Bridgespan report released at summit reveals the Club, through its Charities Trust, is 8th largest corporate giver in the world and biggest in Asia

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (the Trust) is serving as host partner of the AVPN Global Conference 2025, which opened at the Rosewood Hong Kong today (9 Sept). The three-day event, being held in Hong Kong for the first time, is due to run until Thursday (11 Sept) under the theme “Asian Leadership for an Inclusive World”.

AVPN is Asia’s largest network of social and impact investors that aims to drive capital towards impactful investments for social change across the region. Its conference provides a platform for knowledge-sharing and networking among leading industry figures from Asia and beyond. It is expected to draw 1,500 delegates including business leaders, funders, philanthropists, policymakers, asset managers, family offices and institutional investors.

During the conference, the Trust launched its inaugural PBC^x sessions as an extension of its signature Philanthropy for Better Cities (PBC) Forum to foster year-round dialogue and collaboration on emerging philanthropic trends in Asia.

The partnership between the Trust and AVPN aligns with the HKSAR Government’s mission to promote Hong Kong as an international hub for philanthropy and reinforces the city’s status as a key player in bringing together the capital, innovation and leadership required to accelerate Asia’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Officiating at the AVPN Global Conference 2025 opening ceremony was Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government; Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; and Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer of AVPN.

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club,  noted the Club has been committed to serving Hong Kong’s community for more than a century. “It is fitting that this conference is being held in Hong Kong for the first time,” he said. “Our city has a deep philanthropic tradition and sits at the intersection of East and West, of capital and community. It has the potential to be a true hub for solutions that are designed in Asia, for Asia and beyond.”

Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer of AVPN, said, “We are delighted that The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust are supporting our global conference this year as host partner. Together, we are on a mission to move from dialogue to solutions, collaborate across boundaries, and invest in the sustainable, equitable Asia that we all envision.”

In addition, a new report from The Bridgespan Group released at the AVPN conference revealed that the Club, through its Charities Trust, is the eighth largest corporate giver in the world and the biggest in Asia. Three other Asian organisations place in the top 20 – Samsung (12), Tencent (14) and China Three Gorges Corporation (20).

Trust hosts inaugural PBC^x sessions to extend dialogue year-round

The Club’s Charities Trust convened its first PBC Forum in 2016 to bring together philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, policymakers and NGOs worldwide as a means to foster collaboration and long-term partnerships and deliver sustainable social impact.

The third PBC Forum in 2023 saw the launch of the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) as a charitable organisation and “think-fund-do” tank to promote philanthropic thought-leadership and the betterment of societies in China, Asia and beyond. The third PBC Forum, and subsequent ones, are co-presented by the Trust and IoP.

This year’s AVPN conference will see the Trust host five PBC^x sessions to encourage discussion on topics including how diversity in Asian philanthropy can unlock growth, philanthropic trends in China, strategies for addressing systemic inequality and how financial hubs such as Hong Kong can channel greater capital flows into inclusive development.

Speakers from the Club and IoP include Lester Huang, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and IoP Chairman; Brian San, IoP Secretary-General; and Dylan Lu, IoP Chief Mainland Representative. They will share their insights with renowned speakers from around the world including Boon Heong Ng, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Temasek Foundation; Masato Seko, Senior Director, Global Issues Division, The Nippon Foundation; Kong Dongmei, Founder and Chairperson, Dong Run Foundation; and Tracy Palandjian, CEO and Co-Founder, Social Finance.

Report lists Club, through its Charities Trust, as 8th largest corporate funder in world and biggest in Asia

The Bridgespan Group released a new report at the conference today revealing the world’s largest corporate givers and how they are driving scalable and lasting social impact. Four Asian organisations featured among the 20 largest globally, led in eighth place by The Hong Kong Jockey Club through its Charities Trust, which tops the chart in Asia.

The report was backed by the group’s Funder’s Council, which includes IoP, The Rockefeller Foundation and the Gates Foundation. It is the second report in a multi-year series originally led by Bridgespan with IoP support.

Explore the full report: https://www.bridgespan.org/insights/high-impact-approaches-to-corporate-giving

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2024/25, the Club returned a total of HK$39.1 billion to the community. This included HK$30.1 billion to the HKSAR Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations.  The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is one of the world’s leading charity donors.

About The Bridgespan Group

The Bridgespan Group (www.bridgespan.org) is a global nonprofit that collaborates with social change organisations, philanthropists, and impact investors to make the world more equitable and just. Bridgespan’s services include strategy consulting and advising, sourcing and diligence, and leadership team support. We take what we learn from this work and build on it with original research, identifying best practices and innovative ideas to share with the social sector. We work from locations in Boston, Delhi, Johannesburg, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Singapore, and Washington, DC.