16 July 2024

The Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub of the Knowledge Exchange Institute (IKE) at the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK); the Qianhai Financial Industry Association; Qianhai Financial Holdings; Kerry Properties (Shenzhen) Limited;  and Shenzhen Qianhai Service Group; Century Securities Company Limited signed an MoU at Qianhai Kerry Centre this week to establish a cross-border financial talent cultivation and certification system. The joint efforts will further synergise the development of financial industries in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

The collaboration aims to strengthen Qianhai’s financial ecosystem and promote sustainable development, including cross-border financial talent training, research projects, talent incubation, and resource sharing. The event was attended by nearly a hundred participants from higher education institutions, business associations, financial institutions, and enterprises in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Professor Simon S M Ho, President of HSUHK, is encouraged by this collaboration and described it as an important milestone. He expressed “HSUHK combines theory and practice, and maintains close connections with the cross-border industry. As the executing unit, the Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub under IKE has chosen to enter Qianhai. The Hub hopes to fully leverage the advantages of professionalism at HSUHK to cooperate with financial professionals in Qianhai, promoting knowledge exchange and innovation, and exploring emerging trends in the industry. Qianhai’s financial ecosystem will provide students with unique learning opportunities and help them establish valuable networks. We firmly believe that by cultivating cross-border talent, we can enhance the competitiveness of our students in an interconnected world.”

Mr Liu Gui-lin, Deputy Director of the Qianhai Authority, introduced the opportunity as the forefront of Shenzhen’s reform and opening-up. Qianhai follows General Secretary Xi Jinping’s steer on ‘relying on Hong Kong, serving the Mainland and opening up to the world’, and supports Hong Kong’s integration into the overall national development. Qianhai has developed into a “new land of opportunities” for promoting deep integration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The cooperation between Qianhai and HSUHK serves as a beneficial exploration of the “research and development in Hong Kong, transformation in the Mainland, and listing in Hong Kong”. He hopes that HSUHK strengthens its comprehensive cooperation with Qianhai enterprises and associations, and makes good use of the unique advantages of the Qianhai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation, to provide more opportunities and space for Hong Kong residents’ and enterprises’ development in the GBA, and serve as an essential link between China and the world.

The MoU was signed by Dr John Leung, Associate Vice-President (Knowledge Exchange) and Director of Institute of Knowledge Exchange; Dr Teresa So, Adjunct Professor at HSUHK and Co-Director of the Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub; Mr Zhang Ping, General Manager of Qianhai Financial Holdings Company Limited; Mr Chen Wei, Chairman of Shenzhen Qianhai Service Group; and Mr Li Jian-feng, President of the Qianhai Financial Industry Association. Mr Liu Gui-lin and Professor Simon Ho witnessed the signing.

The unveiling ceremony of Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub, HSUHK- Qianhai Financial Holdings Company Limited Off-campus Training Base, Qianhai Cross-border Financial Training Centre was held during the event. The Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub under IKE has officially entered Qianhai. Through providing abundant educational resources, research opportunities, and industry exchanges, it aims to cultivate professionals in family office management with an international perspective, professional skills, and innovative thinking.

A symposium was also held at the event. It was hosted by Mr Dixon Wong, Deputy Director of the Global Family Office and Wealth Management Hub, with Ms Karina Wong, EY Greater China Business Tax Services Leader, Ms Bowie Fung, Founding Partner at CFB Lawyers, and Ms Lancy Cao, Partner-Greater Bay Area at U&I Group as guest speakers. The guest speakers shared their views and insights on “New Opportunities in Cross-border Finance Development”, and discussed topics such as cross-border finance and talent demand.