The Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub of the Institute for Knowledge Exchange at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) held its opening ceremony on 3 April 2024. The Hub aims to nurture family office management professionals with international perspectives, professional skills and innovative thinking through providing rich educational resources, research opportunities and industry exchanges, ultimately helping Hong Kong become a leader in the global family office and wealth management sector.
Mr Joseph H L Chan, Under Secretary for Financial Services and Treasury of the HKSAR Government, attended the ceremony as the officiating guest and keynote speaker. In his keynote speech, he noted “Hong Kong has a vibrant financial ecosystem, top-notch financial infrastructure, excellent professional service providers, and unique advantages in connecting mainland China and global investment opportunities, making it an ideal location for global family offices to preserve, grow and pass on assets. The government has been working closely with partners and stakeholders to cultivate an environment conducive to the continuous growth of family offices and the promotion of social welfare. Through launching the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, optimising tax concessions, establishing the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy and other key initiatives, the government is actively attracting global family offices and high net worth individuals to base themselves in Hong Kong to drive the robust development of the whole industry chain.” He also noted that the 2nd Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit brought over 400 decision-makers from influential global family offices together, demonstrating a strong interest in conducting business in Hong Kong.
Professor Simon S M Ho, President of HSUHK, said that wealth management and family offices have become strategic development focuses in the global financial sector, and important engines driving sustainable development of the real economy and technological innovation. “The purpose of establishing the Hub is to accelerate the development of the wealth management and family office sector, and promote win-win cooperation globally. We hope the Hub can converge global professional knowledge, share practical experience, and explore industry frontiers. We look forward to working with the industry to open up new chapters.”
At the event, Dr Teresa So Yuen-may, Founder & Chief Financial Officer of General International Agency Limited was appointed as the Co-Director of the Hub and Mr Dixon Wong, Managing Partner and Head of Family Office & Wealth Management of Oakwise Capital Management Limited as Deputy Director. Mr Daniel Au (Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tectonic Technology Innovation Company Limited), Ms Diane Chan (General Manager and Publisher of Hong Kong Economic Times Limited), Ms Bowie Fung (Founding Partner of CFN Lawyers) and Mr Steven Gong (Founding Partner and Group President of U&I Group) have been appointed as members of the Hub’s Advisory Board.
Dr So said that as a cradle for nurturing family office talent, the Hub is committed to establishing cooperative partnerships with international professional institutions and associations to provide industry certification and professional qualifications, promoting the professionalisation process of the family office and wealth management sector. The Hub will also provide customised training programmes and consultancy services for enterprises in the areas of family offices and wealth management, providing professional advice to improve employees’ professional skills and business efficiency in responding to challenges from global financial and social changes.
Mr Dixon Wong, the Deputy Director of the Hub, presented the future development blueprint. The Hub will establish close collaborations with key resources within the Greater Bay Area of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, and regularly plan and implement a series of specialized activities for family offices in key cities in mainland China. These activities aim to provide professional training in the family office and wealth management, impart industry knowledge in depth, and cultivate and attract top-notch professionals in the family office service industry, thereby supporting and promoting the professionalization and sustainable development of the industry.
Dr John Leung, Associate Vice-President (Knowledge Exchange) of HSUHK and the Hub’s Co-Director, revealed that “the Hub will closely connect with influential global family office institutions and professionals through various forums, seminars and training programs to promote cross-sectoral exchanges and cooperation. The Hub will also promote the digital transformation of the family office industry by introducing cutting-edge financial technology to enhance service efficiency and customer experience, and create long-term value for the family office sector.”
