HK AmCham names new chairman for 2022

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham) has appointed Joseph Armas (pictured left) as chairman and Geoffrey Siebengartner (pictured right) as vice chairman for 2022.

Armas is currently managing director, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan of OTIS Elevator Company (HK), who will be the chairman of AmCham for the next year and succeed current chairman Jessica Bartlett. Armas came to Hong Kong in February 2019 to take up his current position. Before moving to Hong Kong, he was senior director and regional general manager for Northern California at OTIS Elevator Company. Armas has been working in the US since the 2000s across different cities, including San Francisco and Seattle, according to his LinkedIn. 

“Our chamber community is energised by the new leadership joining our board to lead us in 2022 and the opening of our new community hub, a first-in-class and welcoming home for our businesses. We will continue our transformation into AmCham 2.0, a chamber that innovates to connect our membership with the US, China and Hong Kong communities,” said Armas.

Meanwhile, Siebengartner is currently managing director, Asia Pacific government affairs of FedEx. He has been one of the broad members of AmCham since December 2019, according to his LinkedIn. Siebengartner has been working for FedEx since July 2017, responsible for leading the FedEx regulatory & government affairs team in APAC. The team also built and managed relationships with governments, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the region and around the world to protect the interests of FedEx, the company's customers and partners, and the air cargo industry in general.

Last week, AmCham Tara president Joseph said she was leaving her position but will remain at the helm for six months, giving some time for AmCham to find a new president. Reuters reported that Joseph's resignation was due to her failure to persuade the Hong Kong government to ease COVID-19 restrictions and the need to undergo quarantine herself. She told Reuters that she is currently in the US and would face three weeks of hotel quarantine if she returned to the city. 

In light of Joseph’s departure, AmCham has appointed search firm Korn Ferry to commence a global recruitment process in 2022 for the selection of the chamber’s next president.

“The chamber appreciates Joseph’s service and investment in the future of AmCham. She helped move the chamber into the digital age, advocated on tough issues, and launched AmCham 2.0, including leading the chamber to purchase our new community hub, AmCham’s new permanent home. Her leadership, spirit, and innovative thinking will be greatly missed,” said Bartlett.

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