HKU Business School

HKU Business School and Hang Seng China recently launched the inaugural edition of our quarterly luncheon series, themed “Hong Kong as a Global Platform: Supporting Chinese Corporates Going Global” The new series is designed to provide a regular forum for timely dialogue, knowledge exchange, and strategic connection across the communities.

Gilbert Lee, Vice-Chairman of Hang Seng China, Executive Chairman of Hang Seng Indexes, and Chief of Staff of Hang Seng Bank, at his welcoming remarks, underscored the spirit of the event that going global requires determination and resilience in the face of uncertainty, while lasting progress depends on bringing people together to share ideas, build connections, and create greater impact.

The keynote was delivered by Prof. Heiwai Tang, Associate Vice-President (Global) of HKU and Associate Dean (External Relations) of HKU Business School, outlined the current macroeconomic landscape and the key challenges facing Chinese enterprises overseas. He also highlighted Hong Kong’s strategic role as a high value-added supply chain service centre, with strengths spanning research, product development, supply chain finance, logistics, branding, compliance, and legal and arbitration services.

The programme continued with a fireside chat moderated by Prof. Tang, featuring Ms. Rachel Wang, Head of Corporate Banking – Mainland Corporates, Hang Seng Bank, and Mr. Yuan Gao, Chairman of Geto New Materials Corporation Ltd and President of the Global Development Chapter of the HKU Business School South China Alumni Network. The discussion translated the keynote themes into practical business insights, focusing on the shift from basic settlement services to integrated cross-border financial management, as well as the growing importance of localisation, digital connectivity, and overseas financing.

This successful inaugural luncheon marked more than the launch of a new series. It affirmed the importance of bringing together academia, industry, and the alumni community to navigate a changing global landscape with insight, resilience and purpose. We look forward to future editions of the series as a space to spark ideas, forge partnerships, and help shape Hong Kong’s next chapter as a global connector, value creator, and gateway for growth.

Heiwai Tang - Economic Analysis 鄧希煒經濟分析 Asia Global Institute 恒生銀行Hang Seng Bank

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲!✨

𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗱𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲

📅 Date: October 7, 2026 (Wednesday)
🕔 Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Loke Yew Hall, Main Building, The University of Hong Kong

𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿: Prof. Mari Pangestu, Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Indonesia for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation

This year, we are honoured to welcome Prof. Mari Pangestu, Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Indonesia for International Trade and Multilateral Cooperation and Vice Chair of the National Economic Council, as our distinguished speaker. With extensive experience as Indonesia’s former Minister of Trade, Prof. Pangestu has played a key role in driving development strategies, strengthening international partnerships, and navigating complex economic landscapes in emerging markets. 📈

In her lecture, “Navigating Asian Economies amidst a Challenging Geopolitical Landscape”, Prof. Pangestu will explore how Asian economies are responding to shifting geopolitical dynamics and evolving global trade patterns. Against the backdrop of supply-chain diversification and rising protectionism, the session will examine how regional players are repositioning themselves within value chains in Southeast Asia and beyond, and leveraging economic integration to remain competitive and resilient amid geopolitical volatility.

Don't miss the chance to explore valuable insights! 🌍

🎫 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄: https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/event/edward-k-y-chen-distinguished-lecture-2026/

How Can Young Entrepreneurs Turn AI Ideas into Businesses?

AI and research transformation are among the priorities of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan, which the Government is set to release later this year. As new policy priorities emerge, many young entrepreneurs are moving quickly to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses, although some find themselves lacking the support they need.

Prof. Alberto Moel of HKU Business School told South China Morning Post that Hong Kong is at a stage where university research projects are the ones driving the pool of innovation. He encouraged young entrepreneurs to explore opportunities arising from university research projects or collaborate with exiting platforms. He also suggested the Government should create more business opportunities by linking tech-minded businesspeople with innovative ideas.

Read the full article: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3363208/hong-kong-aims-be-global-tech-hub-can-it-hold-its-young-talent

【Why does Hong Kong need a five-year plan now? 】

Hong Kong is rolling out its first-ever five-year plan by the end of September. Prof. Heiwai Tang, Associate Dean of HKU Business School and Director of the Asia Global Institute shares with South China Morning Post that Hong Kong should not be the last defender of laissez-faire. While this approach has created prosperity for many, it has also caused long-term structural problems that cannot be easily overcome by market forces.

He comments that ‘‘the market is almost always right, but it's not always right’’. The city has long been the world’s freest economy but the government’s lack of overarching, long-term planning has led to social problems such as housing shortage, widening inequality and limited upward mobility.

Strategic state guidance and free-market dynamism are not mutually exclusive. He points to Asian powerhouses such as Singapore, South Korea, and Japan; which have flourished under “very strong governments” with top-down industrial policies while maintaining “open, free, and capitalist” economies.

The Five-year Plan can be a key step to help Hong Kong diversify its economy, build fresh growth momentum and navigate geopolitical shocks.

Read Prof. Heiwai Tang’s interview with South China Morning Post for more: https://sc.mp/27njh?utm_source=copy-link&utm_campaign=3363700&utm_medium=share_widget

Photo Source: SCMP

Heiwai Tang - Economic Analysis 鄧希煒經濟分析

🎉 We are delighted to announce that our students have won the Champion 🥇 and 1st Runner-up 🥈titles at the Venture Insight Business Simulation Challenge 2026, organised by the International Association of Business Management Simulation (IABMS).

💡The competition challenged participating teams to develop innovative solutions for Farmacy Group (FarmacyHK), a Hong Kong AgriTech company specialising in sustainable urban farming 🌱. The competition consisted of two rounds: teams were invited to submit business proposals in the first round, and shortlisted teams advanced to deliver live presentations and execute their strategies in an AI-powered business simulation 🤖.

Our students' strong performance demonstrated their strategic thinking, teamwork 🤝, and ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-world business scenarios 📈.

🎊 Congratulations to the winning teams on this well-deserved success! 🌟

【AI Personality: The Next Metric in Foreign Exchange Trading】

While the market often compares AI’s computing power across models, Prof. Jack Jiang at HKU Business School has recently shared with Now TV that different models such as DeepSeek and ChatGPT are developing distinct trading "personalities," and assessing these personalities is equally important for real-world financial decision-making, moving beyond just reasoning and analysis.

In his research, DeepSeek tends to execute a high volume of trades, suggesting a relatively aggressive trading personality, whereas ChatGPT tends to be more conservative in trading.

As increasingly sophisticated AI-powered financial tools come into use, Prof. Jiang recommends closer monitoring of the entire AI trading process, together with rules on what kinds of tools these agents can use to ensure that trading activities remain highly regulated.

Watch the full interview: https://news.now.com/revamp2014/newsDetails.jsp?newsId=656920

Read a recent research about AI agents’ trading performance by Prof. Jack Jiang, Padma and Hari Harilela Professor in Strategic Information Management and Director of AIEL of HKU Business School: https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/media/press-release/testing-ai-in-the-real-world-hku-business-school-released-ai-agents-trading-performance/

Now News - 新聞

Do you like AI-generated content?

Nowadays, an increasing number of companies are using AI-generated content (AIGC). One survey found that 53% of advertisements already incorporate AI. However, not all AIGC received positive feedback from consumer. In an article published in the FT Chinese, Prof. Xi Li of HKU Business School and Prof. Zhimin Zhou of Shenzhen University noted that the misuse of AI has led to consumer backlash against highly realistic AIGC. As a result, regulators are increasingly requiring companies to disclose whether AI has been used in the creation of their content.

In contrast, content that used AI to generate exaggerated and stylistically distinctive outputs can effectively showcase a brand’s creativity. It is important for companies to understand the double-edged impact of AIGC on brand perception and to harness the creative potential of AI to strengthen brand value.

Please read Prof. Xi Li of HKU Business School and Prof. Zhimin Zhou’s article in FT Chinese:
https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/research/thought-leadership/ft-chinese-column/what-ai-generated-content-do-we-actually-need/



你喜歡「AI味」內容嗎？

現在越來越多企業運用 AI 生成內容，有調查發現53%的廣告使用了AI，不過並非所有「AI味」的廣告獲得正面反饋。港大經管學院李曦教授及深圳大學周志民教授於《金融時報中文網》撰文指出因AI技術被濫用，逼真的AI內容已惹起消費者反彈。消費者認為自己失去了對產品的知情權，感情上被商家欺騙，因此越來越多法規正要求企業披露內容生產中是否有使用AI。另一方面，充分使用AI的特點，生成誇張而富有風格的內容，能夠令人感受到品牌的創意，加深對其印象及好感。

因此，企業營銷需要考慮如何用好AI來打造品牌，正確認識營銷「AI味」對品牌感知的雙刃劍效應、充分發揮AI生成內容的魔法為品牌賦能，應當成為今天所有企業的必修課。

請瀏覽港大經管學院李曦教授及深圳大學周志民教授於《FTChinese.com - FT中文网》的文章：
https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/tc/research/thought-leadership/ft-chinese-column/what-ai-generated-content-do-we-actually-need/

#港大經管學院 #人工智能 #品牌推廣

A New Reality for Chinese High-Net-Worth Families

China’s 90-day grace period for unpaid offshore trust taxes is causing widespread market anxiety. Prof. Berry Hsu and Prof. Yang Liu at HKU Business School have recently shared their insights with Citywire Asia on the tightened grip on cross-border wealth.

Prof. Hsu highlights that the underlying legal principle of taxing residents on worldwide income is not new, but established under the Individual Income Tax Law. With global data-sharing frameworks such as the Common Reporting Standard already in place for tax authorities to cross-reference data, the administrative grace period aims to encourage voluntary compliance, rather than introducing a substantive change to the law.

Prof. Liu adds that trusts should not be treated primarily as ‘tax-avoidance vehicles’. The focus should be on succession planning, robust governance, and long-term asset protection.

To navigate the new landscape of cross-border wealth, the industry will require a higher calibre of expertise from emerging wealth management talent.

Read the article (Subscription required): https://citywire.com/asia/news/chinese-hnws-navigate-new-realities-as-trust-tax-rules-shut-grey-zone/a2495459?hss_channel=lcp-11481454

Learn more about the inauguration of the Wealth Management Academy at HKU Business School: https://wma.hkubs.hku.hk/

【Wave of Gold Rolling East】

Hong Kong is making a major move to become Asia’s premier gold hub. With the launch of a new gold clearing system (HKPMCC) and a new gold price benchmark (HAU), Prof. Yang Liu from HKU Business School highlights three core shifts taking shape in his interview with China Daily:

A safer haven: with gold trade becoming more secure and standardised, regional institutions can hedge risks based on a local benchmark, reducing reliance on the global gold prices largely set by London and New York.

More options for investors: financial institutions can now design more localised products such as notes, ETFs and other wealth management solutions that better suit Asian currencies, interest rates and regional investor demand.

A Boost for Renminbi: with new RMB-priced products and trading channels on the way, gold and other precious metals across Asia could, over time, be traded in Renminbi as readily as in US dollars.

Read the full article: https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/637255 -gold-demand-fuels-Hong-Kong-market-rise-2026-07-31

【Sky High Fines for Anti Monopoly Violations】💸

Several major online platforms in the Chinese Mainland have faced hefty penalties in recent years for breaching the Anti Monopoly Law of the PRC. In a recent article in the Hong Kong Economic Journal, Dr. Jing Li of HKU Business School argues that while large enterprises fuel innovation and bolster global competitiveness, growth built on exclusionary control, small & medium enterprise suppression and weakened fair competition ultimately undermines social stability.

Dr. Li notes that SMEs contribute far more to job creation than large corporations. When their operating space shrinks, overall unemployment risks inevitably rise.

Against the backdrop of economic slowdown and weak domestic demand, stronger anti monopoly enforcement is expected as policymakers prioritise steady growth and job protection.

Read the full analysis:
https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/research/thought-leadership/hkej-column/trip-coms-record-fine-a-new-milestone-in-chinas-antitrust-crackdown/



【反壟斷的天價罰單】💸

近年，中國內地多家龍頭網上平台因違反《反壟斷法》遭監管部門重罰。港大經管學院李晶博士於《 信報財經新聞 hkej.com 》撰文指出，大企業的成長與壯大，對技術創新及國際競爭力固然重要，不過如果這些發展建基於排他性控制、壓制中小企業以及破壞公平競爭，最終將影響社會穩定。

李博士認為，由於中小企在創造就業方面的貢獻遠高於大型企業，若其生存空間大幅收窄，整體失業風險亦會隨之上升。

鑒於目前經濟放緩、內需不足等情況，預期反壟斷力度將會加強，以實現「穩增長、保就業」的政策目標。

請瀏覽港大經管學院李晶博士的詳細分析：https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/tc/research/thought-leadership/hkej-column/trip-coms-record-fine-a-new-milestone-in-chinas-antitrust-crackdown/

#港大經管學院 #反壟斷 #國際競爭力 #穩增長