HKVCA 30th Anniversary Dinner
A 30th anniversary night to remember
The HKVCA held its 30th anniversary dinner on the evening of Friday, 20th October, 2017. This very special event was hugely successful with attendees going as far as to say that the night could be described as nothing short of spectacular. More than 280 people gathered at the elegant Aberdeen Marina Club, where they were treated to an evening of fabulous food and drink and warm friendship.
Before dinner commenced, guests were treated to a cocktail reception in the stately Marina Suite. Among those present were 13 former chairmen, 19 current HKVCA board directors, and many partners and friends of the Association. As guests moved into the Grand Ballroom to be seated for dinner, they had the opportunity to pause and greet old friends as well as new at the many tables, adding to the fun and strong sense of nostalgia shared by most as they were seated for dinner.
Eric Mason, Chairman of the HKVCA, officially opened the festivities by welcoming all present and took the opportunity to report on the Association's tremendous results over the past few years. Dr. Victor Fung, Founding Chairman of the HKVCA, then spoke and was able to share his reminiscences in a speech filled with personal and proud memories of the HKVCA’s contribution to the private equity and venture capital community during its three decades of activity. He noted that he was especially pleased with the setting up of the LP and recently created Family Office Committees, as well as the launch this year of the ESG Award for Excellence, the first in Asia to recognize significant environmental, social and governance-related initiatives and achievements in Asian PE/VC-backed companies.
“Involving LPs and family offices in the Association’s activities is a mission dear to my heart and it has been a great pleasure to see significant LP representatives like Eric become our chairman,” Dr Fung said. “The endorsement by the HKVCA of environmental, social and governance investing through its inaugural ESG Award for Excellence is a big step forward in the industry’s embrace of impact investments’, he added.
The Association’s “key role”, Dr. Fung stated, “is to provide professional training in the fast-moving private equity and private investment industries, and never has this been more important than now, as the region evolves under the Big Bay Area and Belt and Road initiatives. Bringing knowledgeable talent in specific industries into private equity is key to our future growth as an industry. Whether that is people operating in specific units, divisions or sector funds, their management of those investments is critical both to due diligence and portfolio management,” he said.
Dr Fung and Eric Mason then together invited everyone present to stand and join in a hearty toast to witness the HKVCA’s milestone 30th anniversary and wish the Association every continued success in the future.
As the main course was served, Johnny Chan delivered a special presentation outlining the HKVCA’s work and its outstanding achievements over the previous 30 years.
The HKVCA would like to extend our special thanks to our diamond sponsors, including the Fung Group, EY, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, King & Wood Mallesons, Shearman & Sterling and SS&C GlobeOp. The dinner would not have been possible without their most generous support.
Our thanks also to all participants who helped to make our annual dinner a most unforgettable and wonderful night. It was, indeed, an honor to host everyone at this, our annual dinner, made especially significant with the celebration of our 30th anniversary.
Photo album: https://www.hkvca.com.hk/en/30thDinnerPA.aspx
Video highlight: https://youtu.be/ZlforDhO9Gs