Taiwan Stock Exchange collaborated with HSBC Securities from Hong Kong and Shanghai to host the 2024 Investment Forum for two consecutive days, attracting more than 150 institutional investors from Europe, the United States, and Asia. Additionally, the Taiwan Stock Exchange organized the “Institutional Investor Forum,” with over 300 company representatives participating.
The 2024 Taipei International Computer Show (COMPUTEX) kicked off on the 4th, with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang delivering a keynote speech at the National Taiwan University Sports Center on the 2nd to warm up for COMPUTEX. The Taiwan Stock Exchange, together with HSBC Securities from Hong Kong and Shanghai, held the “HSBC X TWSC Taiwan Conference 2024” for the first time from the 3rd, marking the exchange’s first physical fundraising event in Taiwan this year. The event aimed to bridge the gap between listed Taiwanese companies and international investors.
According to Central News Agency, Taiwan Stock Exchange’s General Manager James Chien stated that the forum co-organized with HSBC Securities invited about 40 Taiwanese listed companies to meet with nearly 150 investors from Taiwan, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and mainland China for almost 150 one-on-one sessions. The goal is to facilitate direct two-way exchanges between listed companies and investors and showcase the value of Taiwan’s high-quality enterprises to global institutional investors.
HSBC Taiwan’s President and General Manager of HSBC Taiwan Commercial Bank, Chen Zhi-jian, highlighted the significant changes in the Taiwan stock market in recent years. He mentioned that Taiwan’s stock market had outperformed India and Japan this year, leading in terms of growth among Asian markets. Particularly, Jensen Huang’s lecture at National Taiwan University on the 2nd attracted worldwide attention, putting Taiwan on the global stage, especially in hot topics such as semiconductors, ICT, and AI.
Chien added that Taiwan’s stock market has shown strong performance this year, with the concentrated market-weighted index ranking among the top performers globally. To further capitalize on this momentum, the exchange conducted physical fundraising activities in Europe and Singapore in March and May respectively. The joint forum with HSBC Securities is the first physical fundraising event in Taiwan this year, aiming to facilitate dialogue between Taiwanese listed companies and international investors.
Furthermore, the Taiwan Stock Exchange issued a press release stating that the “Institutional Investor Forum” on the 3rd featured representatives from BlackRock, HSBC Bank, and ISS-Corporate to discuss foreign investment trends and institutional investor decision-making perspectives. More than 200 listed companies in Taiwan and around 300 company representatives attended the forum, generating enthusiastic participation.
During his address, Chairman Lin Hsiu-ming of the Taiwan Stock Exchange emphasized the need to bridge the gap between listed companies and foreign institutions due to cultural, linguistic, and institutional differences. He stressed the importance of exploring more efficient communication and cooperation methods.
Huang Chung-hao, Head of the Securities and Futures Bureau of the Financial Supervisory Commission, pointed out the increasing participation of foreign institutional investors in Taiwan’s capital markets in recent years. He highlighted the importance of communication between listed companies and foreign institutions, citing the commission’s efforts to enhance corporate governance, information disclosure, and sustainable development policies.
The “Institutional Investor Forum” featured two insightful keynote speeches. Belinda Boa, Managing Director and Head of Active Investments and Emerging Market Investment at BlackRock’s Asia-Pacific Region, discussed “Sustainable Investment Strategies.” She emphasized the responsibility of trustees to provide choices to clients based on robust research, data, and analysis to seek the best risk-adjusted returns within the authorized scope.
Following that, Stephen James, Managing Director of the Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific Business Group at ISS-Corporate, talked about “Information Disclosure in the Shareholder Activism Era.” He shared ISS-Corporate’s views on ESG disclosure in the current market and the Asia-Pacific region, mentioning the upcoming implementation of IFRS S2 in Taiwan and the importance for companies to align their disclosures accordingly.
The panel discussion, titled “Taiwan Market in a Global Perspective,” moderated by Chen Li-ching, Vice General Manager of the Taiwan Stock Exchange, featured Herald van der Linde, Head of Equity Strategy for the Asia-Pacific Region at HSBC Bank; Shinbo Won, Head of Due Diligence Governance Team for Japanese and Asian Markets at BlackRock; and Dan Cheng, Vice President and Business Development Manager for the Asia-Pacific Region at ISS-Corporate. They delved into institutional investors’ perceptions of the Taiwanese market, analyzing investment philosophies and decision-making processes, and sharing detailed insights on corporate governance, information disclosure, and sustainable development of listed companies in Taiwan.
The Taiwan Stock Exchange stated that the forum’s discussions not only provide insights into managing investor relations for listed companies but also strengthen communication and operational strategies between listed companies and institutional entities. By enhancing visibility and market value, companies that excel in investor relations stand a greater chance of being recognized as hidden champions. The successful forum is another step towards improving communication and operational strategies between listed companies and institutional entities, with a future focus on bridging the gap and promoting collaboration between them.