Save the date, a special round of our IYP Mondays is here! Ca’ Foscari Alumni Hong Kong and the Italian Young Professionals are partnering up for a night of Italian chats, networking and Aperitivo. Monday, July 22nd falls rights after the Venetian festivity “Festa del Redentore”, when the whole city of Venice is decorated with festoons and garlands, and thousands of Venetians await the fireworks while dining on the boats. The fireworks illuminate the night and arouse intense emotions in both Venetians and visitors. For the occasion, we are organizing a special networking evening with tasty cocktails and traditional Venetian cicchetti. – RSVP now to secure your spot!

The Women’s Leadership Network at its 6th year since inception continues our goal to provide our members and followers the Testimonials of Women Professionals in different Sectors. This segment allows us to explore Women in Media Sector in order to share their career paths and expertise in showcasing “How To” build one’s own path in highly competitive Media/Communications field. Allow us to introduce Martina Fuchs of CNNMoney Switzerland TV, alongside Chery Kang, correspondent for CNBC Asia Pacific. Both ladies have witnessed world’s historic events at World Economic Forum (Davos) and G20 Summit. They will lay out for us their journey of how they not only managed to achieve such significant accomplishment but also make a difference in people’s lives at the same time.

     

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Moderator

Veronique J. A. Lafon-Vinais, Executive Director, Career Development & Corporate Outreach Associate Professor of Business Education, Dpt of Finance, HKUST

Ms Veronique Lafon-Vinais is a seasoned financial market professional with over 20 years of banking and capital markets experience. She has worked in all the major financial markets and has extensive experience in all the major debt markets. Veronique joined Credit Agricole in Paris in 1980 after graduating from HEC; she moved to First Chicago (now part of JP Morgan) in London in 1984 then to Chicago in 1990. In 1991 Veronique joined Union Investissements, the M&A and corporate finance subsidiary of Credit Agricole in Paris to work on various M&A and corporate finance advisory projects. Veronique moved to Hong Kong in 1994 joining First Chicago as Managing Director, Head of Financial Markets, Asia Pacific. She joined Standard Chartered Bank plc as Head of Treasury Origination in 2000 and retired from banking in 2001. She is now dedicating herself full time to education and teaching as Associate Professor of Business Education, Department of Finance, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), where she teaches in the MBA/MSc programs as well as in the Undergraduate Programs, and professional training and consulting for the finance industry. She is the Executive Director, Career Development & Corporate Outreach for the School of Business and Management at HKUST, Associate Director for the UG programs, Associate Director of the tri-degree World Bachelor in Business Program, and Project Director for the HKUST-NYU Stern MSc in Global Finance. Veronique is married with two children. She is a French national and a Hong Kong Permanent Resident.

    Panellists

Martina Fuchs, Anchor at CNNMoney Switzerland

Martina Fuchs works at the CNNMoney Switzerland TV Anchor based in Zurich and previously worked as Senior Business Reporter for the Chinese state broadcaster CGTN (China Global Television Network, formerly CCTV NEWS) in Beijing. Before that, she was Reuters Economy Correspondent for the Gulf Arab region in Dubai and Reuters Financial TV Producer in London.

Martina Fuchs holds a Master in International Economic History from the University in Geneva, Switzerland, a Postgraduate Diploma in TV Journalism from the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and a Master of Science in Global Finance (MSGF) from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the New York University Stern Business School.

She speaks 9 languages, including German, French, English, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Swahili.

Martina has covered top global news events around the world, such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in 2017, the G20 Summit in Hangzhou in 2016, the St. Gallen Symposium, and has conducted dozens of exclusive interviews during her career, including with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, Syngenta CEO Erik Fyrwald, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, Chinese star pianist Lang Lang, or Grammy Award winner and musician Will.I.Am.

 

Chery Kang, correspondent at CNBC Asia Pacific

Chery Kang is a correspondent for CNBC Asia Pacific. She is based in Hong Kong and covers the Asia-Pacific business news across all CNBC programming.

Prior to joining CNBC, Chery was a prime time anchor for Arirang TV in Seoul and later, worked as a correspondent at SBS CNBC. With over a decade of experience, Chery has covered daily market news and in-depth reports throughout her career.

Her highlight coverage over the years includes G20 summit, Davos Forum, North Korean nuclear crisis, the impeachment of former South Korean president, and Hong Kong anti-extradition bill protest.

Chery graduated from the Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul with a degree in International Studies and is a graduate of the HKUST-NYU Sterm Masters of Science in Global Finance. She is fluent in English and Korean.

RSVP now to secure your spot!

The Italian Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Dutch, French, German & Swedish Chambers, is delighted to invite you to the 9th Summer Networking Cocktail.

Come mingle with old and new friends, while drinking great cocktails and tasting delicious finger food. Join us at The Arches of The Murray Hotel, an architectural signature of the building, which also offers spectacular views of the city.

Please RSVP to secure your spot by Monday, August 5th.

 

Kick start your time back from the holidays by joining us at Havana for a special Networking Cocktail.

On August 22nd, don’t miss the chance to refresh and regenerate yourself with great drinks and delicious canapés before going back to your work routine. Enjoy the night sharing thoughts and ideas with other professionals.

RSVP now to secure your spot!

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 P&P 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.

The world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil, but data, which is fuelling the transition to high-tech societies. Data-driven approaches are already revolutionizing health care, education, energy and transport systems, and changing the way people work and live. Who is winning in the quest for digital supremacy?

Join us at Innovation Summit Asia 2019 on September 5th in Hong Kong to discuss how Asia is a fertile testbed for innovation. Members of  Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao can get an extra 20% off the current rate. Secure your place with code ICC3552.

For more details, please visit bit.ly/2UV1KA9 and contact this email asiaevents@economist.com.

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.

RSVP now to enjoy 30% off the entire collection for one night only.

The fourth edition of the Belt and Road Summit jointly organized by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council will be held on September 11 and 12 in Hong Kong.

The Belt and Road Summit is a premier international platform for promoting business collaboration along the Belt and Road. The Summit gathers senior government officials and business leaders from countries and regions along and beyond the Belt and Road to exchange insights on multilateral co-operation and explore concrete business opportunities.

Our members are entitled to enjoy 40% special discount on the Summit’s participation fee. Please register online here by applying the registration discount before August 23rd 2019.

Register now and realize the vision! For more event information, please visit here.

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

“Taking the lead for inclusion: Accelerating through diversity” is the theme of this year’s edition of Women’s Forum Asia, an event that will bring together more than 1500 leaders and high-potential talents from business, government, civil society, and academy to explore solutions with the goal to strengthen women’s leadership and create a thorough impact on today’s society.

During the conference, you will have the opportunity of engaging in plenary and roundtable sessions, debates and workshops held by influential leaders from the ASEAN countries.

RSVP now to secure your spot, by clicking here!

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.