Financial, Investment and Innovation Forum by Ireland China Business Association

Thanks to the Chair Susan Barrett of Ireland China Business Association for the kind invitation to our Peter Oakes to moderate an expert panel on Tuesday 29th September 2026 8:00- 10:15am
at Glandore, NO. 25 FITZWILLIAM PLACE, DUBLIN 2 - DO2 E7P0.​

Did you know that Hong Kong is luring back professionals, reversing an exodus in the wake of political and social unrest in 2019 and some of the world's most rigid COVID restrictions, as its ​IPO market booms and the city reclaims ground as a global financial hub?

Highlights:
* overtakes Switzerland as the world’s top cross-border wealth hub
* total funds raised, including IPOs, rising 76% year-on-year to roughly $83.5 billion in the first eight months of 2026.
* more than 400 companies either set up local entities or expanded their ​presence in the city in the first six months of 2026, up 9% from a year earlier, according to government investment agency InvestHK.
* these enterprises expected ⁠to bring in more than HK$53 billion ($6.8 billion) in foreign direct investment and create over 8,600 jobs for the city.

Philip Healy (Bank of Ireland), Eimear O'Brien (A&L Goodbody), Peter Oakes (Fintech Director, Fintech Ireland), Matthew Green (KPMG), Li Zhe (Bank of China) & Brian Corr (Department of Finance)

Hyperlinks to material shared and discussed by the Speakers:

Hong Kong draws back talent as IPO boom fuels financial hub's revival

• https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-draws-back-talent-ipo-boom-fuels-financial-hubs-revival-2026-09-11/

Offshore borrowing in renminbi hits record high of nearly $150bn - Issuance of ‘dim sum’ and ‘panda’ bonds rises past $149bn so far this year

•  https://archive.ph/xqkY3

Ireland for Finance Strategy (25 August 2026)

• https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-finance/publications/ireland-for-finance-strategy-2026/

Ireland’s Digital Finance Opportunity (24 August 2026)

• https://bpfi.ie/publications/irelands-digital-finance-opportunity/

Fintech Ireland Maps (27 September 2026)

• ​https://fintechireland.com/news-insights/fintech-ireland-map-of-regulated-fintech-ecosystem-payments-crypto-crowdfunding-version-23-issued-27-september-2026 and https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7510105895444451328)

 
Ireland Profited €54 Billion from China. Does It Owe Beijing?

• https://irelandchinainstitute.eu/2026/08/12/ireland-profited-e54-billion-from-china-does-it-owe-beijing/

 
CSO stats show trade deficit with China and robust exports to UK - BDO analysis 15 July 2026

• https://www.bdo.ie/en-gb/news/2026/cso-stats-show-trade-deficit-with-china-and-robust-exports-to-uk-bdo%E2%80%AFanalysis

 
China's AI Startup Funding Landscape in H1 2026: Over $42 Billion Injected with Emerging Tech Trends  16/09/2026

• https://intl.cloud.baidu.com/en/article/8940070

Pulse of Fintech H1 2026

• https://kpmg.com/xx/en/what-we-do/industries/financial-services/pulse-of-fintech.html

Irish fintech attracts $158m investment in H1’26.   Globally, investment in fintech reached $103.1 billion in H1’26  04-09-2026

• https://kpmg.com/ie/en/insights/fintech/pulse-of-fintech-h1-2026.html

Linkedin Posts:

• Alice Dowling, Member Engagement Manager, Glandore - https://lnkd.in/p/dPS-HYma
• Ireland China Business Association - https://lnkd.in/p/dD7zriEk
• Glandore - https://lnkd.in/p/dFtSYK5m
• Philip Healy - https://lnkd.in/p/di-4ZaWT
• Stephen McCormack - https://lnkd.in/p/dGaVySuf
• Eimear O’Brien - https://lnkd.in/p/d85e8WEA