Horst Geicke

Practising the craft of the Hanseatic merchant in the dynamic Asian region: Originally hailing from Hamburg, Horst Geicke has been active for a number of years as an entrepreneur, investor and patron in East and Southeast Asia. At the same time, he has adopted community-focused roles mainly in Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Following his studies at Hamburg University, Horst Geicke moved to Hong Kong in 1981, looking to use the opportunities offered by China’s opening up to the world and to establish export-oriented manufacturing businesses. He still owns some firms today, although he now mainly acts as an investor. Among the enterprises set up by Horst Geicke are VinaCapital or the PAG (Pacific Alliance Group), of which he continues to be co-owner.

Apart from the Chinese market, he was an early discoverer of Vietnam as a rising nation in Asia, and invested in a large range of projects in that country. At present, he is co-investor and chairman for the “Deutsches Haus” real estate development in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, having acquired the building lot from the German Federal Government.

Horst Geicke’s business activities have been accompanied for many years by his roles at organisations and initiatives, such as president and former president of the European and German chambers of commerce in Hong Kong.

Socially relevant projects rank especially highly for Horst Geicke. One example was his foundation of an initiative by the VinaCapital Foundation in Vietnam, which enabled thousands of heart surgeries to correct birth defects caused in the wake of the Vietnam War (“Agent Orange”). At present, he is setting up a foundation designed to create career opportunities for gifted members of Vietnam’s rural population, in co-operation with education sector entities in Germany.

Horst Geicke lives with his family in Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong.