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‘Lawful’ capital welcome in Hong Kong, treasury chief says as Dubai prince Ali Al Maktoum plans to return for US$500 million family office opening

  • Treasury chief Christopher Hui says city has variety of policies and strategies to attract institutions to establish family offices
  • Maktoum’s top aide in city reveals prince to return no later than June for opening ceremony of family office

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Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum (centre) is expected to return to Hong Kong in the coming weeks. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Hong Kong will welcome all “lawful and rule-compliant” capital, the treasury chief has said after a top aide to Sheikh Ali Rashed Ali Saeed Al Maktoum reaffirmed the Dubai prince’s plan to return to the city to inaugurate his US$500 million family office.

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“Hong Kong has adopted various policies and strategies to attract different institutions to come and establish family offices,” Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu said on Wednesday. “These efforts are continuous.

“Any capital, as long as lawful and rule-compliant, is welcome in Hong Kong,” he said after an antechamber meeting with lawmakers.

Hui was speaking after the aide said that Maktoum would return to the city by June to attend the opening ceremony of his family office, meet potential business partners and take part in charitable activities.

The prince, who apparently had an alter ego as singer-songwriter Alira before he transitioned to a sustainability-focused investor last year, called off the original inauguration at the eleventh hour in March because of “urgent, unexpected private matters”.

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His office later announced the opening had been rescheduled to the end of May.

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