The Refinery Dialogues is a monthly speaker series held at The Refinery, a private members' club at Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. Curated and delivered by Eight PR, the 2026 programme features expert speakers covering wealth management, aviation, cybersecurity, AI, intellectual property, pitching, and precious metals.
Leveraging our network to secure expert speakers from across multiple sectors, Eight PR connects members, guests, and a few non-members with insights to help them navigate change, make sharper decisions, and build stronger organisations.
The 2026 Refinery Dialogues Series: Month by Month
January: The Rise of the Family Office
The series opened on 29 January with Daniel Xystus, CIO of AOP Capital, discussing "The Rise of the Family Office". Drawing on more than 30 years in global hedge funds and public-market strategies, Daniel examined how family offices are becoming institutional-grade investment organisations and addressed digital assets, and the growing importance of governance and external expertise.
Key takeaway: Family offices are evolving into institutional-grade investors, with governance and external expertise now central to their operations.
February: Negotiating with Shadows
"Negotiating with Shadows" put guests inside a simulated ransomware crisis. Lester Lim, Head of Cyber, APAC, and Kyle Schwaeble, Head of Incident Response, APAC, both of S-RM, led an exercise based on a real-world incident. Live voting saw participants weigh payment, offers and counteroffers, making the pressure of cyber incident response tangible.
Key takeaway: Simulated crisis exercises reveal how high-pressure decisions unfold during a real cyber incident — and why preparation matters before an attack happens.
March: Navigating the Risks of ChatGPT and AI
Darren Boey, Founder and CEO of UnMute, explored responsible generative-AI adoption. His session covered the anatomy of AI, model hallucinations, and practical guardrails for safer use. Drawing on 25 years in financial media and brand communications, Darren connected technology with storytelling and demonstrated prompting techniques for more credible output.
Key takeaway: Responsible AI adoption starts with understanding how models work — including their hallucinations — and applying practical guardrails to everyday use.
April: When Will the Bubble Burst?
Dr Richard Harris, Founder and CEO of Port Shelter Investment Management, led "When Will the Bubble Burst? Decoding Non-Linear Narratives and Fragile Optimism". Using behavioural economics, systems thinking and his own research, Richard considered how stories and feedback mechanisms influence asset prices. Attendees gained a fresh lens on market fragility, leading indicators, and resilience.
Key takeaway: Market bubbles are driven as much by narratives and feedback loops as by fundamentals — recognising the signals builds resilience.
May: Aviation Leadership with Captain Janet Leung
On 28 May , May's Dialogue took the discussion beyond the flight deck with Captain Janet Leung of Cathay Pacific, an Airbus A321neo commander and member of the airline's Flying Training Development Team. Moderated by Eileen O'Connell, the conversation covered how precision, preparation, communication and composure support leadership under pressure. Captain Leung also showed how training and continuous learning prepare the next generation of pilots.
Key takeaway: The disciplines of aviation — precision, preparation, and composure — translate directly to leadership in any high-stakes environment.
June: Protect Your IP. Power Your Growth
Ellie Patel, Founder and CEO of Re-think Legal, explained why intellectual property is a growth driver, not a legal afterthought. "Protect Your IP. Power Your Growth" covered trademarks, portfolios, and agreements that safeguard ideas, brands, and inventions. Ellie's practical examples showed how early protection can mitigate risk, attract investment, and support expansion.
Key takeaway: Early IP protection is a growth strategy because it mitigates risk, attracts investment, and supports expansion.
July: Leading People and AI at Work
The July Dialogue welcomed Eric Stryson, Managing Director of The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT), to explore the changing relationship between humans and agentic AI. Drawing on organisational and culture-transformation work, Eric addressed why human skills must remain a priority, the tools that can support hybrid managers, and the opportunities and risks shaping the future of work.
Key takeaway: As agentic AI enters the workplace, human skills — judgement, empathy, leadership — become more valuable, not less.
August: The Art of Perfect Pitching
Case Everaert, a partner at Black Isle Global, offered business leaders a practical approach to high-stakes communication. His "Art of Perfect Pitching" introduced three pillars: the PRECISE Model for assessing an audience; the PYRAMID Model for structuring a memorable narrative; and the PITCH delivery techniques that turn a proposal into a decisive "yes". A live case study showed how the framework can apply to client meetings, board presentations, and strategic proposals.
Key takeaway: Winning pitches combine audience analysis, structured narrative, and deliberate delivery; a repeatable framework, not a talent.
September: Gold 101
The September session featured Padraig Seif, Partner of Precious Metals Asia, a Hong Kong-based lawyer and precious metals specialist. In "Gold 101", Padraig cut through myths and marketing around buying, storing, and trading gold, and explained gold's role in insurance, investment, and speculation, and common pitfalls and scams. The ask-me-anything format gave attendees practical insight into a resilient, often-debated asset.
Key takeaway: Gold can play a role in insurance, investment, and speculation, but it has its fair share of myths, marketing, and scams.
The Refinery Dialogues - A Platform for Meaningful Exchange
Eight PR is honoured to support The Refinery and its members through The Refinery Dialogues, a partnership built on meaningful exchange. Strong event communications connect relevant ideas with the right people, encourage credible discussion, and give a professional community reasons to keep the conversation going.
In the heart of Taikoo Place, Hong Kong’s premier global business district, The Refinery continues to offer Hong Kong's business community a place to learn, connect, and engage with the questions shaping leadership and work today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is The Refinery Dialogues?
The Refinery Dialogues is a monthly expert speaker series held at The Refinery, a private members' club at Taikoo Place owned by Swire Properties and managed by The Peninsula Group. Each session features a leading practitioner sharing practical insights on topics shaping business and leadership.
2) What topics do The Refinery Dialogues cover?
Topics span business, finance, technology, and leadership. The 2026 programme has covered family offices and wealth management, cybersecurity incident response, generative AI, market behaviour, aviation leadership, intellectual property, the future of work, high-stakes pitching, and gold investment.
3) Who organises The Refinery Dialogues?
The series is curated and delivered by Eight PR, a Hong Kong-based bilingual public relations agency. Eight PR secures the expert speakers, shapes each session, and manages The Refinery's LinkedIn presence, including event promotion and recaps.
4) Where are the Refinery Dialogues held?
The Refinery Dialogues are held at The Refinery, 4/F Dorset House, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong, on the last Thursday of every month.
5) Who can attend The Refinery Dialogues?
Sessions are primarily for The Refinery's members, who may invite guests. A limited number of places may be available to non-members, with priority given to members.
6) How do I register for The Refinery Dialogues?
Pre-registration is required via The Refinery's website. Upcoming sessions are also announced on The Refinery's LinkedIn page, managed by Eight PR.
7) Is The Refinery open to non-members?
The Refinery is a private members' club, but selected events — including The Refinery Dialogues — offer a limited number of places to non-members. Priority is given to members and their guests.
About Eight PR's Speaker Services
Eight PR curates speaker programmes for private clubs, co-working spaces, and member communities; a service we currently provide for The Refinery in Taikoo Place, where we secure expert speakers, shape each session, and manage the club's LinkedIn presence, promoting upcoming events, recapping past sessions, and sharing stories that keep the community engaged between gatherings.
About Eight PR
Elevate your brand with empathy, creativity, and connections. At Eight Public Relations, we turn ideas into headlines by delivering transparent, bilingual, and strategic PR services that help B2B tech (including cybersecurity, information technology & communications), B2C tech, logistics, legal, and financial & professional services brands communicate with clarity, authority, and impact. Our empathy-driven approach, combined with innovative strategies, ensures your message resonates with the right audiences in Hong Kong, China, and across the Asia Pacific region.
As the Hong Kong and China partner of Enterie, a global network of independent PR agencies, we provide our clients with seamless communication strategies across 80+ markets worldwide.
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