The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) successfully hosted the historic Asian debut of LEAP East 2026, the premier technology conference brand from Saudi Arabia, from July 14-16. The three-day event utilized over 35,000 square meters across Hall 1 and Hall 3, drawing more than 25,000 professionals, policymakers, and investors, with a participation mix of 55% international and Chinese Mainland attendees and 45% local participants. The summit featured 300 startups and 600 investors representing over US$6.5 trillion in assets under management, positioning it as Hong Kong's largest-ever inaugural technology event.
The success of LEAP East underscores Hong Kong's strategic role as a super-connector bridging economies, innovation, capital, and cultures, according to Ms Monica Lee-Müller, Managing Director of HML. She highlighted the close collaboration between the Hong Kong SAR government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which made the milestone possible. HML has welcomed several major Asian debuts and city-first events this year, many of which have expressed interest in returning with larger scale. HML continues to position the HKCEC as a leading platform for industries to showcase achievements and unlock opportunities, reinforcing Hong Kong's status as the premier MICE hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Ms Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President of Tahaluf and co-creator of LEAP, emphasized that LEAP East serves as a bridge to the wider technology ecosystem, noting synergies between Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong in AI, FinTech, and other tech hubs. She praised the HKCEC for its outstanding halal dining options, bilateral meeting rooms, and prayer facilities, which catered to Saudi visitors and made the venue ideal for fostering collaboration. Tahaluf has committed to making Hong Kong the exclusive Asian host city for LEAP East through a three-year deal, with the event set to return to HKCEC in 2027.
The HKCEC's proactive efforts to introduce Muslim-friendly facilities and services earned it the distinction of being the first venue accredited as a Gold-standard Muslim-Friendly MICE Venue, contributing to the success of LEAP East. HML expressed gratitude to the government for its support of the convention and exhibition sector. For more information, visit http://www.hkcec.com or follow on LinkedIn.
