Opinion | Why the future of Hong Kong’s economy lies in digital transformation
- Innovation and technology advancements are crucial for any economy, especially in the new normal after Covid-19. Companies must embrace digital transformation to survive
- Government efforts to hasten this transformation deserve support
Hong Kong is fast becoming an innovation and technology hub for the region. As early as 1998, Hong Kong established a Digital 21 Strategy. Since then, the city has developed an impressive information and communication technology (ICT) ecosystem, with over 93 per cent household penetration of broadband, and nearly 100,000 people working in the industry.
Hong Kong has followed this up with a Smart City Blueprint in 2017, committing over HK$900 million (US$116 million) to digital infrastructure, and a Smart City Blueprint 2.0 this year.
Non-profits such as the Hong Kong Computer Society have been doing their part to empower the ICT community and support tech start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises. The Computer Society, for example, has been active in disseminating valuable knowledge of ICT through webinars and virtual conferences, with talks by local and global ICT leaders on best practices.
The group’s CIO Board, which consists of chief information officers and heads of IT from prominent organisations in Hong Kong, is a platform to share insights, views, best practices, and experiences, including the latest developments in digital transformation. It has also been advising the government on ICT-related policies and raising public awareness of ICT.
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To nurture the next generation of ICT leaders, the Computer Society has a professional and leadership development platform, as well as mentoring programmes. It also has a FACE (Female, Attract, Connect, Engage) Club for women to network and engage in ICT activities, as a way to encourage a more diverse IT workforce and a more inclusive culture in Hong Kong.