About us

Our vision

The Financial Services Research Group was established in 2021 by a group of financial services and business professionals to support the development of the Hong Kong’s financial markets and to accelerate Hong Kong’s leadership in the rapidly evolving areas of green finance, sustainable investment and global asset management. FSRG is an independent body that seeks to collaborate with policy makers, businesses, financial institutions and civil society in building on Hong Kong’s existing capabilities to maintain its premier position in the region, as well as identifying new opportunities for growth and competitive advantage.

Hong Kong will continue to act as the bridge between China and the international capital markets, and increasingly to provide the financial engine driving the Greater Bay Area. At the same time, it must continuously adapt and identify potential for leadership in emerging sectors. For example, FSRG believes that Hong Kong can play a key part in mobilising private capital and directing it into low carbon investments across Asia, thereby transforming and strengthening its own financial infrastructure for the future. We also see significant opportunities for Hong Kong in crypto and blockchain technologies.

FSRG draws on the expertise of the local business and financial communities, together with international best practice and a deep understanding of global trends, to add our contribution to the successful future of the financial services industry in Hong Kong.

Our Mission

FSRG seeks to:

· Disseminate information to market participants, including international best practice and global themes

· Publish original research, review and strategy publications

· Encourage meaningful discussion between policy makers, businesses, financial institutions and civil society

· Facilitate dialogue and knowledge exchange between Hong Kong stakeholders and global experts

· Foster the growth of a supportive community and collaborate across the financial services ecosystem

Alexandra Tracy (Chairman)

Alexandra is President of Hoi Ping Ventures in Hong Kong, which she founded to provide research and consulting on green finance and sustainable investment in Asian emerging markets. She is currently a Private Sector Observer to the World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds and a director of the Climate Markets & Investment Association in the UK. For many years, she was Chairman of the Association for Sustainable & Responsible Investment in Asia, and was instrumental in establishing the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change during this period. She sits on a number of corporate and non profit boards in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Ching Yng Choi (Treasurer)

Ching setup CYC Asia Europe Consulting Ltd. based in Hong Kong to provide advisory services to enterprises of all sizes in Greater China and Europe. Anchored with the best practices from the East and the West, she helps corporates build and communicate on their strategies, augment governance, and efficiency. Ching started her professional career with General Electric in Brussels, Bergen-op-Zoom, and Paris. She then moved to Luxembourg and joined MDO Services, the fund governance provider, where she was a risk manager. With the citizenship of Hong Kong and Belgium, Ching speaks Chinese (Mandarin), English and French.

Julia Charlton (Strategy Director)

Principal Partner of Charltons, a leading boutique Hong Kong corporate finance law firm, which provides advice to Hong Kong, PRC and international clients on securities law, capital markets, private equity, M&A, investment funds, restructuring and regulatory issues. Her current appointments include acting as a senior fellow of the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute, a member of the Takeovers and Mergers Panel and the Takeovers Appeals Committee of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, a member of the Listing Review Committee of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, a member of the Company Law Committee of the Hong Kong Law Society and a member of the Working Party on Review of the Law Society’s Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Jens-Erik Olsen (Vice Chairman)

The Owner of Eight Ships Limited, Jens-Erik Olsen has extensive industry knowledge and expertise in Chamber of Commerce leadership and interaction with the Government of the Hong Kong SAR. He has chaired the Danish Chamber of Commerce, EuroCham, InterCham PRD Committee and was Business Environment Council Covenor. As a ship owner and financial marine asset recovery professional, he has practical experience of finance and litigation management. Jens-Erik is a A.P. Moller Maersk 1976 alumni.

Uther Charlton-Stevens (Research Director)

Uther Charlton-Stevens is a Professor at the Institute of World Economy and Finance, Volgograd State University, where he teaches courses on Global Economic History and A History of Financial Crises and Investment Scandals. Uther earned his Master of Science with distinction at the Economic History Department of the London School of Economics.