IAB Hong Kong C26 Spotlights AI's Move into Business Execution for Marketers Amid Hong Kong's HK$33.9 Billion Ad Market

C26 convened 1,200+ marketing experts from 14 markets, spotlighting value creation, workflow redesign and landmark MOUs with four leading local education institutions to nurture Hong Kong's next generation of marketing talent

HONG KONG, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- IAB Hong Kong's (IAB HK) flagship conference C26 concluded with a clear message for Hong Kong's marketing industry: AI is moving from experimentation into business execution. Under the theme Business Reimagined, the conference brought together more than 1,200 marketing, media, technology and business leaders from 14 markets to examine how AI is reshaping value creation, workflow design, governance, creativity and future talent.

Policy, Global Perspectives and Industry Collaboration Frame Hong Kong's AI Marketing Opportunity

Opening the conference, Mr. Daniel Cheung, JP, Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy of the Government of HKSAR, noted that Hong Kong's overall advertising expenditure held steady at HK$33.9 billion, while spending on social media increased by 15%. The shift reflects the growing importance of AI-powered personalisation, predictive analytics, generative content and digital commerce in the marketing landscape.

Mr. Cheung said the Government is advancing an "industries for AI" and "AI for industries" strategy, supported by the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy and the forthcoming Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute. He also highlighted measures to support enterprise adoption, including enhanced BUD Fund support for AI-enabled branding and marketing projects, the planned launch of CorpID, a secure digital corporate identity platform, and more than 200 AI training courses and activities to be rolled out by the first quarter of 2028 under the AI for All inclusive programme.

Sir Martin Sorrell, one of the most influential figures in global advertising, said AI is reshaping marketing economics and putting traditional time-based agency models under pressure. In a fireside chat with Mr. Brian Hui, Chairman of IAB Hong Kong, he said the industry must rethink how value is created and measured as content production becomes faster, cheaper and more scalable.

"Hong Kong's position between Chinese and Western media ecosystems gives the city a strategic advantage in connecting global platforms, mainland innovation and regional growth opportunities," said Sir Martin Sorrell.

"C26 shows that Hong Kong is not just participating in the AI marketing conversation; it is building a regional platform for it. The breadth of this year's speakers, partners and participants reflects the industry's need for a place where brands, platforms, agencies, creators, educators and technology innovators can turn AI disruption into practical collaboration," said Arthur Chan, Chairman of IAB HK C26.

IAB HK Partners with Universities to Develop Next-Generation AI Marketing Talent

At C26, IAB Hong Kong signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with City University of Hong Kong's Department of Media and Communication, HKBU School of Business, HKU Business School and PolyU Business School, reinforcing its commitment to industry-academia collaboration and next-generation talent development.

The partnerships will support collaboration across curriculum development, joint research, internships, mentorship and knowledge exchange, helping students gain practical industry exposure while enabling businesses to engage with future marketing talent. The initiative reflects IAB Hong Kong's role in connecting the marketing, media, technology and education sectors to prepare graduates with the strategic, technical and responsible AI skills needed for the digital economy.

C26 Leaders Highlight AI's Expanding Role in Brand Growth, Retail Media and Responsible Execution

C26 featured a series of keynote presentations, fireside chats and panel discussions with senior leaders across aviation, technology, telecommunications, retail media, finance and creative content. 

IAB Hong Kong Marks 10th Anniversary with Renewed Commitment to Industry Progress

Coinciding with C26, IAB Hong Kong celebrated its 10th anniversary and a decade of industry collaboration. Miss Drew Lai, Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, attended the event and delivered a speech outlining the Government's initiatives to promote AI application, leverage AI to assist creative industries, and consolidate Hong Kong's position as a regional advertising hub. The non-profit organization now represents more than 130 member organizations across multinational brands, digital platforms, media owners, agencies and measurement bodies.

Brian Hui, Chairman of IAB Hong Kong, said: "Our 10th anniversary is a moment to recognise the work of the past decade, and to stay clear about the work ahead. IAB Hong Kong's value rests on two commitments: engaging difficult questions and improving how our industry operates. We hope IAB Hong Kong remains a forum where leaders do more than discuss the future — they help shape the terms on which it arrives. The most useful ideas rarely stay confined to the stage; they emerge through genuine dialogue and the connections built across our community."

PR Newswire is the Media Partner of IAB HK C26.

About C26

Four years since the rise of generative AI, the conversation has matured from initial implementation to fundamental business transformation. At the forefront of this evolution is the IAB HK C26 AI Marketing Conference, Hong Kong's premier gathering for marketing professionals, business leaders, and technology innovators. Under the theme "Business Re-imagined", the conference moves beyond incremental efficiency to explore how AI is fundamentally reshaping commerce, leadership, and creativity. Through a curated series of dynamic keynotes, executive panels, and practical case studies, C26 illuminates the path for leaders to transition from AI potential to measurable, structural business impact.

About IAB Hong Kong

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, IAB Hong Kong (IAB HK) is a not-for-profit association that serves as Hong Kong's bridge between East and West in digital marketing — connecting the city's advertising ecosystem to a global network spanning 45 markets through the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).

Representing over 130 member companies across media, ad tech, platforms, agencies, brands, and research organizations, IAB HK is recognized as one of the city's most credible and influential digital marketing associations. Through initiatives such as the annual IAB HK Digital Awards, professional education programs, and industry research, IAB HK drives standards, talent development, and marketing innovation. Founding members include comScore, Meta, Google, the South China Morning Post, and Yahoo, with PwC as a strategic partner. For more information, please visit www.iabhongkong.com.

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IAB Hong Kong C26 Spotlights AI's Move into Business Execution for Marketers Amid Hong Kong's HK$33.9 Billion Ad Market

IAB Hong Kong C26 Spotlights AI's Move into Business Execution for Marketers Amid Hong Kong's HK$33.9 Billion Ad Market

IAB Hong Kong C26 Spotlights AI's Move into Business Execution for Marketers Amid Hong Kong's HK$33.9 Billion Ad Market

As electricity demand rises, Beko CEO Can Dinçer makes the case at COP31 for efficient, connected appliances that do more than consume power; they help manage demand.

ANTALYA, Türkiye, Nov. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Beko CEO Can Dinçer argued at COP31 that the energy transition has to electrify smarter as well as faster, and that much of that work happens at home. Speaking on the panel, 'From Efficiency to Resilience: The Role of the Home-Appliance Industry in the Energy Transition', at the pavilion of Beko's parent company, Koç Holding, Dinçer set out the role energy-efficient home appliances can play in meeting growing electricity demand while reducing emissions and household energy costs.

The panel brought together Dr. Bilal Düzgün, Deputy Head of Energy Efficiency and Environment Department at the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources; Paolo Falcioni, Director General of APPLiA; Dr. Mine Işık, IEA Energy Policy & Modeling Expert; and Can Dinçer, and was moderated by Ana Maria Carreno, Senior Director of Climate at CLASP.

Global electricity demand grew 3% in 2025 and is forecast to grow 3.6% in 2026, according to the International Energy Agency's Electricity Mid-Year Update. Rising appliance ownership, air conditioning and heat pumps are among the drivers, alongside industrial growth, electric vehicles and data centres. Affordability is under pressure too: the same report finds that average spot wholesale electricity prices in the European Union were more than 30% higher year on year in the second quarter of 2026.

Türkiye's COP31 Presidency has introduced the '35 by 35' Global Electrification Pledge, which aims to raise electricity's share of global final energy consumption from just over 20% to 35% by 2035. It sits alongside the COP28 commitment to double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.

Meeting both goals means generating more clean power and using it more efficiently. Buildings are central to that: they account for more than half of global electricity consumption, and electrical appliances represent 45% of the electricity used in them, according to the International Energy Agency. Scope 3 value-chain emissions - the indirect emissions which occur through upstream and downstream operations - account for 99% of Beko's total emissions, and more than 80% of those come from the use of products in people's homes. Making appliances more energy efficient in everyday use is Beko's biggest opportunity to reduce the Scope 3 emissions.

"Every kilowatt-hour saved at home can help reduce pressure on the electricity system and lowers household energy use and costs. That is why efficiency sits at the heart of how we design our products, and why we are glad to bring that experience to COP31 in Türkiye, where Beko was founded. Climate change is a global problem, and the answers will come from sharing what works, so it can be repeated at scale. We are here to be part of that," said Can Dinçer, CEO of Beko.

On the ground at COP31

Earlier in the day, Can Dinçer also spoke on 'Cooling a Warming World: Energy Access and Climate Change in Emerging Markets' at the Türkiye Pavilion in the Blue Zone, alongside Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, Pakistan's Minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, and Umar Ahsan Khan, CEO of Dawlance, with Michel Frédeau, Senior Partner at BCG, moderating. Drawing on Beko's experience with Dawlance in Pakistan and Defy in South Africa, he argued that the markets where cooling demand is growing fastest are often those where efficiency standards are still developing, and that high-efficiency products should reach them before regulation requires it.

Beko is at COP31 alongside Koç Holding, COP31 Global Business Partner, as part of the 'From Commitments to Action' programme at Koç Holding's pavilion in the Green Zone.

ABOUT BEKO  

Beko is an international home appliance company with a strong global presence, operating through subsidiaries in more than 55 countries with a workforce of around 45,000 employees and production facilities spanning multiple regions—including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Beko has 22 brands owned or used with a limited license (Arçelik, Beko, Whirlpool*, Grundig, Hotpoint, Arctic, Ariston*, Leisure, Indesit, Blomberg, Defy, Dawlance, Hitachi*, Voltas Beko, Singer*, ElektraBregenz, Flavel, Bauknecht, Privileg, Altus, Ignis, Polar). Beko is the largest white goods company in Europe with its market share (based on volumes) and reached a consolidated turnover of 10.7 billion Euros in 2025. Beko's 28 R&D and Design Centers & Offices across the globe are home to over 2,000 R&D employees and hold more than 4,500 international registered patent applications to date. The company has achieved the highest score in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) in the DHP Household Durables industry for the seventh consecutive year (based on the results dated 16 October 2025).** The company has been recognized as the 89th most sustainable company on TIME Magazine and Statista's 2026 list of the World's Most Sustainable Companies and has been the sector leader for three consecutive years. Beko's vision is 'Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.'   

www.bekocorporate.com   

*Licensee limited to certain jurisdictions.   
**The data presented belongs to Arçelik A.Ş., a parent company of Beko.  

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Beko Puts the Home at the Centre of COP31's Electrification Debate

Beko Puts the Home at the Centre of COP31's Electrification Debate