Georges Elhedery, Chief Executive of the HSBC Group $HSBA (-0,26 %)described Hong Kong as the Group's home market and an important growth market and expressed his firm conviction that the region would continue to play an important role as an international financial center in the future.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Elhedery emphasized Hong Kong's role as a wealth management hub and "super-connector" - characteristics he described as the cornerstone of its status as a global financial centre.
The banker highlighted the region's unique access to mainland China. Through programs such as Stock Connect, Hong Kong offers by far the most attractive and comprehensive access to the world's second largest economy, while also serving as a bridge for capital from the mainland to the global market, he said.
The CEO pointed to an emerging trend in recent years whereby Hong Kong is increasingly becoming a hub for overseas investment by Chinese companies in markets such as ASEAN, the Middle East, Europe and the United States.
In particular, he predicted that the region is on track to become the largest cross-border wealth center by 2030, pointing out that HSBC has gained around 100,000 new clients per month over the past two years.
Elhedery's optimistic outlook is in line with Hong Kong's continued strong performance in the Global Financial Centers Index, where the region ranked third globally and first in the Asia-Pacific region. It is worth noting that the gap between Hong Kong and New York and London has narrowed.
Hong Kong has an open capital market, immigration and talent program that allows people from all over the world to settle here, which Elhedery says will undoubtedly cement its status as an international financial center.
For HSBC, Hong Kong is an important international hub, the CEO emphasized, as the group bases its global network in Hong Kong to support connections between its clients.
Regarding Hong Kong as an offshore renminbi center, Elhedery said the region is the right platform and the best hub as it understands not only the policy considerations but also the needs of international players.
"The developments so far are very encouraging. We expect even greater liquidity of the renminbi in Hong Kong," he said.
Hong Kong has also pushed ahead with the development of digital assets, and the Stablecoins Ordinance has come into force. Elhedery was encouraged by the regulatory developments as a sound regulatory framework is a prerequisite for the healthy growth of the digital asset sector.
Hong Kong has seen an increase in IPOs. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange reported 69 newly listed companies in the first nine months of 2025, an increase of 53 percent year-on-year.
"Looking at the pipeline, we expect this trend to continue for at least the next 12 months, if not longer," said the banker. "This shows once again why Hong Kong continues to be one of the most attractive international financial centers in the world."