Hongkong And Shanghai Hotels : Celebrates Its 150th Anniversary In 2016

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2 March 2016

THE HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI HOTELS, LIMITED CELEBRATES ITS 150th ANNIVERSARY IN 2016

The Hong Kong-based parent company of The Peninsula Hotels, The Peak Tram, Peak Tower and Repulse Bay Complex, celebrates 150 years of tradition well served.

HONG KONG 2 March, 2016: The distinguished heritage of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) reaches a new milestone today as HSH celebrates its 150th anniversary. Originally incorporated on 2 March 1866 as The Hongkong Hotel Company, Limited, HSH was one of the first companies to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is currently the oldest registered company on the Hong Kong Companies Registry. For a century and a half, the compelling story of HSH has been closely tied to its city of origin, Hong Kong.

Whilst evolving to meet the changing times at home and abroad, HSH has never lost respect for its past and its heritage, and it continually strives to emulate the standards of service and style that earned it the accolade of "The Far East's leading hotel company". The concept of "Tradition well served" remains fundamental to HSH's approach.

"Tradition is taking account of a wonderful history, but remembering that everybody today looks to the future. It is important not to forget that the future is built on the past, and we have a great legacy," said The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of HSH. "We believe that our rich history gives us a fuller understanding of our shared identity, culture and values, enabling us to manage change responsibly, to safeguard the best of the past and to keep innovating to meet the demands of the next generation."

Today, the HSH legacy encompasses a diverse portfolio of assets worth HK$44.2 billion1 including ten Peninsula Hotels around the world, The Peak Tram, The Peak Tower and The Repulse Bay Complex in Hong Kong.

"I am delighted to announce that our company The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited will celebrate its 150th anniversary during the year of 2016. Our long-term strategic mission is to build, maintain and create the highest quality assets that become legacies in their time. We are the oldest registered company in Hong Kong - and we believe we are one of the oldest hotel groups in the world in continuous operation - but we are a company that is still at a youthful stage in our development and growth strategy. We are still building for the future and it is an exciting time for us as a group," said Mr Clement Kwok, Chief Executive Officer of HSH. "We are planning to hold a variety of private and public events later in 2016 to celebrate our anniversary, and in particular, to say thank you to the people of Hong Kong."

To mark the Group anniversary, the newly-released third edition of the documentary Tradition Well Served, which won the Golden Dolphin in the Corporate Film and Video Category at the Cannes

1 As at 30 June 2015

Corporate and Media TV Awards in 2014, will be available for viewing in all Peninsula Hotels guestrooms from 2 March 2016.

A full history of the company can be read on www.hshgroup.com and on The Hong Kong Heritage Project website www.hongkongheritage.org. More details of our anniversary celebrations will be revealed throughout 2016. Key dates and photos from our history are included below:

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: THE ORIGINAL HONGKONG HOTEL

On 2 March, 1866, The Hongkong Hotel Company was incorporated with limited liability. Financed by the Hong Kong branch of the Bank of Paris, the company's first purchase was the Oriental Hotel and the Keying and Marine House on Pedder Street. The site was redeveloped to create The Hongkong Hotel, which held its soft opening in 1868, with the Governor, His Excellency Sir Richard MacDonnell, as guest of honour. The Hongkong Hotel was dubbed by Hong Kong media as the "greatest enterprise of the kind in China and Japan".

In 1890, Sir Elly Kadoorie purchased 25 shares in The Hongkong Hotel Company through brokerage Benjamin & Kelly, a company he had founded in the early 1880s. This marked the beginning of the Kadoorie family's involvement in the HSH Group which continues today with a majority shareholding of 58%.

Sir Elly Kadoorie (Middle) with sons Lord Lawrence Kadoorie (Left) and Sir Horace Kadoorie (Right)

The Hon. Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of HSH and son of the late Lord Lawrence Kadoorie