Global finance leaders set tone for 2025 at the Asian Financial Forum

Co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) under the theme Powering the Next Growth Engine, the atmosphere at AFF "was vibrant and charged with positive energy".

As the year's first large-scale international financial and business event in the region, AFF 2025 leveraged Hong Kong's role as an international financial centre to strengthen the international communication platform, foster multilateral cooperation and promote mutually beneficial outcomes.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee met with visiting senior officials of foreign governments and the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Jin Liqun, expressing gratitude to them for serving as speakers at the AFF. Mr Lee said that as a member of the AIIB, Hong Kong would make good use of its own robust financial system and unique advantages in bridging Eastern and Western cultures to contribute to the long-term development of the AIIB.

In line with the HKSAR Government's initiatives to promote sustainable development, one of the sessions featured experts including Sue Lloyd, Vice Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), who delved into the adoption of financial disclosure standards to enhance confidence in Hong Kong's capital markets.

Another highlight of AFF 2025 was the inaugural Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Chapter, connecting finance leaders from Hong Kong and GCC member states with a view to strengthening bilateral financial cooperation and investment.

In addition, pioneers from a range of industries participated in sessions such as CIO Insights, Dialogues for Tomorrow and Global Spectrum, focusing on hot topics ranging from fintech and capital markets to female entrepreneurship and philanthropy. In a session titled Global Spectrum – The Role of Large Companies in Supporting Start-ups and Social Enterprises, Joe Tsai, Chairman of the Alibaba Group, shared his views on how large companies spur economic development.

This year's AFF Deal-making, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, brought together more than 270 investors and over 560 investment projects with more than 700 one-on-one meetings held. They covered a wide spectrum of sectors such as fintech, healthtech, deep tech, consumer goods, infrastructure and real estate, environment, energy and environmental technology.

The lively atmosphere at the venue was enhanced by the presence of several on-site exhibition zones, which helped to create business connections and promote networking. They included the Fintech Showcase, Fintech HK Startup Salon, the InnoVenture Salon, and the Global Investment Zone. Among the 140 exhibitors were international financial institutions, technology companies, start-ups and investment promotion agencies.

The AFF is a signature event of 2025 International Financial Week, which runs from January 13 to 17 and brings together more than 20 partner events to create synergies in the industry. Three other events which ran concurrently with the AFF include Hong Kong International Fundraising Roundtable 2025, Malaysia–Hong Kong Islamic Finance Roundtable, and the Family Office Symposium.

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