********************************************************
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (March 26) announced the completion of its 600th Mainland Chinese investment project, celebrating a milestone in assisting Mainland enterprises to "go global" through Hong Kong.
At a ceremony during the Spring Reception for InvestHK's Mainland Chinese clients, the Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Mr Simon Galpin, presented a commemorative certificate to the Managing Director and Head of Offshore Wealth Management of CreditEase, Mr Danny Howell. CreditEase, a leading asset management company on the Mainland, started its wealth management operation in Hong Kong in 2014, in recognition of its position as InvestHK's 600th Mainland client.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So said, "I am very happy to see that like many Mainland companies, such as CreditEase, have chosen Hong Kong as a base to expand its business globally. This is strong evidence showing the growing confidence of Mainland companies in Hong Kong's role as a super-connector to the international markets."
Mr Galpin, said, "This marks a significant milestone for the development of InvestHK. In fact, Mainland China has surpassed the US as the leading source of our projects since 2007. I am sure we will be assisting even more Mainland companies to set up in Hong Kong in the years to come."
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Beijing, CreditEase is a national leader in wealth management, credit management, microfinance investment and microcredit loan origination and servicing with a network covering over 182 cities and 62 rural locations. In Hong Kong, CreditEase staff numbers are growing, with 18 people currently employed across the company's offshore insurance and wealth/asset management businesses.
Mr Howell said, "CreditEase is honoured to be named the 600th Mainland foreign direct investment project of InvestHK, and we would like to express our appreciation to InvestHK for the invaluable advice it provided to us during the establishment of our Hong Kong business. Our business and operations give us an excellent platform which will help support and drive our growth both in Hong Kong and globally."
He added, "Hong Kong's international status and special relationship with the Mainland were key factors in our decision to establish an offshore 'beachhead' here. I believe that the strength and robustness of Hong Kong's financial industry and the regulatory framework within which it operates, the depth and quality of the workforce, and the breadth and sophistication of its wealth and asset management sectors offer significant advantages for us as we pursue an ambitious growth agenda."
About CreditEase
CreditEase was founded in 2006 and is a leading wealth and credit services provider on the Mainland. It was one of the first companies to launch a peer-to-peer (P2P) microcredit product offering on the Mainland, spearheading microfinance investment and microcredit loan origination and servicing in the country. In 2011, CreditEase expanded its business to provide comprehensive wealth management services to middle class and high net worth individuals, introducing advanced wealth management tools and practices to Mainland China. For more information, please visit english.creditease.cn.
About InvestHK
InvestHK is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government established in July 2000 to attract foreign direct investment and support overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services to help businesses succeed in Hong Kong's vibrant economy. As of December 2014, InvestHK had completed over 3,440 investment projects creating more than 37,500 new jobs in the first year of operation or expansion and over HK$91 billion of investment. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
For event photos, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/sets/72157651162003318/.
Ends/Thursday, March 26, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:32
NNNN
