Executive director, Jardine Matheson
The executive chairman of Jardine Matheson, Ben Keswick heads a business that his family has run for five generations. One of Hong Kong’s most storied companies, Jardines has operations in a vast number of areas, ranging from property to retail to hospitality to automotive; Ben is also chairman of group companies including Hongkong Land, Dairy Farm and Mandarin Oriental.
Keswick joined the board in 2007 and took over the top job in 2012, since when he has been working on streamlining and modernising the company’s structure and operations. He was also the company’s managing director from 2012 to 2020.
The Keswick family, which has its roots in Scotland, first became involved in the company in the mid-19th century, when Thomas Keswick married founder William Jardine’s niece. Known as a private person, Ben Keswick is married to Martha, with whom he has four children.
Did You Know?
James Johnstone Keswick, younger brother of 19th century family patriarch William and son of Thomas, went by the magnificent nickname of “James the bloody polite”.