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FWD to establish new headquarters in a landmark deal combining new lease and renewal across 12 floors
FWD Hong Kong (“FWD”) and Swire Properties today announced that they have signed a decade-long lease to expand FWD’s office space at Taikoo Place. The collaboration strengthens the long-term partnership between the two companies, underscoring their shared commitment to Hong Kong’s future growth and Taikoo Place’s credentials as a premier business destination for corporates.
FWD has been a tenant at Taikoo Place since 2014 and is now expanding its office space to accommodate its business growth. The company will consolidate its office space in Hong Kong by taking up 330,000 sq ft – FWD will become the largest office tenant in Taikoo Place. Devon House will be renamed “FWD Tower” (富衛中心), effective from 1 January 2026, making it FWD Hong Kong’s headquarters.
A signing ceremony was held at Taikoo Place, officiated by Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties; Fanny Lung, Chief Financial Officer of Swire Properties; Don Taylor, Director, Office of Swire Properties; Ken Lau, Managing Director of Greater China and Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, FWD; Raymond Lo, Chief Financial Officer, FWD Hong Kong & Macau, and Julie Chow, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, FWD Group.
Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties, said, “We are delighted to strengthen our long-term partnership with FWD through this significant expansion, which represents Hong Kong's largest office lease of 2025, underscoring Taikoo Place’s position as the location of choice for premier corporates. The recent completion of the Taikoo Place redevelopment project has established a new benchmark for the office sector in Hong Kong, and will significantly contribute to the city’s competitiveness as a global financial centre. We remain dedicated to continuously upgrading and expanding our core portfolio in Taikoo Place, solidifying its position as a world-class business hub.”
“We’re pleased to deepen our partnership with Swire Properties through this landmark expansion at Taikoo Place,” said Ken Lau, Managing Director of Greater China and Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, FWD. “Establishing ‘FWD Tower’ as our Hong Kong headquarters marks a major milestone in our growth journey and reflects our long-term commitment to the city’s role as a global financial hub. This move reinforces our vision to create a customer-led, future-ready, and people-first workplace — one that empowers us to continue changing the way people feel about insurance, while building upon our solid growth momentum to deliver long-term sustainable value. We’re excited to continue partnering with Swire Properties and to contribute to the vibrant business community at Taikoo Place.”
Don Taylor, Director of Office at Swire Properties, added, “FWD ’s expansion at Taikoo Place highlights our commitment to placemaking and our dedication to creating a vibrant community that delivers an exceptional tenant experience. With world-class ESG credentials, industry-leading amenities, and superb connectivity, we are proud of the results from our transformation project completed last year. These enhancements have significantly elevated the experience for our tenants, positioning Taikoo Place as the future-forward business district in Hong Kong. We remain committed to investing in Taikoo Place so that we are well positioned to leverage the flight to quality.”
Julie Chow, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, FWD Group, said, “At FWD, we are committed to cultivating a workplace that supports our people and encourages innovation and openness. As we enter our new chapter of growth with ‘FWD Tower’, we aim to create an environment where collaboration thrives and talents are nurtured, ultimately empowering us to better serve our customers locally and beyond.”
In addition to its modern workspaces and an array of business and wellness-focused amenities, Taikoo Place is renowned for its wide range of tenant engagement programmes. FWD has actively participated in Swire Properties' proprietary Green Performance Pledge (GPP) programme, utilising smart solutions to reduce power consumption, water usage and waste through a dedicated tenant portal, along with Swire Properties’ technical support and advice on best-in-class sustainable development practices.
To promote mental health and wellbeing among the working population, FWD will also partner with Swire Properties for the upcoming Taikoo Place Wellness Month. This event will take place in October, and will offer a variety of sports and wellness activities. Tenants at Taikoo Place can take part in meditation, yoga, body combat and spinning sessions, all designed to enhance their overall health and wellbeing.
FWD regularly participates in Taikoo Place’s tenant engagement activities that enhance the overall workplace experience, which aligns with its “Celebrate living” brand promise. One such initiative is ‘Project After 6,’ a specially curated programme that has been running since 2014, aimed at fostering connections among tenants through art, music, and entertainment.
The latest phase in the redevelopment of Taikoo Place was officially completed in November 2024, which included the addition of premium amenities and over 70,000 sq ft of beautifully landscaped gardens. This enhancement brings the total greenery and open space to over 250,000 sq ft, accounting for approximately 30% of the site area. Additionally, the new elevated air-conditioned walkways now connect all ten office towers, creating seamless connectivity for all our tenants and visitors. Notably, Taikoo Place is the first and only project in the Greater Bay Area to achieve Platinum certification for LEED v4.1 for Existing Communities as of December 2024.
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FWD and Swire Properties have signed a decade-long lease to expand FWD’s office space at Taikoo Place, making FWD the largest office tenant in Taikoo Place by taking up 330,000 sq ft of office space. Pictured at the signing ceremony are Ken Lau, Managing Director of Greater China and Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, FWD (left) and Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties (right).
A signing ceremony was held at Taikoo Place, officiated by Tim Blackburn, Chief Executive of Swire Properties (third from right); Fanny Lung, Chief Financial Officer of Swire Properties (second from right); Don Taylor, Director, Office of Swire Properties (first from right); Ken Lau, Managing Director of Greater China and Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, FWD (third from left); Raymond Lo, Chief Financial Officer, FWD Hong Kong & Macau (first from left); and Julie Chow, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, FWD Group (second from left).
About FWD Hong Kong
FWD Hong Kong is part of the FWD Group, a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 30 million customers across 10 markets, including BRI Life in Indonesia.
FWD Hong Kong has been assigned strong financial ratings by international agencies. It offers life and medical insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning.
FWD’s customer-led and tech-enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance. FWD Group is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code 1828.
For more information about FWD Hong Kong, please visit www.fwd.com.hk.
About Swire Properties
Swire Properties develops and manages commercial, retail, hotel, and residential properties, with a particular focus on mixed-use developments in prime locations at major mass transportation intersections. Swire Properties is listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong its investment portfolio includes Taikoo Place, Pacific Place, Cityplaza and Citygate. The Company’s completed portfolio in Hong Kong comprises approximately 1.54 million sqm (approximately 16.5 million sq ft) of space.
In the Chinese Mainland, Swire Properties has six completed mixed-use developments. They include Taikoo Li Sanlitun and INDIGO in Beijing, HKRI Taikoo Hui and Taikoo Li Qiantan in Shanghai, Taikoo Hui Guangzhou and Taikoo Li Chengdu. Taikoo Place Beijing^, Taikoo Li Xi'an, Sanya development project (Phase 3)*, New Bund Mixed-use Project* and Lujiazui Taikoo Yuan in Shanghai and Taikoo Li Julong Wan Guangzhou are currently under development. The Company’s completed portfolio in the Chinese Mainland comprises approximately 1.3 million sqm (14 million sq ft) of space.
In addition to Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, the Company has a presence in Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Miami, USA.
Swire Properties has achieved global leadership in sustainable development with its No. 1 ranking in the Dow Jones Best-in-Class World Index 2024 (formerly known as Dow Jones Sustainability World Index), in the Real Estate Management & Development Industry category.
Visit Swire Properties’ website at www.swireproperties.com
^Taikoo Place Beijing will include the existing INDIGO upon completion.
*Project name to be confirmed.
About Taikoo Place
Taikoo Place is one of Hong Kong’s most vibrant, sustainable, and human-centric world-class business hubs. It is home to over 35,000 office workers from over 200 multinational corporations.
In addition to more than 7 million sq. ft. of premium office space across ten office towers, Taikoo Place offers top-notch business and leisure amenities with over 250,000 sq. ft. of landscaped green spaces, including Taikoo Park, Taikoo Garden and Taikoo Square. Other amenities include ArtisTree, a visual and performing arts venue, Blueprint, a flexible working space, private members' club, The Refinery, as well as a wide range of restaurants, bars, and cafes. Our climate-controlled walkways ensure seamless movement across the portfolio. The largest shopping mall on Hong Kong Island – Cityplaza, is within a five-minute walk away. The lifestyle hotel EAST Hong Kong and serviced apartments EAST Apartments are also nearby.
Taikoo Place is also well-known for its sustainability efforts. It is the first development in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to be awarded the Final Platinum certification under LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v4.1 for Communities: Existing. One Taikoo Place is the first office building in Hong Kong to receive triple Platinum certifications (WELL, BEAM Plus and LEED Final Platinum certifications); while Two Taikoo Place was the first building in Hong Kong to receive Platinum certifications for both WiredScore and SmartScore, and was awarded the Urban Land Institute 2024 Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence.