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”) to carry on asset management activities.
The Circular focuses on the eligibility criteria for licensed persons to be approved to carry out Type 9 regulated activity of asset management with respect to industry experience that may be relevant and acceptable, and also on the conditions for seeking exemptions from passing the required local regulatory papers.
As the title of the Circular suggests, it is directed to existing licensed persons that may consider expanding their scope of business into asset management. In a press release on the Circular, the SFC’s expresses that it welcomes existing licensees to broaden their business scope in light of the growth in Hong Kong’s asset management industry.
The Circular also emphasizes that the SFC will consider each application for exemption based on the specific circumstances of each case and that interested firms are encourage to approach the SFC to discuss their proposed business plans.
The Circular can be seen as the SFC’s effort to inform the industry that the SFC will continue to take a pragmatic approach in considering licensing applications, and spells the SFC’s intention to encourage existing licensed entities to apply to engage in Type 9 regulated activity of asset management as a stand-alone business, to spur further growth of Hong Kong’s asset management industry.
Considering the mention of the broader industry experience that the SFC would take into account including investment research, private equity and proprietary trading, as well as industry experience in other recognized local or overseas markets, the Circular also suggests the SFC’s welcome attitude for qualified and experienced investment professionals around the globe to seek to be licensed in Hong Kong to engage in asset management.
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