Hong Kong treats top bankers to banquet, cultural show to launch Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit

The Palace Museum in Hong Kong was the venue for a grand banquet on Monday evening. This event was in honour of the representatives from some of the world's largest banks and financial institutions. They were in Hong Kong to attend a summit organised by the city's monetary authority. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) played host to 300 global bankers at this landmark museum. This was a precursor to the second edition of the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, scheduled to take place over the subsequent two days. The guests were treated to a cocktail reception, followed by a Chinese banquet-style meal and cultural performances.

Henry Tang Ying-yen, the chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and former financial secretary, addressed the gathering at the welcome dinner. Eddie Yue Wai-man, the CEO of HKMA, also extended a warm welcome to the guests. The museum is currently hosting several exhibitions, featuring works by renowned artists like Botticelli and Van Gogh, and treasures from the Sanxingdui archaeological site in Sichuan province. Tang emphasised the connection between art and finance in his speech. He highlighted the significance of private banking and wealth management in today's economy. He also mentioned that many banks are considering Hong Kong as their base for wealth management and asset management.

This year's summit has seen a significant increase in participation, with about 90 CEOs and chairmen in attendance. This is more than double the number from the previous year. Representatives from major financial institutions like Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered, Citigroup, Blackstone, UBS and JPMorgan Chase were among the invitees. The welcome dinner comprised a four-course modern Chinese banquet meal. The entrees included char siu-style pastrami salad rolls and double boiled chicken soup. The main course options were five-spice yellow chicken and pan-seared seabass. The meal concluded with espresso mousse with red date sponge cake and milk tea ice-cream for dessert. The wines served at the banquet were sponsored by Tang, an avid wine collector, who abolished the wine tax during his tenure as financial secretary.