158 - Travel & Leisure - Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

News and Views
Dutch in the News
Our Chairman of the Membership Committee Tom Voûte
was interviewed in Quote magazine, May 2012 edition.
z By Author: Matthijs Goes – Translated by: The Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Quote asks Dutch businessmen abroad about the hotspots
and challenges in their new hometown. This month, we
are off to Hong Kong, where Tom Voûte (42), co-owner
of Algorithmic Trading Group has been living for five
years.
People in Hong Kong love money and they are very happy to
show this. It is important to look prosperous; which is why
many young girls, who hardly earn much, have Louis Vuitton
bags. They might live in a small apartment, but if they are out
and about, they look good and wealthy. This is also the city with
the highest number of Ferraris per inhabitant; there are three
Ferrari dealers for 7 million inhabitants. Ferrari CEO Luca di
Montezemolo pays a visit here annually, because it is such an
important market for his brand.
Hong Kong is continuously at war with its rival – the other
economically large city state - Singapore. According to the
people here, the two may be similar but yes, “it is not China.”
But Hong Kong is not China either – and many things such as
strikes, which are forbidden in China, happen in Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong people are very proud of the fact that this is
possible here; that is the ultimate evidence of freedom.
There are about 5,000 Dutch people in Hong Kong. That is a
large society, so there is also a very active chamber of commerce,
the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, which brings together people
in the business area, many of whom are entrepreneurs.
Hong Kong is an enormous port, where lots of money can be
earned via exporting goods. And China, where everything is
manufactured, is only half an hour across the border.
Starting a company is very easy: you fill in some forms and it’s
ready. Also the fifteen per cent turnover and profit tax helps
to set-up a company here. Five years ago, IMF Financial
Markets, where I worked before, opened an office here and I
came to Hong Kong to help set up the business here. Because
I liked it here, on both a business and a personal level, I stayed
and set-up my own company, ‘Algorithmic Trading Group’, a
trading company which trades on the stock exchanges
worldwide with mathematic models. We currently have a staff
of 15.
6
Tom Voûte
It is normal here for every family, Chinese or Western, to have a
full-time helper here. There are in total three hundred thousand
helpers in Hong Kong, mostly from the Philippines and
Indonesia. For a family with small children, like ours, it is a
blessing to have such a help available six days a week and nice
for example if you want to dine out with your wife sometimes.
Hong Kong has one of the highest number of Michelin star
restaurants worldwide, but you can also dine exceptionally at
local food stalls.
Facts
• Inhabitants: 7 million, whereof 96% Chinese
• Business centre: everywhere
• Entertainment area: Wyndham Street, Lan Kwai Fong and
Wanchai (from chic to sleezy)
• Must do: ‘Receiving a business card with two hands and
studying it carefully. Everything with lucky number 8 –
associated with wealth.’
• Don’ts: ‘Getting angry or insulting the other as this leads to
loss of face of your interlocutor. Everything with number 4
– associated with death.
Hotspots for Food
• At Wellington Street you have the Landmark, Yung Kee
restaurant. The specialty is goose, sourced fresh every day
www.yungkee.com.hk
• At Amber on the Queen’s Road, we have our two star
Dutch Chef Richard Ekkebus in the kitchen www.amberhongkong.com
• In gambling paradise Macau – an hour by boat from
Hong Kong – you can get a 3-course lunch at 3 star
restaurant Robuchon à Galera for EUR 40,-
Hotspots for Clubbing
• At Dragon-I it’s models night every Wednesday, where
Asian and Western beauties can enjoy water for free.
www.dragon-i.com.hk
• Grand Café Mes Amis is the only bar in Wanchai you
want to be seen in www.mesamis.com.hk