The 4th HED Conference of Asia, organized by Finfo Global, was successfully held in Hong Kong from March 19 to 20, 2026. Under the theme “From Capital to Innovation: Rethinking Asset Allocation in an Era of Change,” the summit brought together over 300 decision-makers from private banks, family offices, and the wealth management industry. More than 50 industry experts engaged in deep discussions on the internationalization of the renminbi, cross-border fund structures, AI applications, the evolution of quantitative strategies, and wealth management transformation, outlining the future direction of Asia’s financial ecosystem.
Opening Address: Hong Kong as a Global Capital Hub
In his welcome speech, Zhu Ha, Founder and CEO of Finfo Global, highlighted Hong Kong’s evolving role as a unique gateway connecting Mainland China with the world amid a new cycle of global capital reallocation. He noted that the acceleration of renminbi internationalization, changes in cross-border fund structures, and the thriving family office ecosystem are reinforcing this position. Zhu stressed that the convergence of technology, regulation, and capital is reshaping the underlying logic of wealth and asset management. As a comprehensive capital platform, Finfo Global connects listed companies, institutional investors, and distribution channels to provide global asset managers with a one-stop solution for accessing the Chinese market.
Macro Shifts and Emerging Market Investment Strategies
- Macro Outlook: Benjamin Deng, CEO of Sun Life Asset Management (Asia), presented a macro-driven blueprint for asset allocation, analyzing diverging global interest rate cycles and the strategic value of commodities and gold.
- Asset Tokenization: Allen Li, CEO of Precision Fund Services, and moderator Janice Poon, Investor Relations Manager at Peakwater Management, focused on use cases for tokenizing traditional assets like bonds and real estate, alongside regulatory frameworks in Asia.
- Private Credit: Ming Bi, CEO of Genesis Financial Information Services, and lead discussant Sam Clothier, Principal at VI Asset Management, debated whether private credit can truly take root in Asia. Experts concluded that success depends not on the cost of capital but on local deal sourcing and legal enforceability across different jurisdictions.
- Offshore Structures: In a panel moderated by Teelie Chuan, Risk Consulting Partner at EY, panelists Henry Young (Founder & CEO, Protege Fund Services), Vanisha Harjani (Partner, Loeb Smith Attorneys), and James Yeo (CEO, Auspac Investment Management) weighed the pros and cons of Cayman, BVI, and Singapore VCC structures. They predicted that hybrid models combining onshore and offshore operations, along with tokenized funds, will dominate trends over the next three to five years.
- Quant 2.0: Moderated by Alan Tse, CIO of AA Capital, the “Quant 2.0” panel featured Laurence Yang (Founder & CEO/CIO, LHG Capital Management), Roger Zhu (Managing Director, Winfield Global Capital), and Marcus Kim (Founder & CEO, Qraft Technologies). Panelists agreed that leveraging large language models (LLMs) to extract alpha signals from unstructured data — such as news and social media — is becoming a core competitive edge for quantitative strategies over traditional price-volume models.
Deep Dive: China Market Opportunities and Wealth Management Transformation
- Market Navigation: Jeff Huang, CEO of Nomura Asset Management Taiwan, delivered a keynote on the changing landscape and strategic positioning of Greater China capital markets.
- True Diversification: Tiffany Gu, Business Development Director (Greater China) at Winton, analyzed the pursuit of “true diversification” and presented data on how CTA strategies act as a buffer during equity market downturns.
- Hard Assets: Patrick Lui, Managing Director at GRT Capital Management, gave a keynote titled “2026 Market Outlook,” stating that capital is shifting from “digital scalability” to “physical scarcity.” His proposed “HALO Asset” strategy (Hard Assets, Low Obsolescence) received broad resonance among attendees.
- ETF Innovation: Vijoy Chattergy, CEO of Molokai Capital, moderated a discussion with Keat Leong (Head of Business Development Asia, Simplify Asset Management) and Michael Mills (Founder, Molokai Capital). They emphasized that liquid and transparent ETFs are no longer just index trackers but have evolved into vehicles for complex institutional strategies.
- Fund Distribution: Moderated by Vickie Chong, Business Development Director at iFAST Financial HK, panelists Glory Lau (Head of Platform Services, iFAST Financial HK) and Davy Yuen (Head of Wholesale Client Relationships, Nomura Asset Management) analyzed the shift in Asian fund distribution from traditional banking toward digital, platform-driven models.
- Fixed Income: Andre Kasmara, Head of Fixed Income Sales APAC at LSEG, moderated the Asian fixed income panel with Stefano Chao (Head of Asia and Singapore CEO, Azimut) and Henry Hau (Managing Director, Infinity Family Office). They examined duration risks and yield opportunities amid global rate divergence.
- Blockchain Efficiency: Don Ng, Head of Digital Assets at China Asset Management (Hong Kong), shared the firm’s tokenization journey and detailed how blockchain enables automated compliance, instant settlement, and reconciliation to resolve traditional pain points.
The Next Decade: Family Offices and the New Wealth Management Landscape
In the closing panel moderated by Yuan Meng, Head of APAC Relations at SBAI, panelists Stephen Pau (CIO, Hefeng Family Office), Darren Ng (Group CFO, WRISE Group), and Samantha Zhai (Managing Director, Heritvest Wealth Management Hong Kong) noted that the client base in Greater China is undergoing a structural shift — high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and next-generation entrepreneurs demand wealth management services with global reach and professional depth.
Over two intensive days, the 4th HED Conference of Asia not only connected global capital with Asian innovation but also provided a clear strategic direction for asset allocation in uncertain market conditions. Finfo Global remains committed to building high-quality exchange platforms that facilitate the two-way flow of global capital and Asian ingenuity.