The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong had the distinct honour of hosting the 20th International Behavioural Finance Conference from March 26 to 27, 2026. Marking a historic milestone as the first Behavioural Finance Conference (BFC) in Asia, this prestigious conference was co-organized by the Department of Economics and Finance (EAF), the Centre for Global Finance and FinTech, and the Behavioural Finance Working Group led by Professor Arman Eshraghi of Cardiff University, UK, and Professor Gulnur Muradoglu of the University of Illinois, US. Professor Roman Matousek and Dr. King King Li served as the dedicated hosts, ensuring a well-organized and impactful conference.
The organizers extend sincere gratitude to Professor Arman Eshraghi and Professor Gulnur Muradoglu for their pivotal leadership and collaborative efforts in bringing this flagship global gathering to Asian shores for the first time.
The conference began with an insightful opening address from Dean Sam Park, Distinguished University Professor of the School of Business, setting an excellent academic precedent for the two-day gathering. Drawing brilliant minds from worldwide, the two-day conference transformed the campus into a global hub of financial discourse, centred on the critical intersection of cutting-edge technology and deeply ingrained human psychology. Far from a dry academic gathering, it offered a wealth of practical takeaways, proving that understanding the quirks of human behaviour is more crucial than ever in today’s volatile, algorithm-driven markets.
The event was anchored by two distinguished keynote speakers who challenged conventional financial wisdom. Prof. Bohui Zhang, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, captivated the audience with his deep dive into corporate culture, presenting his fascinating research titled “DEI Gangsters: Evidence from the Video Game Industry Worldwide.” His insights shed light on how diversity, equity, and inclusion metrics are actively reshaping corporate strategies and investor perceptions in unexpected ways.
Equally compelling was Prof. Tse-Chun Lin from the University of Hong Kong, who unpacked “Behavioral Finance with Chinese Characteristics.” Prof. Lin provided the international delegation with an invaluable roadmap to navigating the unique psychological and structural nuances that drive investors’ behavior.
A highlight of the conference was the stimulating panel discussion on Financial Behavioural in the Age of AI, expertly chaired by Prof. Jeanne Fu, Vice-President (Learning and Student Experience) and Director of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, alongside the distinguished panel members: Ms Serena Mak, Executive Director of Sustainable Finance at the Institutional Banking Group of DBS Bank (Hong Kong); Mr Alan To, CEO of Climate Finance Asia, Co-Founder of Aromafunapy and former Marketing Director of S&P Global; Prof. Allen Huang, Professor and Head of the Department of Accounting and Associate Director of the Center for Business and Social Analytics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; and Dr. King King Li of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Associate Editor of the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics.
Beyond the keynotes and panel sessions, the conference featured dozens of dynamic discussions covering everything from the “cost of cognition” to how earthquakes rattle investor confidence. Whether examining the impact of robo-advisors on household wealth or the greenness of M&A transactions, the overarching message was clear: the future of finance isn’t just about crunching numbers; it’s about understanding the people behind them.
For the global delegates who flew in for the anniversary event, the takeaways were abundant. They left Hong Kong not only with a new professional network but with a profound reminder that even in an era dominated by artificial intelligence, human emotion remains the ultimate market mover.
