Music conference in HK

Hong Kong recently hosted more than 600 high-powered representatives of the region's music industry who were in town to attend the inaugural 'Music Matters — the Asia Pacific Forum'. The event was held over two days on May 10 and 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong's newest five-star property. Many delegates were also hosted at the hotel, which overlooks Victoria Harbour. The conference was organised by Branded, a Hong Kong-based marketing and events company. "We saw that the world's music business was turning a corner and all eyes were focusing on Asia to drive growth and new innovation, yet there was nowhere in Asia for people to come together and discuss music. That's why we created the first everforum dedicated to the business of music," says Jasper Donat, co-founder of Branded. Popular speakers Being a new conference, Music Matters faced several challenges to get up and running. "The whole project took about 12 months to get ready," says Donat. "Because it was the first time the event had been held it was often a challenge to be able to persuade people to participate. But it was great in the end thanks to a great list of speakers." The event's keynote speaker was Edgar Bronfman Jr, chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group, who flew into Hong Kong for just 15 hours to deliver his speech and meet the conference delegates. Other speakers included Harvey Goldsmith, managing director of Harvey Goldsmith Productions; John Kennedy, chairman and CEO of IFPI Worldwide; Ian Chapman-Banks, vice-president of Motorola Asia Pacific; Paul Robinson, president of EMI Music Southeast Asia; and Edward Lam, executive director of Morgan Stanley. Day One of the conference looked at issues affecting the music industry today. It began with a series of addresses on topics such as piracy, digital downloads and the latest research in consumer thinking from Hong Kong-based research company Synovate. Day Two looked at the future of the music industry in Asia. Topics included the mobile entertainment revolution, the world of digital entertainment and how music and artists can be developed as brands. An evening showcase was also held to highlight Korean music artists. Positive benefits "The main benefit for attendees at Music Matters was that they got to contribute to the first ever think-tank on the music industry in Asia," says Donat. "Everyone got to participate and hopefully the results will shape future of the music business." The Four Seasons Hotel was also popular. "We loved the venue," says Donat. "The ballroom was beautiful and it worked well for the image of the conference. The staff were also fantastic. It's not the cheapest option in town, but you get what you pay for." The next event will be held on May 30-31, 2007. "We're also contemplating taking a concentrated version to the US to showcase Asia to America," says Donat.