Hong Kong Secures Exclusive Three-Year Deal with Tahaluf for LEAP East; Set to Return to HKCEC in 2027, Reinforcing the City’s Global I&T Leadership
HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 14 July 2026 - Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited ("HML") is celebrating the highly successful conclusion of LEAP East 2026—the historic Asian debut of Saudi Arabia's premier technology conference brand, LEAP.
Staged over three days at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ("HKCEC"), the inaugural event utilised over 35,000 square meters of rentable space across Hall 1 and Hall 3. Positioned right on the Victoria Harbour waterfront, the landmark summit served as a global bridge, bringing 300 startups and 600 investors—collectively representing more than US$6.5 trillion in assets under management—under one roof.
HML is delighted to have welcomed the first flagship edition of LEAP ever held outside the Middle East, celebrating its conclusion as Hong Kong's largest-ever inaugural technology event. The summit's drawing power was significant, attracting over 25,000 professionals, policymakers, and investors, with a mix of 55% international and Chinese Mainland and 45% local participation.
Ms Monica Lee-Müller, Managing Director of HML, commented, "The resounding success of LEAP East perfectly demonstrates Hong Kong's strategic role as a 'super-connector' and 'super value-adder' bridging economies, innovation, capital, and cultures. We are deeply grateful for the close collaboration between governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which made this milestone possible. This year, HML has welcomed major Asian debuts or city's first-ever events with tremendous success. These events have shown a strong desire to return to the HKCEC next year with larger floor space, bigger crowds, and even bolder ideas—and I am absolutely delighted that LEAP East is among them."
Ms Lee-Müller added, "In support of Hong Kong's strategic development plans, HML will continue to position the HKCEC as a leading platform where diverse industries can demonstrate latest achievements, exchange insights and unlock new opportunities. Through our world-class facilities and professional services, the HKCEC plays a pivotal role in reinforcing Hong Kong's position as the premier Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions (MICE) hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The venue also serves as a gateway for enterprises from the Chinese Mainland to connect with international partners and engage with global business community. Simultaneously, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences for visitors of all cultures. Our proactive efforts to introduce Muslim-friendly facilities and services have earned the HKCEC the distinction of being the first venue accredited as a Gold-standard Muslim-Friendly MICE Venue—contributing to the success of LEAP East."
Ms Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President of Tahaluf and co-creator of LEAP, commented, "LEAP East is far more than just an event; it is a bridge to the wider technology ecosystem. We see immense synergies between Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, particularly in their shared ambitions and thriving technology hubs across AI, FinTech, and beyond. Hong Kong was the natural choice to launch a brand like LEAP, and the HKCEC has proven to be the ideal venue to foster collaboration and innovation. From outstanding halal dining options for our Saudi visitors to dedicated bilateral meeting rooms and prayer facilities, the venue provides everything I could want as both a host and an attendee. It has been perfect for us."
HML applauds Tahaluf's commitment to making Hong Kong the exclusive Asian host city for LEAP East through a three-year run, and extends sincere thanks to the Government for its unwavering support of the convention and exhibition sector. Hashtag: #HKCEC
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About the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
This award–winning 306,000–sqm building, first opened in 1988, offers 91,500 sqm of rentable space. An iconic Hong Kong landmark, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ('HKCEC') is located on a prime waterfront site in the central business district of Hong Kong. It is owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
About Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited ('HML') is a professional private management and operating company responsible for providing day–to–day management for the HKCEC, where it oversees administration, marketing, booking, scheduling, event co–ordination, maintenance and security. It also manages food and beverage operations at the HKCEC, including restaurants and catering services. HML provides world–class services for users, visitors and guests of the HKCEC, a venue which has been consistently awarded the title of 'Best Convention and Exhibition Centre in Asia' by leading industry professionals. Events at the HKCEC, including exhibitions, conferences, corporate meetings, entertainment events, seminars and banquets, contribute significant economic benefits to the city and help raise the international image of Hong Kong.
HML is a member of CTF Services Limited. Listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, CTF Services Limited (Hong Kong Stock Code: 659) is a conglomerate with a diversified portfolio of market-leading businesses, predominantly in Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland. The Group's businesses include toll roads, financial services, logistics, construction, and facilities management. Through the Group's sustainable business model, it is committed to creating more value for all stakeholders and the community.
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SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 14 July 2026 – Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has released Asia Pacific (APAC) findings from its 2026 Global Transaction Solutions Claims Study, highlighting the continued evolution of the region's transaction risk market and emerging claims trends.
The report finds that transaction risk products, including warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance and standalone tax liability insurance, continue to be a key consideration in Asia dealmaking. Growing underwriting capacity and wider adoption in markets such as India, Singapore and Korea have supported their integration into transaction structuring and risk management.
"As the transaction risk market across the Asia Pacific region continues to evolve, claims outcomes are shaped not only by policy coverage but also by the quality of diligence, financial analysis and post-completion integration," said Martijn de Lange, managing director of Transaction Solutions in APAC for Aon. "We are seeing greater claims frequency and higher-severity outcomes, particularly in large and cross-border transactions, reinforcing the value of Warranty & Indemnity and tax insurance in protecting deal value. The region is also playing an increasingly important role in shaping global transaction risk trends, with claims experience reinforcing the value of structured insurance solutions in managing evolving deal risks."
Businesses are seeing these products deliver value when claims arise, reinforcing confidence in their ability to protect deal value. APAC claims trends are now broadly aligned with global experience, with disclosure-related issues, financial statement inaccuracies, compliance breaches and tax-related exposures among the most common sources of loss.
Claims Activity Increases as Market Matures
As adoption has increased over the past decade, APAC has seen a steady rise in claims activity, providing deeper insight into claims frequency, severity and drivers of loss. In North America, according to Aon's internal claims data as of July 2026, clients recovered over US$1 billion on transaction solutions claims in 2025 with average payouts exceeding US$10 million, and median payments reaching more than US$8.2 million - both record highs. In APAC, Aon secured more than US$26 million in claims over the past three years, including several high-severity claims.
While early claims activity was concentrated in Australia and New Zealand, where W&I insurance product was first adopted, a second wave of growth is emerging across India, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
Standalone tax liability insurance has become a regular feature of transactions in India and is gaining traction across South Korea, Japan, China and Australia. These policies are increasingly used to manage identified tax exposures, including capital gains tax exemptions, withholding taxes and net operating losses. Claims activity is expected to rise further based on current trends and as policy years mature.
High-Value Claims and Long-Tail Risks Shape the Region's Profile
The study highlights that APAC claims are increasingly characterised by high-severity losses, particularly on large-cap and cross-border deals, with several exceeding US$10 million.
At the same time, tax and regulatory exposures continue to drive some of the region's largest and most complex claims, often emerging several years after deal completion and contributing to a pronounced long-tail risk profile.
While operational and disclosure-related issues typically arise within the first year post-completion, tax-related claims may be notified more than five years after policy inception, reflecting audit cycles and enforcement timelines across the region.
Disclosure, Financial and Compliance Risks Drive Claims Across Sectors
Across APAC, disclosure issues, financial statement inaccuracies, compliance with laws and tax-related exposures continue to drive claims, consistent with broader global trends. Typical claim scenarios include:
Undisclosed or misrepresented material contracts and liabilities
Gaps between reported financials and underlying performance
Regulatory and licensing non-compliance, particularly in highly regulated sectors
Tax disputes involving transfer pricing, customs duties and withholding obligations
Sector-Specific Risks Continue to Evolve
The study identifies distinct patterns of loss across key industries:
Real estate and infrastructure: claims linked to asset condition, environmental liabilities and lease obligations
Consumer and retail: regulatory scrutiny, customer liabilities and disclosure gaps
Technology and payments: licensing, certification and contract concentration risks
Cross-border structures: tax and regulatory exposures on multinational and complex financing arrangements
The findings indicate that W&I and tax insurance are increasingly integrated into transaction planning strategies and risk management strategies, particularly for large and cross-border transactions where traditional seller recourse may be limited.
"As claims experience deepens across Asia Pacific, clients are becoming more confident in pursuing recovery and leveraging these solutions as part of their deal strategy," said Anita Vivekananda, managing director of Transaction Solutions in APAC for Aon. "At the same time, the growing prevalence of long-tail tax and regulatory exposures is contributing to a more complex risk landscape, making transaction insurance an increasingly important consideration for organizations pursuing growth and investment opportunities."
About the Report
The 2026 Global Transaction Solutions Claims Study offers insights to help Asian buyers, sellers and advisers better understand emerging claims patterns and the role insurance can play in supporting transaction outcomes over time. The 2026 study reflects continued claims engagement across transaction solutions, with Aon having supported clients on more than 2,000 claims and secured over US$3 billion in recoveries worldwide.
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About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.
Disclaimer The information contained in this document is solely for information purposes, for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although Aon endeavours to provide accurate and timely information and uses sources that it considers reliable, the firm does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of any content of this document and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way by any person who may rely on it. There can be no guarantee that the information contained in this document will remain accurate as on the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or entity should make decisions or act based solely on the information contained herein without appropriate professional advice and targeted research.
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