8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Welcome Remarks
The Asian Institute of International Financial Law (AIIFL) and the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong are proud to co-organise with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) the 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform. As the number eight symbolizes prosperity and infinite possibilities in Chinese culture, this edition of the flagship coordination conference promises to unlock new pathways for coordinated reform efforts to promote sustainable access to credit.
Welcome remarks:
Mr. Hualing Fu, Dean, Warren Chan Professor in Human Rights and Responsibilities, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong;
Mr. Giuliano Castellano, AIIFL Director, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong; and,
Mr. Jae Sung Lee, Senior Legal Officer, UNCITRAL.
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Status and Prospects
International Standards: Status and Prospects
This panel offers an update on the latest developments in the preparation of international standards on secured transactions since the 7th Secured Transactions Coordination Conference in November 2024. Speakers:
Ms. Monica Canafoglia, Legal Officer, UNCITRAL;
Mr. Ignacio Tirado, Secretary-General, UNIDROIT; and,
Ms. Gérardine Goh Escolar, Deputy Secretary General, HCCH.
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Reform Trends
Reform Trends: Challenges and Successes
This panel examines recent reform efforts in secured transactions law, with a particular focus on developments across the Asian region in the global context. Presentations will highlight both the challenges faced during implementation and the successes achieved in enhancing access to credit and improving legal certainty, including through emerging practices that are shaping the future of secured transactions.
Moderator: Ms. Monica Canafoglia, Legal Officer, UNCITRAL
• Mr. Murat Sultanov, Senior Operations Officer, Financial Institutions Group Advisory, IFC
• Ms. Miha Isoi, Attorney-at-law, former JICA Senior Adviser, Legal Adviser to International Cooperation Department, Research and Training Institute of the Ministry of Justice of Japan
• Ms. Angelia Chia, Senior Counsel, Trade and Supply Chain (Legal), Office of the General Counsel, ADB
• Mr. Julius Caesar Parreñas, Coordinator, APEC/ABAC Asia-Pacific Financial Forum; and Managing Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
• Ms. Stellah Kakwezi Olimi, Assistant Commissioner, Head of Chattels Securities Registration, Uganda Registration Services Bureau
• Mr. Charles Booth, Professor of Law and Director, Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law (IAPBL), William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai’i at Manoa & Senior Advisor, Parabellum Capital
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Coordinating Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Responses
Coordinating Legal, Regulatory, and Policy Responses
This panel explores legal and regulatory adaptation to the fast-evolving landscape of digital finance. It covers recent domestic and international developments promoting access to credit through innovations in digital finance and intellectual property affecting secured lending. Coordination challenges and opportunities between law and regulation will be discussed, while highlighting how emerging trends and policy approaches are transforming access to credit through technology-driven solutions, requiring holistic policy actions.
Moderator: Mr. Giuliano Castellano, AIIFL Director, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong
• Ms. Carmen Chu, Executive Director (Banking Supervision), Hong Kong Monetary Authority
• Mr. David Wong, Director of Intellectual Property, Government of Hong Kong SAR, China
• Ms. Hazel Law, Associate Director, Intermediaries, Securities and Futures Commission
• Mr. Rocky Tung, Director & Head of Policy Research for the Financial Services Development Council
• Mr. Tomio Mizutani, Director, Cash Flow-Based Lending Promotion Office, Financial Services Agency of Japan
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – The Future of Collateral: Pathway to Digital Secured Lending
The Future of Collateral: Pathway to Digital Secured Lending
This panel examines the evolving legal and regulatory landscape supporting the use of digital assets in secured lending transactions. It highlights key legal instruments and domestic approaches to integrate digital assets in secured lending. Specific reference is made to new products and practices that reflect broader shifts in the ecosystem of digital assets.
Moderator: Mr Jae Sung Lee, Senior Legal Office, UNCITRAL
• Ms. Teresa Rodríguez de las Heras Ballell, Full Professor of Commercial Law, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
• Ms. Megumi Hara, Professor, Chuo University Law School
• Mr. Woo-Jung Jon, Assistant Professor, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Mr. Marek Dubovec, Director of Law Reform Programs, International Law Institute
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Enforcement and Intangible Assets
Enforcement and Intangible Assets – Evolving Practice
This panel examines enforcement as a key element of secured transactions regimes. It explores legal and institutional factors, including judicial and non-judicial mechanisms. The session highlights international standards shaping enforcement, including for lending products secured with intellectual property rights and digital assets.
Moderator: Ms. Queenie Wu, Deputy Director, Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Office, Department of Justice, Government of Hong Kong SAR, China
• Ms. Anna Veneziano, Deputy Secretary-General, UNIDROIT
• Mr. Richard Kohn, Founder and a Principal, Commercial Finance Group, Goldberg Kohn Ltd
• Mr. Danny Ong, Managing Director, Setia Law LLC
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Unlocking Innovation
Unlocking Innovation: Intellectual Property Collateralization
This panel discusses intellectual property rights financing, with a focus on legal frameworks and international coordination to unlock the potential of intellectual property assets as collateral and drive innovation-led economic growth.
Moderator: Mr. Julius Caesar Parreñas, Coordinator, APEC/ABAC Asia-Pacific Financial Forum; and Managing Director, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Japan
• Mr. Ivor Istuk, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice, World Bank Group
• Mr. Doh-Uk Shin, Director, International Legal Policy Division, Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea
• Mr. Thomas Tsang, Deputy Director of Intellectual Property, Government of Hong Kong SAR, China
• Mr. Johnson Kong, Board Member, International IP Commercialization Council (IIPCC)
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Access to Credit
Access to Credit, Trade Finance, and Digitalization
Trade finance plays a vital role in global commerce by helping businesses access working capital and manage risk. This panel explores how legal frameworks supporting supply-chain and asset-based lending can improve access to credit. It considers the role of international standards in building efficient systems and their implementation at the domestic level through innovative technologies.
Moderator: Mr. William Brydie-Watson, Senior Legal Officer, UNIDROIT
Mr. Murat Sultanov, Senior Operations Officer, Financial Institutions Group Advisory, IFC
Ms. Angelia Chia, Senior Counsel, Trade and Supply Chain (Legal), Office of the General Counsel, ADB
Mr. Milot Ahma, Principal Counsel, Legal Transition Team, EBRD
Ms. Jun Xu, Vice Chair, ICC Banking Commission Steering Committee, Director Senior Manager, Global Transaction Banking, Bank of China
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Farming to Finance
From Farming to Finance: Technology and Law for Agricultural Growth
This panel explores how international legal instruments—like the UNCITRAL-UNIDROIT Model Law on Warehouse Receipts—can improve access to agricultural credit. It highlights innovative asset-based financing and emerging digital tools such as electronic receipts and blockchain registries.
Moderator: Mr. Marek Dubovec, Director of Law Reform Programs, International Law Institute
• Mr. William Brydie-Watson, Senior Legal Officer, UNIDROIT
• Ms. Lyu Qi, Chief Adviser, Beijing Fnlegor Law Firm
• Mr. Kyrylo Mukhomedzyanov, Project Lead, Financial Sector Specialist IFC
• Mr. Henry Gabriel, Professor of Law, Elon University School of Law
8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform
The 8th Conference on International Coordination of Secured Transactions Reform – Lessons Learned
Concluding Roundtable: Lessons Learned
This concluding roundtable is joined by Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary, UNCITRAL.
Mr. Jae Sung Lee, Senior Legal Officer, UNCITRAL
Mr. Ignacio Tirado, Secretary-General, UNIDROIT
Mr. Murat Sultanov, Senior Operations Officer, Financial Institutions Group Advisory, IFC
Mr. Bob Trojan, Senior Advisor, International Law Institute