14 Mar 2012

Harnessing the pink dollar (Time Out Hong Kong)

Time Out takes a look at Hong Kong’s LGBT business movers and shakers. By Time Out Staff:

Paul Thompson
LGBT Capital and Fridae.asia

Revenue is the gain and diversity is the game. Investment banker Paul Thompson started LGBT Capital to harness a potentially high return on investment for companies with solid diversity policies. “It’s first and foremost an investment fund that is driving a return from the LGBT sector,” says Thompson. He aims to approach corporations with the idea that ‘diversity is not just the right thing to do but the smart thing to do’. He also says companies ‘will hire the best people who are loyal because they feel they can express who they are at work’. Besides LGBT Capital, Thompson is the new chairman of Fridae − a gay social media networking website based in Hong Kong. He explains the relationship of LGBT Captial and Fridae as ‘one plus one equals 10’. Both avenues are integral for the other to succeed and Thompson has every intention of moving Fridae forward, he says, as well as developing a mobile app.