In the opening remarks, Kiran Patel, Senior Director Commercial and Deputy Head of China at CBBC, noted that the UK and the Greater Bay Area are two of the world's most dynamic financial ecosystems. He expressed his hope that this forum would further promote practical collaboration between the two sides in cross-border finance, FinTech, and professional services.

James Thomson, Deputy Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee of the City of London Corporation, stated that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area holds tremendous development opportunities, with its total economic output surpassing that of multiple G20 member countries. He added that the GBA is rapidly emerging as a hub for cross-border financial development. The City of London's cooperation with China is advancing simultaneously across multiple sectors, and he expressed hope for continued deepening of collaboration amid the complex global geopolitical environment.

Xie Huirong, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangdong Committee (Guangdong Chamber of International Commerce), affirmed CBBC's role as a bridge for China-UK economic and trade cooperation. She highlighted the openness and cross-border service capabilities of the Greater Bay Area, particularly Shenzhen, and welcomed more UK companies to explore cooperation opportunities in the region.

Sarah Mann, Consul-General of British Consulate-General Guangzhou, noted in her speech that there has been a high frequency of high-level interactions between the UK government and China this year. She pointed out that the UK Foreign Secretary and the Chairman of the City of London Corporation's Policy and Resources Committee had both visited Shenzhen this month alone, demonstrating the city's growing international attention. She mentioned that the UK and China have just concluded a productive Economic and Financial Dialogue and looked forward to promoting more cooperation between the UK and Qianhai.

At the event, experts in economics and finance, including Qu Hongbin, Chief Economic Expert of the Qianhai Authority; Professor Xiao Geng from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen; and Nicole Ni from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, shared their professional insights on topics such as Qianhai as a Shenzhen-Hong Kong hub linking global patient capital, China-UK cooperation under the new global financial order, and the cultivation of cross-border financial talent.
 

Furthermore, representatives from Ernst & Young(E&Y), the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW), Prudential plc, HSBC, the British Standards Institution (BSI), Hawksford, and LexisNexis Risk Solutions participated in panel discussions covering professional qualifications and talent supply, as well as capital flow and exchange rate risk management, and cross-border transaction compliance for companies going global.

CBBC will host the UK–Greater Bay Area: Healthcare and Life Sciences Forum 2026 this coming December. We encourage members and partners interested in collaboration opportunities to get in touch for further details.