Hong Kong – 29 May 2025 – Tahaluf, the powerhouse behind globally renowned tech events such as LEAP, Black Hat, and Cityscape, and ewpartners, the leading global investment firm focusing on bridging Asia and the Middle East market announced today a strategic partnership for LEAP East, the Asia-Pacific edition of LEAP, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s flagship technology event, taking place from 8-10 July 2026 in Hong Kong.

For the first time, LEAP will expand beyond Saudi Arabia, with Hong Kong as the host city for LEAP East. This decision underscores Saudi Arabia's strategic focus on collaboration with Asia. With its mature market, robust financial system, strong exhibition infrastructure, and unique "One Country, Two Systems" framework, Hong Kong is emerging as a key gateway for Middle Eastern countries to engage with China and Asia. The city's prominence in hosting over 1,000 events annually further solidifies its role as a global hub for innovation and investment.

The event will welcome over 25,000 visitors from across Asia-Pacific and beyond, featuring 200+ world class speakers, including Luanne Lim, CEO of HSBC Hong Kong; Jeanne Lim, Founder & CEO of beingAI and co-creator of Sophia the Robot; and Harry Man, Founding Partner of Matrix Partners. The event will also host 300+ exhibitors spanning AI, fintech, healthtech, deeptech, and more, alongside dedicated investment zones, startup showcases, and high-impact networking experiences such as LEAP East Nights. With its strategic location, pro-business environment, and global connectivity, Hong Kong offers the ideal foundation for LEAP’s expansion. LEAP East is expected to become a cornerstone of the region’s innovation calendar and a launchpad for companies looking to scale across Asia.

The announcement was made during the opening luncheon of ewpartners' new Hong Kong office, which was attended by over 100 senior officials, investors, and business leaders from both Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Key attendees included representatives from Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), HKEX, UBS, HSBC, and others.

Born in Riyadh in 2021 through a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming (SAFCSP), LEAP has rapidly become the world’s fastest-scaling tech event, attracting in 2025 over 215,000 attendees, 1,800+ exhibitors, and 1,600+ investors, and announcing more than USD $14.9 billion in deals. In 2025 alone, the event generated an estimated economic impact of USD $820 million. With its expansion to Asia, LEAP East will carry this momentum to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), bringing unmatched global reach and deal-making power to the region.

LEAP East is more than an event, it’s a bridge. A bridge between Saudi Arabia and East Asia, and a platform that connects Saudi-born innovation with Asia’s most dynamic tech ecosystems. The event offers a powerful opportunity to forge public-private partnerships, unlock cross-border capital, and accelerate digital transformation across industries.

ewpartners was selected as the exclusive strategic partner for LEAP East due to its extensive expertise in cross-border business between the Middle East and Asia, as well as its strong local presence and established ecosystem relationships in Hong Kong. ewpartners has already facilitated partnerships with leading Hong Kong-based tech companies, including Alibaba Cloud under Alibaba Group (HKG: 09988), J&T Express (HKG: 1519), and Leshines, the supply chain platform under Lenovo Group (HKG: 0992), contributing to the region's economic transformation in digital infrastructure, smart logistics, and fintech.

During this year’s LEAP in Riyadh on 12 February 2025, Faisal AlKhamisi, Chairman of SAFCSP, spoke during the LEAP East announcement “LEAP East will serve as a catalyst for growing the global tech ecosystem and for Saudi Arabia’s status as a global events organiser.”

“With this timely and strategic expansion, we are bringing LEAP’s award-winning vision and world-class innovation into this exciting new Hong Kong venture, creating a powerful platform for entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses to connect, collaborate and build the future of technology,” said AlKhamisi. “Attendees will engage directly with the world's leading innovators, investors, and industry pioneers, making LEAP East a must-attend event for anyone shaping the digital future.”

Peter Yan, Director, General, Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) shared "LEAP East could serve as a dynamic bridge between Hong Kong and the Middle East, empowering enterprises to collaborate, co-develop innovations, and unlock new market opportunities together. We appreciate ewpartners' pivotal role in making this initiative a reality, strengthening cross-regional partnerships, driving global growth through shared success, and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a global innovation hub."

Annabelle Mander, Co-creator of LEAP and Executive Vice President at Tahaluf, commented “LEAP was created in Riyadh to position Saudi Arabia as a global innovation hub. After four record-breaking editions, we’re taking our next bold step, bringing LEAP to Hong Kong. This city is not only a gateway to Asia, but a proven launchpad for global ambitions. Through our partnership with ewpartners, we’re proud to build a platform that unites Saudi and Asian-Pacific innovators on one world stage.”

Jessica Wong, Founder and Managing Partner of ewpartners, added “Our mission at ewpartners is to unlock high-value opportunities between the Middle East and Asia. We have been partnering with Tahaluf on LEAP for 5 years, and LEAP East further reflects that mission in action. Hong Kong has the connectivity, credibility, and creativity to host Asia’s most ambitious tech platform, and we are honoured to help bring it to life.”

This collaboration is expected to significantly boost business tourism and drive strong economic impact mirroring the USD $820 million generated by LEAP in February 2025. The partnership reflects the mutual commitment of both parties to local integration and long-term market impact.

For more information, visit www.leapEast.com

-END-

Media Contacts:
Douglas Keighley – PR Manager
Tahaluf Events Limited
Email: Media@leapEast.com

Vivian Chang - PR Head at ewpartners
ewpartners
Email: vivian@ewpartners.fund

About Tahaluf
Headquartered in Riyadh, Tahaluf brings together strategically important commercial communities from Saudi Arabia, the wider Gulf, and the global stage through a portfolio of world-class exhibitions and digital platforms.

Tahaluf is a joint venture between Informa PLC, the world’s largest trade show organizer; the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP); and the Events Investment Fund (EIF). Sela, the Saudi-owned event production company known for creating world-class experiences, is also set to join the venture.

Tahaluf is behind leading events including LEAP, DeepFest, 24 Fintech, Black Hat MEA, Cityscape Global, Global Health Exhibition, and CPHI Saudi Arabia.

For more information, visit: https://tahaluf.com

About ewpartners

ewpartners (formerly eWTP Arabia Capital) is an international investment firm specialising in cross-border investments between Asia and the Middle East. Backed by Sovereign Wealth Funds and investors from ASIA and the GCC, the firm has been active in Saudi Arabia since 2017 and was the first investment firm to launch a cross-border platform between the Kingdom and China.

Headquartered in Riyadh, ewpartners focuses on building value across borders by establishing strategic partnerships with exceptional companies. Our team's expertise in shaping innovative conducive policy frameworks can support governments in fostering economic transformation and diversification driven by innovation and technology.

We are committed to investing in, supporting, and growing successful businesses across the Asia and Middle East regions, with a focus on key industries and themes such as digital infrastructure & solutions, advanced manufacturing & energy transition, and logistics & consumer enablement.

For more information, visit: https://ewpartners.fund/