Our Hong Kong Stories Series - Conversation with Mahesh Harilela: Enhancing Regulations and Expanding Talent to Attract Family Offices to Hong Kong
Our Hong Kong Stories Series - Conversation with Mahesh Harilela: Enhancing Regulations and Expanding Talent to Attract Family Offices to Hong Kong
(5 June 2025, Hong Kong) Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) hosted "Our Hong Kong Stories," featuring Mr Mahesh Harilela, Family Council Convenor of Harilela Group Ltd. as the keynote speaker, to share his story of family, tradition, and identity. He revealed how Hong Kong's unique cultural and business environment has shaped his life values.
Dr Allan Zeman, Governor of OHKF, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group welcomed the audience as the opening speaker. The Sharing session was honoured to have the gracious presence of Mr Mahesh Harilela, Family Council Convenor of Harilela Group Ltd. as the keynote speaker; Mr Vishal Melwani, Partner at Karas So LLP, former President of The India Association Hong Kong, as the panellist.
Addressing the audience with an opening speech, Dr Allan Zeman said “The Indian community assimilate well within the Hong Kong community. They are doing everything now, including trade, finance, business, hotels, fund-raising. Although they have stick together, they still reach out to the rest of Hong Kong.”
Mr Mahesh Harilela expressed in his speech “Our flag of opportunity is Hong Kong; our growth is with Hong Kong. We are the guardians of this galaxy. As a family business, we drive forward with purpose. A business was built with purpose, from survival to wealth, to preservation, and a preservation of society, no less. None of this could or would.”
Regarding Hong Kong’s recent efforts to actively develop its family office ecosystem, Mr Mahesh Harilela stated that as Hong Kong has been actively developing its family office ecosystem in recent years, the city must prioritize enhancing its legal and regulatory framework to attract family offices. Simultaneously, it is essential to cultivate or bring in more professional talent to meet the demand for specialized services required by family offices.
Hong Kong's relatively high cost of living remains a consideration for family offices. Therefore, how to offer policy incentives is something the Government should explore.
He further expressed the Government could develop a roadmap for establishing family offices, seize the current opportunity to offer more incentives to attract them to develop in Hong Kong.
Mr Vishal Melwani, said “I spent my life here, and I quickly realised that well, winters are warmer in Hong Kong, taxes are lower in Hong Kong, salaries are higher in Hong Kong, Hong Kong's the best city in the world to live in.”
The Sharing session attracted a full house of attendees, including entrepreneurs, C-suite executives and industry pioneers and strong support from a wide range of sectors, including The India Association Hong Kong and Lan Kwai Fong Group as the supporting organisation, and Ernst & Young (‘EY’) as the venue sponsor.
(5 June 2025, Hong Kong) Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) hosted "Our Hong Kong Stories," featuring Mr Mahesh Harilela, Family Council Convenor of Harilela Group Ltd. as the keynote speaker, to share his story of family, tradition, and identity. He revealed how Hong Kong's unique cultural and business environment has shaped his life values.
Dr Allan Zeman, Governor of OHKF, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group welcomed the audience as the opening speaker. The Sharing session was honoured to have the gracious presence of Mr Mahesh Harilela, Family Council Convenor of Harilela Group Ltd. as the keynote speaker; Mr Vishal Melwani, Partner at Karas So LLP, former President of The India Association Hong Kong, as the panellist.
Addressing the audience with an opening speech, Dr Allan Zeman said “The Indian community assimilate well within the Hong Kong community. They are doing everything now, including trade, finance, business, hotels, fund-raising. Although they have stick together, they still reach out to the rest of Hong Kong.”
Mr Mahesh Harilela expressed in his speech “Our flag of opportunity is Hong Kong; our growth is with Hong Kong. We are the guardians of this galaxy. As a family business, we drive forward with purpose. A business was built with purpose, from survival to wealth, to preservation, and a preservation of society, no less. None of this could or would.”
Regarding Hong Kong’s recent efforts to actively develop its family office ecosystem, Mr Mahesh Harilela stated that as Hong Kong has been actively developing its family office ecosystem in recent years, the city must prioritize enhancing its legal and regulatory framework to attract family offices. Simultaneously, it is essential to cultivate or bring in more professional talent to meet the demand for specialized services required by family offices.
Hong Kong's relatively high cost of living remains a consideration for family offices. Therefore, how to offer policy incentives is something the Government should explore.
He further expressed the Government could develop a roadmap for establishing family offices, seize the current opportunity to offer more incentives to attract them to develop in Hong Kong.
Mr Vishal Melwani, said “I spent my life here, and I quickly realised that well, winters are warmer in Hong Kong, taxes are lower in Hong Kong, salaries are higher in Hong Kong, Hong Kong's the best city in the world to live in.”
The Sharing session attracted a full house of attendees, including entrepreneurs, C-suite executives and industry pioneers and strong support from a wide range of sectors, including The India Association Hong Kong and Lan Kwai Fong Group as the supporting organisation, and Ernst & Young (‘EY’) as the venue sponsor.
