2025 Key Achievements
and 2026 Forward Outlook

2025 Key Achievements
and 2026 Forward Outlook

Dear Distinguished Leaders, Trusted Partners, and Members of Our Global Community,

As we enter a transformative new year, we extend our warmest greetings to our clients, partners, programme participants, alumni, faculty colleagues, and stakeholders worldwide. Your continued confidence and collaboration have been fundamental to our shared success.

Setting the Context: Navigating 2025's Defining Challenges and Opportunities

The past year has been marked by profound shifts in the global economic landscape—accelerating AI adoption, intensifying geopolitical tensions, escalating trade protectionism, and currency volatility have redefined competitive dynamics across all sectors. Simultaneously, emerging markets have demonstrated resilience, whilst developments in digital currencies and decentralised finance have transformed financial infrastructure.

Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland, and the broader Asia-Pacific region have emerged as crucial epicentres of innovation and growth. Within this complex environment, HKU Business School Executive Education has remained steadfast in developing principled leaders equipped to navigate complexity, seize opportunity, and drive sustainable value creation.

We are proud to present the achievements that have shaped our impact across industry and the globe.

Our 2025 Milestones: Impact and Reach​

  • Over 7,000 participants engaged across diverse executive programmes
  • Representation from more than 20 countries across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe, North America and South America
  • Participants from 50+ leading organisations, including government organisations, leading financial institutions, NGOs, insurance companies, airlines, law firms, and premier business associations
  • 240+ days of rigorous professional development covering executive leadership, Web3 and AI innovation, digital transformation, Chinese enterprises going global, macroeconomic policy, women's directorship, and investor relations
  • These figures underscore our global reach and the confidence that high-calibre executives place in our programmes.
  • Over 7,000 participants engaged across diverse executive programmes
  • Representation from more than 20 countries across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe, North America and South America
  • Participants from 50+ leading organisations, including government organisations, leading financial institutions, NGOs, insurance companies, airlines, law firms, and premier business associations
  • 240+ days of rigorous professional development covering executive leadership, Web3 and AI innovation, digital transformation, Chinese enterprises going global, macroeconomic policy, women's directorship, and investor relations

These figures underscore our global reach and the confidence that high-calibre executives place in our programmes.

The Five Defining Achievements of 2025

Historic Expansion: Our First Executive Education Programme in Saudi Arabia

We proudly delivered our inaugural executive education programme in Saudi Arabia—a bespoke three-day intensive for 30 senior investor relations professionals from leading regional organisations. The programme, delivered in partnership with Argaam Investments and aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, represents a significant step in our regional expansion and commitment to supporting economic transformation across the Gulf.

Thought Leadership in Focus: CryptoFi Forum 2025

We successfully convened the CryptoFi Forum 2025, featuring a landmark discussion between Professor Lin Chen and Binance Founder Mr Zhao Changpeng. This dynamic exchange examined critical advances in Web 3.0 development, balanced regulatory frameworks, stablecoin infrastructure, real-world asset tokenisation, and Hong Kong’s pivotal role in reshaping global digital finance.

Flagship Programme Launch: Doing Business with China 2.0

Our flagship offering—Doing Business with China 2.0—was launched to equip overseas executives and entrepreneurs with essential strategic insights into China’s evolving economy, advanced manufacturing capabilities, AI leadership, and emerging technologies. Through our strategic centres in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing, participants access key growth engines and market intelligence essential for competitive advantage.

Excellence Recognised: HKU CEO Programme—Inaugural Cohort Graduation

The graduation ceremony for our inaugural HKU CEO Programme cohort celebrated the accomplishments of distinguished senior executives, reinforcing our commitment to executive excellence and demonstrating the enduring impact of collaborative, transformative leadership development.

Legacy of Impact: Women's Directorship Programme—13 Years of Pioneering Progress

Marking its 13th anniversary since launch in 2012, the Women’s Directorship Programme will celebrate the graduation of its 2025 cohort at a ceremony in February 2026. This pioneering initiative continues to empower women leaders and advance gender diversity on corporate boards, fostering enhanced decision-making, organisational innovation, and inclusive corporate governance.

Extending Our Reach: Strategic mILESTONES Advancing Executive Excellence

Inaugurating the HKU Business School Shanghai Centre and the East China Alumni Network

HKU Business School officially inaugurated its Shanghai Centre and established the East China Alumni Network in December 2025. This milestone marks a major step in the School’s strategic expansion into Shanghai and reinforces the University’s contribution to China’s national development. It also creates a new platform for deeper academic exchange, industry collaboration, and technological innovation between Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Middle East Expansion: HKU Saudi Economic Forum and Strategic Alliance with Argaam Investment Company

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The inaugural HKU Saudi Economic Forum in Riyadh brought together regional and international leaders to explore economic synergies between China and Saudi Arabia. Concurrent with this strategic convening, HKU Business School Executive Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Argaam Investment Company to expand executive training and investor relations programmes throughout the Gulf Cooperation Council region.

Strengthening Asia-Middle East Connectivity: Partnership with American University of Sharjah

In 2025, HKU Business School advanced its Middle East footprint through a strategic partnership with the American University of Sharjah (AUS). This collaboration enables co-creation of executive programmes, academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, and student mobility, reflecting our commitment to connecting Asia and the Middle East through transformative leadership development and knowledge exchange.

Web3 Leadership at Scale: Collaborative Programme with National University of Singapore

The Web3 Global Elite Programme’s Singapore module, delivered in collaboration with National University of Singapore (NUS), provided participants with immersive exploration of blockchain innovation, digital asset strategies, and decentralised finance. Through expert-led sessions bridging academia and industry expertise, executives gained strategic foresight essential for navigating the digital economy.

Strengthening US Academic Ties: HKU CEO Programme Engagements at Stanford University and Harvard Kennedy School

As part of the HKU CEO Programme’s prestigious US West Coast module, our distinguished cohort visited Stanford University and Harvard Kennedy School in November 2025, engaging with leading professors in materials science, AI-driven healthcare innovation, and sustainable technology development. These engagements provided invaluable exposure to world-class innovation ecosystems and academia industry collaboration models.

Bridging Americas and Asia: Executive Delegation from Brazil Explores Doing Business with China 2.0

A distinguished delegation of 40 senior business executives from Brazil, hosted by HKU Business School Dean Professor Cai Hongbin, participated in our flagship Doing Business with China 2.0 programme. Through immersive corporate visits and engagement with smart manufacturing facilities across Hong Kong and Shenzhen, participants gained strategic insights into China’s evolving economy, advanced manufacturing capabilities, AI governance, and emerging technologies—strengthening Brazil-China business collaboration and networks at the executive level.

MBA International Engagement: IESE Business School China Module Partnership

HKU Business School welcomed IESE Business School MBA students for the China Module on Doing Business with China. Through focused HKU seminars and practical company visits across Hong Kong and Shenzhen, international postgraduate participants discovered key trends in innovation, advanced manufacturing, and digital market development, strengthening institutional ties and global network connectivity.

Reaffirming Our Position: Global Recognition and Institutional Excellence

HKU affirms its position as Asia's foremost institution and a global leader in business education:

  • QS World University Rankings 2026: Ranked 11th globally and 1st in Asia
  • Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026: Ranked 33rd globally, 1st in Hong Kong, and 6th in Asia
  • THE Subject Rankings 2026:
    • Leading across 9 of 11 ranked disciplines, with 1st position in Hong Kong and top 50 status worldwide
    • Business and Economics: Ranked 40th globally

This recognition underscores our institutional excellence and the calibre of transformative learning experiences we deliver to executive communities worldwide.

Commitment to 2026: Our Forward Outlook

As we enter 2026, HKU Business School Executive Education remains resolute in developing innovative executive programmes, nurturing strategic partnerships, and advancing global executive leadership excellence.

We remain committed to deepening expertise in AI and digital transformation, expanding our global footprint across the Middle East and South-East Asia, advancing thought leadership through executive forums, fostering inclusive leadership, and building organisational resilience through strategic foresight.

Thank you for being an integral part of our shared story of progress, ambition, and collective impact. Your partnership and active engagement have been instrumental in our achievements.

We look forward to welcoming you to our programmes and initiatives in 2026. Together, we shall continue to advance the calibre of global executive leadership.

Warm regards and best wishes for a prosperous and transformative year ahead.

Marketing, Executive Education

HKU Business School