Topics of interest

Highlighting cutting-edge economic issues and how they affect and shape Hong Kong's banking industry has made the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers' (HKIB) annual conference one of the most significant events on the local banking calendar.

Patrick Fung, HKIB executive committee chairman, says the annual event - this year under the theme of "The Year of Transformation - Heading into a New Era" - brings together eminent banking executives, practitioners, government officials, regulators and delegates from business and finance-related fields to discuss the latest industry issues. It will be held this year on September 13 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai.

"The conference, which is organised for the benefit of our members and the industry as a whole, is just one example of how HKIB acts as a bridge between the industry, government, regulators and other relevant parties," Fung says. "It provides networking opportunities for banking and finance executives who are looking for a platform to exchange ideas and expand their contact networks."

He adds that delegates will also have access to the timely information they need for aligning and planning their businesses for 2013. For instance, as Hong Kong continues to develop as an offshore yuan centre, delegates will learn about the growth drivers and opportunities in diversifying the range of yuan products, deepening the yuan market and making the best use of Hong Kong as the leading offshore centre for yuan-denominated business.

The role that Hong Kong and Shanghai can play in this internationalisation will be covered in a keynote presentation by Wu Xiaoling, vice-chairwoman of the financial and economic affairs committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China.

Other headline topics will include the changing landscape of banking, challenges under the current uncertain global environment, the impact and cost of new regulations, and the latest trends in commercial, retail and private banking.