Hong Kong-based Cathay Group is stepping up talent recruitment and network expansion on the Chinese mainland as part of broader efforts to deepen its presence and expand operations in the market.

"The Chinese mainland is one of Cathay's most important sources of talent," said Patricia Hwang, director of people at Cathay Group, during a recent recruitment event in Beijing.

Marking its 80th anniversary this year, Cathay chose Beijing as the first stop of its latest recruitment campaign because, Hwang said, it reflects the company's long-term commitment to be deeply rooted in the market as well as its confidence in the market's vitality.

Since launching recruitment in mainland in 2023, Cathay has expanded its mainland workforce to more than 4,000 employees, including about 800 cabin crew members, along with a growing number of cadet pilots and IT professionals, Hwang said.

Meanwhile, Cathay's IT teams in Guangzhou and Shenzhen have grown to around 200 employees to boost the group's digital innovation initiatives, she added.

"These figures also reflect the outstanding professionalism, strong cultural understanding and teamwork of mainland talent," said Carol Sun, general manager Chinese mainland at the group.

"They not only deliver high-quality services to our passengers, but also serve as a cultural bridge connecting the mainland, Hong Kong and the world."

This year, the group plans to recruit around 3,000 people globally, focusing on cadet pilots, cabin crew, engineers and IT professionals to support fleet upgrades, network expansion and service enhancement, Hwang said.

"Our goal is to closely align talent development with the company's long-term growth," the senior executive added.

The latest recruitment drive is happening at the same time as Cathay intensifies efforts to deepen its presence in the mainland and expand in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Last year, Cathay Pacific's passenger revenue reached HK$72.45 billion ($9.24 billion), up 15.8 percent year-on-year, while HK Express, a wholly owned subsidiary under the group, recorded passenger revenue of HK$6.394 billion, an increase of 6.7 percent. Notably, nearly one-third of HK Express's revenue came from the Greater Bay Area.

Jeanette Mao, chief executive officer of HK Express, said earlier this month that the airline will accelerate route expansion in the Chinese mainland and Southeast Asia, while continuing to consolidate its Hong Kong market and further develop the Greater Bay Area and overseas markets.

Cathay added five new mainland destinations in 2025, including Changsha and Urumqi, while HK Express launched new routes to Yiwu, Changzhou and Guiyang. The group now provides services for 24 mainland destinations, making it the non-mainland carrier operating the largest number of flights between Hong Kong and the mainland.

Looking ahead, Cathay said it will continue to strengthen transport links in the Greater Bay Area and broaden its intermodal service reach into the Yangtze River Delta.