2026/03/12 | Tap into Türkiye: Strategic Expansion in Hong Kong Alper Türkendag, Unit Manager, and Ceren Elmali, Assistant Manager, Corporate and Commercial Banking Sales Division Cross Border Banking Unit, Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş. (İşbank) visited the Chamber on 12 March to identify gaps in financial services and explore potential business opportunities within the Hong Kong market. Dewan Saiful Alam, Chairman of Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee, Bjoern Lindner, Vice Chairman of Europe Committee; Richard Wong, Convenor of the IP Trading and Financing Working Group, and members from the Financial & Treasury Services Committee welcomed the guests.
Türkendag detailed İşbank upcoming plans to establish a fully licensed bank in Hong Kong. During the discussion, Behzad Mirzaei highlighted a significant market gap in daily trade finance for high liquidity items, which represents a prime opportunity for İşbank to provide specialized solutions.
Türkendag emphasized İşbank’s unique position in facilitating transactions for Hong Kong businesses looking to enter the MENA region. He pointed out that while the Middle East offers vast opportunities as an emerging market, few banks currently provide a robust bridge between the two regions. By establishing a presence in Hong Kong, İşbank will become the first Turkish bank to set up operations in the city.
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2026/03/04 | Europe’s Economic Outlook 2026 It was a full house at the Europe Committee meeting on 4 March, which was held for the first time at the Chamber’s newly renovated office.
Increasing competition, high energy costs, and political uncertainty have negatively impacted European countries' economies. As a result, economic growth for 2026 is forecast to be modest, according to Apolline Greiveldinger, Economist for Asia, Coface. She expects business insolvencies in Europe to stabilize in 2026, but still remain above pre-pandemic levels.
Junyu T., Regional Economist for North Asia, Coface, also speaking at the meeting, highlighted some of the opportunities that Hong Kong can offer to European businesses. He touched on its advantages as a logistics hub, especially for re-exports, Hong Kong's broad offering of financial products, professional services, governance and risk management. Now that local consumption is recovering and more high-spending visitors are coming to the city, he said it can be a lucrative retail centre for luxury goods.
Additionally, Committee member Marcel Schmidt, Managing Director of DACHSER Hong Kong Ltd, briefed members how this freight forwarder evolved into a leading logistics company and its efforts to enhance cyber security and achieve emission-free delivery.
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2026/01/14 | Forging Ties with London, the United Kingdom It was a pleasure to welcome Michael Mainelli, President of the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) and Chairman of Z/Yen Group, to the Chamber on 14 January.
During a meeting with Chairman Agnes Chan, CEO Patrick Yeung and Europe Committee Vice Chairmen Stratos Pourzitakis and Philipp Hanusch, Mainelli introduced LCCI’s work and briefly explained how the London-based commercial think-tank Z/Yen Group assessed the competitiveness of financial centres worldwide, such as Busan, Toyko and Ho Chi Minh City, through the Global Financial Centres Index.
Mainelli explored the potential of using common law as a bridge to connect the world and to promote Hong Kong as a premier contracting hub for China. Chan welcomed opportunities for collaboration and closer ties, from a potential MOU to inviting Mainelli to the Chamber’s 165th Anniversary Ball in late May.
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