BlackRock postpones Hong Kong media forum by five months after protesters laid siege to airport and disrupted travellers’ plans
- Invitation-only forum planned for September now slated for February 2020
- BlackRock: adjusting schedule so ‘as many partners as possible’ are able to join
BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset manager, has rescheduled its Asia Media Forum set for next month in Hong Kong as protesters disrupted operations at the city’s airport for a second consecutive day on Tuesday.
The invitation-only forum, in which journalists meet global and regional executives from the company, was set to take place during the first week of September. It has now been rescheduled to February 2020, BlackRock said.
“The power of this convening lies in the diverse range of perspectives brought together from throughout the region, and we are adjusting the schedule so that as many partners as possible from across Asia are able to join,” the company said, without citing the protests.
BlackRock executives and employees have continued to travel to Hong Kong on a regular basis, including for client meetings and discussions, according to a person familiar with the matter.
A number of events, ranging from consumer expositions to tribute concerts, have been cancelled as protests and civil unrest over the past two months have disrupted transit, blocked roads and caused flight cancellations.
Stuart Bailey, the chairman of the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association, said earlier this month that the second half of the year could be more challenging for its members.