IBM's 50-year Odyssey in Hong Kong

1950s

1957

• IBM started its odyssey in Hong Kong by setting up a four-person office in Wing On Life Building, Central, to market office products including electric typewriters, time systems and electric typing calculators

1960s

1960

• IBM expanded its business to data processing (DP) by carrying DP equipment in its product line and setting up a Service Bureau to provide DP service to customers. With the size of employee increased from six to over twenty, IBM moved its office to Shell House (now Central Tower)

1961

• The first IBM data processing equipment, a tabulating machine using punch cards, was installed in Pan American World Airways

1964

• An IBM 1620 data processing system was installed in the Department of Civil Engineering of The University of Hong Kong

1965

• The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation ordered an IBM System/360 Model 30 for its online banking operations. The system went live in March 1968, contributing to the transformation of banking in Hong Kong

1968

• IBM Selectric Typewriter, or the IBM Golfball Typewriter, was introduced to Hong Kong. This correctable, inter-changeable typewriter set a new standard in office efficiency and productivity, and dominated the Hong Kong market throughout the 1970s

1970s

1970

• The Standard installed IBM's Magnetic Tape Selectric Composer (MTSC). It was the territory's first fully automatic English typesetting machine for the publishing industry

1978

• IBM launched System/34 in Hong Kong, drastically lowering the cost of owning a computing system from USD millions to HKD one million. The S/34 was soon embraced by manufacturers, import/export firms and other mid-sized companies

1980s

1980

• IBM signed a contract with the Hong Kong Government on the installation of a System/370 Model 138 at the Inland Revenue Department. The project marked the beginning of IBM's close and continuous partnership with various government departments

1982

• IBM introduced Personal Computer to Hong Kong, empowering a new generation of individual users and transforming life and business forever

1983

• IBM established an International Procurement Office to manage procurement of parts and components locally, and supply shipment to IBM plants worldwide. The move not only brought business opportunities to Hong Kong and China manufacturers, but also helped them raise their quality standards

1984

• IBM launched the IBM 5550 Multistation, the first personal and small business computer specifically designed to process information in Chinese

1986

• IBM established the Macau branch at Nan Yue Commercial Centre, Rua da Praia Grande

1989

• IBM launched IBM China/Hong Kong Corporation, merging officially its IBM World Trade Corporation Hong Kong Branch and IBM China Corporation

1990s

1992

• IBM employee size reached 1,000
• IBM set up its first consulting group, addressing management and functional consulting opportunities. This signifies IBM's official entry into the non-IT / maintenance services business
• IBM set up IBM China Company Limited, a wholly owned foreign enterprise, marking a new chapter on IBM's China operations

1994

• IBM Hong Kong became member of the IBM Greater China Group after IBM had consolidated management of Hong Kong, China and Taiwan to better serve IBM clients in the region. IBM was among the first MNCs that integrated the Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China operations into one unit

1995

• IBM entered into a data centre strategic outsourcing partnership with Hongkong Telecom (currently PCCW), introducing the strategic outsourcing concept to Hong Kong
• IBM Software Group was formed, indicating IBM's
  emphasis on software as the driver for the e-business transformation. The Group has grown rapidly through the decade, with the additions of employees from Lotus, Tivoli, Informix, Rational, Ascential and so on to the Hong Kong workforce

1996

• IBM Hong Kong office moved to the Hong Kong Telecom Tower (now PCCW Tower) at TaiKoo Place, introducing mobile office at its workplace, first of its kind in Hong Kong

1999

• IBM signed an agreement with The University of Hong Kong to establish the E-Business Technology Institute (ETI) to foster the development of e-business in Hong Kong
• As a pioneer of e-business, IBM unveiled its e-business Roadmap for Hong Kong in 1999 outlining the e-business vision for Hong Kong and the actions Hong Kong needs to realise the vision

2000s

2002

• IBM unveiled its second chapter of e-business Roadmap for Hong Kong, "Breathing New Life into Hong Kong: A Technologically Empowered Society", outlining IBM's proposal for Hong Kong to rejuvenate into a knowledge-based society by embracing a community computing model
• IBM Business Consulting Services was created following the acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, merging the new organisation with IBM's Business Innovation Services group
• IBM was recognised as a Caring Company by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service for the first time, and has since then been recognised for five consecutive years. This acknowledges IBM's efforts in fostering a digital inclusion society, nurturing young talents, and caring for the needy in the new millennium

2005

• Following the global strategic partnership agreement, the Personal Computer Division became part of Lenovo on August 1. IBM sped up its move to the high value segment of the IT industry, with focus on innovating value for enterprise clients
• IBM unveiled the findings of the "Hong Kong Enterprises ?Grow with and into China" Study, and published the "Change. Vitality. Growth" point-of-view (PoV) paper. The PoV paper outlined the company's vision of the transformation journey Hong Kong enterprises need to take to reap the growth opportunities in and with China, and to raise their competitiveness in the global marketplace