The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) has pledged its full support to the Hong Kong, China team competing in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao together with Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges attended the flag presentation ceremony today (1 September) to give the delegation a heartfelt send-off ahead of the Games. The Club will provide cash incentive awards for medallists at the Games.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (left, first row) together with Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (right, first row) attended the flag presentation ceremony. Photo source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said that as a world-class equine sports organisation, the Club has consistently supported sports development at the elite and community levels through a wide range of initiatives, also aiming to broaden participation in sport at the grass-roots level. Initiatives include the Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme, through which the Club provides cash incentives to Hong Kong, China athletes to encourage excellence at major events. He noted that, in doing so, the Club aims to inspire peak performance in elite competitions. On behalf of the Club, he wished the Hong Kong, China team every success at the 20th Asian Games.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (center) together with the athletes, Photo source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
In August, the Club announced a new cycle of the JCAIAS, supporting its implementation by the Hong Kong Sports Institute. The scheme will cover seven major upcoming sporting events. The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, scheduled to take place from 19 September to 4 October 2026, will be the first major event under the new JCAIAS cycle. The Club will provide cash awards to members of the Hong Kong, China team who win gold, silver and bronze medals in individual and team events. Gold medallists in individual and team events will receive HK$1 million and HK$2 million, respectively.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has pledged its full support to the Hong Kong, China team competing in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Photo source: The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Jockey Club Athlete Incentive Awards Scheme - Details of Cash Incentives:
Gold
Individual: HK$1,000,000/Team: HK$2,000,000
Silver
Individual: HK$500,000/Team: HK$1,000,000
Bronze
Individual: HK$250,000/Team: HK$500,000
Established by HKU Business School with funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute (“the Institute”) advances research, knowledge exchange, talent development and cross-sector collaboration in enterprise sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG). The Institute today (22 October) convened the “2026 Sustainability Forum: Global Leadership Dialogue” at the West Kowloon Cultural District. The forum brought together more than 200 leaders and experts from industry, academia and government worldwide to exchange perspectives on environmental and social challenges arising from sustainable development, and to explore practical pathways for translating expertise into viable solutions. The forum was also livestreamed, extending the discussions to audiences in Hong Kong and beyond.
The HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute convened the “2026 Sustainability Forum: Global Leadership Dialogue.”
Officiating at the opening ceremony was The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR; Dr Henry Chan, Club Steward; Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong; and Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean and Chair of Economics of HKU Business School, among other guests. Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), was also invited to attend the event and deliver the opening keynote address.
Also delivering a speech, Dr Henry Chan, Club Steward, said: “Sustainability has become an increasingly important lens through which the Trust strives to improve livability and long-term well-being in Hong Kong, as one of its nine impact programme areas. [At today’s forum] we will learn about turning knowledge into action by deepening cross-sector partnerships, nurturing the next generation of sustainability leaders and developing practical solutions that deliver lasting benefits for society.”
Dr Henry Chan, Club Steward, delivers a speech at the 2026 Sustainability Forum.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR, said that impact investing should go beyond financial performance assessment. It should channel capital into livelihood and green sectors, such as healthcare and clean energy, so as to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth that balances social value and financial return.
The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members, Executive Council of the HKSAR, delivers a speech at the 2026 Sustainability Forum.
Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, delivered the opening keynote address. He explored how sustainability co-operation can endure in the global economy through pragmatic, self-interest-driven action that prioritises interoperability over uniformity in standards and accounting.
Yves Leterme, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, delivers the opening keynote.
The HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute was established in 2024 with an approved donation of over HK$426 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Reflecting the Trust’s commitment to fostering cross-sector collaboration, knowledge exchange and talent development, the Institute brings together academia, industry and policymakers to advance sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. Positioned as a knowledge hub connecting Hong Kong with Asia and the wider world, it promotes capacity building and stakeholder engagement, while supporting the translation of research and innovative ideas into practical solutions to complex environmental and societal challenges and contributing to Hong Kong’s long-term sustainable development.
As part of the initiative, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Endowed Professorships were established, comprising four endowed professorship positions across the fields of Economics, Finance and Entrepreneurship, and Accounting. By bringing distinguished international scholars to Hong Kong, the initiative strengthens research excellence, promotes knowledge exchange and helps translate academic insights into practical policy recommendations and solutions that contribute to a more livable, resilient, and sustainable society.
Attending the opening ceremony of 2026 Sustainability Forum are The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members, Executive Council of the HKSAR (centre); Dr Henry Chan, Club Steward (right); and Professor Xiang Zhang, President and ViceChancellor of the University of Hong Kong (left).
The Club’s support for the Institute, like all its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model, through which the Club generates sustainable economic and social value for the community through tax contributions, charitable donations and employment opportunities.
