TNAG-2967-FCO40-4246-Future-of-Hong-Kong-British-Consulate-General-inclusion-of--1993 — Page 69

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MDLIAN 5101

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FM BTC HONG KONG TO PRIORITY INTRA TELNO INTRA 77

OF 251015Z MAY 93

INFO PRIORITY FCO

HKD 406/13

02 JUL 1993

.3

Mr. Man's

Mrs Banner Jones o/ar.

per.

2575.

FOR PS/MFT AND LOVE OT2/2.

MS BARNES JONES, HKD/FCO.

BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG.

1. I ATTENDED A MEETING TODAY OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WILLIAM COURTAULD'S STRATEGY PAPER WAS DISCUSSED AS WAS JAMES CHIU'S PAPER ON THE WAY FORWARD (COPY OF THE LETTER IS BEING FAXED).

2.

IT WAS PREDICTABLY A VERY LONG MEETING BUT A NUMBER OF KEY ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED AND DECISIONS TAKEN. IT WAS AGREED THAT JAMES CHIU, THE PRESENT CHAIRMAN, WOULD STAND FOR RE-ELECTION AS CHAIRMAN AT THE AGM ON 29 JUNE 1993. IT WAS FURTHER AGREED THAT ANTHONY WOOD, THE PRESENT VICE-CHAIRMAN, WOULD NOT STAND FOR RE- ELECTION AS VICE-CHAIRMAN AND THAT HIS PLACE WOULD BE TAKEN BY WILLIAM COURTAULD. IT WAS NECESSARY TO AMEND A BYE-LAW OF THE CHAMBER'S ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION TO ALLOW CHIU TO SAND FOR RE- ELECTION AND THAT WAS DONE AT THIS MORNING'S MEETING. IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED BY THE COMMITTEE, THAT CHIU WAS BEST PLACED TO SEE THROUGH THE CHANGES ENVISAGED IN THE STRATEGY PAPER AND THAT COURTAULD, AUTHOR OF THE STRATEGY PAPER, HAD THE COMMITMENT AND ENTHUSIASM NEEDED TO KEEP THE MEMBERSHIP ON SIDE.

+

3. THERE FOLLOWED A LONG DEBATE ON THE PROS AND CONS OF

RECRUITING A MORE HIGH-POWERED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. IT WAS GENERALLY AGREED THAT MCWHIRTER, THE PRESENT INCUMBENT, LACKED THE DYNAMISM, IMAGINATION AND MOTIVATION TO KEEP CHAMBER ON THE MOVE. A RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE, COMPRISING JIM CONYBEARE (CHAIRMAN AND SWIRE'S REPRESENTATIVE), JAMES CHIU (GEC), WILLIAM COURTAULD (JARDINES), ANTHONY WOOD (MCKENNA SOLICITORS) AND EDDIE WALSH (BP), WAS APPOINTED WITH A VIEW TO IDENTIFYING, THROUGH HEAD- HUNTERS, A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT. THIS COMMITTEE WAS TASKED TO CIRCULATE ITS CONCLUSIONS BY 8 JUNE IN TIME FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE MEMBERSHIP BEFORE THE AGM. MEANWHILE MCWHIRTER'S CONTRACT WOULD BE EXTENDED FOR 6 MONTHS.

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