Putting down roots, empire building key for entrepreneur

For 14 years, the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards have recognised excellence under the categories: Business Person of the Year, Executive Award, Owner-Operator Award, Young Entrepreneur Award, International Award and Enterprise Award. Before the presentation for this year's winners on December 2, every Monday we will speak to one of last year's winners and see how each has fared in the past 12 months.

Strategic Financial Relations has been expanding since managing director Richard Tsang won last year's Young Entrepreneur Award but the firm faces greater competition in the year ahead.

In the past year Strategic - which specialises in providing public relations (PR) and investor relations services to listed firms and initial public offering candidates - has seen its retainer clients jump more than 10 per cent to more than 110. Business growth has been helped by the stream of mainland firms seeking to list in Hong Kong and the rebound in the economy.

However, the more buoyant business climate has led more overseas PR firms such as Citigate and Weber Shandwick to boost their financial relations arms which compete directly with Strategic, according to Mr Tsang, 38.

'In the past five years I would say the total IPOs handled by these ... international names in Hong Kong are less than I handle now. But they are coming back,' he said.

Strategic - which Mr Tsang set up in 1995 after leaving PR agency Edelman - handled 28 of last year's 73 IPOs.