PM Edition: Top 10 Business Articles on LiveNews.co.nz for October 13, 2026 – Full Text

Source: SFS Private Wealth

Billions of dollars attracted to New Zealand through the Active Investor Plus programme could be repatriated offshore from 2028 unless the country develops private banking infrastructure capable of competing with global wealth centres, with proposed tax changes alone unlikely to retain the capital, an international finance expert warns.

Dr Sharad Nair says New Zealand has successfully attracted a new generation of high-net-worth migrants through its golden visa programme, but risks losing a much larger opportunity to manage their wider global wealth as the first Growth-category investors begin reaching the end of their mandatory three-year investment periods.

His warning comes as Inland Revenue consults on how New Zealand’s tax-residency rules apply to AIP visa holders, with submissions set to close on October 13, and as proposed changes to the foreign investment fund regime progress through Parliament.

Dr Nair says greater tax certainty and more competitive tax settings are important, but will not be enough if New Zealand cannot provide wealthy migrants with private banking services comparable with those available internationally.

He says the challenge now is to turn the initial AIP investment into a much broader financial relationship with New Zealand.

“The fact is when due diligence is being done on these individuals, Immigration New Zealand knows what their wealth looks like and knows that only a small piece of it is coming in,” he says.

“From there on, you need to build platforms for them to interact with the opportunity.”

Dr Nair says the success of the revised visa has accelerated the arrival of globally mobile wealth faster than New Zealand’s private banking infrastructure might otherwise have developed, leaving the sector playing catch-up while the first investors move closer to the end of their compulsory investment periods.

Dr Nair, founder and board member of SFS Private Wealth and himself an AIP visa holder who has spent more than two decades in international private banking and was part of Dubai’s early development as a global wealth centre, says New Zealand’s strategy now needs to shift from attraction to retention.

Almost $5 billion has been committed or is progressing through the investment pipeline under the revised programme. Immigration New Zealand figures show $2.72 billion in capital had been committed and transferred by September 2, with a further $2.215 billion in the pipeline.

Growth-category applicants must invest at least $5 million for three years, while Balanced applicants must invest at least $10 million for five years. The revised settings came into effect in April 2025, meaning the first Growth-category investment periods can begin expiring from 2028.

SFS Wealth co-founder Sunny Nair says retaining the migrants and retaining their wealth are two different challenges.

“I think retaining people and retaining money are two different things,” he says.

“New Zealand sells itself really well… The question is, are we in a place to retain them as well as their money?”

Nair says many AIP investors see the mandatory investment as the cost of securing residency rather than the start of a wider financial relationship with New Zealand.

“Most people who come in on AIP don’t think of the $5 million or $10 million as an investment. They think of it as an expense,” he says.

“They’re saying, ‘I want to move to New Zealand. Where does the money need to go?’ Once that’s done, the box is ticked and they’ve moved.”

The larger economic opportunity, he says, lies in what happens to the remainder of their wealth.

“They have 50, they have 100, they have 500 million, whatever they have. How do I engage them into New Zealand Inc and have that money circulating in the NZ economy?

“Investor migrants typically have wealth well above the minimum visa thresholds, although there is limited public New Zealand data showing exactly how much additional capital they bring with them.

“What we do know is that the average investor migrant brings around 2.5 times the required investment into New Zealand,” he says.

Nair says capturing even a relatively small proportion of that additional wealth could materially increase the economic value of the programme without requiring New Zealand to attract another migrant.

He says New Zealand has already proved it can compete for wealthy migrants despite investors having access to golden visa programmes in jurisdictions such as Malta and Portugal, but the competitive landscape changes once they arrive.

When New Zealand seeks to attract more than the mandatory visa investment, it is competing with established wealth centres including Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, London and Switzerland, as well as some of the world’s largest private banks.

“Competition isn’t other wealth managers in New Zealand, it’s JP Morgan Private Banking, it’s UBS, it’s Julius Baer, it’s all these international institutions who are banking these clients on their home turf,” Nair says.

“Because the five million is a minimum requirement, to win any more money than that, you suddenly have to be competitive against some really big names and some really established competition.”

Dr Nair says New Zealand’s private wealth sector today reminds him of Dubai when he arrived there in 1996, before the emirate developed into a major international financial centre.

“When I moved into Dubai, the wealth management business in Dubai was pretty much what wealth management business today is in New Zealand,” he says.

At the time, wealthy Middle Eastern clients were commonly serviced by “briefcase bankers” flying in from London, Geneva and Zurich, before Dubai developed the institutions, specialist expertise and infrastructure needed to manage international wealth locally.

Dr Nair says New Zealand already has many of the ingredients needed to follow a similar path, including rule of law, low corruption, institutional stability and an international reputation for trust and safety.

“We could be known for our banks. We could be known for banking. We could be known as the world’s global hub for safety,” he says.

Nair says those attributes are the foundations on which financial centres such as Switzerland and Singapore have been built.

“The business of banking or the business of wealth management is the business of trust. So we’ve already got all the secret ingredients. We just need to put it together.”

Nair says New Zealand needs a broader private wealth sector capable of connecting international capital with investment opportunities here.

“We don’t just want to build a business, we want to build an industry,” he says.

“AIP is slightly more complicated because what it requires is a globally competitive ecosystem. New Zealand has it. It’s just fractured.”

Private banking provides wealthy individuals and families with highly tailored advice across areas such as global investment portfolios, lending, wealth structuring and succession planning, but the underlying assets do not all need to be invested in New Zealand.

An investor could hold assets across the US, Europe and Asia while their advice, portfolio management and wider banking relationship are based here, allowing New Zealand to participate in managing international wealth without requiring that capital to be invested solely in domestic assets.

SFS Private Wealth grew out of the Nair family’s own experience of relocating to New Zealand through investor migration and identifying a gap for the bespoke private wealth services available in established international financial centres.

“We’re missing the infrastructure and platforms needed to support this market. That’s really the gap we built SFS to help address,” Nair says.

Operating in the wealth management space since September 2025, the firm has grown to more than 20 staff, is working with dozens of AIP investors and says it has ‘significant assets’ under management.

SFS is also establishing an office in Dubai to take New Zealand investment opportunities directly to international investors, including those who have no intention of migrating here.

“We’re taking New Zealand opportunities right to their doorstep. Let’s sell it to them in their living room,” Nair says.

He says the longer-term opportunity is to attract global capital into and through New Zealand rather than limiting the market to investors seeking residency.

Dr Nair says competing for ultra-high-net-worth families also requires infrastructure beyond financial services, citing a recent conversation with a billionaire who had moved from London to Dubai and told him he had not considered New Zealand because he would be unable to bring the staff who manage his household and affairs.

“He said, ‘I have an entourage of people that look after me. I wouldn’t get work visas for them,’” Dr Nair says, adding that the investor has since bought a US$50 million villa in Dubai.

“We have visas for your pilot, your crew, your everyone, so they can continue. Singapore is also possible,” he says.

Dr Nair says the billionaire’s experience highlights the wider challenge facing New Zealand as it moves from attracting wealthy migrants to building long-term relationships with them.

Having successfully brought a new generation of international investors into the country, Dr Nair says the next test is whether New Zealand can retain their initial capital, capture a greater share of their global wealth and develop the infrastructure needed to compete with established international financial centres.

Nair says his own experience provides one example of the wider economic potential, with his required AIP investment followed by other investments in New Zealand and the establishment of SFS Wealth in Auckland.

The risk is that New Zealand fails to build those relationships before the first Growth-category investors reach the end of their mandatory investment periods, with Dr Nair saying Government can help create the right settings while the private sector develops the platforms and expertise needed to compete for that capital.

Having successfully attracted a new generation of wealthy international investors, Dr Nair says New Zealand’s next test will be whether it can retain their capital, capture a greater share of their global wealth and develop into an international centre for managing it.

Dr Sharad Nair

Dr Sharad Nair is founder and board member of SFS Private Wealth and has more than 20 years’ experience in international private banking. He has worked with institutions including Julius Baer, Barclays and Citibank across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe, advising sovereign funds, global corporates, multi-generational families and entrepreneurs. He is also involved with a number of international investment, philanthropic and entrepreneurial ventures and remains active in venture capital.

Sunny Nair

Sunny Nair is Associate Director, Offshore Wealth Management at SFS Private Wealth and was part of the firm’s foundation team. He has an international background spanning Singapore, Dubai and London and combines legal expertise with experience in cross-border investment and wealth management. He holds an LLB (Hons) from King’s College London and a Master of Laws in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of Auckland. At SFS, he focuses on helping international clients and external asset managers use New Zealand as a base for global investment.

About SFS Wealth

SFS Private Wealth is a boutique New Zealand wealth management firm offering independent advice, global reach, and personalised strategies for high-net-worth individuals, offshore clients, and those relocating via investor visa programmes. The firm pairs world-class investment insight with agile, client-centric service. For more information, visit sfspw.co.nz

Showcasing Smart Lighting, Innovative Display Technologies and Outdoor Lighting Solutions that Shape the Future of Smart and Sustainable Lighting

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 October 2026 – Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 28^th Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) and the 11^th Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo will be held in late October. The Autumn Lighting Fair will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) from 27 to 30 October, while the Outdoor and Tech Light Expo will be held at AsiaWorld-Expo from 26 to 29 October.

Renowned as two of the world’s premier lighting trade fairs, this year’s twin lighting fairs will be held under the theme “Beyond Illumination“. Bringing together some 3,000 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and regions, the fairs will showcase a diverse range of innovative lighting products and solutions that blend smart connectivity, healthy living, immersive spatial experiences and sustainability.

Register for FREE buyer badge: https://tinyurl.com/4hfpupfe

Share your bright moments at the twin Autumn Lighting Fairs with #HKLIGHTINGFAIR and @HKTDCLIFESTYLE, and capture your shot at the AI immersive photo experience next to booth GH-D02, Hall of Connected Lighting.

Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) – HKCEC
A highlight zone of the Autumn Lighting Fair, the Hall of Connected Lighting makes a return this year with a line-up of some 70 leading global brands, including local brands Dimon and Viliya; Inventronics and TUYA from Chinese Mainland, as well as international names such as Viso Systems from Denmark; Casambi from Finland; and Signify from the Netherlands, etc. The zone will also feature global major industry alliances, including the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the DALI Alliance, the SILA-EMN Alliance and the Zhaga Consortium, alongside KNX, the global standard for smart building and home automation, which will make its debut at the fair.

Exhibitors will showcase an array of award-winning designs, design aesthetics and lighting solutions featured in landmark projects. Combined with diverse themed scenarios and immersive lighting installations, visitors will gain first-hand experience of the latest smart lighting products and solutions.

Leading lighting brand Signify will collaborate with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team to present a racing simulator experience that extends the excitement of motorsport beyond the screen into a physical environment through innovative lighting technologies. Two professional racing simulators will allow visitors to experience the thrill of high-speed driving and sharp cornering in a highly immersive setting. Also, Philips Sky professional lighting solutions will be showcased, featuring the light formula, VitaUp and BioUp technologies. VitaUp uses low-dose UVB light to mimic natural sunlight and support natural vitamin D production, while BioUp adjusts lighting to the body’s circadian rhythm, delivering a healthier and more comfortable indoor lighting experience.

Expanding the event’s product scope, the Autumn Lighting Fair will launch the new LED Display Solution Zone to foster the development of a commercial LED display ecosystem. The zone will feature LED video walls, commercial displays, transparent and flexible LED panels, immersive audio-visual systems and integrated display solutions, covering applications ranging from retail environments and corporate presentations to exhibitions, virtual production and major commercial projects.

First-time exhibitor Ledman Hong Kong will present the QS Series IceScreen LED Display, which was deployed at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Featuring large-scale 8K display technology, the solution delivers highly realistic and impactful visual experiences. The company will also introduce the LEDHUB Smart Conference Solution, which integrates large-format display, video conferencing and collaboration functions into a single platform. Winner of the 2025 TITAN Innovation Awards Gold Award, the solution has been adopted by leading institutions including The University of Hong Kong, the University of Warwick and Fudan University.

Another fair spotlight, the Hall of Aurora, will feature some 500 renowned brands, presenting lighting fixtures and products that blend creativity, design aesthetics, and superior craftsmanship. Exhibitors include local pioneers Prosperity Group and Profiled Group, major players from Chinese Mainland such as Eaglerise, FSL, LEEDARSON and OPPLE, as well as international brands like Lival from Finland, Cupower from Germany, and Beghelli from Italy.

Hong Kong exhibitor Sunricher will present the award-winning Desktop Wizard, a portable smart home controller that offers a flexible and space-saving alternative to conventional remote controls and fixed wall switches. Featuring modular buttons and multiple control modes, it delivers an intuitive, user-friendly experience tailored to diverse needs. The product has earned international recognition, including the Red Dot Design Award, iF Design Award and German Design Award.

Another highlighted zone, the Residential Lighting, will showcase an array of functional and decorative household lighting products. Chinese Mainland exhibitor Yndlux Lighting will display its self-developed 5272 modular linear light, combining a flexible modular design and intelligent controls to meet diverse lighting and interior design needs.

Other zones include:

• The Commercial Lighting zone will showcase a wide range of commercial lighting products designed to meet the diverse needs of buyers across various industries, addressing the distinct lighting needs of retail, office, and other commercial spaces;
• The LED Essentials zone will feature a diverse collection of lighting accessories and components;
• The LED Lighting zone will display a diverse range of LED light sources, including LED tube, panel light, bulb etc., providing the fundamentals for energy-efficient solutions;
• The Testing, Certification & Inspection zone with companies providing professional light quality testing and certification services;
• The Trade Service & Publications zone with companies offering market intelligence, industry publications, as well as business support services for the lighting industry.

Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo– Hall 6, 8 @AsiaWorld-Expo)
The Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo will be held from 26 to 29 October at AsiaWorld-Expo, showcasing a comprehensive range of outdoor, commercial and industrial lighting products and solutions to drive smart city development. The expo will feature three thematic zones, including: the Smart Pole and Solution zone will showcase technologies and integrated solutions to optimise energy efficiency, improve urban management and elevate the quality of life for city residents; the Landscape and Architectural Lighting zone will present advanced lighting solutions that enrich urban ambience while enhancing safety, functionality and aesthetic appeal across public and commercial spaces; the Outdoor, Industrial and Technical Lighting zone will feature a wide spectrum of professional-grade lighting products designed for outdoor environments, industrial applications and technical settings such as warehouses, factories and infrastructure projects.

The expo will present newly introduced photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage solutions to help cities enhance energy efficiency, alongside lighting applications for smart city development, industrial environments, professional settings, landscape projects and architectural illumination. Among the highlights, Lansine Intelligent (Zhongshan) will present t he LX‑LC01 energy storage power station and foldable solar panel series, providing green power solutions specially designed for off‑grid applications, outdoor camping, emergency backup power, as well as small‑scale and residential energy storage.

A Rich Programme to Stay Ahead of Innovative High-End Design and the Latest Market Trends
The twin lighting fairs will collaborate with prestigious international lighting organisations to feature a series of thematic seminars, product launches and networking events. The Innovative Lighting Design Forum will take place on 27 October at the HKCEC under the theme “Treasures of Light: Artistic Brilliance Beyond Exhibitions“. Award-winning lighting designers renowned for their work on museums, exhibitions and art galleries will share the latest market trends through case studies. Featured speakers include Dr Yan Liu, Design Director, China at AT Design & Consulting Co. Ltd., who has contributed to the lighting design of the Louvre Museum in Paris and the Palace Museum in Beijing; Adam Meredith, Lighting Designer at MEGS Lighting from Australia, who led the lighting design projects for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and M+ in Hong Kong; and Omar Elkerm, Lighting Design Manager (Africa) at Signify, who led the lighting design for several major pyramid illumination projects in Egypt.

Following this forum is “Award-Winning Illumination: Highlights from the IES Illumination Awards“, a new event co-organised with the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Winners of one of the industry’s highest honours—the “IES Illumination Awards”—will analyse the artistic and technological developments in different lighting design categories. Featured speakers include Hiroyasu Shoji, Representative and Lighting Designer at Lightdesign Inc., who led the lighting design for the Grand Ring at Expo 2025 Osaka, and Kelly Jones, Principal at Lighting Design Alliance, a Salas O’Brien Company, whose portfolio includes numerous projects for Disney and Universal Studios.

Another debut event, “Circularity in Lighting Design“, will be co-organised with Women in Lighting (WIL) on 28 October. Influential female designers, including Sophie O’Rourke, Principal Lighting Designer at AECOM and Co-Founding Member of the Green Light Alliance, who is working on the ongoing Gilston Park Estate project, a new mixed-use community ; Pavlina Akritas, Founder of Akritas Lighting Design, known for her work on lighting projects for some of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands; Yah Li Toh, Founder and Principal of Light Collab, who designed the lighting for the Singapore Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai; Jinkie de Jesus, Founder of Light Plan Inc., who led the lighting design of Mactan-Cebu International Airport and some of Manila’s most prestigious hotels; and Kael Gillam, Principal Lighting Designer at Buro Happold, who designed the lighting f or Bromley Old Town Hall, will discuss relevant topics in detail.

Another key event, the Connected Lighting Forum, co-organised with the Shanghai Pudong Intelligent Lighting Association (SILA), will be held under the theme “Healing Light for the Future: Illuminating Emotional Well-being“, exploring the development of intelligent and human-centric lighting technologies for psychological wellness and sharing case studies on light healing and therapy.

In addition, numerous exhibitor and buyer activities will be held at AsiaWorld-Expo, including a seminar titled “Smart Tech Integration in Outdoor Lighting” on 27 October, which will bring together experts from the Alliance of Smart Pole Industry and another industry organisation to examine how AI is driving the next generation of smart pole applications.

Providing Buyers with a Seamless Sourcing Journey
The events will adopt the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, enhanced by the Click2Match online smart business matching platform, which will be available from 19 October to 6 November. Additionally, the Scan2Match feature in the HKTDC Marketplace App will be accessible onsite for buyers to scan dedicated QR codes from exhibitors to:

• Bookmark favorite booths and products
• Instantly access detailed product information
• View interactive electronic floor plans
• Continue conversations with exhibitors after the fair

The seamless experience ensures a smoother, more connected sourcing journey—before, during, and after the fair.

Hashtag: #HKTDC #HKLIGHTINGFAIR

Wins 28 Awards in Collaboration with Esteemed Clients and Partners, Showcasing Cross-Platform Marketing Strength

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 October 2026 – The Spark Awards 2026, organised by Hong Kong’s leading marketing publication MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, recently held its awards ceremony. The ceremony recognised brands, agencies and media organisations that have demonstrated excellence in media, advertising and marketing over the past year.

TVB Limited (TVB), together with its clients and partners, jointly won a total of 28 awards, comprising 13 Gold, 10 Silver and 5 Bronze awards. In addition to sweeping Gold, Silver and Bronze awards for “Best Creative Campaign” and “Best Event / Experiential Activation”, TVB once again garnered the “Media of the Year” award, one of the highest honours of the event, taking centre stage at the ceremony. The recognition reaffirms TVB’s excellence in content creation, media integration, brand partnerships and cross-platform marketing.

This year’s winning campaigns span diverse sectors including food and beverage, finance, health and medical services. Partners and clients include McDonald’s Hong Kong, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Hang Seng Bank, Herbalgy Pharmaceutical Limited and Dingzhi Dental. The winning campaigns successfully integrate TVB’s high-quality content, artiste resources, television platforms, digital media and innovative marketing strategies — supported by the production team and corporate communications strategies — to amplify brands’ communication impact and create market value.

Mr. SIU Sai Wo, General Manager (Business Operations) of TVB Limited, said, “Receiving the ‘Media of the Year’ award once again is a tremendous encouragement for the TVB team. It also recognises our ongoing commitment to a content-first approach and client needs at the core. Winning 28 awards together with partners across different industries fully reflects that TVB is not only a media platform, but also a comprehensive partner that combines content creation, artiste resources, TV and digital platforms, and integrated cross-platform marketing capabilities.”

He added, “We sincerely thank all clients, agencies and partners for their trust, which enables our team to co-create influential campaigns. Going forward, TVB will continue to create more effective communication solutions for brands through creativity, quality content and digital innovation—helping clients connect with audiences, build brand value and unlock further business opportunities.”

Award list:

TVB Limited
1) Media of the Year
McDonald’s Hong Kong — Winning Campaign: Back to the beginning in 1975
Partners: OMD Hong Kong, BBDO Hong Kong
2) Best Creative Campaign – Gold
3) Best Custom Execution – Gold
4) Best Event / Experiential Activation – Gold
5) Best Localised Media Offering – Gold
6) Best Original Content Creation – Gold
7) Best Sponsorship or Partnership Offering – Gold
8) Best Branded Content Strategy – Gold
9) Best Digital Media Strategy – Gold
10) Best Integrated Media Strategy – Gold
11) Best Original Content Strategy – Gold
12) Best Use of Storytelling – Gold
13) Best Viral Campaign – Gold
14) Best Launch / Rebranding Media Strategy – Silver
15) Best Media Partnership Strategy – Silver
16) Best Public Awareness Media Strategy – Silver
17) Best Social Media Amplification Strategy – Silver

Bank of China (Hong Kong) — Winning Campaign: BOCHK Wealth Management Expo 2025
18) Best Event / Experiential Activation – Bronze
19) Best Sponsorship or Partnership Offering – Bronze
20) Best Media Partnership Strategy – Bronze
21) Best Targeted Audience Strategy – Bronze

Dingzhi Dental— Winning Campaign: Redefining Cross-Border Dental Excellence
22) Best Creative Campaign – Bronze
Hang Seng Bank — Winning Campaign: Hang Seng Anti-Fraud Band
Partners: Mill Milk, WPP Media Hong Kong, BYFA Consultancy
23) Best Video / Streaming Offering – Gold
24) Best Creative Campaign – Silver
25) Best Event / Experiential Activation – Silver
Herbalgy Pharmaceutical Limited — Winning Campaign: Heroes in White
Partner: Sortie Agency
26) Best Original Content Creation – Silver
27) Best Video / Streaming Offering – Silver
28) Best Creative Use of Media – Silver
29) Best Original Content Strategy – Silver

Hashtag: #TVB #TelevisionBroadcastsLimited #電視廣播有限公司

Top ranking reflects exceptional career outcomes, a world-leading alumni network and a truly global executive learning experience

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 October 2026 – The Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA (KH EMBA) Program has secured the No. 1 position globally in the Financial Times Executive MBA Ranking 2026, released today, marking an unprecedented 13th time the Program has attained the top position. Jointly offered by the HKUST Business School and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the Program has consistently been recognized among the world’s leading Executive MBA programs for its outstanding impact on participants’ careers, leadership development, and global business perspectives.

The latest ranking reflects KH EMBA’s continued excellence across key performance indicators, including career progression, alumni outcomes, international student body, and the strength of its global network. The achievement reinforces the program’s unique position at the intersection of East and West, equipping senior executives with the strategic insight and leadership capabilities required to navigate an increasingly complex global business environment.

The ranking also underscores the exceptional strength of the KH EMBA alumni community. RankedNo. 1 globally in the Alumni Network category, the program continues to cultivate a powerful international community of senior executives, entrepreneurs and industry leaders. Spanning geographies and sectors, this lifelong network facilitates business opportunities, strategic partnerships, professional exchange and career advancement.

Further validating the program’s transformative career impact, KH EMBA graduates reported an average “Salary Today” of USD 607,684 (over HKD 4.7 million) and an average 69% salary increase following graduation. The program also achieved an outstanding overall satisfaction score of 9.73 out of 10, reflecting alumni confidence in the quality of the learning experience, the achievement of career goals and the enduring value of the global KH EMBA network.

Prof. Frederik ANSEEL, Dean of HKUST Business School, said, “Thirteen No. 1 rankings over nearly two decades demonstrate the consistency with which this program has delivered value to senior executives around the world. Our participants are accomplished leaders, and the depth of experience they bring to the classroom is a defining part of the learning journey. They engage with world-class faculty who challenge conventional thinking, translate cutting-edge research into practical insights, and help them navigate the complex decisions they face as leaders. Equally important are the lifelong connections formed through the program, extending into a global alumni community where members continue to mentor, support and learn from one another long after graduation.”

Prof. Francesca CORNELLI, Dean of Kellogg School of Management, noted, “For more than two decades, Kellogg School of Management and HKUST Business School have fostered a close and fruitful partnership, bringing together outstanding faculty from around the world to deliver a world-class global management education. We will continue to deepen our collaboration to nurture forward-looking and responsible leaders who create long-term value for Hong Kong, Asia, and the global community.”

The Financial Times ranking evaluates the world’s leading EMBA programmes through a rigorous assessment framework covering alumni career outcomes, faculty research excellence, diversity, international exposure, and other key indicators of programme quality and institutional impact. The KH EMBA’s position at the top of the global ranking reflects its longstanding commitment to academic excellence, transformative leadership development, outstanding career outcomes, and the cultivation of a truly global network of senior executives.

The full FT Executive MBA Ranking 2026 is available at: https://rankings.ft.com/rankings/3048/emba-2026

According to the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance, the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA program is an exempted course. It is a matter of discretion for individual employers to recognize any qualification to which this course may lead.

Hashtag: #HKUST

About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

• The EntreprenHER programme, run in partnership with UN Women to support opportunities for female entrepreneurs in diamond producing partner countries, trained a further 500 women in 2025, taking the total number of women trained since 2016 to 3,900.
• Overall, for every job that we created onsite, De Beers supported 2.6 jobs offsite in 2025, continuing towards the Group’s commitment to support 4 jobs offsite for every 1 job onsite by 2030.

The recent establishment of the Diamonds for Development Fund in Botswana in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Botswana carries the ambition to support the country’s emerging knowledge-based economy and accelerate its long-term economic diversification. De Beers Group has committed to make an initial investment to the value of BWP1 billion (approximately USD70 million) to deliver a transformative positive impact in the country.

This priority is also reflected in De Beers’ ambition and ongoing support through programmes such as Stanford Seed, EntreprenHER and the Diamond Entrepreneurship Programme, an incubation initiative designed to help local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) scale in cutting, polishing, jewellery design, and trading.

Provenance
Every natural diamond goes on a unique journey, from deep in the earth to its polished form, touching countless lives along the way. De Beers Group continued to strengthen industry standards and diamond traceability during 2025.

• The Group marked the 20th year of its Best Practice Principles programme, a rigorous set of standards, compliance with which is third-party audited.

• The programme covers around a quarter of a million people across more than 70 countries – including all De Beers Group operations globally, as well as all Sightholder customers and their diamond-related contractors.

• The Group also ensured 100% of its precious metal suppliers met rigorous sourcing standards to supply gold, platinum, and silver to its De Beers London and Forevermark retail brands.

• With regards to traceability, Tracr passed the milestone of five million rough diamonds being individually registered on the blockchain-backed diamond traceability platform
  • Tracr also established a new partnership with Sarine to integrate rough diamond source registration with advanced scanning data, helping to create an end-to-end, cost-effective traceability solution to verify a diamond’s journey.
  • The Tracr platform also provided the traceability backbone for the De Beers London capsule collection using GemFair diamonds developed in 2025, demonstrating that artisanally mined diamonds can be purchased ethically and transparently by luxury brands.
  • These developments help provide greater confidence to consumers, retailers and industry partners in a diamond’s provenance and journey through the value chain.

The expansion of the Tracr platform’s reach represents the key area of future focus for the work on provenance. While the platform has continued to scale, with the onboarding of suppliers such as the Okavango Diamond Company, there remains the potential for the platform to expand to other production sources and bring on more midstream participants.

The full De Beers Group 2025 sustainability report can be found at: https://www.debeersgroup.com/sustainability/sustainability-report-2025.

Hashtag: #DeBeersGroup

About De Beers Group

Source: New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty

October 12, 2026

A New Zealand real estate leader is calling on the incoming Government to consider lowering the Active Investor Plus property purchase threshold in some regions.

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty (NZSIR) co-founder and managing director Mark Harris says lowering the current $5 million minimum in specific regions, such as Wellington, could be a prudent move for 2027.

“Since the AIP exemption came into effect in March this year, there have been only 174 residential transactions above the $5 million threshold – 32 of which have sold to AIP buyers,” he says. “If the policy objective is to attract greater overseas investment into NZ, there is an opportunity to review whether the current settings are delivering that outcome.”

Harris says one approach would be to consider a lower threshold in regions outside of Auckland and the Southern Lakes, where approximately 75% of qualifying transactions have occurred to date.

“A more regionally targeted model could help attract investment into markets facing softer conditions – such as Wellington – while supporting economic activity and improving sales opportunities for Kiwi vendors,” he says.

Another option could be to introduce a regionally adjusted threshold based on local property values. For example, the gateway value could be linked to a multiple of each region’s median house price. In Queenstown, where the median value is approximately $1.75 million, a 300% multiplier would create a threshold of around $5.25 million. In Wellington, where the median value is closer to $1 million, the equivalent threshold would be $3 million.

“This would preserve the intent of the policy while creating a more level playing field across different markets,” Harris adds.

Harris says NZ can also look to successful international examples to improve our own policies. In Australia, foreign investment is often directed towards new builds and development opportunities – rather than existing housing stock – to help encourage construction activity and employment.

Although amendments to the AIP policy would be sensible, Harris warns that too many changes will have the opposite effect on the property market.

“Buyers, sellers and investors are still adjusting to a number of significant changes introduced this year, and further amendments in the near-term risk creating uncertainty at a time when confidence is gradually returning,” he says. “Therefore, we don’t need another round of broad policy change under a reformed Government; we need certainty and confidence, enhanced with small, targeted refinements that help investment flow into more areas of the country.”

About New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty is a specialist agency that focuses on the sale of premium property through quality marketing and global networking. Founded in 2005 by Mark Harris and Julian Brown, the NZ branch of the global company has 32 offices nationwide – Arrowtown, Auckland Eastern Bays, Auckland North Shore, Auckland Ponsonby, Auckland Remuera, Auckland South East, Waiheke Island, Bay of Islands, Cambridge, Christchurch City, Christchurch Sumner, Cromwell, Greytown, Hamilton, Havelock North, Hutt Valley, Jack’s Point, Kapiti, Manawatu, Marlborough, Masterton, Napier Ahuriri, Napier City, Napier Taradale, Nelson, Orewa, Rotorua, Taupō, Waipu, Wānaka and Wellington, and its head office in Queenstown.

It is part of Sotheby’s International Realty – the world’s leading luxury real estate company – with a global network of approximately 1,110 offices and more than 26,100 affiliated independent sales associates throughout 84 countries and territories. In 2025/2026, New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty achieved a landmark industry recognition, winning the supreme global title of Best International Property Agency/ Consultancy at the International Property Awards, following its success as Best Property Agency/Consultancy in Asia Pacific. This achievement reinforces NZSIR’s position as one of the world’s leading real estate brands and recognises its commitment to excellence in marketing, client service and business performance.

https://www.nzsothebysrealty.com/