Benjamin Quinlan, CEO of strategy consultancy Quinlan & Associates and former Deutsche Bank and UBS senior executive, appointed Chairman – New board elected to help drive further growth and support next stage of Hong Kong’s FinTech evolution
The FinTech Association of Hong Kong has appointed Benjamin Quinlan to be its new Chairman, leading it in the next stage of its mission to support the growth of Hong Kong’s FinTech industry. It has also elected a new board, representing the wide diversity of talent – and range of organisations – within the local FinTech community.
Benjamin succeeds Henri Arslanian, who has stepped down having completed the maximum two-year term as Chairman but remains on the board.
Benjamin Quinlan, newly appointed Chairman of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong, said, “I’m extremely proud and excited to take on this role. Under Henri’s leadership, the Association has become one of the most active FinTech organisations in the world, and I thank him on behalf of the board for all his work.”
The new Board, led by Benjamin, will continue this work and also shape the Association to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the fast-evolving environment in which the sector operates. FinTech is emerging as a crucial pillar of the regional economy, and Hong Kong – with its unique links to Asia and the rest of the world, as well as its location within the Greater Bay Area – has a prominent part to play in its development.
“I will be working closely with our Board and General Manager in coming months to look in detail at our overall strategy, with a view to taking the Association to the next level: a vision we are calling *FTAHK 2.0*. In the current economic climate, with so much uncertainty ahead, there has never been greater need for an association to act as a cohesive voice representing the interests of the local FinTech community. As an organisation set up by the community for the community, we are committed to building on our previous success to further support, connect, and propel Hong Kong’s FinTech ecosystem to new heights,” said Benjamin.
Since its launch in 2017, the Association has grown to become one of the most active representative bodies in FinTech globally, with over 1,700 members and the largest online following of any FinTech organisation. Over the last few years, it has successfully connected and strengthened the local ecosystem, providing a focal point for FinTech in Hong Kong and a link to communities around the world. It has also advocated on behalf of its members on multiple topics including, most recently, around funding for start-ups caught in the disruption caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The board members of the FinTech Association of Hong Kong are:
– Benjamin Quinlan (Chairman) – *Quinlan & Associates*
– Syed Musheer Ahmed – *FinStep Asia*
– Henri Arslanian – *PwC*
– Matt Dooley – *Connected Thinking*
– Marc Entwistle – *EY*
– Karen C. Farzam – *WHub*
– Veronica Fung – *Societe Generale*
– Jessica Lam – *WeLab*
– Timothy Leung – *Tencent*
– Lawrence Li – *Livi Bank*
– Ken Lo – *Zhong An International*
– Medhy Souidi – *DBS Hong Kong*
– Maaike Steinebach – *Commonwealth Bank of Australia*
– Amanda Tung – *ZhongAn International*
– Antony Morris – *Industrie & Co Asia*
*About the FinTech Association of Hong Kong*
The FinTech Association of Hong Kong (FTAHK) is an independent, not-for-profit, member-driven organisation that is the voice of the FinTech community in Hong Kong. Members range from promising startups and passionate individuals to FinTech unicorns, global financial institutions, and leading professional service providers. FTAHK is led by a volunteer group of board members from the FinTech community who care about the future of FinTech in Hong Kong, greater China, and Asia. The Association’s three initial goals are to:
● Advocate – create the unified voice for the Hong Kong FinTech ecosystem
● Collaborate – bring together the diverse parts of the community
● Educate – learn from existing leaders and nurture the next generation of talent
For more information about the FinTech Association of Hong Kong and how you can join, go to: http://hkfintech.org/
