UAE prince family office to operate in HK as planned

The United Arab Emirates' Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum says his family office will operate in Hong Kong as planned and will be opened next month following a last-minute postponement of its launching ceremony on Thursday.

The vice chairman and chief executive officer of Family Office Sheikh Ali Bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Eleanor Jane Mak, apologized for the "inconvenience to all parties due to the postponement."

Mak said the 25-year-old prince decided to postpone the ceremony to the end of May "due to some urgent unexpected private matter."

She added: "It has been confirmed that the operation of the sheikh's family office in Hong Kong will proceed as planned. It is merely the inauguration ceremony that has been ... postponed until the sheikh comes to Hong Kong again at the end of May."

The office is interested in development opportunities in the mainland, Hong Kong and Asia, Mak added.

After the prince's visit to Hong Kong in December last year, his representatives visited Beijing, Nanjing, Fuzhou, Nansha and Chengdu to explore the development opportunities of various technologies and businesses, she said.

"In Chengdu, Sichuan, the family office representatives have been in contact with China New Energy Skyrail International [Hong Kong Co] Zhong Tang Sky Railway, railway companies in Sichuan and the National Rail Transit Laboratory under Southwest Jiaotong University," Mak said. "The representatives have been visiting places in the Greater Bay Area, including but not limited to Nansha, to explore all sorts of new business opportunities."

Mak said the family office would like to "express sincere gratitude for the support and concern" from various sectors regarding its opening.

All matters related to the family office will be announced through its official website and e-mail "to ensure transparency and accountability for all future information," she said, adding it reserves the right to take legal action against any false or factually incorrect information.

The family office in Sheung Wan was supposed to commence on Thursday as the sheikh met Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong-Middle East Business Chamber founding president Aaron Shum Wan-lung denied a report claiming he knew the sheikh and invited him to Hong Kong.

Shum said the sheikh visited the chamber for the first time on December 15, and he introduced a railway project, adding he was unaware of the launch of the family office until late February.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com