Sun Hung Kai Properties co-chairman Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong told the Court of First Instance yesterday that he suggested in 2002 allowing former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan to take on extra consultancy work - but not for Larry Yung Chi-kin or Richard Li Tzar-kai.
Yung is former Citic Pacific chairman and Li is PCCW chairman.
Thomas Kwok told the corruption trial that he proposed the exceptions in memo exchanges with then-chairman of SHKP, Walter Kwok Ping-sheung.
"Regarding Richard Li, he's from PCCW, which was a keen competitor of ours," he said.
"Regarding Larry Yung, he was his close friend. I thought if he worked for him and talked about our family matters with him, I didn't think it was a good idea."
Hui was hired as SHKP's consultant between 2003 and 2005. Kwok told the jury that he felt Hui did not want to provide an exclusive service for them. "He wanted to work for other companies as well," he said.