Sophia Chong Assumes Leadership at Hong Kong Trade Development Council Amid Global Economic Shifts

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) announced that Sophia Chong assumed the role of Executive Director on October 1, 2025, marking a significant leadership transition for the organization during a period of global economic transformation. Chong emphasized Hong Kong's critical position as both a "superconnector" and "super value-adder" in the international business landscape, highlighting the HKTDC's ongoing mission to support enterprises through economic uncertainty.

Chong stated that the council will enhance both the depth and breadth of its services while leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages to help businesses boost competitiveness and explore new markets. Her vision includes attracting more enterprises to utilize Hong Kong as a platform for international expansion, which she believes will inject new momentum into the city's economy and solidify its position as an international business hub. This strategic direction comes at a time when global trade patterns continue to evolve rapidly.

Simultaneously with Chong's appointment, Jenny Koo assumed the position of Deputy Executive Director, overseeing international exhibitions and related services along with digital business operations. Chong praised Koo's extensive experience serving both the HKTDC and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), noting her broad perspective across multiple business areas. Koo's background positions her to help enterprises navigate current challenges while capturing emerging opportunities in the global marketplace.

Koo brings substantial digital transformation expertise to her new role, having previously served as Assistant Executive Director overseeing exhibitions and digital business initiatives. Her track record includes successfully transitioning physical exhibitions to virtual platforms in 2020 while serving as Director of Exhibition Market Development. In 2021, she advanced to Director of Digital Business, where she led the formulation and implementation of the HKTDC's digitalization strategies and oversaw upgrades to the ourhktdc.com Sourcing platform.

The leadership changes occur as businesses worldwide continue adapting to post-pandemic economic realities and accelerating digital transformation. The HKTDC's enhanced focus on digital business capabilities reflects the growing importance of online platforms for international trade, particularly for SMEs seeking to maintain competitiveness in global markets. The organization's commitment to upgrading digital tools like the www.hktdc.com platform demonstrates recognition that digital infrastructure has become essential for modern trade facilitation.

These appointments signal the HKTDC's strategic response to evolving global trade dynamics, with leadership possessing both traditional trade promotion experience and digital transformation expertise. The combination of Chong's vision for Hong Kong's superconnector role and Koo's digital business background creates a leadership team well-equipped to address both current market challenges and future opportunities in international trade.