ASIAN FINANCIAL FORUM / HKTDC Archives

Asian Financial Forum returns as Region’s First Major International Financial Assembly in 2025

– Bringing together scholars, financial officials and business leaders for discussions on the theme ‘Powering the Next Growth Engine’

Themed “Powering the Next Growth Engine”, the 18th Asian Financial Forum 2025 (AFF), will be the region’s first major international financial and business event of the year.
Heavyweight speakers include Prof Justin Lin Yifu, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank (2008-2012); Prof Stuart Russell, Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on AI; Dr Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman of Sinovation Ventures; and Joe Tsai, Chairman of the Alibaba Group.
The event brings together scholars, financial officials and business leaders from Mainland China, ASEAN, the Middle East, Europe and the United States to share invaluable insights.

The 18th Asian Financial Forum 2025 (AFF), co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) on 13 and 14 January (Monday and Tuesday). Themed “Powering the Next Growth Engine”, AFF will be the first major financial and business event in the region in the new year, bringing together more than 100 global policymakers, business leaders, financial experts and investors, entrepreneurs, tech giants and economists to share their views on issues related to political leadership, geopolitical tensions, monetary policy shifts, macroeconomic challenges and more. These industry heavyweights will discuss the latest developments in financial markets and investment opportunities and explore how Hong Kong can leverage its strengths as an international financial centre to seek breakthroughs in a period of change.

Harnessing Hong Kong’s unique advantages to demonstrate financial excellence
Launched in 2007, the AFF has become a flagship financial event for Hong Kong and the broader region, showcasing the city’s status as an international financial centre and its role as a connector in spearheading regional financial activities. Against the backdrop of a constantly shifting global economic landscape, Hong Kong has been leveraging its unique geographical position, professional services and global perspective to continue fostering collaboration and ensuring mutual success between Asia and the world.

Luanne Lim, Chairperson of the AFF Steering Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Hong Kong, of HSBC, said: “The geopolitical and economic landscape of 2025 is set to be fraught with challenges, underscoring the importance of international collaboration. The Forum adopts the theme ‘Powering the Next Growth Engine’, bringing together influential speakers and thought leaders to share insights, dissect the evolving global landscape and spotlight emerging investment opportunities. Key areas of focus include the growth potential of emerging markets such as Mainland China, ASEAN and the Middle East, as well as advancements in sectors like artificial intelligence, fintech, sustainability, philanthropy and family offices. The Forum continues to provide a premier platform for renowned global investors and fundraisers to collaborate and ignite new engines for growth with its strong international influence and diverse perspectives.”

Impactful sessions spotlight global issues
The Forum will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers, with a two-day programme featuring various panels and workshops, including plenary sessions, policy dialogues, keynote luncheons, breakfast panels and fireside chats, as well as thematic workshops focusing on development and innovation across different industries. It will continue to stage well-received sessions such as Global Economic Outlook, China Opportunities and CIO Insights. Global Economic Outlook will analyse international economic trends and provide insights into business opportunities and wealth accumulation in emerging industries and regions in 2025. China Opportunities will focus on examining the investment outlook in Mainland China under the acceleration of technological innovation and its impact on global businesses. CIO Insights will explore new opportunities for cross-regional cooperation from macroeconomic and asset allocation perspectives, offering participants insights and strategies that can help realise long-term growth.

Financial pioneers share insights on future economy
One of the keynote speakers at AFF will be Prof Justin Lin Yifu, a globally renowned economist and Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank (2008-2012). Prof Lin will deliver an in-depth analysis of the shifting global economic landscape and the impact on Mainland China and international markets, exploring strategies for achieving stable growth and driving rapid economic development amid a complex international environment.

The Forum will also bring together scholars, financial officials and business leaders from the mainland, ASEAN, the Middle East, Europe and the United States to shed light on a range of key topics, including macroeconomics, China opportunities, investment prospects, artificial intelligence (AI) and fintech as well as sustainability.

As the world’s second largest economy, the mainland’s economic and industrial development plays a significant role in driving global economic growth. Heavyweight speakers include Dr Fred Hu, Founder and Chairman of Primavera Capital Group; Jin Liqun, President and Chair of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; Li Yimei, Chief Executive Officer of China Asset Management, and Joe Tsai, Chairman of Alibaba Group, will take the stage at AFF to share their views.

Emerging markets such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Middle East will also be spotlighted. Speakers from ASEAN will include Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community of ASEAN while a new session will highlight the opportunities in financial cooperation and investment between the Middle East and Hong Kong, featuring speakers from the two places.

A stellar line-up of speakers and company representatives from Europe and the US will offer new impetus at various panel discussions. Featured speakers include Edward Dolman, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Phillips Auctioneers; J Christopher Donahue, President & Chief Executive Officer of Federated Hermes, Inc; Antoine Gosset-Grainville, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AXA; Dr Hou Yang, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Greater China Region and Global Senior Vice President of Microsoft; Philip Lane, Chief Economist and Member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank; Vincent Mortier, Group Chief Investment Officer of Amundi; and Dr Olli Rehn, Governor and Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Finland.

AI and fintech are having a profound impact as they become more broadly adopted in the financial services sector. Prof Stuart Russell, Co-chair of the World Economic Forum Council on AI; Dr Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman of Sinovation Ventures and Ken Wong, Executive Vice President of Lenovo and President of Lenovo Solutions & Services Group, will address the latest industry developments and prospects at the AFF. Prof Russell, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley and Co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on AI and the OECD’s Expert Group on AI Futures, will explore the prospects of AI becoming a new engine for global economic growth.

Sustainable development is another key topic at the AFF. In different sessions of the Forum, Sue Lloyd, Vice Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB); Martin Neubert, Partner and Group Chief Investment Officer of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, and Jiadi Yu, Chief Investment Officer of International Finance Corporation (IFC), will share views on how the adoption of the ISSB will contribute to market confidence in Hong Kong’s capital markets.

Diverse exhibition zones create opportunities, innovative technologies drive growth
The Fintech Showcase, InnoVenture Salon, FintechHK Start-up Salon and Global Investment Zone will be assembled at the AFF to help fintech companies, start-ups and international investment agencies from around the world to connect businesses, showcase the latest technological innovations and promote collaboration.

In addition to offering pitching and startup advisory sessions, the InnoVenture Salon features an exhibition of innovative technologies across various fields such as regtech, deep tech, green tech, health tech and food tech and agri-tech. This capacity-building support will connect entrepreneurs with potential clients, users and investors from different regions and industries, helping businesses refine their strategies, expand operations and thrive in the global market. Additionally, AFF Deal-making, a unique deal-sourcing and matching session, will build on the success of previous years to connect sources of funds and deals from around the world through one-on-one meetings.

AFF – Hong Kong’s major annual financial event
International large-scale events play a strategically important role for Hong Kong. As the first major financial event of the year, the AFF is designed to provide industry professionals with the latest insights and help them explore new opportunities. Early bird registration is now open for participants. The AFF is collaborating with various organisations to provide special travel, dining and shopping discounts and privileges for overseas participants, encouraging them to make the most of their stay and experience the vitality of Hong Kong. More details regarding the content, speaker lineup and media registration arrangements for the AFF will be announced at a press conference on 7 January 2025.

Websites
– Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/about-aff
– Programme: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/info-programme
– Speaker list: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/conference/aff/en/speakers

Members of the media interested in interviewing speakers at the Asian Financial Forum should email ayiu@yuantung.com.hk or lsong@yuantung.com.hk by 8 January 2025.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3Bz8p9t

Media enquiries

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Agnes Yiu Tel: (852) 3428 5690 Email: ayiu@yuantung.com.hk
Louise Song Tel: (852) 3428 5691 Email: lsong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Katy Wong Tel: (852) 2584 4524 Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw Tel: (852) 2584 4472 Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.

The 17th Asian Financial Forum concludes successfully

Over 3,600 policymakers and business leaders drawn to the showcase for Hong Kong’s vibrant economy

The 17th AFF concluded today, attracting over 3,600 policymakers and business leaders from more than 50 countries and regions who actively joined vibrant discussions, fostering sustainable development and multilateral cooperation and showcasing Hong Kong’s vibrant economy, setting the stage for conferences and exhibitions in the new year
The Forum arranged over 700 one-on-one meetings, successfully connecting investors with project owners and exploring opportunities in various industries
The AFF facilitated the signing of MoUs and agreements, including the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between Hong Kong and Croatia and Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Services Development Council and Financial Sector Development Program of Saudi Arabia, deepening business collaborations
On-site polling during the Forum showed that most participants considered the digital economy (31.4%) and electric vehicles (26.1%) the most promising industries in Mainland China

The 17th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), successfully concluded today, attracting over 3,600 financial and business elites from more than 50 countries and regions, including over 70 overseas and Mainland China delegations. The Forum showcased Hong Kong’s thriving economy as participants explored opportunities, accelerated sustainable development and multilateral cooperation and launched Hong Kong’s conferences for the year.

The event was marked by a vibrant atmosphere. Various segments – including the opening session, plenary discussions, policy dialogue, keynote luncheons and cocktail reception – were well attended. Leaders from around the world actively engaged in discussions.

In just two days, the Forum arranged over 700 one-on-one meetings, successfully connecting investors with project owners and exploring opportunities for industry and investment cooperation. After the Forum’s conclusion, participants will have the opportunity to continue discussions and meetings online from tomorrow until 30 January (Tuesday).

Over the two-day physical event, the AFF brought together more than 140 policymakers, international financial and multilateral organisation representatives, financial institutions and corporate leaders from around the world as speakers.

On the first day of the Forum, Prof Jeffrey D Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, addressed the keynote luncheon, affirming the importance of Hong Kong as an international financial centre. He said that global cooperation could help solve problems that were even beyond our reach. He believed Hong Kong could play a full role in sustainable development financing, an increasingly important area.

One of the highlights of this year’s AFF was the Plenary Session I – Charting the Path to a Shared Future, hosted by Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR, bringing together financial officials from around the world to discuss economic challenges countries face. Julapun Amornvivat, Deputy Minister of Finance, Thailand, said: “The Asian Financial Forum is the place where both the public and private sectors can have honest discussions to find solutions to tackle major problems today and transform the economy for the future.” H.E. Dr Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, Egypt, mentioned that the world was grappling with rising geopolitical tensions and a lack of clarity about the future, weighing on the achievement of sustainable economic growth. To address global challenges, the world needed to deploy all efforts to coordinate economic policies on a multilateral scale.

On the second day, the Breakfast Panel focused on Unleashing the Dragon’s Currency: Navigating Renminbi Internationalisation on the Global Stage, allowing participants to delve into the renminbi’s growing use worldwide and trends in international demand. Prof Douglas W Diamond, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences in 2022 and Merton H Miller Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, addressed the Keynote Luncheon on the second day, which was moderated by Raymund Chao, Asia Pacific and China Chairman, PwC.

Global Spectrum, Dialogues for Tomorrow and Fireside Chat brought together pioneers from various industries to discuss a host of topical subjects, explored the latest Web 3.0 and virtual asset development, the future of fintech innovation, CIO Insights, green finance and opportunities in new markets. Speakers included Bob Prince, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Bridgewater Associates, Dr Ma Jun, Chairman and President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA), Guinandra (Andra) Jatikusumo, Group Director and Chief of Investments & Business Development of CT Corp, Darmawan Junaidi, President Director, Bank Mandiri, Yat Siu, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Animoca Brands, and more.

Understanding prospects for mainland industries, environmental economics
To gauge participants’ views on the global economic outlook this year, the Forum conducted on-site voting during panel discussions. For instance, at the Panel Discussion on Global Economic Outlook, participants were asked about the greatest threats or uncertainties to economic growth in the Asia-Pacific. Most attendees identified geopolitical fragmentation (66.7%) as the biggest challenge, followed by a slowdown in the recovery momentum in key economies (17.7%), persistent inflation (6%), a tightened monetary environment (4.2%), continued supply chain reshaping (3.6%) and other factors (1.8%).

In the newly introduced Panel Discussion on Stewarding China’s New Chapter, participants were asked about the most promising industries in Mainland China. The digital economy took top spot with 31.4%. Electric vehicles (26.1%) and renewable energy (18.8%) followed in second and third place, respectively. Advanced manufacturing (15.8%), other industries (4.2%) and electronic devices (3.2%) ranked subsequently.

Over 700 matching sessions held on-site, online platform continues to yield results
Through the years, the Forum has played a crucial role in deepening business and trade collaboration. AFF Deal-making, a global investment project-matching event jointly organised by the HKTDC and Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCA), was well received, facilitating over 700 one-on-one meetings, connecting funds and investment projects from around the world. The founder of one of the start-ups from Thailand said he had met 20 visitors with potential deals, ranging from a family office to a legal adviser. He also commented that the geographical diversity of the visitors at Deal-making was extensive, ranging from India to Europe and Japan. The deal-making session had presented valuable opportunities to find potential business partners.

This year’s AFF also facilitated the signing of various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and Agreement. These included the Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between Hong Kong and Croatia and Memorandum of Understanding between the Financial Services Development Council and Financial Sector Development Program of Saudi Arabia.

The Forum also featured exhibition zones including the Fintech Showcase, Fintech HK Startup Salon, the InnoVenture Salon and Global Investment Zone, presenting innovative solutions from international financial institutions and introducing prospective unicorns from Hong Kong and around the world. The exhibition segment brought together over 140 exhibitors, including international financial institutions, technology companies, start-ups, investment promotion agencies, and sponsors, including knowledge partner PwC, along with HSBC, Bank of China, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS, China International Capital Corporation (CICC), Huatai International and Cyberport.

The 2024 International Financial Week (IFW) commenced on 24 January to create synergies, bringing together over 20 partner events. These events cover a many topics of global interest to the financial and business community. They include private equity investment, alternative investments, sustainable investments, family offices and women’s empowerment, among others. These events highlight the role of Hong Kong as an international financial centre.

To seize opportunities and promote the conference and event economy, the AFF collaborated with various organisations to arrange activities for participants beyond the Forum. These activities included free admission to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Hong Kong’s iconic Aqua Luna red-sail junk boat, TramOramic tour and open-top Big Bus arranged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. These experiences allowed forum guests to feel at home and appreciate the vibrancy and diversity of Hong Kong.

Furthermore, to provide overseas participants with a better understanding of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the vast business opportunities within, organisers will lead a delegation to Shenzhen tomorrow (26 January), including corporate visits and exchange activities.

Websites
Asian Financial Forum: https://www.asianfinancialforum.com/aff/

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Media enquires

Yuan Tung Financial Relations:
Anson Wong, Tel: (852) 3428 3413, Email: awong@yuantung.com.hk
Tiffany Leung, Tel: (852) 3428 2361, Email: tleung@yuantung.com.hk
Hing-fung Wong, Tel: (852) 3428 3122, Email: hfwong@yuantung.com.hk

HKTDC’s Communications & Public Affairs Department:
Katy Wong, Tel: (852) 2584 4524, Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Snowy Chan, Tel: (852) 2584 4525, Email: snowy.sn.chan@hktdc.org

HKTDC Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com