Club Meeting on 11 September 2012

Post date: 05-Sep-2012 02:05:20

"Designing Hong Kong"

by Paul Zimmerman, District Councilor

Paul Zimmerman is the CEO of Designing Hong Kong. The original impetus for Designing Hong Kong Limited was the study “Designing Hong Kong Harbour District” convened by Paul Zimmerman in 2003 in response to the announcement of the West Kowloon Cultural District and the legal battle over reclamation. The company was formally founded in 2007 by Christine Loh, Markus Shaw, Peter H.Y. Wong and Paul Zimmerman following concerns over the Government’s plans for the Tamar site and the Central Reclamation.

Designing Hong Kong’s motto is ‘Livable Density’. It is dedicated to better urban planning in Hong Kong, responding to the need for a sustainable development model and a low-carbon economy; and the desire of citizens for a diverse and vibrant economy and a clean, green, healthy living environment with an aesthetically attractive cityscape.

Its aim is to increase public awareness and to improve Hong Kong’s collective ability to plan and deliver a sustainable city. Designing Hong Kong advocates the adoption of sustainability, good design and quality of life as core values in urban planning. It believes in the need for an integrated rather than piecemeal approach to planning, and it calls for the reform of planning, land and transport policies together with a more independent planning authority that is more responsive to community aspirations.

Designing Hong Kong promotes interventions wherever it sees bad planning – at a territorial or district level, and wherever it sees that policies, processes or institutions are not working the way they should.

Brief Bio of Paul Zimmerman

Paul Zimmerman has a Masters in Social Science (Economics) from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and arrived in Hong Kong in 1984.

In 1987, he founded the Bridge Design, an identity and corporate literature design company, which he sold in 1997 to the events producer, Caribiner International. He built the combined entity into a leading communications group in Asia (since renamed Jack Morton International).

In 2000, Paul founded The Experience Group, a consultancy advising on strategy and policy development and acted as Executive Director of investment holding company MF Jebsen International from 2003 to 2009 with responsibility for Jebsen Travel, BCD Travel Greater China, Pacific Aviation Marketing, and MF Jebsen Automotive, the distributor of Aston Martin Sports Cars and Triumph Motorcycles.

In September 2009, Paul commenced studies in Transport Planning at The University of Hong Kong and decided to focus full-time on Designing Hong Kong Limited, a not-for-profit organization promoting sustainable urban planning in Hong Kong (www.designinghongkong.com).

Paul has been active in sustainable development of Hong Kong through organizations such as the Designing Hong Kong, Society for Protection of the Harbour, Coalition on Sustainable Tourism, Heritage Watch, Save The Street Market, Conservancy Association, ProCommons, Business Environment Council, Harbour Business Forum, Clear the Air, and others. He was awarded a Honorary Membership of the American Institute of Architects for his role in improving the harbourfront of Victoria Harbour.

In September 2010 Paul Zimmerman was elected as the District Councilor representing the Pokfulam Constituency. He won the re-election in November 2011 for the 2012-2015 term in office. (www.paulzimmerman.hk ).

In 2012, Paul Zimmerman received his Certificate for Naturalization as a Chinese National.

You can now reserve your seat online. Please click here to reserve seat !

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Lunch Meeting Details

The Rotary Club of Hong Kong is an English Speaking Club. We meet every Tuesday at 12:45pm at The Hong Kong Bankers Club - 43/F Gloucester Tower, The Landmark, Central, Hong Kong (except public holidays)

Guests and Visiting Rotarians are always most welcome at our weekly luncheons.

(Please register online in advance)

Lunch Cost : HK$300 (by cash) / HK$310 (by credit card)

to be collected at the door

Typhoon Arrangement:

The Club Meeting will automatically be cancelled if Typhoon Signal No. 8 (or above) is hoisted and is not lowered

at 10 a.m. on the meeting day.

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