HGC names Frédéric Schepens as Chief Executive Officer

HGC has appointed Dr Frédéric Schepens as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Andrew Kwok at the Hong Kong telecommunications and ICT provider.

The appointment took effect on 1 November 2026. Kwok will support the handover before leaving the business to pursue the next stage of his career outside the group.

Schepens will lead strategy and operations across HGC's enterprise, consumer, carrier and international units. HGC will continue to focus on its home market in Hong Kong while developing the city's role as a digital hub linking Asia with other regions.

The leadership change brings in an executive with three decades of experience in telecoms markets across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Schepens founded and led Bayobab, MTN Group's open-access digital infrastructure business, and previously held senior carrier roles at Vodafone and BICS.

HGC operates telecommunications infrastructure and ICT services in Hong Kong and overseas. It has 19 global offices and staff in 33 cities, serves operators as well as enterprises, small businesses and households, and runs fibre-optic infrastructure with five cross-border telecommunications routes connected with tier-one operators in mainland China.

HGC is owned by I Squared Capital, an infrastructure investment manager with interests across digital infrastructure, energy, utilities, transport, social infrastructure and environmental infrastructure. The company also expanded its digital technology services through the acquisition of Macroview Telecom in 2019.

Leadership change

Darrin Webb, Executive Vice Chairman, linked the appointment to HGC's efforts to broaden its business and deepen commercial relationships in Hong Kong and other markets.

"Fred has built and grown digital infrastructure businesses and knows how to work with customers and partners across markets. That experience is a strong fit for HGC as we expand our businesses and deepen our partnerships in Hong Kong, across Asia and beyond. We are delighted to welcome Fred as CEO. I also want to thank Andrew for his leadership and for the trust he and the team have earned over the years," said Darrin Webb, Executive Vice Chairman, HGC.

Kwok said his time leading the company had been shaped by industry change and difficult market conditions, and that the business had adapted and grown stronger.

"Leading HGC has been a true privilege. Through years of rapid industry change and challenging market conditions, our talented and dedicated team has shown remarkable resilience, and HGC has evolved and grown stronger as a result. I am deeply grateful to our colleagues, customers and partners for their trust and support. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the industry in a new capacity. Fred brings exceptional international experience across networks, carrier services and digital infrastructure, and I am confident he will lead HGC to even greater success," said Kwok.

Strategic priorities

Schepens said his priorities included reinforcing HGC's established operations and bringing its connectivity, digital infrastructure and ICT activities closer together. He also pointed to customer demand for secure operations and the adoption of artificial intelligence.

"I am proud to join HGC and build on the expertise of our people and the trust of our customers. My focus is clear: to strengthen our core businesses and bring our connectivity, digital infrastructure and ICT capabilities closer together to help customers operate securely and adopt AI with confidence. We will be ambitious in our thinking and disciplined in our execution. I look forward to working closely with our people, customers and partners to turn these priorities into practical results," said Schepens.

The appointment comes as telecoms groups and digital infrastructure providers face pressure to balance network investment, demand for corporate connectivity and the rising computing requirements linked to AI services. In Hong Kong, operators are also positioning themselves around cross-border connectivity and international traffic flows, areas where HGC has long maintained a presence through its carrier business and network assets.

For HGC, choosing a Chief Executive Officer with experience across operators, carrier services and infrastructure suggests continuity in that direction. Its network footprint, overseas office base and mix of wholesale, enterprise and consumer activities mean Schepens will lead a business with both domestic and international priorities.

That combination has become more important as telecoms providers seek revenue beyond traditional connectivity, particularly in managed services, enterprise technology and infrastructure-led offerings. HGC's earlier purchase of Macroview pointed to that shift, adding digital technology solutions and managed services to the wider group.