Simon To, managing director of Hutchison Whampoa (China), has revealed the group's business strategy.
Recruit the best, pay them a pittance, they leave to set up their own company, then buy a chunk of that company.
Unveiling a HK$250 million investment in Panva Gas Holdings, Mr To admitted he had known the founder of the mainland firm, Thomas Ya Ping Ou, for more than 10 years.
'He should have thanked me for giving him the meagre salary of HK$1,800 back in 1987,' he said. 'That made him want to start his own business.'
Pirates copy promotion: Hollywood studios are continuing to bang their heads against the proverbial brick wall that is China's feature film buying market.
With pirate copies of block-buster films hitting the streets faster than you can say 'Are you sure it's in English?', leading studios are 'adding value' to their DVD and VCD releases in a bid to stay one step ahead of the racketeers.