William Je establishes a charity to help provide support to individuals and families as they relocate from Hong Kong to the UK
LONDON, Sept. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — One of the most distinguished names in Hong Kong, esteemed entrepreneur and philanthropist, Mr William Je, has embarked upon a quest to help many of those 5.4 million eligible Hong Kong citizens seeking to relocate and set up residency in the UK.
Aptly named ‘The Hong Kong People Association’ the initiative is bountifully formed in the name of the people, for the people. As a UK resident, William understands first-hand the apprehensions and barriers in setting up a new life overseas.
William has acquired over 30 years of experience in corporate restructuring; M&A; IPO privatisation; private equity and hedge fund investments across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan before establishing himself as the founder and CEO of a global fund management company with multi-billion-dollar assets under management. Prior to establishing the fund management business, William was formerly the Chairman of Equity Capital Markets for Macquarie Banking Group where he managed its Greater China capital markets and principal investment activities for over 10 years.
CEO for Hamilton Investment Management Ltd., William says: “The British government estimates that approximately 5.4 million Hong Kong residents will be eligible to apply for a special visa to reside in UK. This is the result of a new system introduced on 31 January 2021, under which Hong Kong British National (Overseas) (“BNO”) citizens and their close family members can apply to live, work and study in the UK for five years. After five years of residency, they will be eligible to apply for permanent residency and a further additional year in the UK will see them eligible to apply for British citizenship.”
“This sounds like a dream to many of my fellow Hongkongers, worried about the future for their families, and at a loss as to how to physically relocate to the UK where they face uncertainty and confusion over everything from employment, education, housing, and healthcare.”
“Hongkongers are undoubtedly some of the most skilled, conscientious and industrious people in the world. For those who choose to leave behind the uncertainty associated with the territory, the UK conserves an unrivalled Rule of Law.”
“As a cosmopolitan hub, the UK’s international reputation can be attributed in essence to its freedoms – freedom of speech; movement; association; assembly and religious beliefs as well as its freedom from arbitrary arrest. The objective of the Hong Kong People Association is to create a large support network of Hongkongers who can share experiences, information and guidance whilst retaining the core values and culture of Hong Kong.”
William has himself left Hong Kong and is now permanently based in London. Having graduated from the University of Wales and Manchester Business School (U.K.) with a Master of Business Administration, William is a fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants as well as the Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Accountants.
William’s current enterprise, Hamilton Investment Management Ltd. is a value-oriented investment management firm serving world-renowned institutional investors who invest in a broad spectrum of portfolios including private equity investments in licensed banks and financial institution, Fintech, social media projects and multi-strategy algorithmic trading funds.
William’s experience in finance is comprehensive, having served for several investment banks, including as the Head of Greater China at Credit Agricole Indosuez (“CAI”) and a Board member of CAI’s securities arm Indosuez W.I. Carr Securities; Director and Head of Business Development at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and as Vice President for NatWest Markets.
Recognised by transnational industry leaders as a prominent investment professional, William has also been awarded an honorary citizenship of Washington, U.S.A. for his contribution to the Sino-US relationship. William was the Chairman of the Hong Kong Youth Association – the largest youth charity association in Hong Kong. He also founded the Youth Innovation and Development Alliance to advocate innovation and career development for young people within that region. Driven to support his fellow citizens to the best of his ability, William’s vast knowledge, experience, resources, and undeniable empathic nature make him a key individual in leading The Hong Kong People Association initiative.
An inaugural event for the association will be held in September 2021 in Ealing, West London, and the charity’s formal launch will be followed closely thereafter in October 2021.
NOTES TO EDITORS
BNO scheme
The British government estimates 5.4 million Hong Kong residents are eligible for the scheme, that’s about 72% of its 7.5 million population.
These include:
- 2.9 million BNOs holders and eligible applicants
- 2.3 million dependents of BNOs
- 187,000 18-23-year-olds with at least one BNO parent
