Hong Kong – InvestHK highlights Hong Kong’s advantages as international asset and wealth management hub at Lugano Finance Forum (with photos)

     Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), Mr Charles Ng, spoke at the Lugano Finance Forum in Switzerland on November 19 (Lugano time). The gathering, which focused on asset management, investment tools and fundamental analysis, gathered a diverse array of investors and financial professionals. Mr Ng spoke in the panel discussion titled “Navigating Global Finance: Lessons from Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Hong Kong”.

     During the discussion, Mr Ng emphasised Hong Kong’s pivotal role as a premier global asset and wealth management hub, in light of recent developments and policies that significantly bolster its competitive edge.

     Mr Ng stated, “As highlighted in the recent Policy Address delivered by our Chief Executive in October, we are committed to further cementing Hong Kong’s status as an international asset and wealth management centre. The Policy Address introduced vital measures, such as expanding cross-boundary financial services and enhancing green finance, aimed at attracting global investors and creating a vibrant and supportive environment for wealth management firms to thrive.”

     Furthermore, during his visit to London, Lugano, Milan and Paris from November 17 to 22, Mr Ng engaged in meetings and events, including the one with the Head of International Relations of the AIFO, the Italian Association of Family Offices, Mr Emanuele Giangreco, and President, Italy-Hong Kong Association, Mr Riccardo Fuochi, to explore avenues to strengthen business relations between Hong Kong and Europe.

     “It was a pleasure to have met the representatives of the InvestHK’s Family Office team and to have had the opportunity to discuss possible areas of co-operation, in order to foster mutual understanding between the Italian and Hong Kong family offices.” Mr Emanuele Giangreco said. 

     “Hong Kong’s strategic position as a gateway between East and West, coupled with its transparent regulatory framework and business-friendly tax regime, offers unparalleled opportunities for businesses aiming to expand their presence in Asia,” Mr Riccardo Fuochi said.

     As a member of the Network of Family Office Service Providers, Deloitte Hong Kong has helped facilitate high-level meetings with family office representatives and wealth managers. In these engagements, InvestHK showcased Hong Kong’s unparalleled advantages and strategic initiatives tailored for global family offices. Notably, one such meeting was conducted at the London office of Mishcon de Reya, a renowned private client law firm known for its close collaboration with some of the world’s most high-profile international ultra-high-net-worth families.

     During the meeting in Milan, Partner of Deloitte, Mr Olderigo Fantacci, who is leading the Deloitte corridor between Hong Kong and Italy family offices, emphasised the potential investment opportunties for both sides. “The family offices business today has a lot of similarities to the private equity business during the 1980s and 1990s. Few people knew what it was and where it could go. Family offices investments are the new frontier and, considering the family business tradition of Italy and Hong Kong, a structured corridor with the support of Hong Kong Government bode well for fruitful and prosperous connections leading to a reinvigorated mutual flow of investment between the two economies”.

     Through these international engagements in Lugano, London, Milan and Paris, InvestHK continues to demonstrate Hong Kong’s robust infrastructure, strategic initiatives, and commitment to excellence in asset and wealth management. These efforts are complemented by ongoing collaborations with global partners, ensuring the city remains at the forefront of the international financial community.