Hong Kong:  Some 2,000 business and government leaders from around the world are expected to take part in the fifth Asian Financial Forum (AFF), to be held during 16-17 January 2012, in Hong Kong.

Under the theme, “Asia: Driving Sustainable Growth”, AFF 2012 will discuss growth opportunities and challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, and the Chinese mainland in particular. The main programme will address such topical issues as global investment prospects, China opportunities, Japan’s reconstruction and green growth initiatives.

AFF 2011, which took place last January, attracted close to 1,800 participants from 32 countries and regions, a new Forum record, including more than 70 high-profile speakers. Half of the participants came from the Chinese mainland and overseas. The event was covered by more than 460 journalists from around the world. To see a short video with the highlights of AFF 2011, please see the link at the end of this release.

Global Voices

At AFF 2012, Hong Kong SAR Government Chief Executive Donald Tsang will officiate at the opening of the Forum. A number of prominent speakers will, or are expected to, take part:

Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for Internal Markets and Services

Cho Tak Wong, Chairman, Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co Ltd

Jong-Ku Choi, Deputy Minister, International Affairs, Ministry of Strategy and Finance, Korea

Richard Samuel Elman, Founder and Chairman, Noble Group Limited

Douglas Flint, CBE, Group Chairman, HSBC Holdings plc (invited)

Hitoshi Goto, Senior Vice Minister, Cabinet Office for Reconstruction in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Disaster Management

Tshepo Kgadima, President and CEO, LontohCoal Limited

Richard Lavin, Group President, Caterpillar Inc

KK Modi, Chairman, Modi Enterprises

Chandran Nair, Founder and CEO, Global Institute for Tomorrow

Michele Norsa, CEO and Group Managing Director, Salvatore Ferragamo Italia SpA (invited)

John Rice, Vice Chairman, General Electric Company

U.K. Sinha, Chairman, Securities and Exchange Board of India

Joseph Stiglitz, Professor of Economics and Finance, Columbia University

Rona Yircali, Chairman of the Executive Board, Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey

John Zhao, Founder and CEO, Hony Capital; Senior Vice President, Legend Holdings

Deal Maker

AFF 2012 will also see the return of AFF Deal Flow – a half-day deal-making session featuring one-on-one meetings between participating companies and potential collaborators. At AFF 2011, more than 400 meetings involving 120 companies from 16 countries and regions took place in Deal Flow.