Jurisdictions / Hong Kong

A common-law bridge to Asian commerce.

Hong Kong is unique among Asian financial centers — a Special Administrative Region of China that retains its English-derived common-law system, English as an official language, and a deep concentration of bank service providers. We maintain presence here to anchor the firm’s work east of the Indus.

Source-based taxation.

Hong Kong does not offer a separate offshore-company regime; it does not need to. Its source-based system of taxation means that companies do not pay tax on income from sources outside Hong Kong, and there are no capital-gains taxes nor withholding on interest, dividends, or royalties. Combined with a credible common-law judiciary, the resulting framework is unusually well-suited to international commerce.

Banking depth.

Hong Kong's three-tier system of deposit-taking financial institutions and its concentration of international bank branches make it one of the easier places in Asia to obtain and maintain credible banking relationships for an offshore structure. We use the office for account establishment and maintenance work that originates from, or terminates in, the Asian markets.

Why we work here.

The firm's Hong Kong office serves clients whose holdings, counterparties, or operating businesses sit in Asia — and clients elsewhere whose structures benefit from an Asian banking face. The independent legal system, the language of business, and the regional capital flows make it the firm's natural eastern anchor.

The legislation we work under.

Companies Ordinance

Cap. 622

The substantive corporate framework, modeled on the UK Companies Act 2006 with adjustments for the Hong Kong regulatory and judicial environment.

Part 2: Incorporation requirements — articles, registered office, members — the formation framework we satisfy when establishing a Hong Kong company.
Part 10: Directors and company secretaries — duties, qualifications, and the conflicts framework applicable to Hong Kong-resident officers.

Services from this office

Company Formations
Management Services
Business Process Outsourcing

Office

Lighthouse Management (HK) Ltd.

Suite C, Level 7, World Trust Tower50 Stanley Street, CentralHong Kong

+852 5808 2744

Our people

The Hong Kong office

Harald Linhart

Managing Director

Harald is a Managing Director of the firm, responsible for its operations in Belize and Hong Kong. He has spent his career in international fiduciary and corporate management for private and institutional clients.

Anne Huelgas

Director

Anne is a Director of the firm's Hong Kong office and Managing Director of its Manila office, coordinating administration across the firm's operations in the region. She has spent her career in fiduciary and corporate administration for international clients.

Desmond K. H. Lam

General Manager

Desmond leads the Hong Kong office and coordinates administration across the firm's Asia–Pacific offices. He has spent more than two decades administering private and corporate fiduciary structures for international families.

Vivian M. L. Cheung

Client Service Representative

Vivian is the office's primary day-to-day client contact, coordinating onboarding, service requests, and liaison between clients and the firm's administration teams. She has worked in client service across the region for over a decade.

Karen S. Y. Ho

Office Coordinator

Karen is the first point of contact at the Hong Kong office, managing reception, scheduling, and client correspondence, and coordinating document handling and records.

John Vincent

General Counsel

John is the firm's General Counsel, resident in the Hong Kong office. He advises Lighthouse on its corporate, governance, and regulatory matters across the firm's nine jurisdictions and supports its compliance function. He advises the firm itself and does not act for clients.

Nathaniel W. C. Tsang

In-House Counsel

Nathaniel advises Lighthouse on its own corporate, governance, and regulatory matters and supports the firm's compliance function. He advises the firm itself and does not act for clients.

Lighthouse Trust · Hong Kong

Discuss Hong Kong structures with the firm.

Begin counsel intake