HONG KONG, Dec 9, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - Business leaders from
around the world will gather in Hong Kong to share insights at the
13th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), which takes place on 13 and 14
January 2020 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
(HKCEC). Under the theme "Redefining Growth: Innovation,
Breakthrough, Inclusiveness", global financial experts,
policymakers, business leaders and economists will examine topical
issues in the global economy and explore new opportunities. This
year's AFF will feature discussions on a wide range of issues such
as the new global economy, fintech, sustainable and inclusive
development and green financing, offering participants a head start
in identifying new economic challenges and opportunities.
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The 13th Asian Financial
Forum (AFF) will be held on 13 and 14 January 2020 at the Hong Kong
Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Under the theme
"Redefining Growth: Innovation, Breakthrough, Inclusiveness",
policymakers will join financial and business leaders to examine
topical issues affecting the global economy. The image shows the
2019 AFF which was attended by more than 3,300 finance and business
leaders from around the world. |
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At the keynote luncheon on
the first day of the AFF, one of the highlights of the event,
former Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System Janet Yellen will be the speaker. |
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The InnoVenture Salon, newly
launched last year, will provide a one-stop platform for connecting
start-ups with potential investors and partners. |
Staying competitive by building on advantages
Commenting on the importance of the AFF, Patrick Lau, HKTDC Deputy
Executive Director, said: "With its diversified advantages, Hong
Kong continues to provide a good business environment for companies
and financial institutions from around the world. Innovation and
technology are having a profound impact on financial development.
We are now seeing technology companies starting to launch banking
businesses, while banks are introducing innovative technologies to
stay competitive. The Asian Finance Forum facilitates innovative
and inspiring exchange, connecting different stakeholders in the
finance-related industries and helping to create new business
opportunities."
Yellen shares perspectives on the policy framework of central
banks
At the keynote luncheon on the first day of the AFF, one of the
highlights of the event, former Chair of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System, Janet Yellen, will be the keynote
speaker.
Dr Yellen is a Distinguished Fellow in Residence at the Hutchins
Centre on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution.
From February 2014 to February 2018, under the Obama and Trump
administrations, she served as Chair of the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System, making history as the first woman to be
appointed to that position. Prior to her four-year term as chair,
Dr Yellen served as Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve's Board of
Governors and, from 2004 to 2010, as President and CEO of the
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
At the AFF, Dr Yellen will share her perspectives on the
independence of central banks and the implementation of monetary
policy, in addition to hot topics such as her view on the global
economy and the impact of the Sino-US trade war.
Prof Banerjee examines financial inclusion in developing
countries
The keynote speaker at the luncheon on the second day of the forum
will be Nobel Prize winner Abhijit Banerjee, who will address the
subject of financial inclusion, sharing his perspectives on the
economic policies and financial inclusion progress in developing
countries, particularly in India.
Prof Banerjee is an Indian-born American economist who, with Esther
Duflo and Michael Kremer, was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize for
Economics for helping to develop an innovative experimental
approach to alleviating global poverty.
Banerjee studied economics at the University of Calcutta and
Jawaharlal Nehru University in India before gaining his doctorate
at Harvard University in the United States. He has taught economics
at Princeton University and, from 1993, at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT). He was appointed Ford Foundation
International Professor of Economics at MIT in 2003.
Sharing intelligence amid a global recession
The slowdown of the global economy has resulted in multiple sources
of vulnerability such as unsustainable corporate debt, volatile
capital flows and disrupted supply chains. This is leading to
concerns over the possibility of a global recession in the near
term. However, in the current low-interest-rate environment,
policymakers may have less room for manoeuvre in trying to bolster
the economy.
To enable industry players to be better prepared for the market
situation, the Policy Dialogue on the first day of the AFF will
feature Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxemburg; Peter
Szijjarto, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary;
Michael D'Arcy, Minister of State at the Department of Finance of
Ireland; and Vladimir Kolychev, Deputy Minister of Finance of
Russia. These high-ranking politicians will share their thoughts
and insights on policy responses for addressing weaknesses in the
global economy.
Heavyweight speakers to address topical issues
This year, four Panel Discussion sessions will be held in the
afternoon of the first day, at which influential policymakers and
business leaders will examine a range of different topics, ranging
from supply chain finance solutions and the unprecedented growth of
asset and wealth management in Asia, to environmental, social and
governance (ESG) issues and insurance.
Heavyweight speakers at the sessions include Howard Lee, Deputy
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority; Julia Leung,
Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of
Intermediaries at the Securities and Futures Commission; Winnie
Wong, Board Member of the Financial Services Development Council;
Suyi Kim, Senior Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific of the
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board; Amy Lo, Co-head, UBS Wealth
Management Asia Pacific; Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive of
Standard Chartered PLC; Mike Wells, Group Chief Executive of
Prudential plc; Ronnie Chan, Chairman of Hang Lung Properties
Limited; Gerald Buckingham, Head of Asia Pacific of BlackRock; and
Andrew Yan, Managing Partner of SAIF Partners.
Sponsored by the Financial Services Development Council, Hong Kong,
the Breakfast Panel will discuss on "Hong Kong's Changing Role as
an Investment Gateway: New Trend, New Generation and New Strategy".
The panelists include Andrew Weir, Regional Senior Partner, KPMG
Hong Kong, and Jim Lai, Vice President, Tencent Holdings Limited
and Chairman, Fusion Bank Limited. Together they will explore the
opportunities and risks Hong Kong faces against the backdrop of
recent economic and geopolitical developments, looking at what the
city should do to safeguard its position as a leading international
financial centre.
FinTech Showcase presents innovative applications and solutions
Innovation and technology have had a profound impact on the
development of the financial industry. The FinTech Showcase,
launched last year, returns to feature nearly 60 local and overseas
international financial institutions and technological enterprises,
including Assured Asset Management, Nippon Electric Company (NEC),
Ping An OneConnect and Standard Chartered, presenting a wide range
of fintech innovations and cutting-edge solutions. Moreover, the
new FinTechHK Start-Up Salon will showcase a plethora of
next-generation business ideas from fintech startups from Hong Kong
and beyond.
Also returning is the InnoTalks series which will explore a series
of technological issues relevant to the financial sector, including
developments in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,
financial innovation, investment technology and Internet security.
The series will give industry players comprehensive insights into
innovative fintech developments that can help to boost
competitiveness.
AFF Deal Flow Matchmaking facilitates collaboration
Another key feature at this year's forum is the well-received AFF
Deal Flow Matchmaking Session, which is co-organised by the HKTDC
and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.
It is expected that 200 investors and 500 investment projects will
join one-on-one meetings, covering industries including
manufacturing and green technology, the Internet of Things (IoT),
fintech, digital technology, healthtech, infrastructure and real
estate services, environmental protection and energy, education,
food and agriculture.
The InnoVenture Salon is back for the third time on an expanded
scale and with enriched content, making it the ideal platform to
connect start-ups with potential investors and partners. Start-ups
will showcase their products and ideas at exhibition booths and
present their business plans at pitching sessions. The Global
Investment Zone is another highlight not to be missed, gathering
investment agencies from Canada, Germany, Ireland, Spain, the
United States and more to present investment opportunities in
different sectors.
Websites
Asian Financial Forum: www.asianfinancialforum.com
Programme: http://www.hktdc.com/ncs/aff2020/en/s/programme.html
Speakers: http://www.hktdc.com/ncs/aff2020/en/s/speakers.html
Photo download: https://bit.ly/351ZIyR
Members of the media interested in interviewing speakers at AFF can
fill out the form (https://bit.ly/33LIXqk) and email it to
christine.kam@hktdc.org by 7 January 2019.
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
trade publications, research reports and digital news channels. For
more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on
Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.
Source: HKTDC
Contact:
Christine Kam, Tel: +852 2584 4514, Email: christine.kam@hktdc.org
Sam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org
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