The 2015 HSBC Golf Business Forum will be staged at the award winning five star Pudong Shangri- La Hotel in Shanghai, 1 – 4 November 2015.
Taking place in Asia for the first time, the 2015 HSBC Golf Business Forum once again promises a host of influential speakers from inside and outside of the golf world, reflecting the Forum’s position as one of the most anticipated gatherings in the golf business calendar. Shanghai is also the destination city for Asia’s leading golf event and the flagship of HSBC’s golf sponsorship programme, the World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions tournament which take places at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
HSBC Global Head of Sponsorship & Events Giles Morgan said, “We are delighted that the 2015 HSBC Golf Business Forum will be hosted at the Pudong Shangri-La, situated close to our HSBC offices in Shanghai.
When we added the Forum to our sponsorship portfolio we believed it would help us in our ambition to open up the world of golf, playing both an important part in developing and shaping the golf industry as well as showcasing our business assets to key golf industry sectors.
We’re thrilled that the 2015 HSBC Golf Business Forum will take place in the lead up to the WGC-HSBC Champions, both in Shanghai, offering delegates the opportunity to attend ‘Asia’s Major’, one of the biggest tournaments on the global schedule.
We were delighted with the success of the conference in year one and we are eagerly anticipating next year’s event. Shanghai is a city of great strategic importance for HSBC for many reasons and in our 150th year it makes absolute sense for us to bring this prestigious business event to one of our home cities.
HSBC is committed to supporting the growth of golf in Asia, from sponsorship of elite golf tournaments through to grassroots golf programmes, such as the China Junior Golf Program. As a major international business hub and the home of our flagship international golf tournament, Shanghai is the ideal location for what promises to be a fascinating insight into the business of golf in Asia.”
Guy Kinnings, Global Head of Golf, IMG added, “We are very pleased to take the 2015 HSBC Golf Business Forum to Shanghai. It is a wonderfully vibrant city and will provide a fantastic backdrop to next year’s event. From the moment we acquired the Golf Business Forum, we were asked when we would be taking the event to Asia so we are proud to be able to deliver on this in year two. The delegates are in for a spectacular experience.”
Fresh thinking and networking will be placed at the heart of the agenda for the three day conference where specialists and influencers with expertise and insight are set to debate golf’s 21st Century issues and opportunities. A mix of panels, keynote presentations and thought leadership sessions from the world’s most innovative and diverse brands will spark healthy debate and enable sharing of the latest industry trends and research.
The HSBC Golf Business Forum enjoyed a successful re-launch in Abu Dhabi at The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa in April of this year as HSBC took title sponsorship role for the first time.
The event has been running since 2004 and attracts the entire spectrum of the golf industry and its key decision makers with more than 250 golf industry delegates each year ranging from industry leaders to developers, investors and journalists from more than 40 countries.
The Forum has been attended by many of the leading names in golf including Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sir Nick Faldo, Peter Dawson and George O’Grady. HSBC and IMG plan to build on the success of the event by broadening the content and widening its global appeal, whilst continuing to grow the extensive network of professionals focused around the game of golf.
IMG acquired the Golf Business Forum and the Golf Business Community, widely regarded as the most established business to business network for professionals within the golf industry, from KPMG in 2013. The acquisition of these assets has proven a natural fit for the leading sports, fashion and media company as illustrated at the successful 2014 HSBC Golf Business Forum.
