According to recent research, Hong Kong still ranks as the world's biggest initial public offering (IPO) hub, raising $52.8 billion in 2010, compared with $42 billion in the US. The figures highlight the shift in global economic activity from the US and Europe to emerging markets, particularly China, a trend that has recently accelerated in the wake of the global financial crisis.

To explore the drivers for this activity, IntraLinks, along with mergermarket, has organised an ‘Asian IPO Series’. The first IPO panel discussion in March, held at, JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong, attracted over 50 senior delegates who were keen to learn about the future of Hong Kong’s listing activity. The panel comprised of Mark Dickens, Head of Listing, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing; Annie Zhao, Managing Director, Equity Capital Markets, Bank of China International; Esther Leung, Partner & Co-head of Capital Markets, Asia, DLA Piper Hong Kong; Edmond Chan, Partner, Hong Kong Capital Market Services Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Rick Smolen, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, IntraLinks.

Due to strong and sustained economic growth, Chinese firms have gained global attention with a series of high profile cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A). With the Chinese economy now second only to the USA, surpassing Japan in terms of nominal GDP, this type of deal activity is predicted to soar. Cash-rich Chinese corporates are now spreading their wings abroad and growing market share across the globe.

I recently attended an IntraLinks and mergermarket breakfast discussing this very topic. Entitled “Driving Economic Change: The Influence of Chinese Cross-Border M&A” explored how domestic and international M&A will affect Chinese economic growth.

With research and development costs rising and discovery pipelines struggling, life sciences organizations are always looking for opportunities to increase revenue, while reducing overall costs, improving operational efficiencies and minimizing risks.

The recent conference, INTERPHEX Japan 2010, Asia’s largest pharmaceutical event, at Japan’s biggest exhibition center, Tokyo Big Sight, therefore provided an excellent opportunity for life sciences professionals to network for three days to source products, services and capabilities that drive scientific and process innovation for the life sciences industry. In its 23rd year, and organised by Reed Exhibitions, INTERPHEX Japan proved a huge success, attracting a record number of 1,564 exhibitors and 66,750 industry professionals from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cosmetics R&D and manufacturing industries.

The Effect of E-Waste on the Environment in China

It is no secret that many businesses around the world are a source of environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions — and that an equal number of corporations are working to change that. Historically speaking, the US has been the largest greenhouse gas emitter, but today China’s environmental problems seem to be increasing at pace with the country’s economic growth. Currently, 16 out of the 20 most polluted cities the world are located in China according to the United Nations Development Program.

The city of Guiyu, China is a prime example of this environmental degradation. This small city’s economy centers on electronic waste (e-waste), which is trash that contains electrically powered products with both valuable and hazardous components. Despite the fact that e-waste imports have been illegal in China since 1996 and the Basel Agreement banned the shipment of electronic waste from the developed to the developing world, over 5,500 businesses in Guiyu are devoted to dismantling e-waste, 80% of which arrives from overseas.

What does the term "greenwashing" mean?

As the trend of corporate responsibility steers companies to jump on the "green bandwagon," some remain involved only at surface level. "Greenwashing" refers to companies who unjustifiably portray themselves to the public as environmentally conscious. These companies make more efforts to appear to reduce their environmental impact than efforts to invest in the business practices that would actually do so.