Bloomberg Launches Hong Kong Chapter of Women’s Buy-side Network

Bloomberg is pleased to launch the Hong Kong chapter of its Bloomberg Women’s Buy-side Network (“BWBN”), the latest addition to an expanding buyside community that started in Singapore and expanded to India. The Hong Kong chapter will convene a community of senior and middle level female buyside professionals, and will serve as a platform for industry players to discuss future investment trends and inspire the next generation of buyside professionals through student outreach and engagement.

As the first women’s buy-side network of its kind in Hong Kong, the chapter will serve as a support system for its members, promote meritocracy and inclusion in the industry, and educate on the diversity of career paths in the buyside through meaningful engagement and active mentorship.

Leading the community as executive members for the Hong Kong chapter are Philippa Thompson, Head of Asia’s Buyside business at Bloomberg LP;  Amy Cho, CEO of Hong Kong and Head of Intermediary, Asia Pacific, at Schroders; Mark Konyn, Group Chief Investment Officer, AIA; Kimberley Stafford, Head of Asia-Pacific, Pimco; Geraldine Buckingham, Chair of Asia-Pacific, BlackRock.

“It’s very exciting for us to start a new community in Hong Kong alongside so many respected buyside leaders in the industry,” said Philippa Thompson from Bloomberg. “We aim to fill a gap in the industry by focusing on advancing women in the buy-side, through community building and mentorship.  With the investment world in transition, we believe this network has the potential to facilitate change in the industry and we look forward to collaborating with other organisations to make a tangible impact.”

“I’m proud to be part of an influential network aimed at creating a more diverse environment in the industry,” said Amy Cho from Schroders. “I believe different genders can bring different perspectives and values to the table, and I advocate for a fair and inclusive environment where everyone could enjoy true meritocracy. As one of the many female senior leaders at Schroders and in the industry, I hope that by sharing my experiences through BWBN, I could inspire a new generation of women leaders to continue making positive, sustainable impact in our industry.”

“As a Group where over 40% of our country Chief Investment Officers are women, we focus on attracting and developing our people, creating meaningful career opportunities in a meritocracy where diverse opinions and experience matter critically,” said Dr. Mark Konyn from AIA Group. “Now, more than ever, success in fund management requires perspective, balance and a diverse range of opinions to keep pace with the rate of change in the markets and in the industry, and to address the pressing concerns of sustainability and corporate responsibility. I am excited to be part of the Bloomberg Women’s Buy-side Network and I look forward to the Network making a positive impact in an industry where inclusion is increasingly being recognized as fundamental.”

“Gender diversity has long been a top priority for PIMCO. We believe it generates deeper insights, drives greater innovation and yields better outcomes for our clients,” said Kimberley Stafford from PIMCO. “Increasing women representation by building and nurturing a pipeline of strong women talent becomes increasingly important across the asset management industry as we navigate a more complex and dynamic market place. I’m honored to be part of this growing Bloomberg Women’s Buy-side Network and look forward to bringing meaningful impact to the industry and inspiring the next generation of women professionals.”

“I’m excited to start building this network and motivated by its mission to empower women in the industry,” said Geraldine Buckingham from BlackRock. “Diverse teams produce better outcomes and demonstrate the growing importance of social impact – the S of ESG – to a company’s purpose. BlackRock is committed to investing in the next generation of female leaders. This network plans to do just that – and will be a great forum for our community here in Hong Kong.”