It’s been 3 years since my last visit to Hong Kong. Even now typing those words, and despite having lost count of the number of times I’ve said them in the last few weeks, I still find them hard to believe.

Those of you who know us well will recall the frequency of our visits to this revered city before the pandemic grounded the whole world. Many of you will have accompanied us on our travels or hosted us there.

Visiting after such a long time is a stark reminder not just of how much Hong Kong has changed, but also the world. In the spirit of positivity, I won’t dwell on the RATs and masked faces Hong Kong is still contending with. What I will say is that my visit over the last 8 days felt like a real turning point.

It was an encouraging and well-timed trip. The buzz there was reminiscent of my Singapore trip back in April and May- that “things are finally heading in the right direction” sense of optimism we’ve all experienced at one place and time or another.

UK property was out in full force, especially London, and congratulations to London Square for the grand opening of their office in Exchange Square. A bold move and a signal of strength for the whole industry.

Special thanks must go to Mount Anvil, Asia Bankers Club, Regal Homes and Samuel Chan for involving us in their launches this past weekend; both posting decent results going into the weekend despite prevailing headwinds . I feel proud to be part of an industry where the UK continues to shine (in stark contrast to our counterparts in Westminster).

My personal highlight has to be meeting our team (pictured) on the ground in Hong Kong for the first time. Most of us are now used to the notion of working closely but remotely with colleagues without ever actually meeting them. It’s a surreal but triumphant moment when you eventually do.

Further details on the growing team and our association with local firm Henry Yu and Associates to follow.

It felt great to be back.