Tycoon Kadoorie plans ‘US$50 million drive to promote Hong Kong worldwide’

Kadoorie met other tycoons three weeks ago to share his grand plan, source says

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It will be hard to change people’s view of Hong Kong with foreign politicians and media sending different messages, an academic says. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 11:34pm, 16 Jan 2025Updated: 12:25am, 17 Jan 2025

Tycoon Michael Kadoorie is spearheading a drive to raise US$50 million to promote Hong Kong through a worldwide PR campaign, the Post has learned, two months after a Beijing official told local business leaders to take “concrete actions” to support the city.

Sources said on Thursday that Kadoorie, chairman of CLP Group, the city’s largest electricity supplier, met several property tycoons including Peter Lee Ka-kit, co-chairman and managing director of Henderson Land Development, and Sun Hung Kai Properties’ Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, as well as representatives from Nan Fung Group and Alibaba Group Holding three weeks ago to share his grand plan. Alibaba is the owner of the Post.

“Kadoorie pointed out that Hong Kong has a bad name outside with its political problems and felt that there is a need to launch a campaign to turn the tide, telling the world that Hong Kong is safe and a good place to do business,” a source told the Post.

The PR firm commissioned by Kadoorie proposed running prominent advertisements promoting Hong Kong around the world with foreign media such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal as part of the drive.

Personally pledging to commit US$5 million to the campaign, Kadoorie appealed to fellow magnates to chip in. It was understood that some of the tycoons adopted a wait-and-see attitude over the proposal.

A Sun Hung Kai Properties spokesman said the company welcomed and supported any measures that benefited Hong Kong and its economy.