff also enjoyed a unique lion dance and drum performance that unfolded across several levels of the Main Building’s atrium, which included the lions, sporting LED lights, performing a routine choreographed to a pop song.

Luanne Lim (centre), CEO of HSBC Hong Kong, along with David Liao (left) and Surendra Rosha, the bank’s co-CEOs for Asia and Middle East, officiated the anniversary celebration featuring the “HSBC 160 Years of Great Stories” thematic installations.

Also included in the celebration was the unveiling of a special 160th anniversary Rube Goldberg machine, which artistically illustrates HSBC’s journey from its founding to the present day. The installation, located on the ground-floor plaza of the HSBC Main Building, was created exclusively to mark this anniversary.

This innovative display serves as a time machine, offering viewers a glimpse into the bank’s growth over the past 160 years in about 160 seconds. The installation showcases HSBC’s deep roots in Hong Kong while also looking towards the future, highlighting key milestones in the bank’s history such as the origins of the hexagonal logo and the transformation of digital services.

(From left) Liao, Lim and Rosha enjoyed a celebratory lion dance in the atrium of HSBC’s Hong Kong headquarters.

From March 4, members of the public will have the opportunity to engage with the machine, in addition to viewing the installations of a giant birthday cake and a neon-light time tunnel that symbolise HSBC’s past and present.