John Moore, vice president of human resources, says that complying with the first round of changes next year will raise health-care costs by 2% for the company.

WSJ: Firms Fret Over Health Care

In a similar survey last summer by human-resources-consulting firm Mercer, Singapore surpassed Hong Kong for the first time in the cost of living.

WSJ: Zurich Is World's Costliest City

The first floor, which also was heavily damaged, is where the company's human resources team worked.

CNN: February 1, 2013 -- Updated 1937 GMT (0337 HKT)

When Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLC appointed its first CDO nine years ago, the executive worked under the umbrella of the human-resources department.

WSJ: Firms Hail New Chiefs (of Diversity)