Sun Life Hong Kong has entered into a collaboration with The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong’s Institute of Continuing and Professional Education (ICAPE) to introduce a training course which aims to sustain family legacies while bolstering the expertise of insurance professionals, including Sun Life Hong Kong's employees, financial advisors, and brokers.
This initiative, called “Course on the Frontier Knowledge of Contemporary HNWI Financial Planning Strategy and Family Office Practice,” represents the first such joint venture between an insurance company and a local university in Hong Kong.
In the initial phase of this partnership, ICAPE will conduct training courses for Sun Life Hong Kong this year, benefitting thousands of participants. Plans are in place to expand the training program, aiming to enrich participants' knowledge and contribute to the broader development of the industry.
The course targets professionals in insurance, wealth management, and financial planning, along with family heads and their members. It focuses on equipping participants with advanced skills and knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of wealth management for ultra-high-net-worth families. This training is expected to enhance their proficiency and competitiveness in high-net-worth financial planning and family office management.
Sun Life Hong Kong’s training course is designed to foster a platform for sharing expertise and honing professional skills in various aspects of wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and family offices.
Areas covered include corporate insurance, senior executive insurance, trusts, taxation, wealth preservation and accumulation, legacy planning, and family office support services. Participants completing the course will be awarded a joint certificate from Sun Life Hong Kong and ICAPE, marking their professional growth.
Furthermore, Sun Life Hong Kong plans to utilise the academic research, data, and analysis from ICAPE and the Chinese Family Succession Research Centre. This collaboration will bolster Sun Life Hong Kong's business development, enhance the knowledge of its staff, and optimize services for high-net-worth clients, ultimately benefiting the wider community and adding value to the local insurance industry.
Clement Lam, CEO of Sun Life Hong Kong, said the partnership is aligned with the company's development philosophy and the university's commitment to nurturing executive talent. He emphasised the course's unique focus on wealth preservation, accumulation, transfer, family office concepts, health management, and the value of family harmony and relationships.
“Specifically designed to meet the needs of our high-net-worth and family office clients, it consists of a series of three stages: Foundation, Advanced and Professional, providing participants with specialized knowledge at different levels,” Lam said. “The course provides a well-rounded view of multiple areas related to family legacies, with a particular emphasis on the importance of interpersonal relationships in legacy discussions and dealing with family office issues. This offers the industry a value-added approach, setting high industry standards.
“We are eager to witness how these courses will help insurance practitioners in Hong Kong acquire new knowledge through ongoing learning, continuously enhancing their value and broadening their horizons, which will help clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives,” Lam said.
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