HSBC Digital Banking at Web Wednesday Hong Kong (V104)

With the recent announcement of a new "FinTech Supervisory Sandbox" (catchy name, heh!), Hong Kong is entering a new era of frantic financial and insurance transformation frenzy.

The question is whether the charge will be lead by the incumbent banks or a new set of disruptive startups.

To answer these questions and more, we've invited Andrew Eldon, Head of Digital for HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Management to take the hot seat at our next social mixer.

We'll be covering topics from HSBC's new digital service launches, particularly on mobile (e.g. "peer-2-peer payments"), to how to prepare a large multi-national operation for digital disruption and rapid innovation. HSBC recently took the brave step to move 300 staff to the new WeWork hot-desking site in Causeway Bay.

Our 104th social mixer will be hosted at Orange Peel Lounge, 2/F, Ho Lee Comm Bldg,38-44 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central.

Networking from 6:30pm, interview around 7.15pm, with an entrance fee of HK$100 that covers for one complimentary drink.

FinTech finally formal in Hong Kong

Following on from their growing success with the StartMeUpHK programme, InvestHK (the inbound investment arm of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR) has recently spawned a new department under the catchy name of "Hong Kong FinTech". They explain why on their spanking new website, hongkong-fintech.hk, which also has some useful steps to setting up shop in this energetic city. Follow them on Twitter (@hongkongfintech).

This new department is headed by Charles D'Haussy, ex-VP of Sales & Business Development at 8 Securities, who on his LinkedIn profile says that he will focus on "Payments/Billing Tech, Wealth Management Tech, Money transfer/remittance, BlockChain, InsuranceTech, RegTech".

Charles (@charlus) will be supported by a Deputy Head of FinTech based in London, Thorsten 霍獅騰 Terweiden. His first job will be to recruit all promising startups looking for a way to survive in the wake of the Brexit traumas!

This winter (7-11th November, 2016), they will be running Hong Kong FinTech Week in cahoots with Finovate Asia, an event by the Finovate Group from Seattle, USA. (Follow them on LinkedIn and Twitter).

There is renewed energy in the industry as the "FinTech Supervisory Sandbox (FSS)", originally announced by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, has now been backed by the Securities and Futures Commission and the Office of Commissioner of Insurance. See the SCMP article.

Kiip - a new era in mobile advertising

Why do mobile ads suck? Why do we love Pokemon? Ask @brian_wong CEO of @kiip at Web Weds HK 3 Aug Orange Peel, LKF. pic.twitter.com/G1tTcoNUFr

— Napoleon Biggs (@webwednesday) August 2, 2016

Kiip + The Cheat Code at Web Wednesday HK (V103)

Take a break from capturing Pokemon across town to learn about the future of mobile marketing from Brian Wong, CEO of Kiip, author of The Cheat Code and a highly reputable young entrepreneur (Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Business Insider’s Top 25 Under 25 in Silicon Valley, Mashable’s Top 5 Entrepreneurs to Watch, and the AdAge Creativity Top 50).

Kiip (pronounced "keep") is the world’s first mobile rewards network that delivers rewards for moments of achievement in apps and games (think Gatorade after completing a work-out or Starbucks after achieving a level up in a game).

Brian has raised US$24 million and Kiip now powers rewards in over 4,000 mobile apps, delivering conversions for 700 of the top brands in the world.

At the ripe old age of 25, Brian has just published his first book, "The Cheat Code", showing anyone can easily shortcut his or her way to success, simply by going slightly off script; by doing things just a little differently from everyone else.

We will be hosting our 103rd social mixer at Orange Peel, 2/F, Ho Lee Comm Bldg,38-44 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central. Doors open at 6:30pm with an entrance fee of HK$100, including one complimentary drink.

See who else is coming and sign up via Facebook (4,781 members) or MeetUp (771 members).

Brian will also be a keynote speaker at ClickZ Live on 3/4 August. They have an inspiring line-up of speakers on digital commerce, digital marketing and brand strategy so well worth attending. ClickZ have kindly offered 25% off to Web Wednesday members, use the code "CZLHKWW" to buy discount tickets their conference website.

Watch Brian speak on Future Proofing your brand at the Next Web Conference Europe in Amsterdam in 2015:

MinorMynas - AIA Edge

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Prepare for the youngest and punchiest guest speaker that Web Wednesday has ever had!

Winner of the AIA Emerging Entrepreneur Challenge, Hilary Yip (11 years old!), will be joining us on Wednesday 1st June at Orange Peel to talk about her journey so far and tell us how her new venture, MinorMynas, will make learning a new language fun for children.

After appearing on the same stage as Elon Musk at the InvestHK Venture Capital Forum, and wooing the hearts and minds of the attendees, Hilary has taken Hong Kong by storm!

She's funded her idea and made convincing pitches at the Singularity University Master Class and UXHK. She has even appeared alongside a slightly older entrepreneur, Dr. Allan Zeman, as a founding member of Metta.

For those of you who are attending the RISE Conference, you will find Hilary's energy and gentleness a refreshing break and inspiring story.

The evening will start with introductory comments from Steve Monaghan, the Head of Innovation at AIA Edge.

We're hosting the event at Orange Peel, 2/F, 38-44 D'Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong. Doors open at 6:30pm with the talk kicking off at 7:15pm. There will be an entrance fee of HK$100 which includes a complimentary drink.

See who else is coming and sign up on Facebook or MeetUp.

We will be donating 10% of the entrance fee to Hong Kong Dog Rescue, Hilary's favourite charity.

Rethinking Prestige Branding – Secrets of the Ueber-Brands

Calling all marketers who "go beyond",

For our 101st Web Wednesday, we will be joined by renowned global prestige brand marketer, JP Kuehlwein, who's bestselling book “Rethinking Prestige Branding – Secrets of the Ueber-Brands”, analyses the success drivers behind some one hundred premium brands. JP advocates putting "the myth back into marketing" and "seducing rather than selling" (my personal favourite).

I'll be asking JP what makes an "Ueber Brand" and aim to dig into his founding principles:
• How mission gives meaning and generates a strong buy-in
• Why myths are the superior story and create magics
• The power of balancing the longing and belonging
• How to leverage digital and social media to bring the above to life?
• The need for ‘truth’ in execution.

Based in New York City, JP is on the advisory board and a guest lecturer at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology, an advisory board member of the CMO Council and a trustee of the Marketing Science Institute.

Note that we're back at Orange Peel in Lan Kwai Fong for this gathering of marketing and entrepreneurial minds.

Doors open at 6:30pm, with the interview around 7:15pm. The entrance fee of HK$100 will cover the first drink. Sign up on Facebook or MeetUp. You can also buy your tickets in advance from TicketFlap.

Here's an interview that JP did with the Luxury Marketing Council:



[We are sad to announce one of our strongest supporters and host at Orange Peel, Victor Isaac Cheung, has recently passed away. In remembrance of a dear friend and one of HK's first technology bloggers (aka "Hong Kong Phooey"), we will be holding a one-minute silence before the interview.]

Stuff yourselves with chocolate over Easter!

Data Talks at Web Wednesday Hong Kong (V100)

Dear Fellow Digital Discoverers,

100 Web Wednesdays over 10 years! Now that's something worth celebrating!

A featured event in the StartMeUpHK 2016 Festival, run by the super energetic team at InvestHK.

You're invited to join our 'bumper pack' edition of Hong Kong's premier networking event for internet entrepreneurs and digital media executives, hosted at KPMG's pristine new offices in the Prince's Building, Central, Hong Kong.


We are going to turn the tables for this event and kick off with the founder and host of Web Wednesday, Napoleon Biggs, being interviewed about the past 10 years of digital innovation in Hong Kong by Anson Bailey, the witty networking king of KPMG China and co-founder of  the sports charity, the Potbellied Pigs Rugby Football Club.

Once we've regaled you with stories of good times past, Napoleon will then interview our four expert speakers on the subject of big data and how it is being put to good (and sometimes, nefarious) use in the fields of business, education, research, marketing and government.

Panel Guests:

• Christina Keing, Co-founder, KeptMe
• Sam Olsen, CEO, Lamplight Analytics
• Adam Garret, Market Development Manager, Thomson Reuters
• Torsten Duwenhorst, Head of Data & Analytics for KPMG China

In the spirit of celebration, famous radio DJ, Jed Thian, will be flipping discs and KPMG will be generously sponsoring the drinks for the night - thank you!

Venue: KPMG, 8/F, Prince's Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong. (Locate on Google Maps).

6 - 7pm: registration and networking
7 - 7:30pm: 10 years of digital innovation (Anson interviews Napoleon)
7:30 – 8:30pm: Data Talks panel discussion
8:30 - 9:30pm: Q&A and networking

Sign up and see who else is coming via Facebook or MeetUp.

Reserve your spot at this special event now - order online via Ticketflap.

Entrance fee of HK$100, with $50 donated to charity (exact one to be confirmed soon). Students, with proof, pay HK$50.

下个礼拜三见！See you on Wednesday 27th Jan!

Napoleon Biggs
Founder, Web Wednesday Ventures
Co-founder, Purecomm Retail Innovations