With the support of the Education Fund of the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region for the 2024/2025 Academic Year Cooperation and Development Project for Higher Education Institutions, the Faculty of Business held the first seminar of the "Sustainable Development of the Financial Leasing Industry between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Under One Country, Two Systems - A Series of Training and Exchange Activities" on December 6, 2024, at the Taipa Campus. The event aimed to foster a comprehensive understanding of each other's business environments, financial and accounting laws, and cultural differences, thereby establishing and promoting commercial cooperation and exploring pathways for sustainable Sino-Portuguese trade.
The seminar focused on the theme "The Development of Aircraft Leasing in Hong Kong in the Post COVID-19 Era," featuring Ms. Karen Wong, an aircraft leasing expert with over ten years of industry experience, as the keynote speaker. Ms. Wong currently serves as the Head of Aircraft Leasing at Greater Bay Airlines, overseeing financing and leasing transactions for the 737 fleet. She has held key positions at renowned firms such as Pricewaterhouse Coopers, VMS Investment Group, Cathay Dragon (formerly Dragonair), and Cathay Pacific Airways, accumulating extensive experience in aircraft financing, leasing, and structured finance in the aviation sector.
During the seminar, Ms. Wong provided an in-depth analysis of the development trends in Hong Kong's aircraft leasing market in the post-pandemic era. She pointed out that changes in air passenger supply before and after the pandemic have had a profound impact on the aircraft leasing market. According to Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook, air travel demand will continue to grow over the next twenty years, presenting new opportunities and challenges for the aircraft leasing market.
The seminar also explored the basic structures and types of aircraft leasing, including the distinctions between outright purchase, finance leasing, and operating leasing. Ms. Wong detailed how, in finance leasing, ownership of the aircraft typically transfers to the lessee at the end of the lease term, while in operating leasing, ownership remains with the lessor. Additionally, she introduced various factors influencing aircraft value, such as macroeconomic conditions, industry-specific factors, and aircraft types.
Furthermore, Ms. Wong shared updates on the latest tax policy changes affecting the aircraft leasing market in Hong Kong, particularly the impact of the 2023 tax amendments on leasing activities. She emphasized that these policy changes aim to attract more aircraft leasing companies to establish operations in Hong Kong, further solidifying the city's status as a global business and financial center.
This event not only provided valuable learning opportunities for faculty and students at the Faculty of Business but also sparked in-depth discussions about the future development of Hong Kong's aircraft leasing market. Moving forward, the Faculty of Business will continue to host similar exchange activities to promote collaboration and innovation in the aviation sector and related fields, further strengthening the connection between academia and industry.