I like playing tennis with clients. If you’re playing sport, that’s the best way to really get to know them.
Cooking Up a Deal
Who?
Xen Gladstone, head of sales, trading and execution at CLSA, Hong Kong
Where?
If you’re lucky enough to have access to some of the private members’ clubs in Hong Kong, they tend to be much more affordable than a lot of the expensive restaurants for a similar quality of food. Hong Kong Club and China Club are still popular venues. Clients often like to try them something new, so when there’s a new restaurant open, they’re keen to check it out. But they’re increasingly mindful of what’s spent.
What’s changed?
The days of excess seem a long time ago. I’m not sure whether it’s either a younger demographic of clients coming through or the fact that we’re all aging together and people are more health conscious. At our forum for the last couple of years we’ve had a bus-load or two of people coming out to run Bowen Road or trail run in the morning.
One of the costs we can most easily tackle is looking to try to reduce our travel and entertainment budget. So people are being more prudent, more targeted with dollars, and just generally aiming at a sensible and acceptable portion of the wine list.
Extracurricular?