Sarah was recently invited to a prestigious dinner in London, hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. This has been an annual event for over three decades, reaffirming the special relationship between Hong Kong and the UK, and also exploring ways to strengthen this relationship in an ever-changing economic environment.

The Hong Kong Development board, itself celebrating its 50th anniversary, is an important body dedicated to promoting Hong Kong’s Trade in goods and services and for the Giftware Association being invited to this event was quite an honor, demonstrating the global reach and opportunity that we can command for our members.

The dinner held on the 29^th September saw 450 business leaders from the UK and Hong Kong, and is the first annual dinner held since the Brexit referendum vote. The main emphasis from guest of honour Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong special administration, was the importance of a new era of opportunity for both nations. With a global economic shift from west to east, Hong Kong continues to be a land of opportunity for more than a thousand UK companies operating in the city.

Sarah Ward said of the evening “It’s great to be invited to such special occasions and shows that the Giftware Association is recognised internationally, and can help our members with any queries they have about trading overseas.”

Other guests at the dinner included Dame Barbara Woodward, British Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China; Sir Henry Keswick, chairman of Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd and international sculptor Sir Anthony Gormley.