The Italian Chamber and the Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber are happy to invite you for a special networking event to Kick start your time back from the holidays!

Save the date for August 22nd at HAVANA, LKF – do not miss the chance to refresh and regenerate yourself with great drinks and delicious canapés before going back to your work routine!

On Monday, August 26th, we are delighted to invite you along to this wonderful sensorial experience at the unique Italian restaurant Tosca di Angelo. During the evening, you will have the chance to taste renowned Italian wines, using Riedel glasses, which are designed specifically to give you a  fun and unique exploration of how glass shape completely changes the flavour of the wine.

At the end of the event, you will have the opportunity to bring home a set of 3 Riedel glasses (retail value over 700HKD!)

The seats for this event are limited, make sure to RSVP now to secure your spot and bring home one of the many particular Riedel glasses.

 

About Riedel

Riedel is among the leading names in the world of wine, producing glassware designed specifically to enhance the flavour of wines and spirits. In the late 1950s, the company revolutionized how we consume wine, when the 9th generation head of the business, Professor Claus Riedel, became the world’s first person to discover and understand how the flavour of wine changes depending on the shape and size of the glass. The company has since earned its moniker as “the tastemaker”.

  About Tosca di Angelo

Tosca di Angelo is the definition of Italian fine dining, it offers its guests a gastronomic journey with exceptional food and a stunning panoramic view of Victoria Harbour. The award-winning gourmet destination satisfies the most discerning palate with Mediterranean-inspired cuisines featuring premium seasonal ingredients sourced directly from Italy. Its high ceilings, stately fountains and majestic chandeliers set a Romanesque and stylish ambience.

Are you ready for a unique event? This time the venue is the traditional Ding Ding! Enjoy the night with a spectacular 360° view of Hong Kong, light music, and good Italian wine. Don’t miss the chance to spend a once-in-a-lifetime experience you and your guests will never forget. Route of the tram: Whitty Street Tram Depot > Causeway Bay > Happy Valley > Whitty Street Please note that we have limited seats, RSVP now to secure your spot!

The Italian Chamber of Commerce is glad to invite you to this inspiring lunch about manufacturers in Vietnam.

In recent years, Vietnam has emerged as one of the key locations in ASEAN for manufacturers seeking to reduce costs and diversify their supply chain due to economic currents and moving supply chains.

With its large young working population and a strong network of trade agreements, Vietnam has been one of the key recipients of these FDI flows. In addition, Vietnam provides a gateway for companies to access to its market and other ASEAN countries.

This seminar aims to provide participants with an update of the business opportunities and advantages of manufacturing in Vietnam. In addition, participants will be introduced to the current tax incentives, labor framework, and key manufacturing locations.

 

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Nguyen Chi Toan,  Marketing Director, VSIP South & Central 

Mr. Nguyen Chi Toan is VSIP Marketing Director who is in charge of VSIP Industrial park business. He has intensive experience of more than 18 years’ in investment guidance, strategic investment analysis in attracting companies to set up manufacturing bases in all projects of VSIP in Vietnam.

 

Sara Silenzi, Manager of the Italian Desk of Fidinam Hong Kong

Sara Silenzi holds a law degree from University of Parma (Italy) and a second Level Master in Business and Company Law from LUISS University Guido Carli (Rome). She passed the Italian Bar Exam in 2015. She is experienced in Italian company and tax law. Sara Silenzi has had experience in setting up companies in Vietnam.

 

Joel K. Ma, C.P.M., Business Strategy Director, Asia Pacific Hallmark Cards (HK) Limited

Joel Ma has been with Hallmark Cards for 29 years. He is experienced in working with diverse suppliers in more than 15 countries. He excels at building collaborative relationships with suppliers and business partners and bringing added value to customers through on-going and significant cost savings.

Joel graduated from the University of Kansas with an MBA, majoring in Finance and Marketing in 1990. He received the lifetime Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) certification from the Institute for Supply Management in 2008. In addition to English, he is proficient in Putonghua, Cantonese, and Chaozhou. He is passionate about supplier relationship management and deeply believes in building competitive advantages through supplier collaboration. Joel is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Business Administration in supply chain management with City University of Hong Kong.

Start-ups are at the core of economic innovation in both developed and developing economies. Being a start-up nowadays means dealing with a series of economic, legal and social challenges, which is not always an easy task to carry out.

Our speaker Francesco Montonati, Senior Associate at Hawksford, will cover the topic by illustrating the procedure of setting up a company in Hong Kong, further explaining how compliance in the departments of accounting, tax, corporate and HR/Immigration works. The seminar will end with the discussion of the perks of being a start-up in Hong Kong with case studies and examples to better help understand the situation start-ups face.

Please note that there are limited spots, RSVP now to reserve your seat!

     

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Francesco Montonati, Senior Associate, Hawksford

An International Law graduate, Francesco started his career at the Italian Chamber of Commerce in HK & Macau. He joined Hawksford in 2013 and has been working in both the Hong Kong and the Shanghai offices during the past years. During his years of practice, Francesco has extensively supported the establishment and business operations of foreign companies across Hong Kong and China, providing comprehensive advisory with outsourced administration services.

When Virgil Abloh from Off-White was appointed LV Creative Director, many declared the death of luxury. Today, after 1 year from his first collection, more and more brands have followed the path to a new luxury closer to younger generations of consumers advocating for comfortable, yet stylish outfits. Those collections are dropped exclusively in limited edition and selected distribution. Bestsellers such as t-shirts and sneakers are currently driving the sales of luxury brands and non, populating auctions, and StockX, also known as the stock market for sneakers. Join our panel of professionals with a long experience and deep understanding of the retail industry and the Asian market. The seminar will provide insights into the latest trends focusing on how “comfort” has become a necessary component for brands to reach new generations of consumers. RSVP to secure your spot!    

Panel

Jorge Martin, Head of Fashion Research, Euromonitor International

Jorge Martin is Head of Fashion Research at Euromonitor International, a global market research company providing strategic intelligence on industries, companies, economies and consumers around the world.

Jorge Martin is in charge of the research programme and analytical content published around fashion industries. He has direct responsibility for the content and quality of Euromonitor’s database and is responsible for publishing strategic research content with a focus on corporate strategies, market and consumer trends, competitive intelligence, retail performance and opportunity analysis.

Prior to joining Euromonitor International, Jorge was a Research Analyst for Quid S.L., where he conducted qualitative research across several FMCG industries.

He has a master’s degree in Applied Social and Market Research (Westminster University, United Kingdom) and a degree in Psychology (Universidad Complutense, Spain).

 

Filippo Gori, Managing Director, Geox Asia Pacific Limited

Filippo Gori is a fashion professional with finance and consulting background.

After having worked 3 years in management consulting he joined GE Energy where he worked 3 years in FP&A. Soon after he began his journey in fashion, working for Emilio Pucci (Retail Controller), Gucci (Greater China CFO) and Replay (CEO Apac). In 2016 Filippo joined Vip.com as BD Director for international brands and established a profitable business in less than one year. In 2017 Filippo joined Roberto Cavalli, in one year and a half he opened in 3 new markets and increased the store network from 2 to 20 across Asia.

 

Stefano Passarello, Managing Director, Hawksford NE Asia

He is a serial entrepreneur below 40 years old. He founded People & Projects, now part of Hawksford, and represented his company to speak frequently in seminars covering expertise on business, finance, and startups. His speakership extends to sport roundtables on training, postural and nutrition strategies, and techniques. Since 2009, Stefano is sponsored by Asics thanks to his sports achievements including the title holder of the Hong Kong Marathon HKAAA record and No.1 age-group runner in the history of Ironman World Championship. Stefano strongly believes in the union and direct correlation between competitive sports performances and successful business and family life – these concepts were once mutually exclusive until recently become more accepted and possibly marking a new paradigm of work-life balance.

What better way to enjoy your Friday night than with some shopping, a bubbly glass of Prosecco, and groovy live DJ set music?

On Friday, September 6th, come discover the Intimissimi exclusive private sale at their store in Central. Don’t miss out on our offer for invited guests only: buy 4 thermal items get 1 extra for free + get a free pair of thermal socks. Receive also a complimentary exclusive voucher for FALCONERI premium knitwear – made in Italy.

RSVP now to enjoy 20% off the entire collection for one night only.

Blue and Silver are two relevant colours in the global economy. The term Blue Economy refers to all the economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts such as fisheries, tourism and maritime transportation, while Silver Economy includes all the activities dedicated to the elderly in our societies.

Italy is an influential and innovative country in both segments: in fact, according to the latest report from Unioncamere, there are 185.000 Italian companies operating in the Blue Economy and the Italian Government is making a significant effort to improve the wellbeing of an ageing population, creating a number of new opportunities for domestic and international players. In this landscape, the Liguria region is a relevant example because of its strategic position on the Mediterranean Sea and the high living expectation of its population.

The seminar promoted by Genova municipality and Deloitte will illustrate the most interesting aspects of the Blue and Silver Economy and what opportunities can arise for Hong Kong and China. First, one member of Genova’s local government and maritime association will introduce critical aspects through real-life examples and case studies. Second, the Asia-Pacific desk of Deloitte Italy will explain the tax incentives available to individuals based in Hong Kong or China that move their residency to Italy. A networking session with a light lunch will follow.

   

Agenda

12:30 – 1:00PM Registration, buffet lunch & networking 1:00- 1:05 PM Welcome speech by Italian Consul General 1:05- 1:20 PM Focus on the Silver Economy by Giancarlo Vinacci, Genoa City Council Member to the Economic Development 1:20- 1:35 PM Focus on the Blue Economy: the Case of Regione Liguria by Alessandro Pitto, President of Spediporto 1:35- 1:50 PM Focus on Relocation to Italy: the Elective Visa and the attractive Flat Tax Regime by Francesco Vitali,  Senior manager, Italy Tax Services, Deloitte AP ICE Limited 1:50- 2:00 PM Q&A and Closing Remarks

About the Speakers

Francesco Vitali, Senior Manager, Italy Tax Services, Deloitte AP ICE Limited

Francesco is a senior manager with ten years of experience in tax consulting within Deloitte in Italy and Hong Kong. He started working at Deloitte’s Genoa office in 2006. His main areas of expertise are auditing, accounting, budget analysis, and due diligence.

In 2015, he moved to Hong Kong to join Deloitte Italy’s China Desk. He now focuses on supporting Italian Companies that have invested or are willing to invest in Asia-Pacific to address their most pressing tax issues. His tasks range from dealing with tax rules in the different Asia-Pacific jurisdictions to set up the most appropriate tax structure in order to maximize the rate of return for his clients, based mainly in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

      Giancarlo Vinacci, Deputy Mayor – Economy, Statistic & University –  Municipality of Genova (Italy)

Mr. Vinacci is currently the Deputy Mayor in Economy, Statistic & University for the Municipality of Genova.  Before this achievement, he has worked during his lifetime in the banking industry, acquiring significant experience and knowledge about the financial sector, in particular regarding the development of new business opportunities in commercial banks and asset management. From 2006 to 2017 he was General Manager of Mediofina, a company working on credit intermediation for Unicredit and Allianz.

      Alessandro Pitto,  President,  Spediporto Genova

Alessandro Pitto, after graduating in Economics and Business at the University of Genova, has dedicated his career to logistics, in particular, focusing on the city of Genova, his hometown. Since 1998 he has been working at the Casasco & Nardi S.p.A. – Sea and Air Shipments, becoming  General Manager in 2005.  He developed relevant experience and he was able to give back his know-how by collaborating with schools and universities and participating in projects aimed at the economic development of ports and maritime companies. Since early 2019, he has been appointed as Vice President of Fedespedi – Federazione Nazionale delle Imprese di Spedizioni Internazionali.

   

Hong Kong is facing increasing competition from neighboring countries on tax rates and operation costs, it is no longer easy for Hong Kong corporations to survive under this challenging environment. Hong Kong Government has also been promoting corporate detention through various tax deduction measures and subsidies to support corporations in tax and business transformation.

Through this seminar, PwC professionals will share the latest development of the tax environment and how to prepare and develop effective tax and business planning strategies through some applicable Government grants, also with real cases sharing.

 

 

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Desmond Wong, Senior Manager Tax Services,  PwC Hong Kong

Desmond joined PwC in 2007 and is a Senior Manager of the corporate tax practice at PwC Hong Kong. He has extensive experience in providing tax services to a large number of multinational and domestic clients of various industries, such as technology, consumer and industrial products. Furthermore, Desmond handles both tax compliance and consulting assignments and has experience in Hong Kong and regional tax consultancy work including corporate restructuring and tax-efficient holding structures, mergers and acquisition, tax investigation, debt financing structuring, cross-border tax planning, etc. He is currently acting as the Client Relationship Manager for a number of PwC priority clients with a dominant presence in Hong Kong or the Asia Pacific. In 2012, Desmond was sent to PwC US on a three-year secondment program, during which he worked in the Los Angeles and Atlanta offices respectively. He was involved in US tax compliance work as well as international tax projects. He graduated from the Macquarie University in Australia with a degree in Finance. He is a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

 

Karman Leung, Manager Operations Excellence Solutions, PwC Hong Kong

Karman is a Manager of PwC Hong Kong’s operations excellence solutions. She has extensive experiences in enterprise diagnostics, business process analysis, application system implementation, R&D tax advisory and government funding application for ten years. She has taken part in numerous consultancy assignments and delivered training services in the sector of manufacturing, logistics, catering, retail, and real estate. She specializes in assisting clients implementing operations improvement programs, including business process restructuring, best practices materials and tools development, product cost analysis, employee appraisal scheme setup, IT applications design, pre-investment study, implementation, and customization, etc. Further, she helps clients to realize business goals by identifying suitable government funding and assisting the clients from funding application to funding portfolio management. In addition, she participates in various public speaking engagements to share her practical experiences such as “R&D tax deduction regime”, “Best practice of document management in the changing tax landscape”, “Agile logistics and warehouse automation”, “Real-time manufacturing execution management” and “Track-and-trace technology in food supply chain”, etc. She holds a bachelor degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering and a master degree in Executive Master of Business Administration and obtains a certificate in Food Safety Management

The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao, in partnership with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and EU-Philippines Business Network, is pleased to invite you to its seminar “Investing and Doing Business in The Philippines”.

The aim of the meeting is to promote business development in the Philippines and investments in its several promising economic sectors. The exposition will cover a variety of topics, such as the business climate, rules & regulations, trends and opportunities in various sectors. Furthermore, a general outlook on infrastructure & construction, tourism, retail, manufacturing, food and beverage, hospitality and business process outsourcing, will be given.

It will be the ideal seminar for any foreign SMEs interested to enter successfully one of the best-performing emerging markets like the Philippines.

RSVP now to confirm your spot!  

Should your company be concerned about data protection? Recent data tell us that 7 out of 10 businesses are not prepared to respond to a cyber-attack and while the global average cost of a data breach in 2018 was $3.6 million, this cost is destined to grow every year. In this event, Brendan McDonald, Head of Financial Lines Underwriting explains what you can do to protect your business from cybercrime.

Regulations are catching up, in particular with reference to the protection of personal data. Contrary to many other EU laws and regulations, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in force since 25 May 2018, has extra-territorial effects and, in certain circumstances, affects non-EU countries. Davide De Rosa, Partners of international law firm Gianni Origoni Grippo Cappelli & Partners, will provide a general overview of what Hong Kong businesses can do to ensure that they are compliant.

But how easy is it for a hacker to steal your company’s data?

Fabrizio Rosina and Simone Rapizzi from 7Cento HK will guide you through a live hacking scenario, where we will show how hackers find vulnerabilities, access the victim’s computer and take control of its most sensitive data in only a handful of minutes.

     

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

Fabrizio Rosina, CEO/CTO, 7Layers Srl

Fabrizio Rosina is CEO at 7Layers, one of FT1000’s fastest-growing companies in Europe and the Italian leader in Managed Security Services, SOC and Managed Detection and Response (MDR). With over 20 years’ experience in cybersecurity, Fabrizio has designed and implemented security solutions for some of the most successful fashion, infrastructure, manufacturing and financial firms in Europe. His experience ranges from SOC and MDR development to compliance and information security management, forensic analysis and cyber incident response plans, advanced persistent threat (ATP) researches as well as ICS and SCADA security. Fabrizio is also the founder of Whetu, an innovative start-up completely dedicated to security awareness programs and offensive security. Fabrizio is currently based in Turin, Italy where he lives with his family. When he is not working on security, he is passionate about food and CrossFit.

 

Davide De Rosa, Partner, Gianni Origoni Grippo Cappelli & Partners

During his career, Davide has dealt with international commercial disputes and advises foreign investors in their cross-border commercial arrangements and transactions in Hong Kong, China, Europe and Italy. Dually qualified in Italy, as well as England & Wales, for more than 12 years, Davide has been advising on complex matters of legal and commercial significance across borders and business sectors and primarily spanning the EU and Asia. Prior to moving to Hong Kong, Davide has been practising as a corporate and commercial lawyer in Milan.

 

Brendan Mcdonald, Head of Financial Lines Underwriting – Asia, Generali Global Corporate & Commercial

Brendan Mcdonald holds the position in Generali Global Corporate & Commercial as the Head of Financial Lines Asia. Brendan is in charge of leading the company’s financial lines business across multiple Asian markets. He has extensive international experience, having worked in both the UK and the Middle East. Prior to joining Generali GC&C, he was Head of Liability at Oman Insurance Company. He has also held several roles at Zurich Insurance, including head of professional indemnity and casualty lines, Middle East.

 

Simone Rapizzi, CEO / CTO, Whetu S.r.l.

Simone Rapizzi, CEO and Co-Founder of Whetu, is a white hat hacker that specialises in breaking into protected systems and networks to test and asses their security, exposing vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can detect and exploit them. Unlike malicious hackers, white hat hackers like Simone intervene only after explicit authorisation from the organisation that has hired them. As a specialised hacker, Simone has extensive international experience in projects such as Insider Threat Simulations, Security Assessments, Phishing Simulation, Security Awareness Training, Incident Response and Threat Analysis in several industries, including pharmaceuticals, finance, fintech, telco, energy and automotive.

It is crucially important for a company to keep growing and developing, even after years of having established business, because it is that potential growth that allows you to sell your company and/or find strategic investors, in order to raise smart money.

During this event, our panellists, who are prominent entrepreneurs and business advisers, will share with you the insights on how to evaluate a company by observing past results and forecast expectations, how to get prepared for audit, how to properly communicate with the staff, how to negotiate with founders and how to present financial data and key figures.

On September 19th, join us for this seminar to better understand the common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid and the key factors for a successful business.

RSVP now to secure your spot!

     

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Greg Crandall, Director of Brand Engagement, Pico+ Hong Kong

Understanding client goals and audience/market needs and delivering creative interactive solutions is a key thread in Gregory Crandall’s diverse career. In SiliconValley, he provided content and event services for several years to iconic brands such as Apple and Disney. Relocating to Asia, he founded a successful agency, worked with the Pico Group, and managed major title publications at two media companies. In early 2017 Greg rejoined the Pico Group to spearhead Pico+ Hong Kong. His current role focuses on building bridges between content, data, technology and live experiences, helping brands connect deeply with a growing generation of digital consumers.

  Max Dubreuil, CEO, Saminco

Passionate about design and architecture, Maxime Dubreuil after graduating from l’Ecole Normande d’Architecture in 1991, he became a young talented architect in the famous architecture firm Jean Nouvel. Looking for a new adventure and moving to Hong Kong in 1996, Max decided to create Saminco, which is today one of the best shoe factories in Asia.  Max has the rare talent to combine creativity and industry under one tree.

  Hugues de Saint Seine, Partner, CIGP Hong Kong

The VUCA world – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – is the reality in which today’s organizations operate, constantly challenged by new technologies and disruptive players.

In this context, the challenge for leaders is no longer about developing the art of making the best choices, but rather how to leverage an ever-changing environment to evolve their organization.

To do so, executives need to rethink in-depth the way in which companies are structured and how they operate, but how to do so?

SBT Human(s) Matter has been accompanying companies from various industries (retail, banking and insurance, food and beverage among others) throughout their transformation journey with novel approaches leveraging breakthrough innovation, designed to maximise the chances of success of each initiative.

RSVP to secure your spot!

   

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Edouard Blanchard, Global Partner, SBT Human(s) Matter

Édouard Blanchard is a 47 years old managing director of SBT-Human(s) Matter. He has more than 20 years of experience in strategy and management consulting, working for different global firms before starting his own business 15 years ago. With SBT, he is helping organizations to design and execute their transformations through an approach that leverages neuro and cognitive sciences.

What better way to start your weekend than shopping and having a nice drink or listening to good music? You can do all of that at once!

On Friday, October 18th join us at the Calzedonia store in Central for an exclusive private sale. Discover the latest creations of the brand for its Fall/Winter Collection 2019 and achieve a unique style while enjoying a bubbly glass of prosecco and a groovy DJ set.

RSVP now and don’t miss the chance to get 30% off the entire collection!

HKSAR Chief Executive, the Honourable Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, will deliver her Policy Address to the Legislative Council in October.

We are deeply honoured that the Chief Executive has accepted our invitation to speak to the Hong Kong business community at this joint luncheon, which will be held on Thursday, 31 October. Attendees will be able to hear Mrs Lam discuss the reasoning behind the priorities in her Policy Address, and learn more about her initiatives to tackle key issues such as housing, land supply, the labour market and the environment, and her plans for improving Hong Kong’s competitiveness in the year ahead.

Seats are limited so book now to avoid disappointment!

It is with great pleasure that the Italian Chamber of Commerce presents the highly anticipated Gala Dinner 2019. Over 500 guests representing Hong Kong’s institutional and business scenes will dine and enjoy a night of Italian class and glam at the sumptuous Grand Hyatt Ballroom on November 1st from 6:30pm till late.

For this year the Italian Chamber of Commerce wants to take a strong testament in favour of sustainability and green technology by making the event a sustainable luxury and classy night! Do not miss the chance of making the difference.

Dinner entertainment will feature live performances, silent auction with fabulous prizes and a lucky draw.

For sponsorship opportunities, more information about table bookings and single seats price, please contact Silvia at icc@icc.org.hk or contact +852 2521 8837.

Mark your calendar now and contact us for more information.