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Future-Proofing Work: The Talent Trends Shaping 2025

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40% believe their employer ‘copies’ competitors in order to keep workplace relevant

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 April 2025 – In the face of economic uncertainty, companies are adopting more cost-conscious approaches by tightening their hiring budgets and focusing on retaining top talent. Prolonged recruitment processes are becoming more common, while greater importance is now being placed on non-monetary strategies, such as workforce transformation, which are vital for attracting and retaining the right candidates.

To empower businesses in navigating this dynamic landscape, Robert Walters has unveiled its Talent Trend 2025 report. The report provides actionable insights into the revolutionary shifts transforming hiring, leadership, and workplace culture.
According to Robert Walters’ latest research, 40% of professionals identify external trends—’what other companies do’—as the primary driver of change in their workplaces. Other influencing factors include the company’s financial position, the broader economy, and employee expectations. “Leading companies are prioritising adaptability, leveraging digital transformation, and adopting human-first approaches to maintain a competitive edge,” says John Mullally, managing director of Robert Walters Hong Kong.

The 8 Major Workplace Trends in 2025
  1. AI in recruitment
  2. Human-centric leadership
  3. Treat your candidates like customers
  4. Rethinking remote working
  5. Window working
  6. Career lattice vs ladder
  7. Un-retiring
  8. Preparing your people for the jobs of tomorrow

Expectation gap in flexible work arrangement – Work-life balance & human-centric leadership should remain the keys to attracting and retaining talent

The Robert Walters 2025 Salary Survey finds that professionals in Hong Kong prioritise three key factors when considering job opportunities, “Bonus scheme” (80%), “Private health insurance” (73%), “Flexi/remote working” (62%). This reflects a growing demand for work-life balance and flexibility among job seekers.

However, the “return-to-office” movement driven by businesses in 2024 has clashed with employee expectations. According to the Robert Walters Talent Trends 2025 report, organisations that prioritise a people-first leadership approach—centred on inclusivity, empathy, and employee well-being—are more successful in attracting and retaining top talent. Companies that foster flexibility, psychological safety, and a well-being-focused workplace gain a competitive edge in employee engagement and retention. As a result, innovative hybrid work models, such as the “four-day work week” and “window working” continue to gain traction.

As a rising flexible work model, “window working” allows employees to structure their work schedules around peak productivity hours rather than adhering to traditional fixed hours. This enhances efficiency and job satisfaction while enabling employees to balance professional and personal commitments.

From rigid career ladders to dynamic career lattices – 94% of employees stay longer with companies that prioritise career development

The latest Robert Walters research reveals that 94% of employees are more likely to stay with companies that invest in career development. This underscores the importance of learning & development (L&D) programmes in talent retention strategies.

In Hong Kong, nearly 40% of employers are investing and focusing on improving their L&D programs to upskill employees in 2025 as a strategic move to attracting and retaining talent by aligning with employees’ values and aspirations.

Furthermore, traditional career progression models are evolving. Instead of the rigid career ladder, professionals now favour a career lattice model, where lateral moves, cross-functional experience, and skills-based growth take precedence over hierarchical promotions.

AI in recruitment accelerates hiring but human touch remains irreplaceable

The use of AI in the workplace is on the rise, with 75% of Hong Kong professionals reporting they are utilising AI models, such as ChatGPT, in their work—a jump from 45% in November 2023. However, the current use of AI in recruitment remains in its early stages.
In the future, AI will transform every aspect of the hiring process, from job ad creation, candidate sourcing and screening, to final hiring decisions. By integrating AI-driven recruitment strategies, businesses will significantly reduce hiring timelines, cut costs, and enhance hiring efficiency.

However, the Robert Walters Talent Trends 2025 report highlights that AI in recruitment still has limitations. Companies must balance automation with fairness, ethical hiring practices, and human decision-making, as AI cannot fully replace human judgment. Organisations should find the right equilibrium between AI-powered efficiency and human intuition.

Robert Walters Talent Trends 2025 report have gathered insights and views from experts within the recruitment industry to help businesses navigate a rapidly evolving hiring market and develop effective strategies for attracting and retaining talent. https://www.robertwalters.com.hk/insights/hiring-advice/e-guide/top-talent-trends-in-recruitment.html

Hashtag: #HiringTrends #RobertWaltersHongKong #2025 #Workplace #TalentTrends


Robert Walters is the world’s most trusted talent solutions business. Across the globe, we deliver recruitment, recruitment process outsourcing and advisory services for businesses of all shapes and sizes, opening doors for people with diverse skills, ambitions, and backgrounds. We help organisations find the skills and solutions to reach their goals and assist talented professionals to power their unique potential.

The Hong Kong office specialises in placing high-calibre professionals on a permanent or contract basis in the following specialities: accounting & finance, construction, property & engineering, financial services, HR & business support, legal & compliance, sales & marketing, supply chain, logistics & procurement, and tech & transformation.

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Asia Coach Group Partners with Veteran Business Consultant Rick Tam to Launch “Business Breakthrough” Programme for Hong Kong SMEs

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 February 2026 – Asia Coach Group Limited announced today its partnership with seasoned business consultant Rick Tam to launch the “Business Breakthrough” enterprise training programme, designed to help Hong Kong SME owners strengthen their business models, improve cash flow, and enhance financing capabilities.

Rick Tam, Founder of “Business Breakthrough” Coaching Programme for Hong Kong SMEs

Challenging Business Environment Demands New Solutions

Hong Kong’s SMEs are facing unprecedented operational pressures. According to a survey by CPA Australia, 37% of small businesses in Hong Kong struggle to obtain external financing. Data from Airwallex further reveals that 96% of SMEs have experienced cash flow difficulties in the past year. With property asset values declining, banks’ insistence on property collateral for loans has left many enterprises in financial distress.

Responding to Market Needs with Systematic Business Upgrade Solutions

“Hong Kong has never lacked capital—what’s missing is the mechanism to connect businesses with it,” Rick Tam noted. The programme addresses common pain points faced by local SMEs, including declining profits, low business valuations, tight cash flow, and recruitment challenges. Built upon the four-pillar framework of “Commerce, Strategy, Breakthrough, and Structure,” the curriculum covers stabilising cash flow and enhancing financial flexibility, repositioning businesses and improving client quality, reshaping product value and expanding profit margins, as well as systematising operations and attracting investors. The programme commits to helping participants improve cash flow, increase business value, and strengthen their business models within 90 days.

Four Practical Tools for Immediate Application

Participants will acquire four core tools: the “Cash Flow Vortex System” for rapid assessment of financial status and establishing safety buffers; the “A.T.C. Client Leverage Ladder” for repositioning and enhancing client value; the “High-Value Breakthrough Method” for creating products with greater value and trust; and the “Marketing Triangle Matrix” for integrating human resources, client bases, and operational systems to plan business expansion. The programme adopts a six-step progressive model—from restructuring business models, improving profit margins, attracting capital injection, building high-performance teams, and systematising operations, to ultimately helping business owners reclaim their time and freedom.

Instructor Credentials

Programme instructor Rick Tam is a graduate of the University of Hong Kong’s Business School and currently serves as CEO of two family offices and chief consultant to several others. He holds the CFPCM Certified Financial Planner designation. Tam has founded more than nine brands spanning wealth management, securities, and food and beverage sectors, and has guided over 1,000 participants through business expansion.

As Hong Kong’s economy seeks transformation, channelling capital precisely into the real economy through the “Business Breakthrough” approach offers more than a lifeline for SMEs—it injects vital momentum into Hong Kong’s long-term economic development.

Hashtag: #RickTam #AsiaCoach

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Zuellig Pharma Strengthens Consumer Healthcare Portfolio with the Acquisition of Zam-Buk® and Vapex® Brands from Bayer

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SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 February 2026 – Zuellig Pharma, a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, today announced that it has acquired all rights, title, and interest in and to the Zam-Buk® and Vapex® consumer healthcare brands from Bayer Consumer Care AG for Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Zam-Buk® is an ointment used for the temporary relief of pain and itch, including discomfort from insect bites. First launched in 1902, Zam-Buk® has retained strong brand equity over the decades and is widely perceived as a trusted household brand. Vapex® is a nasal inhaler used to help relieve nasal congestion. Launched in 1917, Vapex® has built meaningful brand recognition, particularly in Thailand.

The acquisition of the brands supports Zuellig Pharma’s strategic priority to strengthen and scale its consumer healthcare portfolio across Asia. It also marks the company’s second consumer healthcare acquisition, following Propan in the Philippines, reinforcing its focus on building a strong commercial platform for trusted, everyday healthcare products in the region.

“This acquisition marks another significant growth milestone for our consumer healthcare product portfolio. Zam-Buk® and Vapex® are enduring brands with deep heritage and trust in the communities they serve. By combining the brands’ legacy with Zuellig Pharma’s regional commercial capabilities and local market expertise, we aim to expand distribution and access across all relevant retail channels in the region. In doing so, these brands will continue to remain relevant, easy to find, and accessible to consumers.” said John Graham, CEO of Zuellig Pharma.

Hashtag: #ZuelligPharma #ConsumerHealthcare #ConsumerHealth #Healthcare #Pharmaceuticals #Zambuk #Vapex #Bayer


The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Zuellig Pharma

Zuellig Pharma is a leading healthcare solutions company in Asia, and our purpose is to make healthcare more accessible to the communities we serve. We provide world-class distribution, commercialization, and clinical trial support services, underpinned by a strong culture of innovation to support the growing healthcare needs in this region. The company was founded a hundred years ago and has grown to become a multibillion-dollar business covering 18 markets with over 12,000 employees. Our people serve more than 200,000 medical facilities and work with over 450 clients, including the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world.

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International Entertainment Corporation to Hold EGM on 26 February 2026 for Proposed Convertible Notes Issuance

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HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 February 2026 – International Entertainment Corporation (the “Company“, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group“; HKEX stock code: 1009) will hold an extraordinary general meeting (the “EGM”) on 26 February 2026 at 11:00 a.m. for shareholders to vote on resolutions related to the proposed issuance of up to HK$1.6 billion convertible notes (the “Notes“) to DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (the “Subscriber“) (Philippine Stock Exchange stock symbol: PLUS).

DigiPlus Interactive Corp., named as one of the Fortune Southeast Asia 500, together with its subsidiaries, is an innovative digital entertainment group in the Philippines and is a leader in the casinos and gaming industry. On 17 November 2025, the Company entered into the Subscription Agreement with the Subscriber, pursuant to which the Company conditionally agreed to issue and the Subscriber conditionally agreed to subscribe for the Notes in two tranches with a maturity of five years and an interest rate of 3% per annum.

Upon full conversion of the Notes at the initial Conversion Price, a total of 1,600,000,000 Shares will be issued by the Company, representing approximately 53.89% of the issued share capital of the Company as enlarged by the issue and allotment of the Conversion Shares. As such, the Subscriber will be obliged to make a mandatory general offer pursuant to Rule 26.1 of the Takeovers Code, unless the Whitewash Waiver is granted and approved.

The initial Conversion Price of HK$1.00 per Conversion Share represents a discount of approximately 3.85% to the closing price of HK$1.04 per Share as quoted on the Stock Exchange on the Latest Practicable Date (6 February 2026).

The board of Directors (the “Board“) believes that the Subscription would be beneficial to improving and strengthening the Group’s liquidity and financial position on a longer-term basis. In the event that the Subscriber converts part or the full amount of the Notes into the Conversion Shares, it will also broaden the shareholder and capital base of the Company. The Group intends to apply part of the net proceeds raised from the issuance of the Notes of approximately HK$489.22 million for the early repayment of the Promissory Notes and interest accrued thereon (the “PN Repayment“), and approximately HK$392.39 million to early repay the Secured Bank Borrowing to achieve immediate interest savings.

The remaining net proceeds will primarily be used for funding the Investment Commitment and attractive investment/business opportunity(ies); and as general working capital of the Group. The Investment Commitment is currently expected to include capital investments for acquisition of land for the expansion of the Group’s integrated resort in Manila City in the Philippines (the ”Hotel”) and the construction of additional hotel rooms, for provision of other amenities of the integrated resort, and for ongoing upgrades, refurbishments and renovations to the facilities and infrastructures of both the Hotel and the Group’s existing casino (the “Casino“).

The Independent Board Committee, which comprises all the independent non-executive Directors, is of the opinion that (i) the terms of the Subscription Agreement are on normal commercial terms, and the terms of the Subscription, the Whitewash Waiver and the Special Deal (the PN Repayment to the PN Holder) are fair and reasonable so far as the Independent Shareholders are concerned; and (ii) the Subscription, the Whitewash Waiver and the Special Deal are in the interests of the Company and the Shareholders as a whole and as far as the Independent Shareholders are concerned. It, therefore, recommends the Independent Shareholders to vote in favour of the relevant resolution(s) to be proposed at the EGM.

Hashtag: #InternationalEntertainmentCorporation

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About International Entertainment Corporation (HKEX: 1009)

International Entertainment Corporation is an investment holding company. The Company and its subsidiaries are principally involved in hotel operations, operating the gaming business under provisional licence and leasing of gaming venues at the hotel complex of the Group in Metro Manila in the Republic of the Philippines to a tenant for authorized gaming operation and live poker events in Macau.

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