Day one of the HSBC Global Investment Summit brought together global leaders in Hong Kong to explore the forces reshaping the world economy.
HSBC Group Chairman Brendan Nelson set the scene with opening remarks framing the central question for the week: how unprecedented change is rewiring the global economy through new networks of influence, finance, trade and innovation.
We heard from HSBC Group CEO Georges Elhedery, who shared his thoughts on the reshaping of global economics and finance, and how HSBC plans to be at the forefront of this change.
In a welcome address, John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, highlighted Hong Kong’s status as a leading international financial centre and its unique role connecting China with the rest of the world.
Another session brought together two of the city’s business leaders: Hui Kuok, Chairman and Group CEO, Shangri-La Group and Lincoln Pan, Chief Executive Officer, Jardine Matheson, to discuss how they’re driving growth.
New networks of influence
Experts examined how shifting networks of influence are reshaping the backdrop for investment, trade and security.
Prof. Peter Frankopan set the context through history, arguing we’re entering a period of strategic rivalry driven by competition over energy and geography.
Former diplomats then discussed the factors influencing global stability. Energy remained a key theme, including a debate on how Asia may shape the future of its regional energy security.
In the afternoon, we tackled big-picture ideas: Prof. Eswar Prasad explored globalisation at an inflection point, while Dr. Parag Khanna and Dr. Pippa Malmgren discussed how geography is shaping the next world order - from AI and strategic influence to infrastructure connectivity and the competition for talent.
Global economic powerhouses
Panels explored how economic power is shifting across major markets.
Economists compared the growth models of China and India, looking at how both are reshaping Asia’s trajectory amid headwinds such as softer external demand, rising domestic ambitions and shifting capital flows.
A separate session focused on ASEAN, with an investor, a CEO and a former policymaker discussing the emerging opportunities - and the policy coordination needed to turn “Asia buying Asia” into faster execution on investment and integration.
Europe’s outlook also featured, with speakers from central banking, the European Commission and a major German bank discussing how public finance, industrial policy and private capital could support a long-term return to growth.
The power of private markets
The day ended with a clear takeaway: private markets are no longer a niche - they’re reshaping how capital is raised, allocated and put to work.
Leaders from global asset managers explained how private credit, hybrid capital and insurance-backed allocators are becoming central to corporate funding.
With inflows accelerating from institutions and wealth investors, speakers also explored how investor expectations and product design are changing the structure and scale of financial markets.
We closed the day with venture capital, where investors from China, India and the US compared how technology shifts are influencing which innovations get funded - and where the next growth opportunities may emerge.
