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Respected Hong Kong current affairs commentator, Michael Chugani, will moderate a panel session at a launch event to mark the opening of a Guernsey representative office in Hong Kong.
Taking place at The China Club in Central on Wednesday 2 March, the event will feature a panel debate on the current economic climate and the services offered by Guernsey’s international finance centre. In addition to the panel session moderated by Mr Chugani the event will also include a keynote speech from Lord Howard Flight, a member of the House of Lords and a Commissioner of Guernsey’s financial regulator, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC).
Mr Chugani is the host of TVB’s Straight Talk, the most widely-watched English-language weekly TV current affairs talk show in Hong Kong. He also hosts a Radio Television Hong Kong radio show and writes for several newspapers, including the South China Morning Post.
The seminar is the culmination of a series of events in Hong Kong to mark the office launch and follows a VIP drinks reception the previous evening at the Opus Hong Kong residence hosted by Caroline Wilson, British Consul General to Hong Kong, and Guernsey’s Commerce and Employment Minister Kevin Stewart.
The Guernsey office, which is located at Three Pacific Place in Admiralty, opens for business in mid-February and will be run by Guernsey Finance. The office is the promotional agency’s second overseas outpost, following its Shanghai office which opened in 2008.
Guernsey Finance Chief Executive Dominic Wheatley said: “The Hong Kong office is an exciting development not only for Guernsey Finance, but also the Island’s financial services sector which has a growing interest in the region. We believe that establishing a larger presence in Asia reflects current industry trends and is fundamental to our future strategy, particularly as Hong Kong is such an important hub not only for China, but South East Asia overall.
“Securing Michael Chugani as moderator for the event is equally exciting. We know he is hugely respected as a current affairs commentator in Hong Kong and it will be interesting to see how he leads the debate, particularly at a time where there is so much conjecture surrounding the direction of travel in financial markets.”
Guernsey Finance China Representative, Wendy Weng, who is based in Shanghai, will use the office as a base from which to carry out further promotional activities concentrated on the wider South East Asia market and it will also be utilised by the GFSC to provide regulatory advice to those in the region who might be considering Guernsey-specific ventures. John Dunford, the GFSC’s current Deputy Director for Authorisations, is relocating to Hong Kong to act as the regulator’s representative and will use his extensive technical knowledge and expertise to give guidance to law firms, other professionals and their clients on how Guernsey's high regulatory standards are applied.
Mr Wheatley added: “Hong Kong is regarded as a key global financial location and this is a significant step in Guernsey’s ability to attract new business from the region on the basis of its reputation as a well-regulated, compliant and cooperative international finance centre.”
Registration for the Guernsey office launch event on Wednesday 2 March takes place from 5pm with the event itself beginning at 5.30pm. It concludes with a drinks reception from 7pm.
