Hong Kong and Japan share a longstanding relationship, with Japan ranking as Hong Kong's sixth-largest trading partner and Hong Kong as Japan's thirteenth-largest trading partner in 2022. The Japanese government acknowledges the significance of this partnership, emphasizing the close economic ties and interpersonal exchanges between the two regions. With the easing of pandemic-related travel restrictions, Hong Kong is now experiencing a renewed sense of optimism. The city is actively charting a new course focused on economic recovery, the attraction of fresh talent and investments, and the reestablishment of international connections.
In this conference, we intend to reflect on the robust ties that Hong Kong and Japan have cultivated since the 1970s and explore the innovative endeavors currently undertaken by Hong Kong entrepreneurs in collaboration with Japan, fostering greater cooperation. What are the shared aspirations, and how can we bolster our efforts to create a more innovative future together?
Keynote
Unveiling Harmonious Bonds: Strengthening the Japan-Hong Kong Partnership for a Prosperous Future
To commence our discussions, we are honored to have Dr. Adrian Cheng from New World Development as our keynote speaker. Dr. Cheng's educational background includes the study of Japanese culture and art at university, which led him to live in Kyoto as a student and later in Tokyo during his banking career. His family has a longstanding business relationship with Japan, exemplified by the establishment of the Tokyu Department Store at the New World Centre in Kowloon and other ventures. Given his broad interests encompassing the arts, technology, community building, and innovation, what insights can he provide on the fundamental steps that Hong Kong and Japan should take as they move forward together?
Panel Discussions
Decades of Partnership: Examining Business Relations Between Japan and Hong Kong Over Time
In our inaugural panel discussion, titled "Decades of Partnership: Examining Business Relations Between Japan and Hong Kong Over Time," we will delve into the longstanding and robust commercial connections between these two regions. This session will feature insights from experienced executives, where they will shed light on how the ever-evolving global and regional dynamics have influenced their operations in these markets throughout the years.
- Ken Wong, President, Solutions and Services Group, Lenovo
- Kenzo Watari, President & CEO, Cornes & Co., Ltd.
- Janzen Tai, Managing Director, Four Seas Mercantile Holdings Limited
Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Fostering Collaboration Between Japan and Hong Kong
Shifting our focus to the second panel discussion, titled "Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Fostering Collaboration Between Japan and Hong Kong," our panelists will explore the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation, emphasizing collaborative efforts between Japan and Hong Kong. They will share their insights into effectively navigating the entrepreneurial ecosystems in both regions.
- Fergus Fung, CEO, Daimon International Limited
- Sam Wu, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Malvern College Hong Kong
- Hironobu Akiyama, Representative Director, President & CEO, INFORICH INC.
This event is co-hosted with International House of Japan and Asia Society Hong Kong Center.
Event and Registration Details
- This event will be conducted in-person and online, and registration is required.
- In-person participation is open to the public. Please pay your fee by credit card or at the door.
- Online participation is open to the public and free.
Timeline
3:00 p.m.
Opening Remarks
3:10 – 3:55 p.m.
Keynote: Unveiling Harmonious Bonds: Strengthening the Japan-Hong Kong Partnership for a Prosperous Future
Dr. Adrian Cheng, Chief Executive Officer, New World Development Company Limited
Fireside chat with Jesper Koll
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Panel Discussion 1: Decades of Partnership: Exploring Japan-Hong Kong Business Relations
5:00 – 5:15 p.m.
Coffee Break
5:15 – 6:15 p.m.
Panel Discussion 2: Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Fostering Cooperation between Japan and Hong Kong
6:15 – 6:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Reception (In-person only)
Speaker Bios
Dr. Adrian Cheng
Chief Executive Officer, New World Development Company Limited
As the CEO of New World Development Company Limited, Adrian oversees the strategy and operation across the Group’s ecosystem of property development, investment, infrastructure, retail, health and wellness, insurance, education, and hospitality projects. He is also the Executive Chairman of New World China Land Limited, the Founder and Chairman of K11 Group, an Executive Director of NWS Holdings Limited and Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, and the Vice Chairman and Group CEO of CTF Education Group.
Adrian founded the K11 brand in 2008, which seamlessly merges art with commerce, and has since grown exponentially. Today, the enterprise is globally respected for pioneering a cultural commerce concept that integrates art and cultural happenings into a multifaceted ecosystem of retail, commerce, property, recreation, and hospitality covering Hong Kong and the Mainland. The pre-eminent initiatives under the K11 brand include Victoria Dockside, a US$ 2.6 billion cultural district on Hong Kong’s iconic Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront, and 11 SKIES, a US$2.5 billion mixed-use development at the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. K11 is expanding its footprint to 38 projects across 10 Chinese cities in the following years. Adrian also provides early-stage funding that empowers technology start-ups to design innovative solutions and achieve commercialization success.
Adrian founded the non-profit K11 Art Foundation and the K11 Craft & Guild Foundation, the former aiming at incubating up-and-coming artists and creators, and the latter for conserving and preserving Chinese traditional craftsmanship. In 2020, Dr Cheng announced that New World Development would take on the conservation of the State Theatre, a Grade 1-listed historic building, with 70 years of history and cultural significance. In recent years, Adrian has been transforming New World Development into the first listed company in Hong Kong to incorporate Creating Shared Value (CSV) into its core strategy, and founded “New World Build for Good”, a not-for-profit social housing enterprise, and “Share for Good”, Hong Kong’s first large-scale crowd-donation platform. Adrian has recently set up the WEMP Foundation, Hong Kong’s first non-profit organization dedicated to the mental well-being of children.
Adrian currently serves as a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference of The People’s Republic of China, a vice-president of All-China General Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the chairman of the Hong Kong Mega Arts and Cultural Events Committee, and a board member of the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council. He is also an executive council member of the United Nations ESBN and the chair of the ESBN Task Force on Innovation.
A graduate of Harvard University, Adrian is the youngest person in Hong Kong to receive the “Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” in 2017 by the French Government, and an “Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite” in 2022 in recognition of his role in the advancement of cultural exchange between France and China. Locally, he was awarded Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) by the HKSAR Government in 2022 in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the development and promotion of arts, sports and the well-being of the underprivileged in Hong Kong.
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Ken Wong
President, Solutions and Services Group, Lenovo
Ken Wong is Executive Vice President and President, Lenovo Solutions & Services Group.
In this role, he spearheads the company’s transformation from the world’s largest PC company into a global leader in IT solutions and services, leading the company’s business worldwide in smart verticals, attached services, managed services and “as a service” offerings under the TruScale™ brand including Device as a Service.
Prior to this role, he led Lenovo Asia Pacific PCs and Smart Devices for five years, where he grew the business to the #1 position. Additionally, from 2016 to early 2021, Ken was Chairman of NEC Lenovo Japan Group, and from 2018 to early 2021 he was Chairman of Fujitsu Client Computing Limited, where he remains a member of the Board of Directors. Previously, he was responsible for driving the development and implementation of Lenovo’s global corporate strategy, reporting directly to the company CEO and Chairman Yang Yuanqing.
In the last two decades in the technology sector, Ken has built up extensive experience in several core aspects of business strategy and operations, spanning product operations, services, sales and marketing. He is actively involved in the IT industry in Hong Kong, where’s based, and holds Director roles in the Hong Kong Computer Society and the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association.
He graduated from The University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Engineering in computer science and also holds an Executive MBA jointly awarded by The University of Hong Kong, Columbia University and the London Business School. He is based in Hong Kong, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and son while enjoying golf and mixed martial arts in his leisure time.
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$70 billion Fortune Global 500 company, with 75,000 employees and operating in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society. By designing, engineering and building the world’s most complete portfolio of smart devices and infrastructure, we are also leading an Intelligent Transformation – to create better experiences and opportunities for millions of customers around the world.
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Kenzo Watari
Cornes & Co., Ltd., President & CEO
As President & CEO of Cornes & Co., Ltd., Kenzo Watari has lead the Cornes Group since 2011. Historically a trading company, the Cornes Group has evolved into a wide range of specialized businesses. Most know as Japan’s leading luxury automotive retailer, Cornes also imports and manufactures technological solutions for the telecommunications, automotive, security and aviation industries. Along with overseeing significant growth and evolution in the Cornes Group’s traditional business lines, in recent years, Kenzo introduced and built a nationwide retail network with the French children’s brand Jacadi and founded The Magarigawa Club, the worlds premier private driving club.
Janzen Tai
Managing Director, Four Seas Mercantile Holdings Limited
Mr. Janzen Tai is the Managing Director of Four Seas Mercantile Holdings Limited (HKEX Stock Code: 374) (Four Seas Group), one of the largest food enterprise in Hong Kong. He is the President of Miyata Co. Ltd, one of the top Japan confectionery wholesalers.
Mr. Tai had vast experience in the food industry in the Greater China and Japan. Across the aspects of food manufacturing, trading, retailing, catering, and investment. He is also active in contributing to various sectors of the community, he currently holds positions as member of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, director of China Overseas Friendship Association, committee member of The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies General Committee, the non-official member of Hong Kong Immigration Department Users’ Committee, executive vice chairman of Hong Kong Guangdong Chamber of Foreign Investors, vice chairman of Hong Kong Guangdong Youth Association, member of Friends of Hong Kong Association Limited, committee member of Concerted Efforts Resource Centre, member of the Association of the Hong Kong Members of Guangdong’s Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Committees and committee member of Hong Kong Trade Development Council Mainland Business Advisory Committee.
He is the awardee of “Directors Of The Year Awards 2022” for Executive Directors of the Listed Companies Categories conferred by The Hong Kong Institute of Directors, and the “2022 Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award” given by the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area Entrepreneur Union.
He also serve the position of chairman and an executive director of Hong Kong Food Investment Holdings Limited (HKEX Stock Code: 60), an Independent Non-Executive Director of Niche-Tech Semiconductor Materials Limited (HKEX Stock Code: 8490). Mr. Tai holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) Degree from the City University of Hong Kong.
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Fergus Fung
CEO, Daimon International Limited
Fergus Fung is the CEO of Daimon International Limited, a Hong Kong company that owns a 200 year-old Japanese sake brewery based near Osaka, Japan called Daimon Brewery. Through this acquisition, Daimon Brewery is rapidly growing its business in both the domestic market and in global distribution. Aside from its traditional Japanese operations, Daimon International also owns Daimon Brands (U.K.) Limited which manufactures canned cocktails in the U.K.. Currently, Daimon International is also making plans for other alcohol production businesses as well.
Prior to Daimon International, Fergus was the Executive Director at Lan Kwai Fong Group, overseeing the Group’s businesses in Hong Kong. And before that, he was the Co-Founder of WOM Guide, a dining guide that was subsequently sold to the Publishers of Time Out in Asia, and a Wine and Spirits Consultant for the auction house Bonhams.
Fergus graduated from the University of Oxford. He received the Medal of Honour from the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2020.
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Sam Wu
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Malvern College Hong Kong
Mr. Samuel currently serves as the Executive Director of Babylon Education Limited, the Asia-Pacific partner of Malvern College, an independent British boarding school with six campuses in Chengdu, Qingdao, Hong Kong and Tokyo. He also serves as a member of the International Council of the National University of Singapore Young Yoo Lin School of Medicine, and as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for the University of Hong Kong Business School.
Samuel worked for his family business as the Head of Operations Division and Head of Corporate Communications for Wing Lung Bank, where he was a key member in the sale of the family’s controlling share of the bank to China Merchants Bank in September 2008, and later the integration of both banks. He also led the family office in redevelopment of key family property holdings and the subsequent divestiture of assets.
Prior to that, he was the assistant to the Country Operating Officer for Citigroup Corporate and Investment Bank in Greater China and Citigroup Global Markets Asia Pacific region, and a graduate of its Management Associate program.
Samuel received his Executive MBA degree from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Bachelor of Arts in Economics and East Asian Studies from New York University.
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Hironobu Akiyama (Stephen Chan)
Representative Director, President & CEO, INFORICH INC.
Born in Hong Kong and raised in Japan. In 2007, he was active as a trilingual artist at Universal Music. Moved to Hong Kong in 2012 and worked as an advisor to the Hong Kong representative office of Fukuoka Prefecture, and as the head of the overseas business office at the time of the establishment of IGNIS Co., Ltd., which was listed on Mothers in 2014. Founded INFORICH Co., Ltd. in 2015. IPO in Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth market in Dec 2022. Currently working on developing ChargeSPOT service globally.