Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 27, 2025
Hong Kong Brings Business Mega-Event to Milan, Opening Asian Markets
TLDR
- Italian businesses can gain market access to Asia's growth regions through HKTDC's event, leveraging Hong Kong's strategic position for competitive expansion.
- The HKTDC organizes thematic sessions on finance, innovation, supply chain, and design to systematically connect Italian companies with Asian partnership opportunities.
- This initiative fosters international collaboration that builds economic bridges between Italy and Asia, creating shared prosperity and cultural exchange.
- Hong Kong brings 80 top business leaders to Milan for a rare networking event focused on Asian market opportunities and innovation trends.
Impact - Why it Matters
This event represents a significant opportunity for European businesses, particularly Italian companies, to access rapidly growing Asian markets through Hong Kong's established business ecosystem. In an era of shifting global supply chains and emerging economic blocs, the ability to forge direct partnerships with Asian counterparts becomes increasingly crucial for maintaining competitive advantage. The focus on high-growth regions like the Greater Bay Area and ASEAN provides European businesses with entry points to markets representing billions of consumers and trillions in economic output. For Italian companies in fashion, luxury goods, electronics, and professional services—sectors where Italian excellence is globally recognized—this event offers concrete pathways to expand their international footprint. Meanwhile, the emphasis on innovation, technology, and sustainable development addresses critical areas where cross-continental collaboration can drive future economic growth and technological advancement.
Summary
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is bringing its flagship "Think Business, Think Hong Kong" (TBTHK) promotion campaign to Milan on November 27, 2025, marking the event's return to Italy since 2014. This strategic initiative aims to connect Italian businesses with burgeoning Asian markets, particularly highlighting opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) regions, and Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis development. The event will feature approximately 80 representatives from Hong Kong, including government officials, top business leaders, innovators, investors, and startup entrepreneurs, creating a dynamic platform for dialogue, networking, and partnership-building between Italian companies seeking Asian expansion and Hong Kong's business ecosystem.
The Milan symposium will showcase high-profile speakers including HKTDC Chairman Prof Frederick Ma, Hong Kong SAR Government representatives, and Italian government officials. Notable industry leaders such as Hans Michael Jebsen (Chairman of The Hong Kong-Europe Business Council and Jebsen Group), Bernard Chan (Chairman of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority), Bonnie Chan (CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited), Claudio de Bedin (Partner of Justin Chow & de Bedin Solicitors LLP), and Alex Zhavoronkov (Founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine) will share insights during the Plenary Session. The program includes four thematic sessions focusing on Finance and Trade, Innovation and Technology, Supply Chain Service, and Creative and Design, each offering practical collaboration opportunities that leverage Hong Kong's unique position as a gateway to Asian markets.
This initiative builds on strong Italy-Hong Kong economic ties, with bilateral trade reaching US$8.3 billion in 2024, making Italy Hong Kong's fourth-largest trading partner in the EU. Italy ranks as the third-largest EU investor in Hong Kong, while Hong Kong serves as the third most popular Asian destination for Italian investment. The event underscores Hong Kong's competitive advantages including favorable taxation, robust common law legal framework, strong intellectual property protection, and privileged access to Chinese Mainland and emerging Asia-Pacific markets. HKTDC officials emphasize that Hong Kong serves as an ideal bridge for Italian companies seeking to operate in Asia while also representing a major opportunity for Asian companies looking to Europe, particularly Italy, for investment and innovation partnerships.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Hong Kong Brings Business Mega-Event to Milan, Opening Asian Markets
