Hong Kong SFC clarifies competence requirements for existing licensed persons intending to provide asset management services

On 23 June 2017, the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (the “SFC”) issued the “Circular to clarify competence requirements for existing licensed persons intending to provide asset management services” (the “Circular”), with an aim to provide further guidance on how the SFC assesses the competence of a corporation or a responsible officer (“RO”) […]

香港证监会明确有意提供资产管理服务的现有持牌人的胜任能力规定

香港证监会(“证监会”)于2017年6月23日发布《关于厘清与有意提供资产管理服务的现有持牌人有关的胜任能力规定的通函》(“《通函》”),就证监会对法团和负责人员进行资产管理活动的胜任能力的评估提供进一步指引。 《通函》主要说明持牌人获批准进行第9类(提供资产管理)受规管活动的有关行业经验是否可能相关及被接受方面的资格标准,以及可豁免通过本地监管架构考试的条件。 如《通函》的标题所指出,《通函》是针对可能考虑将业务范围扩展到资产管理的现有持牌人。在有关《通函》的新闻发布中,证监会表示鉴于香港资产管理行业的增长,该会欢迎现有持牌人扩展其业务范围。 《通函》亦强调证监会将就个案特别情况考虑每个豁免申请,亦欢迎有兴趣的机构与证监会讨论其拟定的业务计划。 《通函》体现证监会希望告知行业该会将继续采取务实方式考虑发牌申请,亦说明证监会有意鼓励现有持牌人申请第九类(提供资产管理)牌照作为一项独立的业务,以进一步开拓香港资产管理行业。 考虑到《通函》提及的证监会将会顾及到的范围更广泛的行业经验,包括投资研究、私募股权投资、自营交易及在其他认可的本地或海外市场的行业经验等,《通函》亦反映了证监会对全球合资格和有经验的专业人士在香港申请牌照参与资产管理业务所持的欢迎态度。 详情请参阅本所刊物:

Vivien Teu is Founder & Principal of Vivien Teu Law Practice / VTLP Impact.  With more than 25 years in-depth experiences in capital markets, financial institutions and asset management industry, financial services, financial and securities regulatory matters, funds formation, investment and finance transactions, Vivien is market leading in her focus on ESG legal and regulatory issues, increasingly integrated into her advisory and transactional practice. She has been active in impact ecosystem building, contributing to standard setting and industry engagements on sustainability, ESG and impact issues and sustainable finance, specifically in the investment and capital markets, holistically covering regulatory, legal and policy perspectives, and advises across the spectrum of capital, ESG issues and asset classes, public and private markets, for-profit, non-profit organisations or hybrid structures, and range of fund structures and financing instruments.

Prior to establishing Vivien Teu Law Practice / VTLP Impact, Vivien has solid industry experience from strategic roles throughout her career, including senior in-house legal experience with global asset management firm, Invesco, and practised with leading international funds and regulatory practice including magic circle law firm Clifford Chance, and most recently with global law firm Dentons, where Vivien assumed key roles as sustainable finance lead on the Global ESG Steering Committee, Global Funds Leaders Group and Global Financial Institutions Practice Group, driving impact focus within mainstream finance and capital markets.  Vivien’s leadership in sustainable finance, global funds and industry engagement is matched with her commitment to community and ecosystem building. 

With the vision of the role of law in purposeful partnerships and projects, to align capital with sustainability and increasing focus on measurable positive environmental and social outcomes, Vivien’s experiences include advising asset owners, asset managers and also charitable foundations in establishing purpose-led initiatives, related stewardship and governance considerations and structure design, B Lab’s legal requirements and certification standards for B Corps, green and sustainable finance frameworks and instruments, legal issues of carbon markets and climate transition, climate mitigation and adaptation strategies and funds, nature-based solutions and finance, impact term-sheets and other innovative finance instruments for impact, advocacy efforts as well as engaging in market proposals for policy, legal and regulatory levers for advancing sustainability and impact.   

 

Learn more about Vivien at LinkedIn