5 minutes with Crown Relocation’s Luis Contreras

In collaboration with Crown Relocations.

By pure accident, I happened to run into someone from the relocation industry in Hong Kong.

This was almost five years ago, I decided to give it a go and now I’m back where it all started. My wife is from Hong Kong, so my kids are happy to move back and spend time with family here. I think the eldest will start to miss some of her friends, but it’s exciting more than anything. 

We prepared for the move by focusing on everyone having their passports in order and selecting the essentials to take.

During the shipping period there’s a time when you don’t have your belongings. So we asked our 3.5 year-old daughter to pick five important things to take and she ended up choosing five teddy bears! We also asked what her favourite plates and cups were and bought them along – she was excited to use them on the first day. These small things make the moving process more comfortable.

I have realised very quickly that I need to relearn Hong Kong.

I was so comfortable in Manila, I knew what expectations I could have, where to go and where certain restaurants were. The challenge is also from a company perspective. I knew staff well in the Philippines but everything is relatively new for me here so I have to go through that process again.

As general manager, you have to find a balance between keeping employees happy and delivering results as an organisation.

I need to ensure that I’m providing the right guidance and support to my team members. Relocating is such an intimate process between our organisation and a client. We’re assisting them through one of the most challenging times of their lives and their careers. It’s a very delicate line of business. Occasionally I have to be there for customers in different time zones, sometimes at 11pm or even 3am. But I always prioritise shutting my phone off for a few hours every day to be present with my family.

Expats moving to Hong Kong need to be aware of the cost.

It’s not what they think it’s going to be, taxes are low but it’s an expensive city and understanding how to live on a budget is key to success in Hong Kong. But there is also so much to love about this city. In Hong Kong you can be in the city, on the beach or in the mountains, and they’re all just minutes away. Other than that I love the airport here, there are so many direct flights. Without being in Asia, I would never have had the opportunity to travel as much as I do. To learn so many wonderful things and meet different people. I’m excited to be in Hong Kong and there’s a bright future here for us for years to come.