(Oct 21): Hong Kong is expected to host the world’s top bankers in the third edition of an annual summit intended to boost the city’s status as a global financial hub. 

More than 300 attendees are expected as the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) next month will host a who’s who of finance at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, a larger venue than the Four Seasons where it was held in previous years.

Among those expected to attend are JPMorgan Chase & Co president Daniel Pinto, Morgan Stanley chief executive officer Ted Pick, Citigroup Inc CEO Jane Fraser and Goldman Sachs Group Inc CEO David Solomon, according to a draft agenda seen by Bloomberg News.

The CEOs of HSBC Holdings plc and Standard Chartered plc, as well as Jonathan Gray, the president of Blackstone, are also slated to attend, according to the agenda. The various panels will discuss investing in Asia, private markets, the future of finance and how to navigate a “complex world”, according to the agenda.  

An HKMA spokesperson said the three-day conference will start with a welcome dinner at the Henderson, and then take place at the Grand Hyatt for the summit and at the Hong Kong exchange for investor conversation. Spokespeople for Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, UBS and Blackstone declined to comment. Media representatives of the other banks were not immediately available for comment.

The gathering started in 2022 as the Chinese territory was reeling after years of some of the world’s most restrictive Covid measures, and as a political crackdown had put a dent in its international reputation. The summit has emerged as a key gauge of how important the city remains to global finance.

Most big banks have pared their footprint in the city and on the Chinese mainland after a prolonged dearth in dealmaking. Though there are now signs of a pick up in activity after Beijing announced a barrage of stimulus measures.

Attendance this year has been even more closely watched locally since the forum will take place just weeks after the US presidential election, where the relationship to China has been one of the key issues.

The conference will take place from Nov 18 to 20, with a closed-door welcoming dinner on Monday and a main summit on Tuesday, HKMA chief executive Eddie Yue told local lawmakers in May.

Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee