The annual Asia investment conference by Credit Suisse Group AG was cancelled due to coronavirus epidemic, Bloomberg News reported. The Swiss financial organization preferred to avoid the three-day long gathering of people from all over the world in Hong Kong.
While the deadly coronavirus shows no sign of abating, the Zurich-based lender informed investors it will cancel the conference in Hong Kong, its biggest in the region. Originally, Conrad Hotel planned to host Credit Suisse annual conference on March 25-27.
“In view of the continued health and safety risks caused by the coronavirus, we have taken the decision to cancel this year’s Asian Investment Conference,” a spokeswoman said in Tuesday email.
The outbreak of the coronavirus originated in China has changed the plans of Credit Suisse. Hong Kong that neighbours Macau, the world’s biggest gambling hub, has asked its casinos to shut down for half a month.
Many events in Hong Kong have been cancelled due to coronavirus
Credit Suisse’s cancelling the conference is not the first example of the virus’ impact on business. Separately, the annual Fund Managers’, Asian Bankers’ and Brokers’ Awards set for later this month has also been postponed, said Sean Alexander, who sits on FABBAS’s board of directors.
The decision to delay it to sometime in March came after some attendees chose to remain overseas with Hong Kong schools not reopening until March 3. It has netted more than $10 million for charities including Children’s Surgical Center in Cambodia and Children’s Medical Foundation in China since 2003.
