Hong Kong Trade Council Brings Major Business Promotion to Milan, Highlighting Asian Market Opportunities
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council's upcoming Milan event connects Italian businesses with Asian market opportunities through finance, technology, supply chain, and creative industry partnerships.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will host its 13th Think Business, Think Hong Kong promotion campaign at Palazzo Mezzanotte in Milan on November 27, marking the event's return to Italy since 2014. This initiative comes amid evolving global dynamics and emerging growth markets including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, ASEAN nations, and Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis development, offering Italian companies pathways to explore Asian markets, establish partnerships, and foster cross-border collaboration.
Following successful editions in Paris and Jakarta, the Milan event will gather approximately 80 representatives from Hong Kong, including government officials, business leaders, innovators, investors, and startup entrepreneurs. These participants will engage in dialogue, networking, and partnership-building activities with Italian firms seeking Asian market expansion. Professor Frederick Ma, HKTDC Chairman, will deliver remarks alongside representatives from both Hong Kong and Italian governments.
The program features high-profile speakers including 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. These industry leaders will share insights during the Plenary Session and four thematic sessions focusing on strategic collaboration areas.
The finance and trade session will highlight global economic trends, Hong Kong's role as a trade hub, digital trade initiatives, and plans for trade corridors linking Italy, Hong Kong, and the Chinese Mainland. Innovation and technology discussions will explore artificial intelligence developments, greentech, industrial digitalization, and smart city solutions, featuring case studies showcasing promising sectors for Italian businesses. The supply chain service segment emphasizes corporate treasury centers' strategic role in strengthening supply chain functions to support Italian business growth within Asia's dynamic markets. Creative and design sessions will promote collaboration between Hong Kong and Italian design, lifestyle, manufacturing, fashion, art, and luxury sectors.
Italy represents Hong Kong's fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade reaching $8.3 billion in 2024. Italy ranked as the third-largest EU investor in Hong Kong at the end of 2023, while Hong Kong served as the third most popular Asian destination for Italian investment. Hong Kong investors also made substantial investments in Italy, positioning the city as the third-largest Asian investor in the country. Currently, 200 Italian companies operate in Hong Kong across dynamic sectors including fashion, luxury goods, electronics, food and beverage, and high-value professional services.
Hong Kong offers Italian companies a global ecosystem combining competitive taxation, a robust common law legal framework, strong intellectual property protection, and privileged access to Chinese Mainland and emerging Asia-Pacific markets. This combination makes Hong Kong an ideal platform for Italian companies seeking international expansion and market diversification in one of the world's most vibrant regions. During an October media briefing in Milan, Chris Lo, HKTDC Regional Director for Europe, emphasized Hong Kong's role as a dynamic, international ecosystem with legal certainty, tax efficiency, and direct access to Chinese Mainland markets. Gianluca Mirante, HKTDC Director for Italy, described the event as accelerating strategic connections between complementary economies, serving as a meeting point for institutions, businesses, and investors. For event details, visit https://thinkbusinessthinkhk.com/2025-milan/symposium/en/index.html.