AS Watson celebrates 185th anniversary and puts smiles on over 10,000 children with cleft conditions

AS Watson, the world’s largest international health and beauty retailer, started out in 1841 in Hong Kong as the first local western pharmacy. Its 185^th anniversary in 2026 is illuminated by over 10,000 radiant smiles – from the free surgeries that it has funded for children with cleft conditions.

Fulfilling its goal ahead of schedule, AS Watson now sets a new target of 15,000 surgeries by 2030, reaffirming its commitment to brighter futures for the next generation.

This commitment started in 2018 at the launch of “Give a Smile” campaign in partnership with Operation Smile to provide free and corrective surgeries to children with cleft lip and cleft palate. It also organises activities for its employees and customers to educate and raise awareness on the issue.

From the very beginning of the company’s establishment, AS Watson believes that health and happiness should never be a privilege. In the early days, it offered free medicines to those in need because seeing smiles on the faces of the people it served mattered most.  

Putting a smile on those it serve inspired the launch of the global “Give a Smile” campaign, supporting comprehensive cleft care to improve children’s physical and emotional well‑being.

Guided by the belief that “Give 1 Smile, Create 5”, the campaign creates a ripple effect of hope and smile by uplifting not just patients, but also families, surgeons, hospitals and community outreach.

Reflecting on this 185-year journey, Dr Malina Ngai, Group CEO of AS Watson, is deeply proud of how AS Watson has grown from a single pharmacy in Hong Kong to a global leader in health and beauty retail.

She emphasized that the journey is defined not just by growth and expansion, but by the countless smiles they have helped to create - for their customers, the people and the communities they serve. “I am grateful to our 130,000 colleagues, our loyal customers, and our partners for their dedication and trust. Together, we will continue to create smiles—one at a time, for everyone,” she said.

“We sincerely thank our customers for their generous support and donations, which have made these life-changing surgeries possible,” she added. “Looking ahead, AS Watson will continue to raise funds, donate, and actively involve our customers in supporting children with cleft lips - ensuring we create even more smiles together.”

Kathy Magee, Co-Founder, President and CEO of Operation Smile, thanked AS Watson for creating transformative impact on the lives of so many families around the world.

“Every 3 minutes, a child is born with a cleft condition,” said Magee. “Thanks to AS Watson, we are able to provide access to essential surgical and comprehensive cleft care for thousands of patients.”