Ms Margaret Fong

Executive Director

Hong Kong Trade Development Council

A warm welcome to the 2020 Asian E-Tailing Summit (AES), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

While the global pandemic has brought about disruptions to our economic and social activities, it has also accelerated the development of online commerce. As a result, AES plays an even more important role this year as a platform where businesses can connect with international experts on online retailing and get the latest insights, market intelligence, trends and best practices. And this year, with an online format, and extension from one and a half to three days, it will provide more flexibility for worldwide participants to explore the latest trends in e-commerce.

Under the theme “Embracing Change and Unlocking Opportunities in the New Digital World,” AES has gathered a line-up of 40 international experts to discuss and demonstrate how businesses can develop cost-effective models to reach diverse markets with cross-border e-commerce; gain a competitive edge by enhancing the mobile e-commerce experience for their customers; increase revenue by incorporating personalisation into their digital customer engagement strategies; and much more.

There will also be sessions on big data, augmented and virtual reality, omnichannel and blockchain technology and other topics essential to businesses looking to navigate the challenges of the pandemic in the near-term and capture the opportunities that will arise from the projected growth of e-commerce in Asia in the longer-term.

Businesses setting out on a journey to build a digital footprint will find the series of intensive workshops on the third day of the Summit particularly relevant, where e-tailing professionals will provide an overview of the strategies and tactics needed to launch a successful online business.

I wish all participants a fruitful event and hope you take away valuable insights for your business in the year ahead.

Margaret Fong
Executive Director
Hong Kong Trade Development Council