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California-based Pets Central Media announced today (February 29) the opening of its regional headquarters in Hong Kong, tapping into the city's edge in innovation and technology as well as intellectual property protection as part of its Asian expansion plan.
Pets Central Media, a member of Pets Central Group, is launching from Hong Kong its vet-to-vet and vet-to-pet owner online service platform targeting the Greater China region.
Pets Central Group's Founding Chairman and Counselor, Mr Peter de Krassel, said that veterinary practices joining the Pets Central Media Network pay a monthly fee that entitles them to receive monthly digital media educational and entertainment programmes that air on TV monitors in their reception rooms, online retail products, education programmes and in due course second opinions and specialist advice via tele-veterinary services. On the other hand, pet owners joining the Pets Central Club can fulfil their veterinary prescriptions at a Members Discount from Pets Central Express Pharmacy, a California-licensed pharmacy.
Part of the programme will see the collaboration between Pets Central Media and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) with a series pet care lectures at the university's Shenzhen campus by Pets Central vets and other internationally noted vets sharing their diagnosis and clinical experiences. Furthermore, Pets Central Media and Power-All Networks are joining forces to provide pet owners and veterinarians with on-demand high-quality professional services on mobile devices via cloud information technology (IT) infrastructure.
Mr de Krassel said, "Hong Kong is a great hub of innovation and technology as well as intellectual property rights, and is at the gateway to the growing Mainland pet market. The city has undisputed advantages in terms of our Asia expansion strategy, and hence is a very ideal foothold for us."
The PolyU Shenzhen Base CEO, Mr Henry Bai, said, "The partnership with Pets Central will offer very good leverage for our Shenzhen campus to enhance our branding in China and to address the pet care and health market needs in China. We look forward to successful outcomes."
Power-All Networks' CEO, Mr Steve Hui, said, "Power-All Networks is excited to work with Pets Central, a global market leader in the pet care and health sector, to provide pet owners and veterinarians with on-demand professional vet support via Power-All Networks' cloud IT enabling platform."
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Mr Charles Ng said he is encouraged by Pet Central Media's decision to set up in Hong Kong. "I am very pleased to see that a big brand like Pet Central Media has decided to use Hong Kong to develop its business around the world. It is a testament to Hong Kong's ongoing attraction to foreign investors who appreciate our city's unique link with Mainland China and the rest of the Asian markets," he said.
About Pets Central
Pets Central has four veterinary hospitals and one-stop-shop pet care retail and grooming stores and one mobile hospital in Hong Kong that goes to regular locations in the New Territories. Pets Central Media is a new California-based virtual online service offering digital media, online pharmacy and retail products and educational programmes, and later this year will offer tele-veterinary services for veterinary second opinions and specialist services to veterinarians and pet owners. For more information, please visit www.pets-central.com/hk/.
About Invest Hong Kong
Invest Hong Kong (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 at December 2015, InvestHK had assisted over 3 820 companies which have created more than 41 200 new jobs in the first year of operation or expansion and over HK$101 billion of investment. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
For the event photo, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157665248144745.
Ends/Monday, February 29, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:58
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