David is well known in the Asia Pacific region for his experience, credibility and passion for identifying, building and facilitating business and investment relationships between developed and emerging countries. Over the past 20 years, David has inspired, motivated and educated global business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors to pay attention to the massive growth potential offered by modern China as the financial engine of Asia and taken them on a journey to identify and build long-term business and investment relationships.

David lived in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 90s with his father, Michael Thomas QC, who was the Attorney General for Hong Kong (1983-88) and intimately involved in the negotiations between Britain and China to design and implement the new Basic Law of Hong Kong to take effect from 1997. In addition, his step-mother, Baroness Lydia Dunn, was a senior political leader in Hong Kong and worked with Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher to negotiate the future of Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty post 1997. These unique insights and high level family connections provided David with a fascinating perspective on China’s ambitions for the future which prompted his first visit to Beijing in 1989 and a life-long interest in China’s role on the global stage.