Upholding Swire’s brand and values

Ivan Chan, General Manager, Group Public Affairs, John Swire and Sons (H.K.) Limited

Working at Swire gives me the opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge, which is something I find rewarding as a communications professional. The way we communicate and engage our stakeholders embodies the Company’s values of integrity, humility, endeavour, excellence and continuity , as well as sustainable growth. This approach is both unique and conveys authenticity, and I’m really pleased to be a part of it.  

I joined John Swire and Sons (H.K.) Limited in 2022 after spending much of my career focusing on corporate communications, crisis handling, issues management and stakeholder engagement, as well as liaising with government officials and analysing public policy. 

Previously I was with Dragonair and then Cathay Pacific, and I worked between the two airlines for over eight years. It was during my time at the Cathay group that I came to admire Swire’s brand, particularly its commitment to authenticity exemplified by its motto Esse Quam Videri, or “to be, rather than to seem to be”. At the time, this was particularly evident in the corporate social responsibility work Swire carried out, demonstrating to me just how much Swire cares for Hong Kong, and how the Company is committed towards the long-term development of all communities in the markets in which it operates.

Today, in my role as General Manager Group Public Affairs, I look after the team responsible for engaging and establishing communications with stakeholders, including the government, as well as liaising with local and international media, organising events in Hong Kong, conveying key information and, all in all, ensuring our brand and values are well disseminated. We also offer advice around geopolitics or public policy that could have an impact on our businesses. To achieve this, we work closely with teams within the Swire Group, including the various Operating Companies.

One of the areas we have been focusing on is our social media channels because these offer a really engaging way of telling the Swire story. In particular, we’ve been creating lots of videos, especially for our ESG campaign and philanthropic activities carried our by the Swire Trust. We believe that embracing technology is the future of work. To start with, we’ve also been deploying AI where appropriate to increase efficiency across the team.

One of the things I value most about working at Swire is that the company will develop your strengths by giving you opportunities that are both challenging and rewarding. And from a Group Public Affairs perspective, I like the fact that we collaborate with teams across the Group, which gives me a different perspective on the issues and challenges they face. Similarly, we work closely with our communications colleagues in the Chinese Mainland, and we support one another with different initiatives and events.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to promote Swire’s brand and values across the various channels of communication. We’ll also enhance how we engage with stakeholders about what Swire’s businesses are doing to adapt to the ever-changing markets where they operate. I look forward to working with my team on new challenges and opportunities as they arise for ensuring the long-term success of the Swire brand.