Top job: InvestHK's Mike Rowse presents a congratulatory souvenir to Jim Thompson for winning the Foreign Direct Investment 2003 Personality of the Year award.

Crown Worldwide Holdings Chairman Jim Thompson has been chosen as Foreign Direct Investment 2003 Personality of the Year for the Asia Pacific region by fDi magazine.

Nominated by InvestHK, Mr Thompson, who is also the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, received the award recently in Amsterdam.

Congratulating Mr Thompson, InvestHK's Director-General of Investment Promotion Mike Rowse said the award is good news for Hong Kong.

"His record of success as an investor and entrepreneur - combined with active involvement with numerous Hong Kong Government and private sector organisations promoting Hong Kong - have made him one of our city's most prominent and effective advocates around the world," Mr Rowse said.

Mr Thompson said it was a great honour to receive the award.

"Advising potential investors that Hong Kong is their best choice for establishing Asian operations is something I do with great conviction," Mr Thompson said.

"Hong Kong is easy to sell. It's a business-friendly city that allows companies to make profits and the simple low-tax structure allows investors to keep the vast majority of their earnings. It's truly an ideal business environment."

Serving as a member of Trade Development Council, Hong Kong-US Business Council, Hong Kong-Japan Business Co-operation Committee and Hong Kong-Korea Business Roundtable, Mr Thompson has been extremely active in promoting investment here.

He regularly speaks to prospective investors in Asia, Europe and North America on behalf of InvestHK, and leads or participates in numerous briefings for corporate executives visiting Hong Kong.

Moreover, he has recently been selected as one of the first 19 Investment Promotion Ambassadors to support Hong Kong's overseas investment promotion efforts.

Last month, Mr Thompson was named to the Economic Relaunch Strategy Group chaired by the Financial Secretary Antony Leung.

fDi, a monthly direct investment publication from the Financial Times, hosts the award to recognise the outstanding work being done by people outside of Investment Promotion Agencies in promoting their region.