Boasting the largest number of skyscrapers in the world alongside breathtaking scenery, vibrant cuisine and an abundance of historic and modern attractions, there’s nowhere on earth quite like Hong Kong. It is also a world-leading business hub, and the city of choice for many international corporations looking to do business in the Asia Pacific region.
We caught up with Jamie Thorpe, Head of Phaidon International North Asia, to find out why Hong Kong is the perfect location for forward-thinking businesses and professionals, how his career at Phaidon International took him from a graduate to global leader, and what makes Phaidon International stand out as a leading employer for talent market experts.
Each month, we'll release a new blog post in our series, diving deep into the unique culture and operations of our key offices located in various corners of the globe.
A magnet for multinationals
Hong Kong has one of the world’s freest economies and largest global financial hubs. Its position on China’s southern coast makes it an ideal gateway to the rest of APAC’s markets, and well over a thousand multinational firms have their regional headquarters there, as Jamie notes:
“Hong Kong as a country offers the safest legal and business environment for anyone to operate and access North Asian markets. So, as industries like manufacturing become less China-centric, a lot of international companies that want to trade with Korea, Taiwan, and even Southeast Asian countries are headquartered in Hong Kong.”
But it’s not just the city’s prime geographical position that attracts businesses, Jamie explains:
“Being the most diverse region in the world, the APAC business landscape can be incredibly difficult to navigate for international companies. But Hong Kong’s free-market economy, straightforward and favorable tax rates, and independent legal system based on British Common Law creates a really safe marketplace for businesses to trade with each other in and around Asia.”
Phaidon International’s presence on the ground in Hong Kong, and our network of offices and exceptional talent within APAC and around the world spanning six key industries, means that local and international businesses alike have a talent partner to rely on to help them attract and secure the expertise they need.
Beyond business: exploring Hong Kong’s lifestyle
Such a thriving business scene makes Hong Kong an excellent choice for professionals relocating from any country and at any stage in their career. Along with incredible job prospects, low crime rates, and world-class schools, Jamie describes why Hong Kong is the ideal place to call home:
“As someone relocating to the city, I found it extraordinarily welcoming and really open-minded. No matter what kind of person you are, your background, or what sort of hobbies or activities interest you, there is literally something for everyone in Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong was designed as a compact city to help lower energy consumption, reduce reliance on cars, and better preserve the local environment. Citizens use public transport for 90% of their daily journeys, the highest percentage of anywhere in the world. Plus, its incredible surrounding scenery means that, like Jamie, you could live out in the mountains overlooking the sea and still get to work and enjoy the city within twenty minutes:
“It's a completely unique lifestyle being in one of the biggest and densest metropolises in the world that has access to very well-paid jobs but also access to over 40 beaches and hundreds of hiking trails. Along with the fantastic scenery, the food and culture are unbelievably vibrant, and the people are so friendly.”
Jamie’s journey to leadership at Phaidon International
Jamie’s impressive career began in the UK, where he graduated in engineering and met his wife, and they decided to relocate to Singapore. He met a recruitment professional on a night out by chance and was told a career in talent would suit his skills perfectly.
After interviewing at many big names in global recruitment, Jamie explains why he chose to join Phaidon International:
“When I interviewed here, the things that really captivated me were the absolutely unlimited career potential. It’s extremely meritocratic and your career will go as fast and far as you want it to go, depending on how hard you are willing to work, so that really aligned with what I wanted. But this culture was balanced by being a business that also prides itself on having fun.”
Over the next five years Jamie’s career went from strength to strength as a market specialist, but when he decided he was ready for a more managerial role, Hong Kong’s newer office gave him the chance to build out his own team.
“There were plenty of opportunities in Singapore,” says Jamie, “but I really felt like I wanted a change, and my colleagues really supported me in making sure I had a role in a timely manner that would really inspire and motivate me, and give me the best opportunity.”
With Jamie’s help the Hong Kong business grew rapidly over the following year. Then he got the exciting opportunity to step up into a leadership role, where he rose to the challenge and has continued successfully building out the business ever since:
“It was a massive challenge in the first couple of years; really taking that step up and going mentally from being a manager to a true leader in the business. But we have achieved many milestones as a team, including opening the Shanghai office in 2022 which had been a goal for a long time, and my role today is running the sales and operational teams across both Hong Kong and Shanghai.”
With so much potential to continue scaling to meet the talent demands of some of the highest growth markets in the world, Jamie also needs the right people with the right mindset to support Phaidon International’s expansion while building their own exceptional careers.
Unrivalled career opportunities at Phaidon International
Jamie is exceptionally proud of where the business stands today, and shares why people now more than ever want to come and work for Phaidon International:
“We have an incredible reputation as a business for many reasons but two in particular stand out, and these are constantly front and center in our minds as a leadership team,” he says.
“Number one is our business culture. We call ourselves the Phaidon family for a reason – we want to elevate the workplace to be more than just colleagues around each other because ultimately we work really, really hard to get the results we want, and we all need to be here for each other because there are ups and downs that come with that.
“We also have a really transparent culture and we take pride in that. We push people hard because we genuinely want everyone to be the best version of themselves, and develop people to do things even they don’t think they can do themselves. That culture then inspires people to really collaborate and elevate themselves together.”
The second reason?
“Our career development opportunities are known to be completely and utterly unrivalled in almost any industry, and we have a great reputation for developing our junior managers and leaders.
“Our value proposition to our clients is that we create the most exceptional talent experts and market experts in the industry, and we are able to inspire and motivate people to want to be the best version of themselves, be super successful and provide the most amazing service at a young age within their industries. But then they can also make the switch to a management role, build out a team, and them move into a higher leadership role. We have a proven, unmatched track record in our meritocratic career development, payment, and promotion structure.”
If you are looking for a career with unlimited potential and international relocation opportunities, explore open roles at our Hong Kong office and 14 other locations around the globe.
