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In an effort to promote a more vibrant image of Hong Kong, the countryside and hiking trails will be showcased to over 300 top bankers attending next week’s Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, which will be opened with a video address by China’s Vice-Premier He Lifeng. BlackRock co-founder Larry Fink and General Atlantic chairman and CEO William Ford were among the first-time attendees of the fourth edition of the financial summit, which runs from November 3 to 5, according to Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) chief executive Eddie Yue Wai-man. Around 100 chairpersons and CEOs from global financial institutions are expected to attend. Other first-time participants include Macquarie CEO Shemara Wikramanayake, Brookfield chairman and CEO Bruce Flatt. Regular visitors such as Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters and UBS chairman Colm Kelleher would also return, Yue said. “International bankers value the chance to hear directly from mainland policymakers about their support for Hong Kong, which helps inform investment decisions in the city and the region,” Yue said in an exclusive interview with the Post. Vice-Premier He, China’s top official overseeing the financial sector, will deliver the opening keynote speech via video on November 4. His virtual participation this year follows his in-person attendance at last year’s event, continuing a tradition of high-level mainland officials’ involvement in the annual forum. This year, the HKMA has introduced several changes to highlight Hong Kong’s diverse appeal. The main summit discussion on November 4 will be held at the Rosewood hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui – the first time the event has moved across the harbour. “Many top bankers only visit their offices and clients in Central,” Yue said. “We want to bring them across the harbour to experience the real beauty of Hong Kong’s lifestyle in Kowloon.” The welcome dinner on November 3 will take place at the Hong Kong Palace Museum in West Kowloon, featuring fusion cuisine and presentations introducing Hong Kong’s countryside and more than 130 hiking trails – a major draw for both residents and visitors. “The hiking trails in Hong Kong are unique and beautiful, and they could appeal to financiers, many of whom enjoy hiking to stay healthy,” Yue said. The summit was launched in 2022 to signal that Hong Kong was “back in business” after the pandemic. “With Covid behind us, our message this year is about Hong Kong’s vibrancy – both as a business hub and a cultural destination,” Yue said. Titled “Trekking through Shifting Terrain”, this year’s summit aims to examine how financial institutions are adapting to geopolitical change, artificial intelligence, trade tensions, climate risks and evolving prudential requirements. “Just as hiking demands an eye on the weather, a change of terrain, global financiers need to navigate today’s shifting geoeconomic climate and technology changes,” he said. “In a year marked by trade policy shifts, rising debt levels and slowing growth, financial leaders and regulators alike find themselves trying to stay ahead in an ever-changing landscape.” Yue said he would use the event to promote Hong Kong’s expanding financial opportunities. Hong Kong is the world’s largest IPO market this year, and the city has seen strong issuance of dim sum bonds and other fixed-income products, Yue said. “We want bankers to understand the new policies that make Hong Kong a key fundraising and regional headquarters hub.” Yue highlighted recent initiatives, including the Renminbi Business Facility launched jointly by the HKMA and mainland regulators earlier this month, which allows international banks to draw yuan liquidity from Hong Kong for overseas lending. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will address the main summit on November 4, while Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po will give a keynote speech on the following day. A highlight will be a fireside chat between two global heavyweights – BlackRock’s Larry Fink and Citadel founder Ken Griffin – an appearance Yue described as “a rare opportunity to see them share the stage.” BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager, while Citadel is one of the world’s largest hedge fund companies. Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) CEO Julia Leung Fung-yee will moderate a panel with Goldman Sachs chairman and CEO David Solomon, Morgan Stanley chairman and CEO Ted Pick, and Capital Group president and CEO Mike Gitlin to discuss the markets, according to the programme itinerary. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing CEO Bonnie Chan Yiting will host a panel on diversification of investments with Amundi CEO Valerie Baudson, HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery, State Street chairman Ronald O’Hanley and Bank of China vice-chairman Zhang Hui. Blackstone president Jon Gray and Pacific Investment Management Company CEO Emmanuel Roman will discuss public and private markets. The heads of some of the world’s largest private equity firms will join a panel hosted by Hamilton Lane co-CEO Juan Delgado-Moreira. The panellists will include KKR co-CEO Joe Bae, CVC CEO Rob Lucas and Carlyle CEO Harvey Schwartz. The HKMA will co-host a joint forum with the SFC and the Academy of Finance at the HKEX Connect Hall on November 5 to discuss asset management and investment. The speakers at the forum will include Invesco president and CEO Andrew Schlossberg, Allianz Global Investors CEO Tobias Pross and Schroders group CEO Richard Oldfield. Initially conceived as a one-off effort to reboot the city after the Covid-19 pandemic, the summit has since evolved into an annual flagship event designed to showcase Hong Kong’s financial strengths and attract satellite events. One such event, the Women Chief Executives Summit 2025, will take place on November 3 ahead of the welcome dinner. “We’ve had strong feedback from participants who wanted this to become a regular fixture,” Yue said. “As long as they keep coming, we’ll make sure the first week of November stays marked in their diaries.”
