PROGRAMME

Dr Peter K N Lam, GBM, GBS
Chairman
Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Dr Peter K N Lam has been Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council since June 2019. As a leading member of the business community, Dr Lam is also Chairman of Lai Sun Group, which includes Lai Sun Garment, Lai Sun Development, eSun Holdings, Lai Fung Holdings and Media Asia Group Holdings. He has extensive experience in property development and investment, hospitality as well as the media and entertainment business.

Dr Lam is a Standing Committee Member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a trustee of The Better Hong Kong Foundation and Vice Chairman of Friends of Hong Kong Association Limited. He is also Chairman of Hong Kong Chamber of Films Limited, Honorary Chairman of Hong Kong Motion Picture Industry Association Limited, a director of The Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, and of the Hong Kong-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce Limited.

Dr Lam was Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board from 2013 to 2019. In 2015, he was appointed Honorary Chairman of the Federation of HK Jiangsu Community Organisations, Chairman of Hong Kong Cultural Development Research Institute Limited and President of Hong Kong Association of Cultural Industries Limited.

Dr Lam was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in June 2011, and awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star and a Grand Bauhinia Medal by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in July 2015 and July 2022 respectively. He was appointed to the Chief Executive’s Council of Advisers in March 2023.

The Hon Chan Mo-po, Paul, GBM, GBS, MH, JP
Financial Secretary
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China

Mr Chan is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a former President of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Before joining the Government, Mr Chan held a number of public service positions including member of the Legislative Council and Chairman of Legal Aid Services Council.

Mr Chan served as Secretary for Development from July 2012 to January 2017. He has been Financial Secretary since 2017.

Mr Olivier Becht
Minister for Foreign Trade,
Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad, France

Olivier Becht-Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and Foreign Nationals Abroad, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs

Born in 1976, Olivier Becht is a graduate of ENA, the National School of Public Administration (2002 Senghor class).

After ENA, he joined the administrative judiciary. In 2008, he left his position to dedicate himself to several local elected roles. He was Mayor of Rixheim until 2017, President Delegate of the Mulhouse Alsace Agglomeration and departmental councilor, and Vice-President of the Haut Rhin Departmental Council.

Concurrently, he became an associate professor of Law, Geopolitics and Public Finance at the University of Haute Alsace in September 2008.

In 2017, Olivier Becht was elected National Assembly Deputy of the 5th constituency of Haut Rhin. He then became a member of the National Defence and Armed Forces Committee.

In January 2020, he became President of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media of the Parliamentary Assembly at the Council of Europe. Also in 2020, he created the Parliamentary Group "Agir Ensemble" at the National Assembly and became its President.

Re-elected Deputy in 2022, Oliver Becht was named Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and Foreign Nationals Abroad, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in July of the same year. He is still a member of the Rixheim Municipal Council and councillor of the Mulhouse Alsace Agglomeration in order to maintain his local ties while performing his duties as Minister Delegate.

Mr Hans Michael Jebsen, BBS
Chairman, The Hong Kong-Europe Business Council
Chairman, Jebsen Group

Hans Michael Jebsen, BBS, is the Chairman of Jebsen Group. He is Non-Executive Director at Jebsen & Jessen Group, Jebsen & Jessen Hamburg, and The Wharf (Holdings) Ltd.

Dedicated to community work, Mr Jebsen is Chairman of the HKUST Business School Advisory Board and established the Jebsen Educational Foundation to support two professorships at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He was the former Chairman of the Asian Cultural Council in Hong Kong. Mr Jebsen currently serves as Chairman of the Hong Kong Section at the Hong Kong – Europe Business Council, a Member of the Board of Trustees of Asia Society Hong Kong, Trustee of the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong, and Founder Member and Executive Council Member at the Asian Academy of International Law.

Mr Jebsen took part in various government advisory councils, including The Government of the HKSAR’s Advisory Council on the Environment from 2009 to 2012 and The Government of the HKSAR’s Council for Sustainable Development from 2003 to 2009. He also served as the Municipal Economic Advisor of The People’s Government of Jilin City, PRC from 2005 to 2010 and as Committee Member of The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee of Jilin City, PRC from 2005 to 2010.

Mr Jebsen has been recognized for his contributions with numerous awards, including the title of Guangzhou Honorary Citizen in 2021, Kammerherre by H.M. The Queen of Denmark in 2020, Knight 1st Class of the Order of Dannebrog in 2014, and the Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Award in 2018.

Mr José Maurellet, SC
Vice Chairman, Hong Kong Bar Association
Senior Counsel, Des Voeux Chambers

José-Antonio Maurellet S.C. is a Hong Kong born Eurasian. He is an English, Cantonese and French native speaker. He also can speak some Mandarin.

José studied at the Lycee Français International de Hong Kong where he obtained the French Baccalaureat filière ES. He then studied law at St Edmund Hall, Oxford University.

He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 2000 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2016.

He is currently vice chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association (and has served in this position from 2017-2020 and 2022-now) the association representing all the barristers in Hong Kong who are independent and self-employed advocates.

He has sat as a Deputy High Court Judge for periods between 2018 to 2021, and since October 2021 has been appointed as a Recorder of the Court of First Instance.

José is an Associate Member of 3 Verulam Buildings in London.

He is currently a Council member of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center as well as a former member of its Appointments Committee.

He regularly appears as counsel in arbitrations, and has acted in Court related proceedings such as injunctions in aid of arbitral proceedings as well as applications for leave to enforce and leave to set aside arbitral awards. He also sits as an arbitrator from time to time both a member of a panel of three or as chairman of the panel.

Mr Wilfred Yiu
Co-Chief Operating Officer & Head of Equities,
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

Wilfred is Co‐Chief Operating Officer & Head of Equities of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX). He is also Chief Executive of HKEX’s wholly‐owned subsidiaries, The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and Hong Kong Futures Exchange Limited.

Previously, he was Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Beijing Gao Hua Securities Company Limited, and Chairman of its wholly‐owned subsidiary, Qian Kun Futures Co Ltd. Prior to that, he was Head of Credit Structured Products for Asia at Goldman Sachs (Asia) L.L.C.

Mr Yiu served as a governor for the board of the Dalian Commodity Exchange in China from 2015 to 2017. Mr Yiu is a member of the Securities Compensation Fund Committee of the Securities and Futures Commission, and a member of Education and Development Committee of the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute. He is also a member of the Supervisory Committee for the Tracker Fund of Hong Kong.

Mr Yiu is an adjunct professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is also an advisory board member of Research Institute for Business of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, and Professional Fellow of the Honours Academy of the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong.

Mr Yiu earned a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Stanford University and an MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

Mr Justin D'Agostino MH
Executive Board Member, International Chamber of Commerce
Global CEO, Herbert Smith Freehills

Justin D'Agostino is the Hong Kong-based global CEO of world leading international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, overseeing its client, people, practices and growth strategies across 25 countries and territories.

He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Paris-headquartered International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which represents 45 million companies in more than 170 countries. He is a former member of the ICC Court of International Arbitration, and former Chairman of its Belt & Road Commission.

A thought leader and skilled practitioner in international arbitration and dispute resolution, Justin has sat as arbitrator and appeared before tribunals around the world and is a Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing where he teaches its International Arbitration and Dispute Settlement Course.
He is a strong advocate and active supporter of diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and the wider community.
Justin is a native of Edinburgh, Scotland and is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and a solicitor advocate in England.

Mr Arnault Castel
Founder, kapok

Born and raised in France, Arnault founded kapok in 2006 as an antidote to the perceived blandness of the Hong Kong retail scene. kapok focuses on designers and brands whose work reflects his attitude towards quality craftsmanship and creativity in design. kapok has grown to a network of 11 stores in Hong Kong and the www.ka-pok.com webshop.

Arnault has developed an extensive knowledge and understanding of the Asian consumer goods and retail environment since 1996, when he moved to Hong Kong. In 2001, he joined the team in charge of the development of the Lomography brand in Asia as the head of Southeast Asian operations. Arnault was also the co-owner and director of Working Unit Limited founded in 2005, the exclusive distributor for the Moleskine brand in Southeast Asia. He also brought to Hong Kong the first retail stores for Maison Kitsuné, vitra and O.N.S clothing.

Prof Eric C. Yim, MH, JP
Chairman
Hong Kong Design Centre

Prof Eric C. Yim, MH, JP is an UK-registered architect, furniture designer, industrialist, business innovation consultant, and adjunct professor in a number of Hong Kong and overseas universities.

Prof Yim has been actively involved in design, business and education sectors. He is the Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre and the Chairman of the Advisory Committee at School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Prof Yim was the Chairman of the Advisory Board of Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (2015-2019); Chairman of HKF&DA - Hong Kong Furniture & Decoration Trade Association (2012-2018); Deputy Chairman of Federation of Hong Kong Industries (2013-2019); Deputy Chairman of Vocational Training Council (2015-2021); and a Council Member of Hong Kong Trade Development Council (2017-2019). He also served as a member of Hong Kong Chief Executive’s Council of Advisors on Innovation and Strategic Development (2018-2022).

Prior to the conferment of a Master’s Degree in Architecture at the University of Cambridge, Prof Yim graduated with a First Class (Honour) Degree in BA and a Distinction in B.Arch at the University of Manchester. In 2019, Prof Yim was awarded Honorary Doctor of Design and appointed as an adjunct professor by Swinburne University in Australia. Prof Yim is also a Professor of Practice at the School of Design in PolyU.

Prof Yim has earned a string of accolades over the years including Hong Kong Institute of Marketing - Hall of Fame in 2022; Lifetime Achievement Award by HKF&DA in 2022; and the Outstanding Achievement Award (Design) by Graphic Arts Association of Hong Kong in 2021.

Dr Kan Tai Keung, SBS, BBS
Founder
KTK Consultants

As a world-renowned designer and artist, Kan started his design career since 1967 and earned numerous awards including the "Hong Kong Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award" in 1979 and the "Urban Council Grand Award (Design)" in 1984. Kan is the first Chinese enlisted in 1995 “Who's Who in Graphic Design” international reference book of Switzerland. He was awarded the Honour of Bronze Bauhinia Star and the Honour of Silver Bauhinia Star in 1999 and 2010 respectively. In 2016, Kan was awarded the "HKDA Lifetime Honorary Award" by Hong Kong Designers Association. Kan actively participates in art and design education and promotion of professionalism. He is now the Honorary Dean of the Cheung Kong School of Art and Design, Shantou University, the fellow member of Hong Kong Designers Association, member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale, the advisor of the Leisure & Cultural Services Department, the Honorary Advisor of Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Advisor of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Member Association Limited.

Mr François Haas
Deputy Director General Financial Stability and Operations
Banque de France

François Haas is a graduate of Sciences Po and has spent the majority of his career in financial stability and market activities. He joined the Banque de France in 1988, working initially as an FX trader and Reserves Manager, before being seconded to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in 1995. In 1996 he joined the Banque de France’s Monetary Policy Implementation Directorate, and from 2001 to 2004 was Head of the Markets and Financial Stability Division. In 2004 he joined the International Monetary Fund as a Senior Economist, returning to the Banque de France in 2008 as Director of Market Operations. In 2012 he was appointed Deputy Director General of Operations, and in 2016 moved to New York as the Banque de France’s Senior Representative for the Americas (United States, Canada, Latin America). He moved to Banque de France’s Singapore Bureau in 2020 as Chief Representative for the Asia-Pacific Region. François Haas has been appointed Deputy Director General of the Directorate General Financial Stability and Operations and Head of Financial Stability In April 2023. In this capacity, he also joins the General Secretariat of the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) as Deputy Secretary General.

Mr Rami Hayek
Senior Advisor, Market Outreach Division
Hong Kong Monetary Authority

Mr Hayek joined the Hong Kong Monetary Authority in June 2020 as Senior Advisor in the External Department. In this role, Mr Hayek helps drive the HKMA’s initiatives and efforts to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness as an international financial center.

Prior to joining the HKMA, Mr Hayek spent 6 years at HSBC as Managing Director, Head of Institutional Client Group in Asia Pacific. He was a member of the Global Banking & Markets Asia Pacific Management Committees. Mr Hayek joined HSBC from UBS where he was Head of Client Coverage Asia Pacific and was a member of the UBS Asia Pacific Management Committee. He joined UBS from Credit Suisse Asset Management where he was the Head of Distribution for Asia Pacific based in Hong Kong.

Mr Hayek brings more than thirty years of combined experience in capital markets, asset & wealth management. He has a track record in emerging & developed markets, client & product management as well as in business development.

Before moving to Hong Kong in 2007, Mr Hayek worked in London for Deutsche Bank, Barclays Bank and Bankers Trust.

Mr Hayek has a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree (finance and economics) from the American University of Beirut and is fluent in English, French and Arabic.

The Hon Jack So Chak Kwong, GBM, GBS, OBE, JP
Chairman
Airport Authority Hong Kong

Mr Jack So Chak Kwong assumed the Chairmanship of the Airport Authority Hong Kong on 1st June, 2015.

Mr So began his career with the Hong Kong Government and joined the private sector in 1978, having held various senior positions in banking, finance and property development. He served as Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council from 2007 to 2015. He was Chairman and Chief Executive of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation from 1995 to 2003 and Deputy Chairman and Group Managing Director of Pacific Century Cyberworks Limited from 2003 to 2007.

Mr So is an independent non-executive Director of AIA Group Ltd and China Resources Power Holdings Company Ltd. He was an independent Director of HSBC from 2000 to 2007 and Cathay Pacific Airways Limited from 2002 to 2015. He served as Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council from 2007 to 2013 and Chairman of the HK Philharmonic Orchestra in 2014.

Mr So was a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from 2008 to 2018 and was an International Business Advisor to the Mayor of Beijing.

A Justice of the Peace, Mr So was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star and the Grand Bauhinia Medal by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2011 and 2017 respectively. He received an Honorary Doctorate in Social Science from the University of Hong Kong in 2011.

Ms Amy Chow
Curator of Creative Mosaic

Amy Chow, who trained in creative hubs San Francisco, Los Angeles and Rome, is an interdisciplinary design expert, academic, writer and connoisseur. As curator, she has spearheaded numerous critically acclaimed design exhibitions both locally and internationally, notably Creative Hong Kong (2007), presented in Vancouver, Milan, London, New York and Seoul, and six-month-long Creative Ecologies of Hong Kong (2010) at the Shanghai World Expo. Confluence 20+ (2017), a series of monumental exhibitions, was a blueprint of Hong Kong’s artistic environment, which travelled to Milan, Hong Kong, Seoul and Chicago. Re-edit (2020) was a new and exciting showcase for local design talents, acknowledging and nurturing their creativity and ingenuity. Project HK-UK: Design, Artistry and Craftsmanship (2019/2022) is a one-of-a-kind mentorship and creative collaboration programme, exploring design partnerships and multiculturalism through discussions and debates, and also the design and evolution of live projects. The Renewed Creativity (2012-2013), launched while the world revives in 2012, not only featured objects, but also the ideas, services, human experiences and facilities our communities need. All these expositions confirm Chow’s curatorial and artistic direction, which focuses on the visual culture and language of Hong Kong and Asian design through material innovation, creative processes and collaboration, and craftsmanship.

Mr Cheung Hoi Kwan Dennis
Founder Partner
Studio RYTE

Studio RYTE (pronounced “right”) is a Hong Kong based design studio comprised of passionate, innovative, and energetic architects and product designers. They navigate between spatial and object design while blending their boundary. The studio generates powerful designs through interdisciplinary conversations and collaborations, an operation mode. They pay attention to details, identify different potential materials, ways of fabrication as well as different spatial practices that could make a breakthrough in designs to create unique and desirable experiences.

Dennis is a Registered Architect based in Hong Kong with a strong focus on digital fabrication and material innovation. He envisions a sustainable future for the built environment by marrying new technology with traditional craftsmanship. Dennis graduated from the University of Hong Kong and obtained his Master in Architecture in MIT. He received numerous awards including the American Institute of Architect’s Sustainable Design Award, Perspective’s 40Under40 Award, ARCASIA’s Young Architect Award and Sina’s New Power Interior Design Award. He currently teaches Design+ at the University of Hong Kong as an adjunct assistant professor.

Mr Kwan Chun Sing Magic
Founder
Architecture and All

As a graduate of UC Berkeley and the University of Hong Kong with First Class Honours, Hong Kong-born Canadian Magic Kwan’s design exploration has been related to the contemporary interpretation of oriental aesthetics, nature-inspired geometry and materials, community-driven initiatives, climatic responsive sustainability, and generative computational modeling.

Post-graduation, with his professional knowledge and his pursuit of the exploration of fusing oriental aesthetics and spatial design, Magic has successively practiced in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, which had also led him to relocate to Tokyo to join the office of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. He had also been lecturing and teaching architecture studios in the Universtiy of Hong Kong, fusing research topics into everyday practice.

Magic’s ongoing design pursuit has won him the ‘40 Under 40’ award organized by Perspective Magazine in 2015, the ‘Best Design Educator Award’ organized by Hong Kong Designers Association (HKDA) in 2016, and the ‘DFA Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award’ organized by Hong Kong Design Centre in 2016.

Ms Elaine Yan Ling Ng
Founder
THE FABRICK LAB

Elaine Yan Ling Ng is the founder of The Fabrick Lab and Chief Material Innovator of Nature Sqaured. The Fabrick Lab is a multifaceted consultancy with an unparalleled understanding of textile innovation. She seeks smart solutions by understanding each material’s inherent properties, and devising special formulas for everyday application. The Fabrick Lab advises businesses on everything from materials research to fully integrated branding solutions, enabling agile techniques in a cross-disciplinary approach. She has worked with UBS, Swarovski, HKEX, Moleskine, JLL, Nissan, and Kvadrat.

Mr Chan Shuyan
Co-founder
AaaM Architects

Shuyan Chan graduated from HKU and TU Delft with Master of Science in Architecture. He began his career at UNStudio Amsterdam and later co-founded UNStudio Shanghai and Hong Kong. As the youngest Asian Associate Director, he played a key role in UNStudio's growth. In 2017, he co-founded AaaM (Architecture as A Medium) in Hong Kong, focusing on exploration of architecture’s role in different social and cultural context.

Apart from leading the design and construction of 2 mega size projects, Raffles City Hangzhou and WKCD Lyric Theatre Complex in Hong Kong, Shuyan has expanded the role of architect to artist, curator, columnists and creative educators. He has centered his efforts on place-making and urban revitalization projects, aiming to reinforce local identities while adding value to communities. He believes in the transformative power of design for social and economic sustainability, ensuring a holistic approach that nurtures and enhances the built environment.

Shuyan has been invited as keynote speaker in international conferences including Asia Architecture And Urbanism Alliance, Beijing Arch. Biennale, Beijing Design Week, and Design Shanghai. He lectured at Nottingham University Ningbo and HKU SPACE and his works gained international recognition, including awards like German Iconic Design Award, Paris DNA Award and Japan Good Design Award Best 100, etc. He was honored as a "Perspective 40under40" winner in 2018.

Currently, Shuyan leads a diverse team in various projects, encompassing architecture, interior design, and public installations. He emphasizes both creative and educational engagement with the communities, showcasing his commitment to architecture's social significance.

Ms Mui Kinoshita
Co-founder & CEO
ASA Innovation & Technology Limited

Mui Kinoshita is a product designer and entrepreneur trained with a multicultural background. She was born in Hong Kong, and studied industrial and strategic design in Hong Kong, UK, Finland and Italy respectively. In recognition of her remarkable achievements, she was awarded numerous global design and business awards, including the industry supremacy iF Gold Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, Global Design Gold Award, Smart Design Gold Award, YDTA Best Young Designer of the year, 40 under 40 Asian Design Talent and more. Mui is also the founder and CEO of ASA Innovation & Technology Ltd, a startup that makes use of design with technology which is based in Hong Kong Science Park. ASA has attracted New World Development as its early investor, and has completed Pre A series round funding at HKD 100M Valuation. ASA has won Peninsula Hotel Kaleidoscope Lab Global Winner, HSBC Innovation Awards, China Mobile Entrepreneurship Award, the Alibaba Jumpstarter Global Best Startup and Most Favourite Startup, beating 600+ startups around the world etc.

Mui has served the Hong Kong Designer Association (HKDA) since 2012 and she is currently the Chairman of HKDA. Mui has offered extensive assistance in formulating strategies and networking people between designers, government and commercial bodies. She has also taken up roles as the Chairlady of the Global Design Awards, and lead various projects including Sponsorship of International Design Award (SIDA), DXT (Design X Technology) and the Design Symposium.

Mr Tsang Sau Yin Xavier
Founder
BeCandle

Xavier Tsang graduated from engineering and design in Hong Kong and Italy, he has been awarded the 40 UNDER 40 Award from Perspective Magazine (2013) and the Young Design Talent Special Mention Award (2013) by HKDC. After practicing in the design industry for 5 years, he founded artisanal candle and fragrance brand BeCandle in 2012. By producing locally at its Sai Kung shop-factory complex, with finely controlled quality and carefully sourced premium materials from worldwide, it’s products has been well recognized and are distributed internationally. Thanks to its unique fragrances and experimental approach, the brand has created and produced wide range of exclusively collaborated products with renown brands from different fields.

As a Sai Kung resident, he has a vision of continuing Sai Kung’s history of sustainable local production. His experiences growing up in the villages unique atmosphere followed by living abroad in Europe merge together to form the BeCandle brand. The material focused and experimental approach of his works let the brand gain exposure in major exhibitions like Fiori Salone at The Milan Design Week, Maison & Object in Paris, DMY Berlin, Tokyo Designers Week, Bangkok Design Week and The Cheongju Handcraft Biennale, etc..

Ms Wendy Cheong
Managing Director, Regional Head of Asia Pacific
Moody’s Investors Service

Wendy Cheong is currently Managing Director-Regional Head of Asia Pacific for Moody’s Investors Service (MIS), and Chief Executive Officer of MIS Singapore, based in Singapore. In this role, Wendy develops and leads Moody’s growth strategy in both developed and emerging markets in the region. She is the senior representative for Moody’s in Asia Pacific and is responsible for regional operations, overseeing policy and regulatory outreach, coordinating Moody’s global initiatives, and providing oversight of affiliates, joint ventures and Moody’s domestic market strategies in the region.

Wendy acts as an Executive Director for majority of Moody’s Asia entities. She also serves as a Non-Executive Director on Moody’s numerous domestic affiliate boards, including China Chengxin Credit Rating Group, Korea Investors Service, Inc., Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad and ICRA Limited.

Wendy joined Moody's in 2010 as an Assistant Director at Content Strategy in Moody’s Analytics, and has since held senior positions in strategy and management roles across business lines in Hong Kong and New York to build strategic vision, drive business growth and enhance market impact. She has served as Chief of Staff to the President of Moody’s Investors Service; Representative Director for MIS in Hong Kong, while also serving as Senior Vice President – Head of APAC Strategy & Business Management; and Director and Senior Product Strategist at Moody’s Analytics.

Before joining Moody’s, Wendy held senior strategy, sales and marketing positions at Prudential PLC in Hong Kong, as well as at Singapore Telecoms in Singapore. She holds a BA in Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore.

Ir Andrew YOUNG
Associate Director (Innovation)
Sino Group
B.Eng., MBA, FHKIE, MIEAust., CPEng

Ir Andrew YOUNG has over 35 years of executive experience, he was a senior executive and was the Chief Commercial Officer (2011-2017) of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation and Director of Partnership Development (1998-2011) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Ir YOUNG is currently the Associate Director (Innovation) of Sino Group with responsibility to explore and identify the Group’s innovation and technology development and explore investment opportunities. At Sino Group, he has in two years built from scratch, established a well-respected and internationally publicized Sino Inno Lab platform. Thus, putting Sino Group at the forefront leadership of proptech development.

Ir YOUNG graduated from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) degree and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration and Master of Business Administration. He is a fellow member of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and a Chartered Professional Engineer of the Institutions of Engineers Australia. Ir YOUNG is an Adjunct Professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The University of Hong Kong. He serves on various committees in different universities, such as The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Baptist University, etc. Ir YOUNG also sits on various position in leading commerce and industry associations, including the Chairman of Hong Kong Automation Technology Council and AI & Robotics Alliance of Hong Kong, Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association, and member of Construction Industry Council, etc.

Mr Laurent Doucet
Vice President of China Committee
The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong
Partner, Roland Berger

Laurent is a Partner at Roland Berger Greater China, he leads Roland Berger's Hong Kong office and Asia Insurance practice

Laurent has over 20 years of professional consulting and industrial experience with an extensive international background having worked out of Europe, North America and for the last 5 years Asia, based in Hong Kong.

His track record includes successful assignments helping both multinational and local clients solve issues related to strategy, transformation, operations, digital, market entry, merger & acquisitions, as well as supporting investors with commercial due diligence for their transaction on buy side or sell side.

He led several large transformation programs for multinational companies, and he is also an expert on organizational topics – organization and operating model design, organization effectiveness and efficiency.

Laurent is also an Executive Board Member at the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong. He plays an active role as Vice President of the China Committee covering topics regarding Mainland China, Greater Bay Area, geopolitics, macroeconomics, business opportunities and cross border investments.

Laurent is graduated from Imperial College and IAE

Prof Lee Kun Pyo
Dean of School of Design
Swire Chair Professor of Design
Alex Wong Siu Wah Gigi Wong Fook Chi Professor in Product Design Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Kun-Pyo LEE is the Dean of School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Before joining The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, he was the Professor at the Department of Industrial Design, KAIST, South Korea and the Director of the Human-Centered Interaction Design Lab for more than 30 years. He is Co-founder and President Emeritus of IASDR (International Association of Societies of Design Research). He also served as Chief Design Officer (Executive Vice President) of Corporate Design Center, LG Electronics. He is well known in Asia as an early pioneer in the field of design research, UX design and user-centered design, for which he was recognized as Honorary Fellow of the Design Research Society, and Local Hero at CHI 2015. After returning to KAIST from LG with unique experiences in industry and academia he has been focusing on establishing a new design education paradigm under the name of Design 3.0.

Dr Jimmy Chiang
Acting Director-General of Investment Promotion
Invest Hong Kong

Dr Jimmy Chiang is currently serving as Acting Director-General of Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the government department responsible for attracting and facilitating foreign direct investment into Hong Kong.

He joined InvestHK in August 2003 and was promoted to Head of Tourism and Hospitality in September 2010. He took up the position of Associate Director-General in April 2015, in which he oversaw six sector specialist teams of the Department. From April 2021, he was in charge of the Business Development Group, overseeing 30+ overseas and Mainland offices, as well as the functions of Consulate and Chamber Engagement, GBA Business Development, Mainland Business Development, and Talent Attraction. Since 25 May 2023, he has been serving as Acting Director-General of the Department. Prior to joining InvestHK, Dr Chiang worked with a Hong Kong-based multinational transportation company in a number of different managerial roles for five years.

Dr Chiang has a doctorate in hotel and tourism management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He also has a master's degree in business administration from The University of British Columbia and a bachelor's degree in social sciences from The University of Hong Kong.

Mr William To
Executive Director
PMQ Management Co. Ltd

William built his career in the advertising industry in Hong Kong. He joined Hong Kong Design Centre in 2005 and was responsible for their flagship events – Business of Design Week (BODW), Knowledge of Design Week (KODW) and Design for Asia Awards (DFAA 2006-08).

In Aug 2012, while retaining his role as a senior consultant to Hong Kong Design Centre, William joined PMQ – a newly launched creative site for design entrepreneurs. Since its opening in 2014, PMQ has recorded 25 million visitors and quickly became a new destination of our city.

Mr Albert Wong
Chief Executive Officer
Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation

Mr Albert Wong is leading HKSTP on a mission to support tech startups and enterprises on their journey for innovation and growth. He and his team are focusing on nurturing talent, entrepreneurship, connections and commercialising R&D into successful innovation with impact. As CEO of HKSTP since 2016, he has led his team growing HKSTP into Hong Kong’s home for unicorns and the city’s largest R&D hub with over 12,000 research professionals and 1,200 tech companies

Albert has 30-plus years of commercial, industrial and leadership experience through roles with various multinationals that have provided him with deep China and Asia-Pacific insight, plus critical understanding of building companies and investment networks, and solving market needs. Prior to HKSTP, he spent 15 years in total with GE at its US headquarters, Asia-Pacific and China. He served as CEO, GE Oil & Gas China, as well as CEO, GE Industrial Solutions Asia Pacific – where he was responsible for M&A, Business Development, Product Management and Business Operations. Prior to GE, he held management and engineering roles at PerkinElmer, Emerson, Caterpillar and Schlumberger.

Albert holds an Engineering Degree from the University of Hong Kong and an MBA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Outside of work he is an avid runner regularly takes part in marathons around the world.

Prof Roberto Bruzzone
Co-Director, Centre for Immunology & Infection (C2i);
Professor, Institut Pasteur

I was born in Rome and studied medicine at the University “La Sapienza” in Rome, where I graduated in 1980. After postdoctoral work at the University of Geneva and Harvard Medical School, I joined in 1995 the Institut Pasteur, where I am a Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Infection. My research has focused for many years on the cell biology of direct cell-cell communication through connexins and their associated human diseases. In 2006, I moved to Hong Kong, where I have been Co-Director of the HKU-Pasteur Research Pole, with a joint appointment as Visiting Professor in the Li Ka Shi Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong. Since coming to Hong Kong my research has shifted to the investigation host-pathogen interactions. Since 2020 I have been the Chair of the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) and also the founding Co-Director of the Centre for Immunology & Infection at the Hong Kong Science Park. I was decorated as Officer of the National Order of Merit in France and Knight of the Order of Merit in Italy.

Prof Ng Siew Chien
Co-Founder, GenieBiomeLimited
Professor, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Director, Microbiota I-Center (MagIC)

Professor Siew Chien Ng is Professor and Assistant Dean of Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is Director of the Microbiota I-Center (MagIC) at Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, the first microbiome R&D center in Asia established under the Innovation and Technology Commission, Hong Kong SAR Government.

Professor Ng received her medical degree from London and PhD from Imperial College London. Her main research interests include developing microbial targets for disease prediction and treatment. She has identified novel gut bacteria signatures to detect colon cancer, autism, inflammatory bowel disease and COVID-19. Her novel microbiome immunity formula can hasten covid recovery and alleviate Long COVID. In 2017, she established Asia’s First Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) Research Center which will serve as sole provider of FMT service to all hospitals within Hospital Authority in Hong Kong.

Prof Ng has published over 330 scientific articles in Nature Genetics, Lancet, Cell Host & Microbes and Gut. She was bestowed Croucher Professorship in Medical Sciences in 2022, awarded First-class Ministry of Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards and Highly-cited Researchers by Clarivate in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Her innovations had won gold medals at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.

In 2019, Prof Ng co-founded GenieBiome Limited, with a mission to transform novel microbiome discoveries into effective diagnostics and therapeutics. From a humble beginning of a shared desk office, GenieBiome has expanded from Hong Kong to Singapore, Malaysia and Greater Bay Area in China with over 100 staffs. In 2023, she received the High Flyer Innopreneur Award and the Most Popular Innopreneur Award by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries.

Dr Chiu Yin To, Ricky
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
PHASE Scientific International Limited

Dr Ricky Chiu is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of PHASE Scientific International Limited, as well as the lead inventor of the company’s core technology. He has been awarded the Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World, the Ten Outstanding Young Persons in Hong Kong, the Young Industrialist of Hong Kong, the Outstanding Leader - Young Entrepreneur and the HKSAR Chief Executive's Commendation for Community Service for his outstanding research achievements in biotechnology innovations and his notable contributions to the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

As a leading innovator in the field of biotechnology, Dr Chiu has made significant breakthroughs and developments in the fields of liquid biopsy and rapid point-of-care testing using the proprietary sample preparation technology he developed. With more than 46 patents granted or filed, the technology provides an innovative solution to the problem of low-concentration target molecule detection. By concentrating target molecules, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, bacteria, and viruses, the technology improves the performance of diagnostic testing, making it faster, more accurate and more cost-effective.

Dr Chiu is among the few who have received recognition in both the West and the East. From receiving research funding from world-renowned entities and FDA approval to his high-efficiency COVID-19 RNA extraction technology and other diagnostic products, Dr Chiu’s inventions have positioned him as a changemaker who can uniquely straddle both worlds. Dr Chiu and the PHASE Scientific team are currently engaged in research and product development for the detection of cancer and infectious diseases.

Dr Chen Yiyou
Chief Scientific Officer
New Horizon Health Limited

Dr Yiyou Chen is the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of New Horizon Health (6606.HK), a leading molecular diagnostic company developing innovative technologies to cure cancer through early detection. NHH is the developer of ColoClear, a first-in-class, non-invasive, home-based stool FIT-DNA test for colorectal cancer screening tailored to the Asian population. The company’s product line also includes Pupu Tube, a low-cost OTC product for home-based stool hemoglobin test (FIT), as well as CerviClear, a next generation HPV screening test for cervical cancer based on urine sample.

He is also the scientific founder of Cothera Bioscience, a clinical stage biotech company developing first-in-class therapeutics for cancer patients with urgent unmet medical needs. The company’s leading program PC-002 is currently in global phase 2 trial for high grade lymphoma, targeting Myc protein degradation. Another program, Zotiriciclib, is a CDK9 inhibitor and has the unique capability of penetrating BBB. In collaboration with NCI, ZTR has demonstrated patient safety and early indication of clinical benefit in combination with telezolomide in patients with relapsed high grade glioma. The company is also developing a novel triple drug combination targeting pan-KRAS mutant colorectal caner and lung cancer.

Prior to that, Dr Chen was the Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of Crown Bioscience Inc., a leading biotech company providing services to global life science companies with specialty in oncology, and metabolic disease. The company leverages its strength in drug discovery and translational medicine to help our partners develop innovative therapeutics with clinical relevancy. He was widely recognized as a leader in translational oncology research, and accredited for the establishment of the industry leading HuPrime® technology platform. Besides his role in leading the scientific research, Dr Chen was also responsible for CrownBio’s global sales, marketing, and strategic alliance effort. Under his leadership, CrownBio has established drug discovery partnership with majority of global pharmaceutical companies. CrownBio was listed on Taiwan Stock Exchange in 2017, and acquired by JSR Group, a Japanese public conglomerate, for US$400M in cash in 2018.

Before co-founding CrownBio, Dr Chen was the Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Starvax Inc., a bio-pharmaceutical company based in Beijing, focusing on the development of recombinant vaccines for infectious disease and cancer. Prior to Starvax, Yiyou was a senior scientist and project leader at Genencor International, a leading global biotechnology company (now a fully-owned) subsidiary of DuPont in synthetic biology.

Dr Chen was one of the founding members of the BayHelix Group, a global leadership group for Chinese biopharmaceutical executives. In the last 10 years, he has given multiple invited speeches on both Chinese and international science and business forums. Dr Chen obtained his BS in Biochemistry from Peking University, and his Ph.D. in Experimental Pathology from University of Utah School of Medicine.

Ms Delphine Lefay Dultzin
Co-Founder & CEO
OnTheList

Delphine Lefay Dultzin is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader, best known as the co-founder and CEO of OnTheList, a pioneering members-only flash sale platform with their HK in Hong Kong and operating in Asia. With a passion for sustainable retail and a keen eye for business opportunities, she has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the luxury retail sector in Asia.

Born and raised in France, Delphine studied in Paris Dauphine university. Delphine's journey in the retail sector began in Paris, where she gained invaluable experience working with brands like FAGUO.

In 2016, along with her business partner and husband Diego Dultzin Lacoste, Delphine founded OnTheList, with a vision to create a sustainable way for brands to clear past-season merchandise without jeopardizing their image. The platform's unique business model combines luxury, sustainability, and accessibility, reflecting Delphine's innovative approach to business.

Under her leadership, OnTheList has grown impressively, expanding its footprint in 7 countries in Asia, transforming the flash sale landscape in these markets.
A vocal advocate for sustainable fashion, Delphine is known for her commitment to reducing waste and promoting responsible consumption. Her work has not only made luxury more accessible but has also helped drive the fashion industry towards a more sustainable future that why OnTheList became Bcopr in 2022.

Mr Nicolas Vanderchmitt
Partner, Head of Hong Kong Office
LPA-CGR Avocats

Nicolas is a partner of the French international law firm, LPA-CGR and has headed the Hong Kong office since 2008.

For over 20 years, he has been involved in all areas of business law, in particular mergers & acquisitions, venture capital, private equity and restructuring.

He regularly advises French and international clients on all phases of their set-up and development projects in Hong Kong and mainland China: company formation, legal and tax structuring, acquisition or fund-raising transactions, negotiation of regional joint-venture, consortium/ shareholders' agreements and commercial contracts (distribution/licensing/supply agreements). He also advises Chinese groups on their investments in Europe and Africa.

Nicolas plays a very active role in the French-Hong Kong business community, notably as Secretary General and member of the Executive Committee of the French Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Nicolas is a member of the Paris Bar and is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong.

Mr Xavier Musca
Chief Executive Officer, Crédit Agricole CIB and
Deputy General Manager of Crédit Agricole S.A. in charge of the Large Clients division

Xavier Musca is Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole CIB and Deputy General Manager of Crédit Agricole S.A. in charge of the Large Clients division, formed by the Corporate and Investment bank, Wealth Management (CA.Indosuez Wealth Group) and Services to institutional investors and corporates (CACEIS).

Xavier Musca began his career at the General Finance Inspectorate in 1985. In 1989, he joined the Treasury Directorate and was appointed Head of the European Affairs Bureau in 1990. In 1993, he became technical advisor to Prime Minister Edouard Balladur before moving back to the Treasury in 1995, first as Head of the Financial Market Bureau, then as Deputy Director for Europe in charge of Monetary and International Affairs (1996) and finally Director of the State and Economy Financing Department (2000).

From 2002 to 2004, Xavier Musca was Principal Private Secretary to the Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industry, Francis Mer. In 2004, he was appointed Director of the Treasury. In this capacity, he chaired the Paris Club and the Economic and Financial Committee of the European Union, composed of senior officials from Europe’s national administrations and central banks.

He left the Treasury on 26 February 2009, to join the Office of the French President as Deputy Secretary General in charge of economic affairs. On 27 February 2011, he was appointed Secretary General of the President’s Office. In 2012, Xavier Musca joined Crédit Agricole Group and was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole S.A in May 2015.

Ms Rebecca Chan
Director and Chief Financial Officer
Cloudbreak Pharma Inc

Ms. Rebecca CHAN is the Chief Financial Officer of Cloudbreak Pharma Inc. since March 2022. She is primarily responsible for overseeing Cloudbreak's finance and operations, as well as formulating business plans of the Group for future development and maintaining financial position for sustainable growth.

Ms. Chan has extensive experience working at senior levels for international accounting firms and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Ms. Chan has over 35 years of working experience and was formerly a partner of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers at different times of her career. She had led various capital market services groups of these international accounting firms. Her experience in executing various types of capital market transactions spanned across various industries such as financial services, securities firms, consumer market, technology, media, conglomerate, property, services, energy, innovation, and new economy sectors such as telecommunications, web advertising, and biotech companies. She also served as the co-Head of the IPO team and Head of Accounting Affairs team of the Listing Division of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited.

Currently, Ms. Rebecca Chan is a member of the Professional Services Advisory Committee of Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Telecommunications Appeal Board of the HKSAR government and the Consumer Representative on the Costs Committee of the HKSAR government. Formerly she was a member of a number of governmental, professional and regulatory committees, including, among others, the Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training of the HKSAR government, the Management Committee of Consumer Legal Action Fund and the Task Force on Alumni Engagement of Hang Seng University of Hong Kong Council; the Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training of the HKSAR government; the Financial Reporting Advisory Panel of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange; the Dual Filing Advisory Group of the Securities and Futures Commission; the Policy Research Committee of the Financial Services Development Council; the Copyright Tribunal; the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology MBA Alumni Advisory Board; the Appeal Board on Closure Orders (Immediate Health Hazard); the Appeal Board Panel (Town Planning); the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Appeal Board; the Occupational Retirement Schemes Appeal Board; the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal Panel and various committees of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants including the Corporate Finance Committee, the Accountants’ Report Sub-Committee and the Professional Standard Monitoring Committee.

Ms. Chan is a practicing member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and a fellow member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Ms. Chan obtained a master’s degree in business administration from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of London.

She is an independent non-executive director of a company listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange.

ALAIN LI
President
The French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong

Alain served as Regional Chief Executive, Asia Pacific of Richemont from 2006 until his retirement, where he was responsible for overseeing and cultivating the presence and development of some of the world's most coveted luxury Maisons in the region.

Alain has a wealth of experience in general management, business development and international finance, gained through a series of senior positions at various multinational corporations in diverse sectors from pharmaceuticals to consumer electronics. Alain started his career in the UK and had lived and worked in Japan and France before returning to Hong Kong in 2001.

Alain holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Accountancy from City University of London, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors.

Alain currently serves as President of the French Chamber of Commerce, Board member of Remy Cointreau, Senior Advisor of SIA Partners and on the Asia Advisory Board of Phillips.

Mr Mickael Pinto
CEO International, Energy & Sustainable Cities
Egis Group

Mickael Pinto is a management executive and entrepreneur with 20+ years of international business development experience possessing exceptional analytical skills and the business acumen necessary to conceptualize value propositions, create sustainable business models, and scale ventures to generate superior value.

Driven by a passion for addressing pressing global challenges, his professional focus is now to combat climate change and driving a sustainable future. Holistic manager of the complexity of environmental Mickael possess expertise in combine financial resources with social responsibility, Private equity and Corporate sustainability.

Mickael has been Board Member and Investor in several start-ups in the digital and sustainable economy sector, and act as a Mentor for several corporations, and worked as Entrepreneur for major global corporations such as Vivendi and Veolia.

He is now CEO International for the Business line Energy & Sustainable Cities of Egis , creating impact on the Group’s most important sectors such as Building, Energy efficiency, Water & Energy , and Environmental expertise.

Mr Tanguy Claquin
Global Head of Sustainability
Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
Greater Paris Metropolitan Region

Tanguy Claquin is Global Head of Sustainability and member of the Management Committee. Tanguy oversees (i) the Sustainable Investment Banking team, which provides financial advisory to all clients in the bank for transactions targeting both financial objectives and positive social and environmental impacts in all asset classes and (ii) the Climate & Sustainability Strategy team, which oversees the bank decarbonisation trajectory.

During the last decade, Crédit Agricole CIB became one of the largest arranger of Green Bonds, Social Bonds and Sustainability Bonds globally, having arranged several landmark transactions for a wide array of issuers.

Crédit Agricole CIB was elected “Most impressive bank for Green / SRI capital markets” in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 in Global Capital market survey. Tanguy was elected “Most impressive Green / SRI banker” in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 in the same market reference survey.

Tanguy co-drafted the Green Bond Principles (GBP) in 2013, has been member of the GBP Excom since then and co-chair (2018-2022). He has a member of the European Commission Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance which drafted the first proposal for the EU Taxonomy and for the EU Green Bond Standard. He is a current member of Singapore’s MAS Sustainable Finance Advisory Panel and of the IEA Finance Industry Advisory panel.

Tanguy holds a Ph.D. in atmospheric physics and started his career as a climate scientist in Germany, before moving to finance 20 years ago. He graduated from Ecole Normale Supérieure in Lyon.

Mr Chuka Umunna
Managing Director
Head of EMEA ESG & Green Economy Investment Banking J.P. Morgan

Chuka Umunna is an investment banker who has spent two decades in law, public policy, and finance advising various companies and organizations on business-critical issues that impact on long term value and suitability - environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) in particular.

He is a Managing Director and Head of EMEA ESG & Green Economy Investment Banking for JP Morgan. In this role, he co-leads the firm's global ESG investment banking team, which advises corporate clients across all major industry verticals on how to improve their sustainability credentials, optimize value and mitigate risk through effective ESG integration, and on how to access ESG-focused capital across equity, debt and private markets.

In Europe, the Middle East and Africa he co-ordinates and leads JP Morgan’s green investment banking business and coverage of clients in emerging green sectors. In addition he co-ordinates JP Morgan Chase & Co.’s ESG strategy across EMEA, overseeing the franchise’s own efforts to integrate ESG into its operations and business activities in the region.

Before joining JP Morgan Chase & Co.'s Corporate & Investment Bank in April 2021, he was Global Co-Head of ESG at Edelman, the world’s biggest strategy and communications advisory firm. In addition, from 2020 until 2021 he served as a non-executive director (NED) for leading private equity firms BC Partners and Vista Equity Partners on the board of their portfolio company, Advanced, the UK’s third largest software company. He has also served as a NED of Digital Identity Net UK, a UK fintech firm in the digital identity sector and has sat on the advisory board of Signal AI, a leader in Artificial Intelligence solutions for business and professional services.

He was a Member of the UK Parliament from 2010 to 2019, during which time he served in a number of senior roles in the UK parliament including as the UK's Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Originally a lawyer by profession, prior to his election to the UK Parliament he worked as a corporate employment law solicitor for international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills LLP for several years.

Mr Yann Gozlan
Founding President
Creative Valley

Yann Gozlan is the founder of Creative Cluster a global community of startup and IT companies among a limited mix of topics such as : Art & Digital, Fashion Tech, HealthTech, Virtual reality, Games, Data, Security, Agri Tech. Success stories like Keymetrics, PK Vitality, Tekyn, Agriconomie, started in the creative cluster network.

Jointly with Caisse des depots et Consignations Creative Cluster has launch 2021 The Playground Paris Saclay. 2023 La Forge des Batignolles in Nantes whith Groupe Magellim a project backed by Caisse des depots and Banque européenned’investissement. Overseas Creative Cluster is involved to launch JFN Innovation center in Cameroun, PTN and Mohammed Ben Zayed center in Senegal.

Jointly with SGH Capital and Korean partners Yann Gozlan Launched in Seoul SGH Korea a VC and accelerator specialized in support deep tech-oriented startups.

Yann Gozlan is also Co-founder and Administrator of Matrice.io, Paris Region Digital council member, Administrator at Institut de Formation Maria Montessori, Global Fellow at Gyeonggi Center for creative Economy & innovation, Senior Lecturer at Université Paris Saclay.

He graduated from Paris Sorbonne, Paris Dauphine and Fudan Daxue University in Shanghai and he is a lecturer at Paris SaclayUniversity on Entrepreneurship courses.

Mr Frederic Girard
Vice President
France Biotech

Frédéric Girard has a doctorate in medicine and a postgraduate diploma (DESS) in business administration. He has worked in the life sciences sector for over 30 years, in France and various other European countries. His experience covers a broad range of products (innovative medicines, generic medicines, biosimilars, medical devices) and different types of companies (multinationals, family-run, SMEs, biotech).

Frédéric Girard is Vice-President of France Biotech, where he coordinates the Market Access Working Group. Founded in 1997, France Biotech is an independent association that brings together healthcare innovation entrepreneurs and their expert partners.

Frédéric Girard is also a Foreign Trade Advisor to France. In this role, he chairs the Expert Groups on Health and on Mentoring.