On Monday 13 January, the 2020 Asia Futurist Leadership Summit opened in Hong Kong with a focus on women’s roles in the finance industry. The week-long event is organized by the Association of Family Offices in Asia (AFO) in conjunction with the Association of Private Bankers in Greater China Region; the Asia Co-Investors Club; and the Women in Leadership Association. The AFO specializes in governance, family business consulting, structured finance, succession, and the development of next generation.  

In Monday’s morning session the opening speech was made by Dr Eva Law, chairman, the Women In Leadership Association, and was followed by welcome remarks from Wenlin Juang, a director of Refinitive. In the day’s programme of distinguished speakers were two roundtable sessions. The first examined the Entrepreneurial Spirit of Women and was moderated by Jenny Tong, president of Eyez Global; and featured panelists Bowie Lau, founder, MaGESpire;  Yosha Gupta, founder, Memeraki, and a consultant at CGAP, the World Bank Group; and  Jolin Xie, founder & CEO, Yuyin International.

The second roundtable reflected on the role of Women in Asset Management and was moderated by Cecily Luk, a director of Refinitiv. Panelists at the event included Deborah Bannon, head of institutional sales, BNY Mellon; Jenny Tong, president of Eyez Global; and Linda Cseliak, a senior portfolio manager, and the founder of Cadenza Advisors.