New Horizons for SMEs in the Johor-Singapore SEZ

SINGAPORE, July 17, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Maybank Singapore hosted approximately 160 SME guests and business leaders at the Maybank Johor-Singapore Access conference on July 8, 2024. The event aimed to prepare attendees for doing business and to provide a platform for sharing perspectives on the expected opportunities and economic benefits within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ).

Mr Alvin Lee, Country CEO, Maybank Singapore
Mr Alvin Lee, Country CEO, Maybank Singapore

Alvin Lee, Country CEO of Maybank Singapore, said: “The economies of Singapore and Malaysia are closely connected through trade, investment, tourism, and labour. With the establishment of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JSSEZ), we can expect increased cross-border trade and partnerships between the two countries. This will further enhance the economic ecosystems of both countries, foster positive synergies across various sectors, and strengthen economic connectivity and cooperation.”

He added, “Maybank sees itself as powering the continued growth of the Malaysia-Singapore corridor by facilitating cross-border business services, solutions, and digital networks to support our clients’ business needs. Maybank will have a significant role to play as the Malaysia- Singapore corridor grows and as the JSSEZ becomes a closer reality.”

Other speakers and panellists at the event include:

  • Dr Chua Hak Bin, Regional Co-Head, Macro Research, Maybank Investment Banking Group
  • Mr Samuel Tan, Executive Director, KVG International
  • Mr Vinothan Tulisinathanzan, Director, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)
  • Mr Ang Yuit, President, Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (ASME)
  • Mr Kong Chee Min, CEO, Centurion Corporation
  • Dr Melvin Heng, Group CEO, Thomson Medical Group

The JSSEZ has strong support from both Malaysia and Singapore, as they are eager for greater economic integration, allowing freer movement of people, goods, and capital, which will create new opportunities aligning with long-term policy goals. Maybank has identified six key catalysts that will benefit the upcoming JSSEZ:

#1 Support from the Malaysian King and both Governments

The MOU for JSSEZ was signed on 11 Jan 2024 by Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Malaysia’s Ministry of Economy. The area will possibly cover 3,505 sq km, about 3 to 4 times Singapore. Outside of Chinese investors, Singapore is the second largest foreign direct investor (FDI) in Iskandar.

#2 Greater Land Connectivity

The causeway is already the busiest border crossing in the world. The Rapid Transit System (RTS) is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026. It will integrate Immigration, Customs, and quarantine at each RTS station, making travel between the two countries seamless.

#3 Supply Chain Shifts Amidst US-China Rivalry

While China’s share of US imports has fallen significantly, US imports from ASEAN have grown. FDI into Malaysia has also grown rapidly, with many companies moving their manufacturing facilities from China to Malaysia.

#4 Lower Operating Costs & Competitive Ringgit

Malaysia offers lower operating costs for Singapore companies and enjoys a favourable exchange rate. Salaries and rentals are lower in Iskandar and suitable for factories.

#5 Easing Talent & Labour Shortage

With the RTS, Johor workers would have a shorter daily commute to Singapore.

#6 The Green Transition

Singapore aims to import 30% of its renewal energy mix by 2035. Malaysia has also lifted its renewal energy ban and will export 300 MW to Singapore.

Panel Session
Panel Session

Maybank’s specialist teams are dedicated to offering business advisory services as a one-stop solution for businesses operating across the Malaysia-Singapore borders. Maybank helps businesses navigate the complexities of conducting business across borders and offers competitive financial and payment solutions to meet their cross-border business needs.

Media Contacts

Abigail Han
Corporate Communications
T: +65 91371304
E: abigail.han@maybank.com

Hannah Wu
Corporate Communications
T: +65 9833 4586
E: hannah.wu@maybank.com

PRecious Communications for Maybank Singapore
T: +65 6303 0567
E: maybanksg@preciouscomms.com

About Maybank Singapore

Maybank is the fourth largest financial institution group in ASEAN by assets. It has been ranked the Best Bank in Asia Pacific and Singapore by The Banker in 2023; and the number one domestic bank in Malaysia for trade finance, according to the Euromoney Trade Finance survey in 2024.

Maybank Singapore is one of the Group’s largest overseas operations and a Qualifying Full Bank in Singapore. As at 31 December 2023, Maybank’s total assets in Singapore were approximately S$80.26 billion. With strategically located banking branches and over 2,000 employees in Singapore, Maybank is well-positioned to provide highly personalised services and locally oriented solutions that will deliver more value to customers.

www.maybank2u.com.sg



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Nomination Opens for 2024 Directors Of The Year Awards & Inaugural Climate Governance Awards

HONG KONG, June 6, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (“HKIoD”) announced yesterday that nomination has opened for the 2024 Award Series for Director Excellence (the “Awards”), consisting of the long-established Directors of the Year Awards (“DYA) and the first Climate Governance Awards (“CGA”).

From left to right: Ir Edmund K H Leung, Dr Christopher To, Ms Alice Yip, and Mr Vincent Chan provide an overview of the 2024 Award Series for Director Excellence during the briefing session.
From left to right: Ir Edmund K H Leung, Dr Christopher To, Ms Alice Yip, and Mr Vincent Chan provide an overview of the 2024 Award Series for Director Excellence during the briefing session.

The new series of Climate Governance Awards, launched on the United Nations World Environment Day on 5 June, aims to recognise and inspire exemplary achievements in climate governance, advocating climate action by directors to help build a sustainable future. The judging format of CGA is similar to that of the DYA.

The Awards project this year, themed “Leading with Agility in an Era of Innovation”, echoes with today’s rapidly evolving business landscape that presents both challenges and opportunities. The global economy has remained sluggish, with tough financial conditions and prevailing geopolitical tensions dampening economic prospects. Directors in Hong Kong are facing particularly daunting challenges in the demanding economic environment. On top of business performance, another test of organisational agility is in climate action. Directors must guide their companies in identifying the risks and opportunities that climate change brings, which are vital to ensuring the sustainability of the world and mankind.

Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD, said, “In the face of unpredictable circumstances, we must be prepared to learn, evolve, and change quickly in order to build a prosperous future. Adaptability, vision, and integrity are also essential leadership traits. Directors need the agility to pivot strategies as the landscape shifts, the foresight to anticipate and prepare for future challenges, and the principled decision-making to uphold good governance even in turbulent times. By hosting these award series, HKIoD aims to recognise outstanding boards and directors, as well as promote good practices in corporate governance.”

Director Of The Year Awards & Climate Governance Awards

Nomination for these two Awards will close on 31 July 2024. The Panel of Judges consists of leaders, professionals and regulators in Hong Kong. Both awards recognise excellence in the following categories:

Company Categories

Director Categories

1. Listed Companies

2. Non-Listed Companies

3. Statutory/Non-Profit-Distributing Organisations*

1. Executive Directors

2. Non-Executive Directors

3. Boards

Notes: *A non-profit-distributing organisation is defined as an organisation of which profits are not distributed to its shareholders, members, directors, employees or any other persons, with objectives including, but not limited to, charitable welfare, social service, health and medical care, education, research, trade and industrial alliance, professional advancement, self-help support etc.

The Awards nomination form and related information are available on The Hong Kong Institute of Directors website at www.hkiod.com.

About “HKIoD Award Series for Director Excellence”

The HKIoD Award Series for Director Excellence is a project organised by The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (“HKIoD”) and consists of two series of Awards.

The first series, Directors Of The Year Awards, was inaugurated in 2001 as the first ever such Awards organised in Asia.  As directors are ultimately responsible for corporate governance and leading the company in prosperity and integrity, the objectives of the Awards are to recognise outstanding boards and directors and to promote good practices in corporate governance and director professionalism.  The Awards have become an annual project of impact in the community organised by HKIoD together with over 100 Project Partners.  To date, 242 Awardees have been recognised for their achievements in demonstrating exemplary high standards in corporate governance and director practice.

Inaugurated in 2024, Climate Governance Awards constitute the second series of HKIoD Awards with the objectives to recognise and inspire exemplary achievements in climate governance and to advocate climate action by directors.  It is critical time now for directors to address the risks and opportunities of climate change in board agendas and their governance role.

Candidates are open to public nomination, with data processed in well-defined and stringent procedures, followed by interviews with independent consultants in utmost due diligence and finally selected by independent judges with high standards and fair judgment.  Awards are presented by company categories, viz Listed Companies, Non-listed Companies and Statutory/Non-profit-distributing Organisations, and by capacities, viz Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and Boards.

About The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (“HKIoD”)

The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (“HKIoD”) is Hong Kong’s premier body representing directors working together to advance corporate sustainability in creating long-term value for companies, their owners, stakeholders, humankind and Planet Earth through advocacy and standards-setting in corporate governance and director professionalism. 

Led by Founder Chairman Dr The Hon Moses Cheng, HKIoD was founded in 1997.  Throughout the years, HKIoD is honoured to have the Chief Executive of HKSAR as the Institute’s Patron.  Membership of HKIoD comprises of directors from diverse industries and corporate types and includes Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and Independent Non-Executive Directors.  With multi-culturalism and international perspectives, HKIoD organises activities that cover director training, seminars and forums, collective director voice, guideline establishment, public education, Award Series for Director Excellence, assessment of Corporate Governance Scorecard for listed companies etc.  

As a member body of the Global Network of Director Institutes (“GNDI”), HKIoD is committed to global collaboration in promoting good corporate governance and director professionalism.  HKIoD is the appointed Host of the Hong Kong Chapter of Climate Governance Initiative, a global network that collaborates with the World Economic Forum in actively promoting directors’ address of the risks and opportunities of climate change.

For details please visit: http://www.hkiod.com | http://www.gndi.org | https://climate-governance.org/

 

Directors Award Series for Director Excellence Enquiries

Media Enquiries

The Hong Kong Institute of Directors

Strategic Public Relations Group

Odessa So

Brenda Chan

+852 2889 4988 / odessa.so@hkiod.com

+852 2114 4396 / brenda.chan@sprg.com.hk

Fax +852 2889 9982

Fax +852 2114 4948

 



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

MUFG Pension & Market Services Inaugurates Hong Kong Office, Sets the Stage for Expansion into the Region’s Pension Market

HONG KONG, May 28, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – MUFG Pension & Market Services, a leading global leader in retirement solutions, took a significant step forward on the 24 May as its MUFG Retirement Solutions division unveiled the grand opening of its Hong Kong office, located in Tower 1 HSBC Centre near the MTR Olympic Station. To celebrate this momentous occasion, MUFG Retirement Solutions hosted an inauguration ceremony graced by the presence of esteemed guests including its CEO, Dee McGrath who officiated the proceedings.

(From the left) Dee McGrath, CEO, MUFG Retirement Solutions and Rebel Jones, General Manager, Client Partnerships Asia, MUFG Retirement Solutions, kick started the lion dance performance by eye dotting ceremony and took a photo as a memento.
(From the left) Dee McGrath, CEO, MUFG Retirement Solutions and Rebel Jones, General Manager, Client Partnerships Asia, MUFG Retirement Solutions, kick started the lion dance performance by eye dotting ceremony and took a photo as a memento.

 

(From the left) Rebel Jones, General Manager, Client Partnerships Asia, MUFG Retirement Solutions; Shannon Powell, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Hong Kong and Macau, The Australian Trade and Investment Commission; Gareth Williams, Australian Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau; and Dee McGrath, CEO, MUFG Retirement Solutions, officiated the inauguration of MUFG Retirement Solutions' Hong Kong office.
(From the left) Rebel Jones, General Manager, Client Partnerships Asia, MUFG Retirement Solutions; Shannon Powell, Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner Hong Kong and Macau, The Australian Trade and Investment Commission; Gareth Williams, Australian Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau; and Dee McGrath, CEO, MUFG Retirement Solutions, officiated the inauguration of MUFG Retirement Solutions’ Hong Kong office.

The inauguration of MUFG Retirement Solutions’ Hong Kong office exemplifies its unwavering determination and commitment to further grow and reshape the Hong Kong pension market and expand its global footprint. With a physical presence in Hong Kong, MUFG Retirement Solutions enjoys the vibrant business ecosystems with a network of industry stakeholders and customers, fostering collaborations, partnerships, and knowledge exchange that can accelerate business growth in the city.

By leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a premier business hub in Asia, MUFG Retirement Solutions can tap into the multitude of opportunities, setting the stage to greatly enhance its business growth and strategic development in various sectors in Hong Kong and across Asia.

Dee McGrath, CEO, MUFG Retirement Solutions, said “MUFG Retirement Solutions remains more committed than ever to growing partnerships with clients and expanding its presence in the Asian market. Hong Kong is strategically located at the heart of Asia, making it an ideal gateway to the vast opportunity across Asia with access to a diverse and rapidly growing consumer base. The opening of our Hong Kong office marks a significant milestone in MUFG Retirement Solutions’ strategic expansion into the region and is a key part of our overall strategy to cement our presence in Asia. Through our deep specialist expertise, provision of integrated, end-to-end solutions and scalable infrastructure, we are confident that we will make a positive impact and become a catalyst for progress in the industry.”

Rebel Jones, General Manager, Client Partnerships Asia, MUFG Retirement Solutions, said, “The unveiling of our Hong Kong office fills us with immense excitement. We have witnessed the ongoing digital transformation of the pension market in Hong Kong, and we will leverage our new office to contribute to its development. With our continued investment in cutting-edge technology platforms and digital services, we are well positioned to deliver global best practice solutions to meet the evolving needs of the Hong Kong pension market and to maintain our position as a market leader.”’

Located in Tower 1 HSBC Centre, the new office’s prime location not only provides convenience, but also fosters a close collaborative environment with its strategic partner, HSBC, fostering a powerful synergy between the two entities.

MUFG Retirement Solutions is committed to investing in local talent, establishing a graduate program to encourage young people to explore career opportunities in the exciting and dynamic pension industry. To date, the business has onboarded 20 interns from universities across Hong Kong and is continuing to grow the program as we continue to establish our presence in the region.

With more than 36 years of success and over a decade of operations in the region, MUFG Retirement Solutions has established a strong foothold in the market, thanks to its proprietary technology platforms that provide clients with unparalleled scale, end-to-end solutions and specialist services that empower clients to effectively engage with their stakeholders for better retirement outcomes.

Media contact:
Strategic Financial Relations Limited (On behalf of MUFG Retirement Solutions)
Heidi So, (t) +852 2864 4826, (e) heidi.so@sprg.com.hk
Yoko Li, (t) +852 2864 4813, (e) yoko.li@sprg.com.hk

About MUFG Pension & Market Services

On 16 May 2024, the acquisition of Link Group by Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corporation (the Trust Bank), a consolidated subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG), by way of scheme of arrangement (Scheme) was successfully implemented, marking a significant milestone in Link Group’s history. Under its new ownership, Link Group is now MUFG Pension & Market Services.

MUFG Pension & Market Services is a global, digitally enabled business that empowers a brighter future by connecting millions of people with their assets – safely, securely and responsibly.

Through our two market leading businesses MUFG Retirement Solutions and MUFG Corporate Markets, we partner with a diversified portfolio of global clients to provide robust, efficient and scalable services, purpose-built solutions and modern technology platforms that deliver world class outcomes and experiences.

A member of MUFG, a global financial group, we help manage regulatory complexity, improve data management and connect people with their assets, through exceptional user experience that leverages the expertise of our people combined with scalable technology, digital connectivity and data insights.



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Perfios Technology Solutions Titled Indonesia Winner of Zurich Innovation Championship for Health Claims Analytics Solution

JAKARTA, May 23, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Perfios was honored for its innovative solution, Perfios Acclaim, at a ceremony hosted by Zurich Asuransi Indonesia in Jakarta on April 30, 2024. Distinguished attendees included Benny Jioe (Head of Digital Transformation, Zurich), Daniel Susanto (Digital Project Manager, Zurich), Amitabh Singh (Chief Business Officer, APAC & EMEA), and Mahendra Ramaiyyah (Director, Insurance Business Acquisition, APAC).

The Zurich Innovation Championship

The Zurich Innovation Championship is a global competition conducted by Zurich Insurance, one of the world’s largest insurers with a significant presence in over 215 countries. This annual event seeks startups that not only aim for profitability but also strive to make a substantial social impact. The championship emphasizes creating new value propositions and delivering innovative services beyond mere product distribution. By winning this prestigious competition, Perfios has established itself as a key player in shaping the insurance industry through impactful solutions.

Criteria and Qualifications for the Award

The selection process for the Zurich Innovation Championship is rigorous and globally oriented, focusing on companies that demonstrate a dual purpose: profitability and social betterment. Participants are evaluated on their ability to address significant industry issues with innovative solutions that have the potential to revolutionize market practices.

Significance of the Award

Benny Jio, Head of Digital Transformation, Zurich Asuransi Indonesia presents the award to Amitabh Singh, Chief Business Officer, EMEA & APAC Insurance, Perfios

The significance of winning the Zurich Innovation Championship cannot be understated. It underscores Perfios’ role as a transformative force in the insurance sector, particularly in combating claims fraud, which is a major contributor to the inflation of insurance premiums globally.

What Sets Perfios Apart

Founded in 2019, Perfios Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd has rapidly expanded throughout the Southeast Asia region. Supported by top-tier investors like Bessemer Venture Partners, Warburg Pincus, Kedaara Capital, and Ontario Teacher’s Venture Growth, Perfios recently raised $80 million in its latest funding round. Their clientele includes leading global banks and insurers who rely on Perfios for seamless digital transformations.

Supporting Quote

Amitabh, Chief Business Officer, Perfios Insurance International stated: “We are honored to receive this recognition from Zurich Asuransi Indonesia. Perfios Acclaim embodies our vision to provide insurers with cutting-edge technology that simplifies their operations and protects against fraud.”

Future Goals

Winning the Zurich Innovation Championship aligns perfectly with Perfios’ mission to empower insurers with innovative, reliable technology. Perfios Acclaim aims to expand its impact across Asia and further solidify its presence as a leader in the insurance technology space.

About Perfios Acclaim

Perfios Acclaim tackles the pressing challenge of claims leakages in health insurance, which cost the industry up to $28 billion annually due to fraudulent or ineligible claims. Traditional methods fall short, as human assessors struggle to correlate data across extensive documents to detect fraud. Perfios Acclaim integrates claims digitization and fraud detection into a unified solution, enabling Straight Through Processing (STP) and automatic adjudication. This reduces processing times from over a week to just 30 minutes and has saved up to 5% in claims payouts in regions like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. For more information, visit https://perfios.ai/acclaim/

This press release can also be viewed at Marketing in Asia (https://shorturl.at/eGWLs).

Media contact:
Komaldeep Kaur Dhir
Marketing in Asia
komal@mianext.com 



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

InsureTech Connect Asia: Asia’s Largest Insurance Ecosystem Conference

SINGAPORE, May 20, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – InsureTech Connect Asia (ITC Asia) is set to convene the region’s most prominent insurance leaders at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore from June 4-6, 2024. This prestigious event will draw 1,800 attendees, with 75% being senior decision-makers from over 40 countries, to explore the future of insurance through innovation and digital transformation.

The event will begin with an opening keynote by a panel of distinguished insurance regulators from across Asia. This panel includes Meena Chandra, Deputy Director and Head (Insurance, Infrastructure and Trade Finance Division), Financial Markets Development Department from the Monetary Authority of Singapore; Hideaki “Jerry” Namiki, Deputy Director, FinTech and Innovation Office, Strategy Development and Management Bureau from the Financial Services Agency of Japan; Prapapas Kulpawaropas, Senior Director, Strategy and Risk Management Department from the Office of Insurance Commission, Thailand; Shri Rajay Kumar Sinha, Member (Finance & Investment) from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI); and Surannit Chit, Deputy Director from Bank Negara Malaysia. These experts will discuss innovative approaches for testing and developing new ideas within the regional insurance sector.

They will be joined by over 200 leaders representing insurance companies, investors and InsurTechs  across Asia sharing their insights as they take the stage with interactive panel discussions spanning three dedicated conference tracks.

Alongside the premium conference, over 100 InsurTech solution providers, including Income, AWS, DXC, Deloitte, Klook, and more will be on-floor to showcase how they are transforming the insurance industry in Asia. Additionally, the exhibition will also witness InsurTech startups across the region compete in the ITC Asia Awards finals.

ITC Asia is also launching their inaugural ITC Asia Insurer Awards, celebrating the successes of the insurance industry across Asia. Winners in 12 different categories will be announced at the Awards gala dinner on June 5.

“ITC Asia 2024 aims to be more than just a conference; it is a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and the exploration of groundbreaking insurance solutions,” said Tricia Wong, Director of ITC Asia. “We are excited to welcome back industry leaders and innovators to discuss and shape the future of insurance in Asia.”

Event Details:
Date: June 4-6, 2024
Location: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore
Website: https://bit.ly/itca-2024

About InsureTech Connect

InsureTech Connect (ITC) is the world’s largest insurance ecosystem event, offering unparalleled access to the largest and most comprehensive gathering of tech entrepreneurs, investors, and insurance industry executives from across the globe. ITC has been attended by over 25,000 people from 65+ countries. Founded in 2016, ITC has established itself as the biggest insurtech event in its US location in Vegas and has launched a new venture in APAC with ITC Asia in Singapore. ITC Asia will be held 4 June – 6 June 2024 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands.

For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/itca-2024 

Contact:
ITC Asia Media Relations
Email: asia@insuretechconnect.com



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

FTLife Pre-Announces Name Change to Chow Tai Fook Life Insurance Company Limited

HONG KONG, Apr 29, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – FTLife Insurance Company Limited (“FTLife”) announced today that it will change its company name to Chow Tai Fook Life Insurance Company Limited (“CTF Life”) and launch the new brand in the third quarter of this year, strengthening FTLife’s collaboration with the diverse conglomerate of Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited (“the Group”). With the new brand, FTLife will further leverage the Group’s robust financial strength and strategic investments across the globe. With its unique positioning, FTLife is committed to creating value beyond insurance for customers and their loved ones by navigating life’s journey with personalised planning solutions, lifelong protection and diverse lifestyle experiences.

Man Kit Ip, Chief Executive Officer of FTLife
Man Kit Ip, Chief Executive Officer of FTLife

Man Kit Ip, Chief Executive Officer of FTLife, said: “The Group is a trusted and highly recognised brand with strong financial standing. The upcoming name change to FTLife signifies the close association with the ‘Chow Tai Fook’ brand, further bolstering customer confidence and solidifying our reliable brand image. With the launch of the new brand in the third quarter, we aspire to harness our refreshed corporate identity to open up more strategic collaboration opportunities within and beyond the Group. This move is set to create more opportunities for our Life Artisans, business partners, and the Group as a whole, as well as unlock greater potential for development, fuel business growth, and offer more quality products to serve diverse customers while continuously creating value beyond insurance.”

FTLife’s business operations remain consistent. The forthcoming name change and brand elevation will not affect the collaboration model with business partners and day-to-day management and operation of existing policies, including protection, benefits, fees and returns. FTLife will gradually roll out brand refresh promotions and will announce the details of the new trademark and brand story in due time.

About Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited

Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited (“CTFE”) is the flagship private investment holding company of the Cheng Family and is part of the “Chow Tai Fook” group of companies founded by the Cheng Family in 1929. CTFE is a premier family investor with strategic investments in energy, infrastructure, healthcare, insurance, education and media; marquee investments in prime real estate and hospitality services; private equity investments in quality growth companies mainly in the technology sector and a liquid portfolio of equities and bonds. CTFE, together with its subsidiaries and jointly controlled entities, has operations in 27 countries globally.

About FTLife Insurance Company Limited

FTLife Insurance Company Limited (Incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability; “FTLife”) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NWS Holdings Limited (Hong Kong Stock Code: 659). With a heritage of providing insurance services in Hong Kong for more than 30 years, FTLife’s Life Artisans leverage the Group’s ecosystem to curate life chapters of customers and their loved ones with comprehensive planning solutions and lifelong protection, embracing wealth management and succession, health and well-being, and quality of life. Backed by the Group’s financial strength and advanced customer-focused digital technology, FTLife aspires to become the leading insurance brand in the Greater Bay Area, while also maximising shared value beyond traditional insurance for a sustainable future.

Media enquiries
FTLife Insurance Company Limited
Suki Kwong
+852 2591 8504 / 6012 3298
suki.kwong@ftlife.com.hk



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ZhongAn Online Announces 2023 Annual Results

HONG KONG, Mar 27, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – On March 26, 2024, ZhongAn Online (6060.HK) released its 2023 annual results. For the year ended December 31, 2023, ZhongAn Online achieved gross written premiums (GWP) of RMB29,501 million, with a year-on-year increase of 24.7%. ZhongAn remained as the 9th largest P&C insurance company in the Chinese market as measured by GWP in 2023, and the fastest growing company among the top 10 P&C insurance companies in China, with underwriting profits for three consecutive years. The Group has adopted the new accounting standard for insurance contracts, HKFRS 17, starting from January 1, 2023. Insurance revenue from the P&C insurance business under HKFRS 17 amounted to RMB27,521 million, an increase of 24.2% year-on-year.

In 2023, we celebrated ZhongAn’s 10th anniversary. With a decade of dedicated cultivation, ZhongAn has always adhered to “Insurance + Tech” dual-engine strategy, and has achieved high-quality growth by adopting a customer-centric approach and focusing on its core insurance business. During the past decade, ZhongAn has been dedicated to improving its technology, product, service and brand strengths, thereby achieving numerous breakthroughs from scratch, and contributing its one-of-a-kind strengths to accelerating the digital and intelligent transformation of the insurance industry. In 2023, as the only InsurTech company selected, ZhongAn Online was included in the 2023 China 500 list published by Fortune with honor, demonstrating the market’s recognition to ZhongAn’s decade-long brand and technology.

For a long term, ZhongAn Online adhered to the strategy of “sustainable growth with quality” as well as technology-driven cost-efficiency. In 2023, our underwriting combined ratio for 2023 was 95.2%, achieving underwriting profit for three consecutive years, and beyond the industry average performance. The Group recorded net profit attributable to owners of the parent of RMB4,078 million, this included a one-off investment gain of approximately RMB3,784 million as ZA International ceased to be a subsidiary of the Company and was accounted for as a joint venture under the equity method with effect from August 14, 2023. Excluding this one-off investment gain, the Group’s adjusted net profit to owners of the Company amounted to RMB294 million, a turnaround from the previous year.

Benefiting from the domestic economic recovery and the ongoing digital transformation in the global financial industry, the Group’s technology segment recorded technology export revenue of RMB829 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 40.0%., of which domestic revenue grew by more than 73% year-on-year.

Building user-centric proprietary channels

In 2023, the Company stayed focused on multi-scenario and multi-dimensional touchpoints with potential customers around the “ZhongAn” brand, continuously exploring and grasping online traffic dividend from mainstream content platforms via short video and livestreaming. Through AI customer service and Enterprise WeChat customer service, we delivered efficient cross-guidance and customized product recommendation, and continuously optimizing the contents of live streaming. This year, ZhongAn also stayed focused on cross-penetration between ecosystems, provided comprehensive insurance protection around four ecosystems, and increased value proposition to users through upgraded medical health, family, and pets related services. In 2023, the GWP of our proprietary channels increased by 31.0% year-on-year to RMB7,614 million, whose growth rate is higher than the company’s overall GWP growth, and accounted for 25.8% of the total GWP. The number of paying users of our proprietary channels increased by 47.6% year-on-year to 11.36 million. Renewal rate reached 88.3%, with year-on-year improvement of 3.3 percentage points; and the average premium per user reached RMB670.

Diversified product offerings of health ecosystem provide medical coverage for over 100 million people and digital lifestyle ecosystem innovates to lead the way

In 2023, China’s commercial health insurance market reported GWP of RMB903.5 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 4.4%. As China’s multi-level healthcare protection system continued to penetrate and improve, there is a growing demand for multi-level, diversified and personalized health protection. Adhering to our original aspiration of provide medical insurance for 100 million people, our health ecosystem provided health insurance to approximately 28.80 million insured customers in 2023, recorded GWP of RMB9,806 million in 2023, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.2%. The health ecosystem had approximately 19.96 million individual insurance paying users, representing an increase of 23.6% as compared with the corresponding period of last year. Meanwhile, the company also published the customized products for the chronic disease patients, elderly, children, and female, as well as critical illness policy, outpatient policy, and other types of productions to meet the diversified needs of users under different scenarios.

For digital lifestyle ecosystem, ZhongAn capitalized on the booming growth of the domestic e-commerce industry, the strong recovery of the air travel business, and the explosive growth of innovative business including pet insurance. The GWP of the digital lifestyle ecosystem reached RMB12,563 million, representing a year-on- year increase of 41.6%. Among them, the e-commerce business segment amounted to RMB6,593 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 25.3%. The travel business segment provided travel protection for nearly 70 million users, recording GWP of RMB3,242 million in 2023, representing a year-on-year increase of 89.0%.

In the innovation business segment, ZhongAn closely follow the trends of emerging consumer behavior, continuously leverage technology empowerment, and rapidly launch various innovative insurance products to meet evolving insurance protection needs of users. In 2023, we launched a brand new sports accident insurance named Zhong Participation covering general sports and high-risk sports, and enriched our pet insurance product matrix, serving over 4.65 million pet owners nationwide and consolidating our highly leading position in the domestic pet insurance market.  

Beyond that, along with the continued recovery of the domestic economy in all sectors, and the emergence of new hotspots such as AI and NEV, the Company ushered in a new era in the consumer finance ecosystem and the auto ecosystem. With the recovery of the consumer finance industry, ZhongAn consumer finance ecosystem recorded GWP of RMB5,551 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 22.5%. We also seized the opportunities for the NEV insurance and embracing government support, bringing new momentum to auto insurance, with GWP of NEV auto insurance increased by approximately 196.1% year-on-year in 2023 and total GWP of auto ecosystem increased by 24.7% year-on-year to RMB1,580 million in 2023

Tech segment grows fast with innovations powered by AIGC

In the long term, ZhongAn continues to focus on the development of cutting- edge technologies including artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data, aiming to reshape every stage throughout the insurance value chain with technology, creating a value delivery system of “technology + service”. In 2023, ZhongAn launched “Lingxi”, an AIGC middle platform, EasyCreation, the pioneering intelligent content creation platform with AIGC application covering scenarios of insurance verticals, and CWisdom, the operational analysis platform (AI upgraded version) with conversational AI. ZhongAn empowers the finance and insurance industry with AI, promotes high-quality development for financial industries with core technologies and reshapes the landscape of digital finance.

In 2023, ZhongAn’s technology segment continued to expand both domestically and internationally, helping many clients across the globe with their digital transformation processes. During the reporting period, ZhongAn recorded technology export revenue of RMB829 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 40.0%.

Benefiting from the industry’s demand for continued digital upgrading and transformation brought by Digital China and the digital economy, our domestic technology export business recorded revenue of RMB504 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 73.2%. Number of newly contracted clients along the insurance industrial chain reached 91, of which more than 40 clients had a contracted amount of more than RMB1 million and 4 clients had a contracted amount of more than RMB10 million. ZhongAn’s tech segment also made breakthroughs in expanding business into diversified sectors, serving 12 clients from the banking and securities industries, and further expanded to cover manufacturing and other high-tech industries.

For overseas technology export, ZA Tech, under ZhongAn International, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Singapore, focuses on exporting new insurance core systems and digital insurance technology experience to overseas insurance companies and insurance intermediary platforms, aiming to build a new digital operating system of the global insurance industry. As of now, ZA Tech’s footprints have covered regional markets such as Japan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and Europe. In 2023, ZA Tech recorded technology export revenue of RMB325 million, of which sustainable revenue accounted for 51%, and the gross margin increased to 46% from 40% for the corresponding period of 2022.

ZA Bank continues to build a leading financial services platform In Hong Kong

As one of the first banks in Hong Kong granted a virtual banking license, ZA Bank has become one of the virtual banks with the most comprehensive product matrix in Hong Kong market. By the end of 2023, ZA Bank had total deposits  of approximately HKD11.7 billion and gross loans of approximately HKD 5.4 billion.

ZA Bank became the first virtual bank in Hong Kong to be granted a Type 1 regulated activity (dealing in securities) license by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in January 2022, and has been actively expanding its product matrix for investment business since then. The Bank officially launched mutual fund services in August 2022, successfully onboard over 100 investment fund products, and officially launched its US stock trading services in February 2024 for Hong Kong users. By the end of 2023, retail users’ AUM amounted to nearly HKD 1 billion. Meanwhile, benefiting from the interest rate hike cycle and the diversification of loan products, ZA Bank’s net interest margin further improved to 1.94% from 1.84% in the corresponding period of 2022. In 2023, ZA Bank recorded net revenue of approximately HKD 370 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 42.9%; With the Bank’s focus on business quality and operationalefficiency improvement, the net loss margin narrowed by approximately 85.6 percentage points

The General Manager of ZhongAn Online Simon Jiang says, “In the past decade , ZhongAn had been growing on the background of FinTech development and diversification trend across the globe. In the wave of digital transformation, we remain true to our original aspirations and adhere to the concept of “insurance + technology” so as to offer more inclusive products to users, bring warm experience of ZhongAn and contribute to the building of a high-quality inclusive financial system.”

About ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance Co., Ltd. (Stock Code: 6060.HK)

Founded in October 2013, ZhongAn Online P & C Insurance Co., Ltd. (“ZhongAn Online”, “ZhongAn” or the “Company”) is a leading digital-only insurance company in China. On September 28, 2017, ZhongAn became the first FinTech company listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. ZhongAn offers insurance products and solutions within four ecosystems, which include health, digital lifestyle, consumer finance, and auto. Focusing on InsurTech, ZhongAn leverages its advanced InsurTech experience and technological capability to facilitate the digital transformation of companies along the insurance industry value chain through the development of new digital infrastructure.

For further information, please contact ZhongAn Online IR team

Email: IR@ZhongAn.com



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Sunshine Insurance Announces 2023 Annual Results

HONG KONG, Mar 27, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – Sunshine Insurance Group Company Limited (“Sunshine Insurance” or the “Company”, and its subsidiaries collectively the “Group”; Stock code: 6963.HK) is pleased to announce the audited consolidated results for the year ended 31 December 2023 (the “Reporting Period”).

2023 Annual Results Highlights:

— GWPs increased by 9.3% YoY to RMB118.91 billion;

— Insurance revenue increased by 7.5% to RMB59.90 billion;

— Net profit attributable to equity owners of the parent reached RMB3.74 billion;

— Embedded value was RMB104.06 billion, up 6.4% from the end of last year on a comparable basis;

— Comprehensive investment yield was 4.8%;

— As of December 31, 2023, the number of active customers was approximately 31.54 million.

In 2023, with the overall recovery in China’s economy and steady progress in high-quality development, the Group actively seized the development opportunities arising from the economic recovery, the rising awareness of insurance protection among residents, the increasing diversity of insurance needs and the growing demand for pension insurance brought about by the ageing population. With in-depth research, development and innovation, the Group effectively formulated and fully activated the “New Sunshine Strategy” with “Sunshine of Technology” created by data intelligence, “Sunshine of Value” created by model innovation, and “Sunshine of Caring” created by a culture of goodness with love and responsibility as its three core elements, and achieved steady development in core business of insurance industry with a high level of strategic determination and solid execution, resulting in continuous improvement in value creation and effective implement of customer idea.

During the Reporting Period, the gross written premiums (GWPs) of the Group were RMB118.91 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.3%, and the insurance revenue reached RMB59.9 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.5%. The net profit attributable to equity owners of the parent was RMB3.74 billion. The embedded value was RMB104.06 billion, up 6.4% from the end of last year on a comparable basis. The total investment yield was 3.3% and the consolidated investment yield was 4.8%. As the end of 2023, the Group had approximately 31.54 million active customers.

Positive Development in Core Business with Remarkable Results in Value Creation Project

In 2023, based on its core business of insurance, Sunshine Insurance has laid a solid foundation for its high-value growth by continuing to promote the innovation and value development of life insurance business, strengthening core competency and doing a good job in asset management and risk management with a clear strategic consistency.

In terms of life insurance, the path of differentiation and value realization for Sunshine Life Insurance is becoming increasingly clear with its “one body” and “two wings” project. The business value ratio and persistency ratio have been steadily improved, and the pursuit of the “five highs” of “high-morality, high-productivity, high-value, high-income, and high-quality” has initially been achieved, highlighting the industry’s comparative advantages. During the Reporting Period, the Group’s total life insurance premium income reached RMB74.60 billion, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%. The first-year regular premiums (“FYRPs”) reached RMB18.10 billion, a year-on-year increase of 22.7%. The value of one year’s new business was RMB3.60 billion, a year-on-year increase of 44.2% on a comparable basis. FYRPs from individual insurance channel for the year reached RMB4.30 billion, a year-on-year increase of 46.5%. FYRPs with Sunshine’s characteristics from worksite marketing achieved more than double. The Company’s operating indicators, including the education level of its workforce, productivity per person, product value ratio, 13-month persistency ratio, and agent income, have been improved in an all-round way.

In terms of property insurance, Sunshine P&C has made breakthroughs in all “three life table” projects. The intelligent automobile insurance life table has achieved the “last mile” connectivity, truly establishing industry-leading risk pricing capabilities. Full intelligence of rigid risk cost management and optimal allocation of resources provided a technological model guarantee for auto insurance to become a stable and profitable business. The non-auto data life table and credit insurance life table have also witnessed substantial progress and have been gradually applied to the operation side. During the Reporting Period, Sunshine P&C witnessed rapid growth in business scale, continuous optimization of business structure and quality. It achieved a premium income of RMB44.24 billion, a year-on-year increase of 9.6%. The underwriting combined ratio was 98.7%, a year-on-year optimization of 0.7 percentage point, indicating sustained enhancement in profitability.

In the area of asset management, facing challenges brought by market fluctuations, the Group has ensured the healthy and steady development of the core business through clear strategic consistency, appropriate choices align with the reality, and exceptional asset correlation. It has also closely followed the national development strategy, continuously improving its capabilities and allocation ratio of investment for future-oriented industries, and seizing the initiative in strategic implementation. During the Reporting Period, the Group’s asset management business maintained healthy development, with a total investment income of RMB14.62 billion, a total investment yield of 3.3% and a consolidated investment yield of 4.8%.

Building New Strategy of “Technological Sunshine” with Data Intelligence, Enhancing Overall Technological Capabilities

The Central Financial Work Conference held in 2023 clearly put forth the goal of “building a strong financial nation and making great strides in technological finance, green finance, inclusive finance, pension finance and digital finance”. During the Reporting Period, the Group, focusing on the two initiatives, “technological finance” and “digital finance”, improved innovative mechanisms, fostered innovative culture, deepened product orientation and intensified efforts in “three robots” project, namely sales robot, service robot and management robot. AI products gradually took shape and began testings in institution businesses.

The Group also embraced the trend of AI innovation and listed the independently developed AI large models as its strategic project. It also pioneered developing the Sunshine GPT large model with independent intellectual property rights, which has already been applied in customer service, sales support, intelligent claims and other scenarios.

Meanwhile, the Group continued to strengthen digital customer insights, marketing, operations, risk control and product innovation, gaining remarkable results. In terms of customer insights, the customer conversion rate has increased by 99.5% year-on-year through big data integration and customer portrait applications. In terms of marketing support, the use of big data and text exploration facilitated sales, empowering an increase in per capita productivity. In terms of operational services, intelligent businesses handling like intelligent consultation and assessment are provided to customers, with a 91% of Online self-service processing rate of property and life insurance business customers and 90.2% of customer satisfaction for intelligent services. In terms of risk prevention, 210 new risk monitoring and identification indicators have been launched, with 147 optimizations, effectively monitoring, identifying and controlling risks. In terms of product innovation, the “Mileage-based New Energy Vehicle Model” utilized data exploration technology to significantly enhance the capabilities of the new energy vehicle business.

Furthermore, the Group actively promoted the digital and intelligent transformation of the entire industry. With a great sense of responsibility and mission, it took the initiative in holding the first InsurTech Digital Intelligence Conference which gathered more than 150 industry insiders and outsiders, and published the first white paper on the application of large model technology in the insurance industry. It also initiated the establishment of the InsurTech Digital Intelligence Innovation Consortium, gathered industry forces of insurtech intelligence, and promoted innovative all-round breakthroughs in Sunshine Technology.

Building “Sunshine of Caring” with a Culture of Love and Responsibility and Moving Customer Operation Capabilities to a New Level

Grounded and focused on the ideology of “finance for the people and the culture of love and responsibility”, the Group effectively implemented the “customer-centered” core value and built a customer-driven development mode in 2023 from strategic deployment to business implementation, remaining committed to building the “Sunshine of Caring”.

Sunshine Life took the implementation of “Matrix Plan” as the first step to ensure that customers’ thoughts and actions can be put into practice. Focusing on the needs of the whole life cycle of customers’ families, based on the large-scale research of more than 20,000 customers, and through in-depth research and thorough analysis of multi-dimensional issues such as life stages, categorization of needs, and product correspondences, Sunshine Life has creatively introduced the truly customer-centric product allocation philosophy of “3 insurance policies for your lifetime of safety and security, 5 policies for the whole family, and 7 policies of Sunshine Insurance bring you a promising future” (“3/5/7”), making the Group the first company in the industry to make it clear to society in a simple and clear way that one needs a few insurance policies for one’s whole life, which is not easy to explain.

Aiming at its advantageous areas, Sunshine P&C continued to promote the implementation of “Partnership Action” risk management services, focused on the innovation and practice of the “insurance + service + technology” model, created exclusive risk management solutions for a number of industries, and built the “Sunshine Partnership” applet, a lightweight enterprise customer service platform that combines “disaster warning, online service, risk control and security”, to effectively help customers identify and dispose of hidden security risks, and manage risks from the perspective of customers in real sense. In 2023, it provided technology disaster mitigation and professional risk consulting services to 14,000 corporate clients.

In accordance with the “four features” principle of “value, characteristics, practicality and usability”, the Group was making new strives to reshape its value-added service system and upgrade its unique team of “customer experience officers” to better “advocate for customers”. With the continuous enhancement of customer operation capabilities, the number of Group’s active customers has been growing steadily, reaching 31.54 million by the end of 2023.

Serving “National Priorities” and Conducting In-depth Practice of Social Responsibility

Finance is the bloodline of the real economy. As the only traditional insurance company being listed among 205 insurance companies established in this century, the Group actively plays a leading role in the response to national policy and regulatory requirements with stable corporate governance and scientific risk control, integrates with national strategies, enhances the quality of service to the real economy, and provides targeted and strong support for the development of real economy.

Throughout the year of 2023, the Group provided risk coverage of RMB61 trillion for the real economy. It also worked to assist in the green and low-carbon transformation by providing green insurance coverage of RMB12.2 trillion, with a sustainable investment balance exceeding RMB50 billion; promoted rural revitalization by launching comprehensive insurance assistance, expanding insurance coverage for agricultural products and providing a package of products such as “Poverty Prevention Insurance” and supplementary medical insurance to key assistance groups. In 2023, the Group provided agricultural risk coverage of RMB 28.60 billion for 917,000 farmer and paid out RMB 460 million in claims, delivering benefits to 368,000 farmers; served the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative by providing risk coverage of RMB98.16 billion for 402 related projects and long-term financial support of RMB 60.07 billion for large-scale investment projects; focused on the actual needs of SMEs by providing risk coverage of RMB304.02 billion for about 26,000 SMEs and helping about 68,200 SMEs obtain financing of RMB11.3 billion.

In addition, the Group actively fulfilled its social responsibilities and participated in public welfare. The Group gave full play to its advantages in financial technology and medical resources, and actively organized and participated in various public welfare activities such as education, elderly assistance and poverty alleviation. By the end of 2023, the Group had supported the construction of 73 schools in 24 provinces; provided training to 19,478 rural doctors; and granted parental maintenance allowances to 40,716 employees.

The year 2024 is crucial for achieving the goals and tasks outlined in China’s “14th Five-Year Plan”. With multiple favorable factors such as the long-term upward trend of China’s economy, the country’s policy orientation to support the development of the insurance industry, the market environment created by financial regulatory authorities, and the continuous advancement of high-quality development in the industry, the development space for the insurance industry is expected to further expand, and the long-term upward trend will remain unchanged. This year’s government work report clearly states that “vigorously developing technology finance, green finance, inclusive finance, aging finance, and digital finance” is a continuation of the emphasis on doing a good job in the five major areas of financial work, and it also points out the direction for the industry to assist in the implementation of the “14th Five-Year Plan” with high-quality development and serve the construction of Chinese-type modernization.

Looking ahead, the Group will uphold the original intention and entrepreneurial spirit, adhere to strategic determination and scientific corporate governance, and firmly hold the bottom line of preventing systemic financial risks, and continue to deepen the implementation of the New Sunshine Strategy rooted in high-quality development, and use it as a pivotal force for growth. The Group keeps breast of the service objectives of “Five Major Areas of Financial Work” and execute targeted innovative strategies accordingly. The ultimate aspiration is to achieve “technological leadership, robust value creation, and customer-centered thought”, thereby sustainably contributing to the construction of a strong financial nation and fostering high-quality financial growth.

About Sunshine Insurance Group Company Limited

Sunshine Insurance Group Company Limited is a fast-growing private insurance service group in China. Since its establishment, the Group has demonstrated unwavering commitment to its core business, embracing an industrial mindset within the financial industry. It prioritizes value creation and strives to emerge as a premier provider of family insurance services, while simultaneously serving as a dependable partner for enterprise risk management. The Group carries out life and health insurance business through Sunshine Life, property and casualty insurance business through Sunshine P&C, and manages insurance funds through Sunshine AMC. As of December 31, 2023, the Group has been ranked among the top 500 Chinese enterprises by the China Enterprise Confederation for 13 consecutive years and has been entitled as one of the “Top 500 Valuable Brands in China” by the World Brand Lab for 12 consecutive years.



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Hong Kong Capital Markets Forum 2024 “Driving Growth with Market Integrity and Sound Governance”

HONG KONG, Jan 31, 2024 – (ACN Newswire) – The inaugural Hong Kong Capital Markets Forum, jointly organised by The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies (CHKLC), the Hong Kong Association of Registered Public Interest Entity Auditors Limited (PIEAA), and The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (HKIoD), was held yesterday, with the aim of upholding common goals and beliefs and collaboratively exploring the development path of Hong Kong’s capital markets.

Geopolitical tensions have brought more instability to the global economy, and the external environment faced by Hong Kong has become more complex. What is the outlook for Hong Kong’s capital markets under the new international situation? How should Hong Kong better attract domestic and foreign investors and explore innovative financial and business models, while consolidating the city’s unique advantages to meet challenges and seize opportunities? This forum focuses on various issues and emphasises that market integrity and sound governance are important cornerstones for the development of Hong Kong’s capital markets. The Forum invited a wide range of guest speakers and moderators, bringing together nearly 400 business elites and professionals to share their insights and efforts in addressing the challenges faced by Hong Kong, fostering a vibrant exchange of ideas.

Dr Kenneth Lam, Chairman of the Forum Organising Committee and Vice Chairman of The Chamber of Hong Kong Listed Companies, said, “CHKLC emphasises the long-term healthy growth and efficient operation of Hong Kong’s capital markets; PIEAA attaches great importance to the integrity and transparency of listed companies; and the HKIoD focuses on corporate governance and director professionalism. With this consensus, the three organisations have joined forces to initiate a representative and influential partnership, and have for the first time created a cross-sectoral communication platform that aims to integrate the professional knowledge and market practices of all parties to give impetus to the sustainable development of the capital markets.”

The guest of honour at the Forum was the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan Mo-po GBM GBS MH JP. The Forum kicked off with a keynote speech entitled “2024 Economic and Capital Markets Outlook”. This was followed by in-depth panel discussions on two major topics: “Boosting Liquidity of Hong Kong Capital Markets” and “Enhancing the Role of Hong Kong as an International Asset Management Centre”. The final highlight of the Forum was a luncheon speech by Dr Carlson Tong GBS, JP, Chairman of the Task Force on Enhancing Stock Market Liquidity, entitled “Enhancing the Competitiveness and Attractiveness of Hong Kong as an IFC”, which brought the event to a successful close.

“By hosting this forum, the co-organisers hope to provide a communication and discussion platform for the industry to express opinions on market integrity, sound governance, sustainable development, and other related issues, and to share best practices and guidance on innovative development prospects. This will increase market participants’ awareness and understanding of market integrity, attract more capital to our markets, and promote the healthy development of the economy. At the same time, it will help facilitate the capital markets’ transformation towards sustainable development, enhance their capital formation and asset management capabilities, and improve Hong Kong’s long-term competitiveness and economic sustainability”, Dr Lam concluded.

Approximately 400 business and industry professionals actively participated in the inaugural Hong Kong Capital Markets Forum 2024.

Media Enquiries:

Strategic Public Relations Group Limited

Brenda Chan/ +852 2114 4396/ brenda.chan@sprg.com.hk



Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

What are Exchange-Traded Funds, and Why Invest in Them?

SINGAPORE, Dec 28, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – What are Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF)?

If you are looking to build a diversified investment portfolio, consider investing in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) , a basket of securities that tracks the performance of a particular index, commodity, sector, or other assets. Just like stocks, ETFs are listed and traded on stock exchanges. Since ETFs are investment funds that contain various underlying assets, they are often included in portfolios as a means of diversification and risk management.

Keep reading to learn how ETFs work and how to begin investing in ETFs in Singapore.

How do Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) work?

When you purchase an ETF, your money is pooled with capital from several other investors and invested according to the fund’s objectives and strategy. ETFs are typically managed by professional fund managers who ensure that the ETF’s performance matches that of the tracked index rather than outperforming it. As such, the returns on ETFs are usually more predictable than other types of managed investment funds. Moreover, ETFs provide exposure to several underlying assets, allowing investors to diversify their portfolios with lower costs and risks.

Like stocks, ETFs experience price fluctuations throughout the day and can be traded on a stock exchange anytime during market trading hours. Commonly traded ETFs may include equity ETFs, bond ETFs, industry/sector ETFs, commodity ETFs, and currency ETFs.

Tips to consider before choosing a suitable ETF to invest in

With so many ETF options available on the market, it can be challenging to select suitable ones to include in your portfolio. Here are some important considerations when selecting an ETF:

  • Tracking error: While ETFs aim to track and replicate a benchmark index, they may not be tracking the index closely enough, resulting in tracking errors. Hence, it is crucial to check if the performance of your selected ETFs is closely aligned with the performance of the tracked index.
  • Trading volume: Look into the trading volume of your selected ETFs. The higher the trading volume, the higher the liquidity and the easier you can let go of the ETF when the time comes.
  • ETF structure: ETFs track indexes by either investing in the underlying assets directly or through derivatives, which are financial contracts that derive their value or price from an underlying asset. ETF structures can be complex and may affect the risk and management cost of an ETF. 
  • ETF’s exposure and objectives: Before deciding on the ETF(s) to invest in, it is essential to consider an ETF’s exposure and objectives. Does the ETF provide access to global, regional, or country-specific assets? Does it provide exposure to your sectors of interest or specific asset classes? Once you’ve understood the purpose of the ETF, check if it aligns with your investment objectives and whether it fulfils its intended role in your portfolio.

Conclusion

While ETFs carry relatively lower risk than other securities like stocks, it is still crucial to do your due diligence before deciding on suitable ETF investment options for your portfolio. Understand that returns on ETFs are not guaranteed, and price fluctuations are to be expected in the short term. If you have any doubts, consider speaking to a professional financial advisor in Singapore to seek clarity on how ETFs may fit into your long-term investment strategy.

Disclaimer

The content reflects the view of the article’s author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Citi or its employees. Please read the products and offers on the Citi Singapore website for accuracy or completeness of the information presented in the article.

Contact Information
Sonakshi Murze
Manager
sonakshi.murze@iquanti.com



Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com