New arrivals see opportunities in fresh pastures

When Singaporean Low Lee Kiang decided to uproot his life in the Lion City and give up his 20-year career in the finance industry to try something different in Hong Kong, the people around him were sceptical.

- Magdalene Fung

“This was already in mid-2020, but the social unrest in Hong Kong was still the topmost concern of my family and friends,” said Mr Low, referring to the massive pro-democracy protests in 2019 that often brought parts of the city to a standstill.

He took the plunge anyway, joining the Hong Kong Jockey Club – an industry he had no prior knowledge of – as an operations manager in July last year.

He had been approached by a headhunter about the opportunity and, after months of deliberation and going through the selection process, the offer he received from the Jockey Club was very attractive, he said.

One year into the job in his new home, Mr Low, now 50, has no regrets. “It was a leap of faith, going to a foreign land, and entering a new industry and environment, but I’m glad I did it,” said Mr Low, who is single.

The move opened him to a world of new experiences as he learnt the ropes of Hong Kong’s huge horse racing and wagering industry – something he admits he would never have explored on his own initiative had he stayed on in his previous job.

Mr Low is one of many new arrivals in Hong Kong who have put their bets on the financial hub even as others have left in droves over the past nearly three years.