Board Briefings

The board’s roles amidst the fast-changing governance/ESG and macro scene!
“Annual regulatory update” remains our most popular briefing!

Wendy Yung, our founder, will personally deliver these briefings, and work with you to focus on aspects that meet your company’s needs. Other topics are also available on request. We can also advise you on developing a structured annual directors’ training programme.

What’s special

  • Board-focused — no legal technicalities! Actionable follow-up steps!
  • Board/management alignment — establish common expectations and actions
  • Tailor-made
  • Option: partner with investors/technical subject experts

 

“The regulatory presentation to our board was of a high professional standard, yet without excessive legal technicalities. We find this approach useful.”

John Yip, Executive Director, Henderson Land Development Group

 

“Our board found the regulatory update briefing helpful. It was practical and interactive.”

Hamilton Cheng, Executive Director, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group

 

I. [UPDATED] Essential ANNUAL regulatory update for directors

  • (Code:20DT1) Directors’ duties: HKEX/SFC/AFRC enforcement priorities and cases 
  • (Code:20DT2) Disclosure of inside information — update and lessons from common pitfalls
  • (Code:20DT3) Practical HKEX/SFC annual regulatory update for directors (Optional special focus: directors’ duties; ESG; enforcement trends; “new” regulator AFRC on financial reporting/board and audit committeeinternal controls etc.)

 

II. [UPDATED] Strategic roles of the board

HOT ISSUES

  • (Code:20DT4) ESG and the board’s roles (Options: practical overview of HKEX/ISSB requirements; special focus and questions directors should ask: practical experience sharing (implementing ISSB, data collection/controls), investor perspectives)
  • (Code DT2013) One-on-one induction for new INEDs  (E.g.s: directors’ duties; annual review of internal controls effectiveness, annual review of continuing connected transactions; ESG oversight; board dynamics/interaction with management)

CORE TOPICS

  • (Code:20DT5) Getting ready for Annual General Meeting re-election of long-serving independent directors, other trends and your actions
  • (Code:20DT6) Shareholder activism and short-seller attacks in HK — lessons and how to get ready
  • (Code:20DT7) Board evaluation: the best way for you (Various approaches; pros and cons; handling potentially sensitive areas like “peer review”)
  • (Code: 20DT 8) The board’s roles in corporate culture
  • (Code: 20DT9) Latest trends in shareholder engagement/Investor relations — and the board’s roles
  • (Code: 20DT10) The board’s roles in internal controls and risk management

 

III. Corporate governance (“CG”): new requirements, trends, best practices

HOT ISSUES

  • (Code: DT2011) Updated CG Code, best practices, way forward (Possible focus areas: long-serving independent director re-election, setting board diversity target, linking corporate culture/values/strategy; examples; selected global trends)
  • (Code: DT2012) Global CG trends and what investors want  (E.g. New CG Code, UK- internal controls and risk management; IT governance; option to combine with face-to-face meeting with a leading institutional investor)

CORE TOPICS

  • (Code: 20DT13) Corporate governance awards in HK (possible focus: entering the right award; OR lessons from best practices)

 

Briefings can be delivered in English, Cantonese, Putonghua. Prices typically around $15k for a one hour briefing, depending on the level of customization and extended duration as requested.

Enquiries and further discussion:
Wendy Yung (wendy.yung@practisingov.com) /
Events Team (Eva Ng) (events@practisingov.com)
T: 25093928

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Mar 2026

Mini survey on AGMs (2026)

Around 140 listed companies joined our 4th annual AGM mini- survey, with over 35 Hang Seng Index companies (including 78% of those based in HK/Macao). We very much appreciate the support from our growing community.

Survey findings:

– Majority: “physical” meetings
– “Hybrid” meetings: majority with e-voting (beyond webcast)
– Vast majority: NOT proposing director fee rise
– Continual board refreshment (9- year INEDs): (where due for rotation) majority have only some OR none of such INEDs standing for re-election
– Board evaluation 2026 in planning: internal (50%), external (13%), TBC (37%)
– Meeting logistics: majority have refreshment/or souvenir/or both

This time, we also cover board evaluation under the revised HKEX Corporate Governance Code.
When compared with the last survey, there are continual signs of board refreshment. In terms of meeting format, the majority plan to have physical meetings. However, for “hybrid meetings”, a majority opt for e-voting (beyond webcast).

Practising Governance AGMs 2025 Survey Findings Mar 26

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Nov/Dec 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories HKEX published (A) a report on its review of issuers’ annual, corporate governance (CG) and ESG reports for 2024 year-end,  (B) (updated) consolidated guide for the preparation of annual reports (HKEX AR Guide), (C) launched HKEX Annual report explorer, providing access to annual report disclosures with an AI-empowered search engine.  (Press […]

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Sept/Oct 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories AFRC on 2025 year-end audits AFRC published its Audit Focus for 2025 year-end audits, highlighting the need to navigate the dynamic risk environment of 2025. The challenging economic conditions, coupled with new and increasingly complex business model, present significant challenges for both companies and their auditors. (Report) Our focus is the […]

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Jul/Aug 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories The Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) published 2 investigation reports on data breaches by companies in retail industry: (A) Kwong’s Art Jewellery Trading Company Limited and My Jewelry Management Limited and (B) Adastria Asia Co; Limited.  (Press release) (A) Kwong’s Art and (its subsidiary) My Jewellery incident The companies submitted […]

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Jun 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories HKEX’s latest Listing Regulation and Enforcement Newsletter HKEX addresses various themes, including convertible bond offerings with concurrent share buyback; issuers undertaking securities trading and financial investment activities; non-compliance in material transactions. (HKEX Newsletter) (Note: other themes include: promoting capital efficiency through treasury shares; new company re-domiciliation regime; USM; new corporate governance […]

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Apr/May 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories HKEX Guide for revised CG Code HKEX published an updated Corporate Governance Guide for Board and Directors (the “Guide”), FAQs 1.1 and 17.1 to support issuer boards’ application of the revised Corporate Governance Code (effective from the financial year commencing on or after 1 Jul 2025).    (Background on revised Code: our Dec […]

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Mar 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories SFC’s major enforcement efforts SFC’s publication (Enforcement Reporter) highlighted its major enforcement efforts to combat corporate misconduct. Firstly, it introduced a new Market scanning detection model to identify governance red flags for early intervention.  The goal is to prevent rather than to discipline. AI-empowered analytics are employed to assess financial disclosures, […]

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Feb 25 Legal Update

Share This: Top stories USM: latest developments SFC launched a consultation on proposed limits for 3 types of fees that an approved securities registrar (ASR) may charge investors under the upcoming USM (Uncertificated Securities Market) regime. (Press release, Consultation) Some subsidiary legislation for implementing USM were also gazetted (Press release). (On fees level consultation) SFC […]

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Mar 2025

Mini survey on AGMs (2025)

This is our third AGM mini-survey, with support from our growing community. Over 120 listed companies joined our survey, with over 30 Hang Seng Index companies (including 75% of those based in HK/Macao).

Survey findings:

– Majority: “physical” meetings
– Many Hang Seng Index cos: “hybrid” meetings (e-voting OR webcast)
– Vast majority: NOT proposing director fee rise
– Signs of board refreshment: majority have only some/or none of 9-year INEDs standing for re-election
– Meeting logistics: majority have refreshment/or souvenir/or both

When compared with the last survey, signs of board refreshment continue to grow. In terms of meeting format, the majority plan to have physical meetings. However, Hang Seng Index companies show an increasing trend to go for “hybrid” meetings (with either e-voting or webcast).

Practising Governance AGMs 2025 Survey Findings Mar 25

Download Infographic

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