Manulife Longevity Insight Forum: Empowering Quality Living and Independent Ageing in the Longevity Era

Longer lives must bring quality, self-reliance and freedom from family dependence – now a more meaningful legacy than wealth transfer, according to expert speakers

Paid Post:Manulife Hong Kong & Macau

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Listen

Oscar-winning actress and producer Michelle Yeoh in conversation with Patrick Graham, Chief Executive Officer of Manulife (International) Limited for Hong Kong and Macau, at the Manulife Longevity Insight Forum.

Published: 3:02pm, 26 Jun 2026

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]

The inaugural Manulife Longevity Insight Forum in Hong Kong convened executives, academics and thought leaders to explore ways in which longer lives can come with quality, self-reliance and freedom from family dependence.

Hongkongers increasingly long for a high degree of independence in retirement, free from dependence on family, and regard this as a more meaningful legacy than the traditional transfer of wealth. This shift in mindset is reinforced by the Manulife Asia Care Survey 2026 findings and that new perspective was examined and elaborated at the forum.

“For those of us lucky enough to be born or living in Hong Kong, the question is no longer just how to live longer, but how to make those years better,” said Patrick Graham, Chief Executive Officer of Manulife (International) Limited for Hong Kong and Macau, in his address to the audience.

Longevity is the capacity to sustain a holistic quality of life that combines physical wellbeing, mental resilience and financial freedom, he said.

As a special guest with a surprise appearance, Oscar-winning actress and producer Michelle Yeoh brought a personal perspective to the discussion in conversation with Graham.

She described her life journey as one of ups and downs, much like a heartbeat. “I keep thinking that the best years are definitely ahead of me,” she said.

“I wake up with purpose every morning and ask what I am going to learn and what joy I am going to feel.”

She drew on her father’s experience to explain why healthspan matters. “Do you want to live to 100 if you’re not in a healthy way?” she asked.

A fulfilling life, she suggested, comes from continuing to grow, staying true to oneself and embracing each new chapter with resilience.

In a panel on the future of living well, Alvin Chiu, Chief Marketing Officer for Asia Global Wealth & Asset Management at Manulife, joined Dr Chung Kin-lai, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre, and Kelvin Yuen, fine art landscape photographer.

They explored how health, wealth and social factors interconnect to support quality of life and independence as lifespans increase. Dr Chung advocated co-ordinated care. Preventive health and financial resilience, he stressed, must work together to help people age with dignity.

Alvin Chiu (Manulife), Dr Chung Kin-lai (CUHK Medical Centre) and Kelvin Yuen discuss integrated insights from health, wealth and social perspectives on living well in longer lives.

In another panel moderated by Kevin Huang, Chief Operating Officer of the South China Morning Post, the speakers, including Huang Yuan, Founder and CEO of Quantum Life, and Tommie Lo, Founder and CEO of Preface, examined the role of AI in personalised health prediction, preventive care and enabling people to live healthier and more independent lives.

Yuan noted that the goal is to achieve healthspan and that she is confident that current generations can easily live past 100 years old with advances in medical technology and AI.

Kevin Huang (SCMP) moderates a discussion on AI with Huang Yuan (Quantum Life) and Tommie Lo (Preface).

In another session dedicated to silver economy, KC Cheung, Chief Product Officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, Ma Guangyuan, economist, and Professor Vivian Lou, Professor of Social Work and Social Administration and Director of the Sau Po Centre on Ageing at The University of Hong Kong, examined rising demand for products and services that support independence and quality of life among older consumers.

From left: KC Cheung (Manulife), Ma Guangyuan and Professor Vivian Lou (The University of Hong Kong) discuss the silver economy and evolving consumer needs in an ageing society.

Celia Ling, Incoming Chief Marketing Officer for Greater China at Manulife, together with Dr Karen Cheung Siu-Lan of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, presented key findings from the survey.

The results indicate that independence, supported by good health and financial self-reliance, has become the legacy many people now wish to leave.

Celia Ling (Manulife) and Dr Karen Cheung Siu-Lan discuss survey insights on independence and self-reliance as the preferred legacy for Hongkongers in retirement.

Steve Finch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Asia, noted in relation to the survey that “independence has become the new and better legacy because when people can take care of their own health and finances, they preserve their dignity while freeing their families to live their own lives.”

The survey also reveals that open conversations with family about retirement and ageing bring benefits.

Some 65 per cent believe such discussions help, but only 57 per cent have actually held them. Among those aged over 54 who have done so, 83 per cent report a better quality of life, a figure that rises to 90 per cent among those who have engaged a financial planner.

“The real challenge on longevity is not how we live, but how well we live,” concluded Calvin Chiu in his closing remarks.

“Health, wealth and social wellbeing connect closely with one another. We need to build momentum toward a comprehensive longevity strategy for Hong Kong that integrates these elements into a more holistic approach,” he said.