GBA Perspectives - an update
We will welcome back some of the speakers from the final panel of our BritCham GBA 2021 Summit, which was very well received. The speakers will discuss macro developments from their individual perspectives over past 12 months. More details to come.
About the speakers
Andrew Seaton had been Chief Executive of the China Britain Business Council (CBBC) since June 2020. CBBC is the UK’s leading national business organisation promoting business, trade and investment between the UK and China. CBBC supports its members and clients with the provision of on the ground practical business advice in the UK and China (including through its offices in eight Chinese cities), the delivery of expert analysis and insight, and senior level access and advocacy.
Prior to joining CBBC, Andrew was from 2015-2020 Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, one of the biggest international business organisations in Hong Kong and one of the UK's largest overseas Chambers of Commerce. During this period, he also served as an Independent Non-Executive Director for Wharf REIC Ltd (a Hong Kong listed company).
Andrew was formerly a member of the UK Diplomatic Service spending much of his career working on UK policy towards, and relations with, China and Hong Kong, including postings to the Embassy in Beijing, as Head of the China Department in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and as British Consul General to Hong Kong and Macao. Other overseas assignments included Chicago, and Dakar.
Andrew was educated at the University of Leeds (BA Chinese Studies, 1st Class Hons) and Beijing University (UK/China Exchange scholar).
Mr Benjamin Mok joined the Administrative Service in 1997. He has served in various bureaux and departments including the Civil Service Bureau; the former Transport Bureau; the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Brussels; the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department; the Home Affairs Bureau; and the Home Affairs Department.
He was the Principal Assistant Secretary (Pay & Leave) of the Civil Service Bureau before taking up his present post as the Deputy Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in September 2020.
Mr Mok holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration (Marketing) from Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Master of Science Degree in Management from Stanford University.
David Wong is the Head of Greater Bay Area Business Development team of Invest Hong Kong. He is responsible for, among other things, attracting international companies to set up in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area via Hong Kong through enhancing collaboration with investment promotion agencies of other cities in the region, organising and participating in business events both locally and globally and engaging with stakeholders.
David holds the Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Hong Kong and Bachelor of Business Administration degree from York University, Canada.
Dr. Jonathan Choi is Permanent Honorary President of the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Hong Kong-based Sunwah Group, Chairman of the Hong Kong-listed Sunwah Kingsway Capital Group and Chairman of the Vietnam VinaCapital.
Dr Choi is active in community and international affairs which is evident in the wide range of public positions he holds. These mainly include: Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of CPPCC of the PRC; Hong Kong, China's representative to APEC Business Advisory Council (2015-2020); Chairman (Hong Kong) of Mainland China-Hong Kong Belt and Road Business and Professional Services Council; Co-Chair of the Belt & Road Industrial and Commercial Alliance (BRICA); Chairman of Guangdong-HK-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union; Founding Chairman of the Hong Kong - Vietnam Chamber of Commerce; Founding Chairman of Hong Kong - Korea Business Council and Chairman of the China Hong Kong Israel Technology Cooperation and Promotion Center etc.
Dr. Choi has been awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM) and Justice of the Peace (JP) by the HKSAR Government. He was conferred the ‘Friendship Order’ by the President of Vietnam, the ‘Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters of France’ by the French Government and Japan Foreign Minister’s Commendation for FY 2017 as well. Dr. Choi was appointed as the Honorary Ambassador of Foreign Investment Promotion for Korea (2015-2019). In 2019, The Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of P.R.C. in Hong Kong awarded Dr. Choi the title of ‘ Friends of Diplomacy’ for his tremendous contribution on implementing non-official diplomacy, promoting Chinese culture to foreign countries.
Dr. Patrick Lau has been Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) since 2019. In this role, Dr Lau creates opportunities and facilitates deals for Hong Kong businesses. His portfolio covers the promotion of Hong Kong’s service sectors, merchandise trade and innovation as well as the HKTDC’s external relations, corporate communications and marketing and its network of 50 offices worldwide.
Dr Lau is recognised as a seasoned banker, investor and dealmaker in the region. Between 2015 and 2018, Dr Lau served as Director of Investments at the Malaysian Government's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional, Board Director and Investment Committee Member of a life science private equity fund Xeraya Capital and CEO of a digital infrastructure company. From 2001 to 2014, Dr Lau worked as a corporate lawyer at Baker McKenzie and Skadden Arps, and later an investment banker at UBS AG and China Construction Bank International, where he held progressively senior posts until becoming Managing Director, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions and Assistant Head of Investment Bank.
Dr Lau graduated with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Laws with first-class honours from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He has been admitted as an advocate or solicitor in Hong Kong, Australia, England, Wales and Malaysia.
About the moderator
Harshika Patel is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan based in Hong Kong. She is responsible for running Strategy for J.P. Morgan in Asia Pacific partnering with the Corporate and Investment bank, Asset and Wealth Management and Commercial Banking businesses to drive and implement the firm’s strategy across our 16 markets.
She also serves as the CEO for Hong Kong which is home to the firm’s Asia Pacific headquarters. Harshika sits on the Board of J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited and on the EXCO of ASIFMA where she also serves as Treasurer.
Harshika joined J.P. Morgan in November 2013 as a Managing Director based in Singapore to run the Asia Commodities Sales and Structuring business and the Electronic Sales business, delivering electronic trading services across FX, Rates, Credit and Commodities to clients.
Prior to joining the firm, Harshika was at Barclays Capital for 10 years where she held a variety of roles based in London including Deputy Treasurer for Barclays Capital, and Global Chief Operating Officer for the Commodities business. Between 1994 and 2003, she was a Senior Manager in the Financial Services Practice at Deloitte London providing assurance and advisory services to global financial institutions.
Harshika is based in Hong Kong with her husband and two children.
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