22 December, 2021
As we are approaching the year end, CSj takes a look at the road ahead for governance professionals in the coming year and beyond. In 2021, the Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute (the Institute) has been focusing its ECPD services and publications on a number of...
22 December, 2021
Can we start with an introduction to your background and your passion for cross-cultural communication? ‘Around 30 years ago, I studied at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, which has been the training ground for Mainland diplomats since 1949. My major was...
22 December, 2021
Gabriela Kennedy, Partner, and Karen Lee, Counsel, Mayer Brown, highlight key aspects of the Mainland’s much anticipated Personal Information Protection Law. On 20 August 2021, the Mainland’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) was passed. The new law came into...
22 December, 2021
CSj reviews a two-part guidance note issued by the Technology Interest Group of the Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute (the Institute), looking at the all-important issue of data protection in today’s highly data-dependent business environment. Good data...
22 December, 2021
Death and probate processes may be an unwelcome topic in Hong Kong, but Alex Chung, Associate, Withersworldwide, recommends some basic due diligence measures that can help streamline the probate process for both individuals and family businesses. The Covid-19 pandemic...
22 December, 2021
How can non-state-owned listed companies make better use of equity incentive plans as a means of encouragement? Yang Liang, Board Secretary, Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc, shares his experience on the planning and implementation in this area. Currently, listed...
22 December, 2021
Future focus Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
22 November, 2021
Ellie Pang, Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute, reviews the Institute’s work in promoting the professional development of board secretaries in the Mainland for more than three decades. The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute (the...
22 November, 2021
Kenneth Jiang FCG FCS(PE), Chief Representative, Beijing Representative Office of The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute, reviews the work of the Institute in the Mainland in fiscal 2021, and looks at what the future will hold for governance professionals in...
22 November, 2021
The chairmen of two new committees set up by The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute update readers on the benefits of building an influential and expanded professional network in the Mainland. Governance professionals and directors working in Hong Kong and the...
22 November, 2021
Richard Sheng, Board Secretary and Brand Director, Ping An Insurance Group, gives advice on integrating environmental, social and governance factors into corporate risk management systems. In recent years, international capital markets have paid more attention to the...
22 November, 2021
Dr Jin Xiaobin FCG FCS, former Vice-President and Board Secretary, Haitong Securities, shares the dos and don’ts of market value management in listed companies. On 9 May 2021, news broke on the Internet that a listed company, ZOY Home Furnishing, manipulated stock...
22 November, 2021
Mainland edition Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
25 October, 2021
Climate change mitigation and adaptation are issues as relevant to businesses as they are to governments. CSj takes a look at what governance professionals can do to help businesses address the coming climate storm. The climate ‘storm’ of this article’s title may not...
25 October, 2021
Achieving the level of decarbonisation needed to avert significant climate change risks, says Christine Loh SBS, OBE, JP, Chief Development Strategist, Institute for the Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, will require an all-hands-on-deck...
25 October, 2021
Theodora Thunder, Managing Director, Streeter Strategic Ltd, demonstrates the ways in which strategic stakeholder engagement provides a means for organisations to stay in touch with the rapidly changing ecosystem in which they operate in the post-Covid world. The...
25 October, 2021
Wynne Mok, Partner, and associates Jason Cheng, Ruby Chik and Kathleen Poon, Slaughter and May, explain new government proposals to amend the data privacy law in Hong Kong to deal with doxxing, as well as to strengthen the related investigative and prosecutorial...
25 October, 2021
Donald Lai ACG ACS, Solicitor, CPA, reviews the first unsuccessful attempt to apply the ‘mosaic theory’ defence in an insider dealing case in Hong Kong. The decision of the Market Misconduct Tribunal (MMT) in the insider dealing case relating to Meadville Holdings Ltd...
25 October, 2021
Alan Linning, Partner, Tow Lu Lim, Partner, and Wilson Fung, Counsel, Mayer Brown, review a recent Court of Appeal judgment that resulted in a compensation order being made against three former directors of a Hong Kong listed company for breaches of duties. On 25 June...
25 October, 2021
Climate Storm – Are you prepared? Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full edition....
21 September, 2021
CSj provides a summary of recent updates to the enforcement policies and disciplinary powers of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Ltd relevant to governance professionals in Hong Kong. Listing Rule amendments enhancing the disciplinary powers and sanctions of The Stock...
21 September, 2021
Samuel Chan BBS JP, Chairman, Competition Commission (the Commission), highlights the need for directors, and the governance professionals advising them, to understand their exposure to competition law risks and to instill a competition compliance culture across all...
21 September, 2021
Ada Chung FCG FCS, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong (PCPD), supports the rationale behind limiting the disclosure of personal data in the Companies Register. Given its impact on the work of...
21 September, 2021
Theodora Thunder, Managing Director, Streeter Strategic Ltd, highlights the transitional risks that companies face as a result of climate change and recommends that they align themselves with the Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reporting...
21 September, 2021
Dennis Wu, Senior Partner, Futu Holdings Ltd, suggests some ways in which employee equity incentives can help to build the motivation of team members and thereby avoid organisational entropy. The term ‘entropy’ was originally derived from the second law of...
21 September, 2021
Enforcement update Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
16 August, 2021
Technology is now more central to the strategy and operation of organisations than ever before. CSj looks at what impact this is having on governance practices and on the roles of Chartered Secretaries and Chartered Governance Professionals (CS/CGPs). If there were...
16 August, 2021
Ada Chung FCG FCS, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong (PCPD), advocates for the implementation a Privacy Management Programme as a vital part of a company’s commitment to good corporate governance...
16 August, 2021
Minority shareholders have consistent concerns relating to governance best practice deviations in Hong Kong. Philip Foo CFA CA, Vice-President, APAC Research and Engagement, Glass Lewis, discusses some of the common triggers for concern and how to reduce the...
16 August, 2021
Wynne Mok, Partner, Ruby Chik, Associate, Jason Cheng, Associate, and Kathleen Poon, Associate, Slaughter and May, consider some of the main issues and implications involved in cross-border insolvency from the point of view of a creditor. With the global economic...
16 August, 2021
Dominic Wai, Partner, ONC Lawyers, explains the underlying technology behind blockchain and, with the tighter restrictions on cryptocurrencies being introduced in the Mainland, asks whether crypto trading is really as anonymous and untraceable as is sometimes...
16 August, 2021
Glenn Haley, Partner, and Carrie Yiu, Associate, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, review a recent court case where a plaintiff sought to hold a bank liable for losses sustained as a result of fraud perpetrated by one of its employees. What happens when a bank’s customer...
16 August, 2021
Governance and technology Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
21 July, 2021
Speakers at the 22nd Annual Corporate and Regulatory Update (ACRU) webinar, held by The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries on 11 June, emphasised the need for regulators in Hong Kong to find the right balance between high regulatory standards and market...
21 July, 2021
The 22nd ACRU webinar urged governance professionals, in the current environment of rapid change, to be agile in their approach to compliance and governance. The agenda of this year’s ACRU demonstrates that the business environment in Hong Kong continues to grow in...
21 July, 2021
This third and final part of our review of the Institute’s 22nd ACRU webinar highlights the insights shared at the forum on compliance with Hong Kong’s corporate disclosure requirements, and its upgraded and expanded anti-money laundering and counter-financing of...
21 July, 2021
Sharan Gill, writer, lawyer and CSj contributor, reviews a new report published by the Corporate Secretaries International Association and PwC looking at the role of the company secretary in integrating climate initiatives into organisations’ governance structures....
21 July, 2021
CSj completes its review of the latest consultation published by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd in April this year and the views expressed by The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries in its submission to the consultation. Last month’s CSj looked at the...
21 July, 2021
ACRU 2021 review Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
23 June, 2021
CSj looks at the role that culture and purpose plays in the long-term success of organisations, and at the role of boards and governance professionals in building a sound organisational culture and sense of purpose. In 2016, an investigation found that employees of...
23 June, 2021
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEX) published a consultation in April this year proposing changes to Hong Kong’s Corporate Governance Code and Listing Rules to enhance standards in a number of key areas of governance. CSj takes a look at the proposals and the...
23 June, 2021
Fiona Donnelly, Director, Red Links, and Kevin Bowers, Partner, bowers.law, explain how the need for directors to give appropriate consideration to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues is not a matter of choice – it’s an integral part of being a board...
23 June, 2021
Dominic Wai, Partner, ONC Lawyers, outlines the recent incident with Alibaba in relation to the Mainland’s Anti-monopoly Law, and provides an overview of similar legislation in Hong Kong, notably the Second Conduct Rule of Cap 619. Established in 1999, Alibaba has...
23 June, 2021
CSj highlights the latest additions to the guidance note series of The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (the Institute), providing guidance on anti-competitive information exchange, conflicts of interest and managing the signing stage of merger and...
23 June, 2021
Damien Laracy, Partner and Head of the Hong Kong Office, and Nicole Wong, Associate, Hill Dickinson Hong Kong, summarise the most salient issues of the ‘no jab, no job’ debate, and discuss whether an order for employees to receive the Covid-19 vaccination could be...
23 June, 2021
Why culture matters – Organisational culture and purpose Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full edition....
24 May, 2021
Sharan Gill, writer, lawyer and CSj contributor, looks at the unique relationship between independent non-executive directors (INEDs) and company secretaries in their key roles as governance gatekeepers. One wonders whether the three INEDs on the board of Mayer...
24 May, 2021
A new consultation paper issued in April 2021 by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEX) makes a number of proposals to enhance board independence, promote board refreshment and succession planning, and strengthen the role of the nomination committee. Ensuring...
24 May, 2021
The saying goes that ‘all roads lead to Rome’. Fiona Donnelly, Director, Red Links, argues that the same sentiment could apply to the climate-related disclosure recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). Six years ago, the then...
24 May, 2021
Laks Meyyappan, Chief Executive Officer for Australasia, and Savoy Lee, Director and Head of Corporate Advisory for Asia, Georgeson, offer insights into how to get the most out of cross-functional teams dedicated to environmental, social and governance (ESG)...
24 May, 2021
Richard Mazzochi and David Lam, King & Wood Mallesons, summarise the key points that are most regularly considered in Hong Kong and the Mainland regarding the transition from LIBOR to risk-free rates (RFRs). The London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) is a...
24 May, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘I have been working in a licensed bank in Hong Kong as Fraud Control Officer and Head of Operational Risk Management for 10 years. My team and I represent the first and second lines of defense for risk management at the...
24 May, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘I am currently a director of the GoGlobal Group, which is a global employment outsourcing company supporting clients to employ cross-border talent in an effective and compliant manner. My main role is to develop the...
24 May, 2021
Governance gatekeepers Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
23 April, 2021
Ahead of a proposed name change for The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (the Institute), CSj takes a look at the evolution of the company secretarial role and what the future might hold for members of the governance profession in Hong Kong. Later this...
23 April, 2021
The winner of the HKICS Prize 2020, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Ada Chung Lai-ling FCG FCS, highlights some key regulatory and governance issues practitioners need to pay close attention to now and in the years ahead. Thanks for giving us this interview....
23 April, 2021
Ashley Alder SBS JP, Chief Executive Officer, Securities and Futures Commission, and Chair of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), highlights the convergence of a number of initiatives to create a harmonised, global reporting framework for...
23 April, 2021
CSj highlights the latest additions to the guidance note series of The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (the Institute), providing guidance on digital transformation, competition compliance and the disclosure of inside information. The Institute’s seven...
23 April, 2021
CSj looks at a new consultation issued by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEX) seeking public feedback on proposals to enhance and streamline the listing regime for overseas issuers. In a new public consultation, published on 31 March 2021, Hong Kong Exchanges...
23 April, 2021
Kwok Kit Cheung, Partner, Deacons, looks at a recent case in the Court of First Instance that highlights the high thresholds relevant to obtaining leave to appeal against an arbitral award in Hong Kong. In the recent case of MC v SC, HCCT 17/2020, a main contractor...
23 April, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘I am a Hong Kong-qualified fund formation lawyer. I advise fund managers and sponsors on structuring, establishing and launching their funds with various investment strategies, and on their ongoing compliance matters. I...
23 April, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘I am currently the Executive Director of the Corporate Services Division of Vistra Hong Kong. Vistra Hong Kong is the headquarters of the Vistra Group, which employs some 4,600 professionals. It has a physical presence...
23 April, 2021
A governance calling – Repositioning the profession Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
29 March, 2021
Over a decade of increasing regulatory requirements and lobbying by advocacy groups has failed to significantly improve the gender diversity of Hong Kong boards. A new report published by The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries proposes a way to upgrade the...
29 March, 2021
Sharan Gill, writer, lawyer and CSj contributor, reviews a thought leadership paper published by The Chartered Governance Institute that proposes a new approach to bringing the full benefits of diverse thinking to boards of directors. The issue of diversity in the...
29 March, 2021
Gabriele Limonta, Sales Manager, North Asia at Lumi Global, argues that the format for annual general meetings (AGMs) is changing, and while virtual meeting technology is fit for purpose, regulatory requirements have largely failed to keep pace with rapid...
29 March, 2021
Timothy Loh, Managing Partner, and Gavin Cumming, Partner, Timothy Loh LLP, provide an overview of liability insurance policies for directors and other officers of Hong Kong listed companies against potential enforcement action by the Securities and Futures...
29 March, 2021
Donna Wacker, Partner, and William Wong, Consultant, Clifford Chance, examine the increased risk of ransomware attacks, and provide guidance on preventing and preparing for such an attack, as well as how to mitigate any damage. Ransomware attacks have drastically...
29 March, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘I serve as the Board Secretary and Company Secretary of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Holdings Ltd (BOCHK). In addition to BOCHK being the Bank of China Ltd (BOC) headquarters for its ASEAN operations, BOCHK is the second...
29 March, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘As a governance professional working for a German automaker in Hong Kong, I am responsible for reviews of guidelines and process flows to advise business units on process improvements, to ensure compliance at the local...
29 March, 2021
Gender diversity – An action plan for boards Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
27 February, 2021
The potential of artificial intelligence is enormous, but Dr Jag Kundi, a Hong Kong-based scholar-practitioner active in the FinTech space, warns that without thorough ethical oversight, this new tool could have unintended, disastrous consequences. Artificial...
27 February, 2021
In her Guest of Honour speech at the Institute’s Online Annual Celebration 2021, Laura Cha GBM GBS JP, Chairman, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (HKEX), argued that governance professionals are playing a pivotal role in redefining how businesses are run in the...
27 February, 2021
Robert Allender, Managing Director of EnergyUse Strategy Advisors, gives some advice for Hong Kong companies about the significance of their company’s energy affairs to board obligations and company secretary responsibilities. A company’s energy affairs consist of all...
27 February, 2021
Evelyn Chan, Partner, and Adriel Wong, Paralegal, Gall, look at the government’s latest proposals to formally implement a statutory corporate rescue procedure and insolvent trading provisions in Hong Kong. The idea of reforming Hong Kong’s corporate rescue regime was...
27 February, 2021
Cybersecurity experts at PwC argue that cybersecurity concerns have become all the more critical as a result of the acceleration of digital transformation in today’s business environment. The world experienced one of the greatest accelerations in digital...
27 February, 2021
Angel Wong, Partner, and Maxwell Chan, Senior Associate, ONC Lawyers, summarise a recent guidance letter on the qualification and experience requirements for company secretaries of Hong Kong listed companies. Introduction On 28 August 2020, The Stock Exchange of Hong...
27 February, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘The majority of my career was spent in corporate banking. Most of my clients were large listed and non-listed companies from Hong Kong and the Mainland. One of my key responsibilities was to assess my clients’ corporate...
27 February, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘I joined Nomura Asset Management Hong Kong Ltd in 2013, initially focusing on the firm’s regulatory compliance activities, but gradually my roles and responsibilities expanded to cover corporate governance and risk...
27 February, 2021
Artificial intelligence – an ethical perspective Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
27 January, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has ripped a tornado-sized hole in most companies’ risk and crisis management systems. CSj talks to governance professionals about the lessons companies have learned, and need to learn, about worst case scenario planning. Since the start of 2020,...
27 January, 2021
Since her re-election as President of The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (the Institute) last month, Gillian Meller FCG FCS discusses the work of the Institute to prepare its members for their expanded roles as governance professionals. Could we start by...
27 January, 2021
This second and final part of the Champion Paper of the most recent Corporate Governance Paper Competition held by The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (the Institute) focuses on the latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting requirements...
27 January, 2021
CSj reviews a recent webinar promoting anti-money laundering/counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) best practices for trust and company service providers. The leadership position of The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries (the Institute/HKICS) in the...
27 January, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘My work is focused on board advisory and share registry functions. My advisory role includes advising directors and officers of listed companies on director duties and other regulatory requirements. I also advise...
27 January, 2021
What is your role as a governance professional? ‘In the capacity of a governance professional, I am currently involved in designing and implementing the anti-money laundering compliance framework. As part of the first line of defence, I played a role implementing the...
27 January, 2021
Crisis management Click here or on the cover image below to view or download a pdf of the full...
