HKU Business School Launches the First Wealth Management Academy | Nurturing Future Leaders and Strengthening Hong Kong’s Global Leadership
Hong Kong surpassed Switzerland to become the world’s largest cross-border wealth management centre. As demand for talent continues to grow, HKU Business School, with the support of Bank of China (Hong Kong), has established the first university-led Wealth Management Academy (the Academy) and successfully held its inauguration ceremony on 8 September. This significant milestone brought together more than 180 business leaders, academics, and industry experts.
In his welcome remarks, Professor Hongbin CAI, Dean of HKU Business School and Chair of Economics, said, “Since 2017, HKU Business School has been nurturing future wealth management professionals. Leveraging Hong Kong’s unique strength in connecting the Chinese Mainland and the world, wealth management has become increasingly important in economic development, and will be of even greater significance in Hong Kong’s upcoming Five-Year Plan.”
He added, “Hong Kong is navigating an era filled with uncertainties. With rapid changes in the global landscape and the fast-paced evolution of AI, we must respond to these challenges by continuously strengthening our overall competitiveness. Against this backdrop, the establishment of the Wealth Management Academy provides an international platform that brings together government, industry, academia, and research, and aims to be a key driver of the ecosystem. Through thought leadership, talent development, and industry engagement, the Academy strives to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a leading global wealth management centre.”
Mr. Christopher HUI, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, delivered a keynote address at the event. He said, “The establishment of the HKU Business School’s Wealth Management Academy comes at a pivotal moment as the industry enters a new chapter. The concept of ‘connecting the dots’ is not only a fitting ambition for the Academy, but also a timely one for Hong Kong’s current development needs. As Hong Kong emerges as the world’s largest cross-boundary wealth management centre, the next question is what kind of leadership that this position represents. The Government is making continuous policy enhancements, including refining the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest, broadening the range of qualifying investments to include private credit, digital assets and precious metals, and strengthening connectivity with Chinese Mainland markets. The growth of the wealth management sector should also reach beyond the assets it manages, through skilled careers, investment in enterprise and support for our communities.”
The ceremony also brought together three distinguished speakers and featured a panel discussion under the theme, “After Being No. 1: What’s Next for Hong Kong as a Global Wealth Management Hub”. The speakers were Mr. Joseph CHAN, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; Ms. Aveline SAN, Chief Executive Officer and Banking Head, Citi Hong Kong, Chair of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd and the Convenor of Financial Services Development Council Human Capital Committee, and Mr. Lok YIM, Regional Head of HSBC Private Bank, Asia Pacific. The panel discussion was moderated by Professor Anna WONG, Director of HKU Business School Wealth Management Academy.
Mr. Joseph CHAN, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said, “To further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as the No.1 international wealth management centre, efforts should focus on three key areas: proactively reaching out to more jurisdictions to showcase Hong Kong’s unique advantages; continuously enhancing policies based on the latest market development trend such as fintech and green finance to maintain competitiveness; and strengthening connections with the global financial sector and different markets.” He also noted that while talent shortage is a possible bottleneck, it also reflects the industry’s rapid growth. Alongside government training initiatives, the education sector can play a key role in helping young talent upskill, gain industry exposure through internship programmes to meet the sector’s evolving demands.
Professor Anna WONG, Director of HKU Business School Wealth Management Academy, said, “The wealth management industry is fundamentally about human relationships, therefore, AI will not replace practitioners. Instead, it will enable versatile generalists who can connect investment solutions with clients’ wider goals—from relationship building that is grounded in trust, to philanthropy, impact and intergenerational legacy. The next phase of competition for wealth management centres will therefore depend less on pure asset-management prowess and more on building an integrated, trust-based ecosystem that combines technology and human expertise to capture opportunities and sustain long-term growth.”
Photo Captions
1.Professor Hongbin CAI, Dean of HKU Business School and Chair of Economics, delivers the welcome remarks.
2.Mr. Christopher HUI, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, delivers a keynote address at the event.
3.(From left) Professor Anna WONG, Director of HKU Business School Wealth Management Academy; Ms. Chen DING, Chief Executive Officer of CSOP Asset Management; Ms. Aveline SAN, Chief Executive Officer and Banking Head, Citi Hong Kong, Chair of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd and the Convenor of Financial Services Development Council Human Capital Committee; Professor Hongbin CAI, Dean of HKU Business School and Chair of Economics; Mr. Christopher HUI, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; Mr. Joseph CHAN, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; Mr. Lok YIM, Regional Head of HSBC Private Bank, Asia Pacific, and Mr. Steven LO, Head of Japan, Asia North & Australia, Asia South of Citi Private Bank, officiate at the inauguration ceremony of HKU Business School Wealth Management Academy.
4.(From left) Professor Anna WONG, Director of HKU Business School Wealth Management Academy; Mr. Joseph CHAN, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury; Ms. Aveline SAN, Chief Executive Officer and Banking Head, Citi Hong Kong, Chair of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd and the Convenor of Financial Services Development Council Human Capital Committee, and Mr. Lok YIM, Regional Head of HSBC Private Bank, Asia Pacific, participate in the panel discussion.
Hi-res photos are available here.
About Wealth Management Academy
In 2017, HKU Business School launched the Bachelor of Finance (Asset Management and Private Banking), the first undergraduate programme of its kind in Asia. This was followed by the introduction of the Master of Family Wealth Management and the Master of Wealth Management programmes. To advance the development of the industry, the HKU Business School established the Wealth Management Academy with the vision of becoming a world-leading hub for education and research. It is dedicated to connecting policy makers, industry, academics and research while nurturing the next generation of industry leaders. The Academy has established an advisory committee (the Committee) comprising industry representatives, as well as scholars specialising in finance, investment and wealth management. The Committee provides professional advice on the development of the Academy’s programmes, as well as its strategic direction.
The Academy will organise a series of activities supported by Bank of China (Hong Kong), including directing students to internship opportunities, organising salons, forums and wealth management challenge, as well as offering scholarship programmes. In addition, the Academy will facilitate engagement between students and industry professionals, organise talks and different activities to foster collaboration between industry and academia and facilitate knowledge exchange. Through these efforts, the Academy aims to further enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness as an international wealth management hub.
Visit the Academy at https://wma.hkubs.hku.hk/
