CityUHK Business Innovation Education partners with CityUHK MBA to offer unique seminar
CityUHK MBA and CityUHK Business Innovation Education (BIE) co-hosted an inaugural speaker event, “Behind Closed Doors: Candid Conversations with Financial Masterminds at Citi”, on 19 February 2025. The event, held at Champion Tower in Central, brought together CityUHK business students, industry leaders, experts, and aspiring professionals for an evening of insightful discussions on financial operations, emerging trends, and career development in the financial sector.
The evening began with an introduction by Mr. Charles Lam, Managing Director for Citi Hong Kong, and Mr. Guillaume Besson, Director of Listed Structured Products for Citi Asia, who set the stage by highlighting the importance of innovation and collaboration in the financial industry. This was followed by a warm welcome from Professor Chak-fu Lam, CityUHK MBA Programme Director, who emphasised fostering connections between academia and industry. "We appreciate the close collaboration between big corporates like Citi and BIE, a new executive education platform at CityUHK, to organise this event to benefit students' professional growth," said Professor Lam.
The seminar continued with an introduction to the Hong Kong Gold Exchange by Ms. Cherry Lai, Director of the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society, who provided an overview of its role in the global financial ecosystem. Ms. Jenny Mai, Vice President of Listed Structured Products (Sales and Marketing) for Citi Asia, then took the stage, delivering an engaging presentation on Hong Kong investment instruments, focusing on listed structured products. Her session was complemented by Mr. Kenneth Lee, Executive Director and Head of Intermediary Sales at CSOP Assets Management, who shared his insights on the evolving landscape of investment tools and strategies.
The highlight of the evening was the panel discussion on the 2025 global economy, where financial KOL, Mr. Alan Tai from Hong Kong Strategists Media, joined the speakers on stage to exchange perspectives on current market trends, challenges, and opportunities. The discussion gave attendees a comprehensive understanding of the financial market's trajectory, particularly in Hong Kong.
Professor Tina Choi, Founding Director of BIE, reflected on the importance of innovation and collaboration in shaping the future of finance, saying, "We emphasise learning outside the classroom and gaining real-life exposure. Events like this provide our students invaluable opportunities to connect with industry leaders and gain practical insights that complement their academic learning."
Ronald Rong Jiangjin, an MBA student, also shared his reflections on the seminar, highlighting its impact on his understanding of financial markets and career aspirations. He said, “The seminar was incredibly insightful. I learned about warrants and better understood Hong Kong's financial market trends." Nemo Wei Shuyu, another MBA student said, " The speakers from the China Gold Exchange deepened my understanding of the gold market, and I appreciated Citi's insights on stock certificates."
The success of this inaugural event underscores the importance of fostering dialogue between academia and industry. CityUHK MBA and CityUHK BIE aim to continue organising such events to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, empowering the next generation of financial leaders.
The highlight of the evening is the panel discussion on the 2025 global economy.
(From left) Mr. Charles Lam, Mr. Guillaume Besson, Prof. Tina Choi, Prof. Chak-fu Lam, Ms. Cherry Lai
Prof. Tina Choi and Mr. Kenneth Lee (middle) share their views on financial operations with MBA students.