Deloitte and KPMG have asked some executives based in the US to avoid using their usual work phones during visits to Hong Kong, the Financial Times reported, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the policies.
A number of McKinsey consultants have also travelled to the Asian financial hub with separate phones, according to the report. An executive at a global consultancy said some senior employees are hesitant to visit Hong Kong as a result of the inconvenience of leaving their mobile devices behind, it added.
The move comes as China increases its control over Hong Kong, the Asia-Pacific headquarters of many global companies, the FT said.
Deloitte, KPMG and McKinsey declined to comment to the FT. PwC said it doesn’t have such a policy, FT reported, while an executive at EY said they weren’t aware of the restriction for Hong Kong trips. bloomberg