Michel van Leeuwen was a panellist at HSBC's seminar in Jersey, talking on his experiences of business growth opportunities with China.
Key messages
- There is a huge opportunity for Jersey to work with HNW individuals living in China and Chinese businesses that are expanding globally.
- Jersey businesses must tell intermediaries in Shanghai and London why Jersey's financial services are ideally suited to meeting the needs of their clients based on its strong ties with Europe, its political stability and the well-regulated environment.
- Now is the time to embrace new technologies to make doing business with Jersey easy.
These were some of the key messages that came out of today's Exploring growth opportunities with China seminar.
Facts
Traditionally, energy and commodities sectors were China's main export, but technology services and healthcare sectors have seen rapid growth in the last five years.
China's Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) is about how China sees itself working with the rest of the world. They are making a massive investment into improving infrastructure and transportation networks to make China easily accessible and expect that trade with BRI related countries to more than double to USD2.5tn in the next decade.
To work with China you need to be well connected and mobile savvy.
WeChat is probably the most important App in the world right now, with the majority of people in mainland China using it to conduct business.
Tips for doing business in China
Event details & information
| At: | HSBC Seminar - Exploring growth opportunities with China |
| When: | 21 February 2018 – Breakfast seminar, 8am-10am |
| Where: | Tiffin Restaurant & Marina Bar, St Helier, Jersey |
| Attending: | Michel van Leeuwen, David Rimmer, David Carswell & Craig Marett |
| Expertise: | Corporate Services & Private Client Services |
Keynote speaker
Sue-Anne Tay, HSBC’s expert on China and RMB strategy, will open the seminar with a keynote and share her insights on key trends and opportunities emerging from China, including:
- China’s outbound investment flows,
- the Belt and Road Initiative,
- the internationalisation of the RMB,
- the rise of China’s middle class, and more.
Panel discussion
Jersey business leaders will share their real-world experiences of this dynamic market.
- Michel van Leeuwen, CEO, Hawksford,
- Sue Anne Tay, Director, China and RMB Internationalisation, Group Strategy, HSBC,
- Jonathan Rigby, Global Managing Partner, Mourant Ozannes, and
- Geoff Cook, CEO, Jersey Finance.
Why China?
As China’s transformation towards a more consumer-led economy continues, it is exerting an ever-greater influence on global trade and investment. And it is one of the most active sources of foreign direct investment, with Jersey being a major beneficiary.
China is also undertaking one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects the world has ever seen in its Belt and Road Initiative – a large-scale strategy designed to drive bigger
and faster trade and capital flows between the east and the west. This is creating a rapidly growing pool of middle income investors seeking portfolio diversity.
For commercial and personal wealth advisory professionals who understand and can access its capital flows, China is an unparalleled opportunity.
The China opportunity in numbers
The Belt and Road Initiative is vast, encompassing countries that account for 29% of global GDP
By 2030, it is anticipated that 66% of the world’s middle class will live in Asia – many along the Belt and Road.
Its investment into the ‘big three’ European nations of UK, Germany and France made up nearly half of China’s 2016 EU investment of over €35 billion[2].
[1]OECD
[2]MOFOM, Rhodium Group (Estimates of OFDI in Europe, 2016)
How China has become the opportunity
The following articles, published in partnership with Bloomberg, explore the content and themes debated at HSBC’s China Connections event in Shanghai last October.
- China’s journey from factory to forerunner looks at how China has successfully managed to break free of its low-tech “factory of the world” status to become a global high-tech innovator. Continue reading...
- China emerges as global innovation hub takes a view on how the country’s meteoric growth has presented business opportunities as the world’s gaze eastward intensifies. Continue reading...
- The new trade routes reshaping the global economic landscape explores the far-reaching social and economic impact of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. Continue reading...
- China’s new green imperative is a discussion on China’s realisation that with rapid economic growth comes the need to work towards more sustainable practices. Continue reading...
Exceptional People
Michel van Leeuwen
Group Chief Executive
Michel has a proven and highly regarded track record in delivering growth, having held senior positions at numerous high profile financial services and fintech businesses.
View Michel's full profile
Darren Kelland
Global Head of Private Client Services
Darren is an experienced guardian when it comes to the assets and financial affairs for ultra HNW individuals and families. He has substantial experience as both a trustee and a director on complex trust structures, family offices and multinational companies, and has provided administration services for high profile and influential individuals, entrepreneurs and long established families with considerable private capital and varied business interests.
View Darren's full profile
David Carswell
Managing Director, Jersey
David is the head of the Corporate Services Jersey Team. He works with clients including corporates, banks and other financial institutions, multinationals and entrepreneurs.
View David's full profileBack to top