The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) began today in Hong Kong, co-organized by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). With the theme "Co-creating New Horizons amid an Evolving Landscape" and the tagline "Finance Empowering Business," the forum features more than 150 speakers, including government officials, business leaders, and financial executives from around the world. Over 3,600 participants from over 60 countries and regions are expected to attend, with about 80 business delegations from areas including the Chinese Mainland, Australia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.
This strong global participation underscores Hong Kong's position as an international financial center and its role in connecting the Chinese Mainland with international markets. A special discussion session on gold trading aims to promote Hong Kong's development into an international gold exchange and build a gold market ecosystem with the Chinese Mainland, adding new value to the global precious metals market. The forum's detailed programme includes over 40 sessions across two days.
During the opening session, HKTDC Chairman Prof Frederick Ma emphasized that AFF has become a premier platform showcasing Hong Kong's roles as a superconnector, super value-adder, and supercollaborator. He noted the forum's 19-year history of attracting influential leaders and hosting forward-looking conversations and cross-border deal-making. Under this year's theme, the forum introduces the Global Business Summit, scheduled for tomorrow, which will evaluate the impact of high-growth industries like AI, technology, robotics, biopharma, healthcare, and new energy. This focus aims to strengthen ties between finance and the real economy to support sustained innovation and long-term growth.
Key sessions include Global Economic Outlook, CIO Insights, and Asset and Wealth Management, alongside newly introduced topics like Supply Chain Financing and Gold Exchange. Plenary Session I, titled "Fostering Cooperation for Shared Success," was hosted by Christopher Hui, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR Government. It brought together finance officials and multilateral organization leaders to discuss global economic outlook, financial stability, infrastructure investment, and sustainable development. Speakers included Zou Jiayi of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Scott Morris of the Asian Development Bank, H.E. Mehmet A'imAYek of Türkiye, and Klemen BostjanA'iA' of Slovenia.
Plenary Session II, "Charting the Future of Finance in Times of Uncertainty," focused on risks and opportunities for central banks, regulatory bodies, and financial institutions. Moderated by Julia Leung of the Securities and Futures Commission, speakers addressed Hong Kong's positioning in the global financial system, cross-border regulatory cooperation, and strategies for tackling global economic challenges. The first day's keynote luncheon featured Dr Jose Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission, who analyzed current macroeconomic risks and discussed strategies for economic coordination.
The afternoon session included Global Economic Outlook, moderated by Prof Edward Chen of HKU Business School, with participants forecasting the 2026 global economic outlook and examining business strategies for uncertainty. In alignment with the 2025 Policy Address, AFF introduced a new session titled "Global Spectrum - Gold Exchange," featuring speakers like James Emmett of MKS PAMP SA and David Tait of the World Gold Council. They analyzed international gold trading landscapes and strategies to enhance Hong Kong's role in gold pricing and trading in Asia.
The Panel Discussion on Asset and Wealth Management, moderated by Amy Lo of UBS, explored how artificial intelligence can enhance decision-making efficiency, help clients generate additional returns, and integrate ESG factors into investments. CIO Insights featured chief investment officers from Asia, Europe, and the United States, providing analysis of asset allocation trends and forward-looking insights on interest rates and liquidity. The Global Spectrum - Pension and Endowment session discussed the transformation of retirement and philanthropic funds in the changing global economy, with speakers sharing strategies to preserve asset value and enhance risk resilience.
A survey conducted by HKTDC and EY, released today, examined how corporates and financial leaders are responding to disruptive challenges and shaping global expansion and capital allocation. Jack Chan, EY China Chairman, noted that prolonged uncertainty has become the new baseline, yet global expansion remains a strategic imperative. The survey highlights Hong Kong's evolution from a super-connector to a proactive growth orchestrator and offers recommendations for building resilience and leveraging Hong Kong as a hub for high-quality global growth.
AFF Deal-making continues as a highlight, offering a one-on-one matching platform for over 280 investors and 560 projects across industries like Environment, Energy and Clean Technology, Healthcare Technology, and Financial Technology. The forum features four exhibition zones, including the InnoVenture Salon, FintechHK Start-up Salon, Global Investment Zone, and a new FutureGreen Showcase, with about 150 exhibitors. The FutureGreen Showcase focuses on green finance, green technology, and ESG innovation, aiming to strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international green finance center and inject momentum into the global green transition.
The inaugural Global Business Summit will take place tomorrow, co-organized by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, HKTDC, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises. It will explore how to leverage financial services to drive innovation and long-term growth in high-growth sectors. The summit has received support from international companies like Amgen, Hermès, Jardine Matheson, JD Group, Merck Group, Tencent, and XPENG. The second-day keynote luncheon will feature Paul Polman, who will share insights on finance's role in driving real-economy development and sustainable strategies. International participants can access guided tours and promotions through partnerships, including with the Hong Kong Tourism Board, to experience Hong Kong's financial and cultural landscape. The International Financial Week 2026 kicks off with AFF, marking Hong Kong's first major financial event of the year. More information on speakers is available on the forum's speaker list.
