FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Bennah Serfaty, amfAR Senior Director of Communications, (212) 806-1607 or bennah.serfaty@amfar.org
Caroline Humphrey, amfAR Media Relations Associate, (212) 806-1632 or caroline.humphrey@amfar.org
Occasions PR & Marketing Ltd.
Sabrina Li, Event Coordinator, (852) 2523 7666 or sabrina@occhk.com
Vanessa Lai, Account Manager, (852) 2523 7666 or vanessa@occhk.com
amfAR RAISES MORE THAN $3.5 MILLION FOR AIDS RESEARCH AT ANNUAL HONG KONG EVENT
PANSY HO HONORED
Charlize Theron, Naomi Campbell and Jackie Chan Attended
Charli XCX, Mark Ronson, and CL Performed
IMAGES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t0icr1n8nkvv3yc/AACIVYuEoVl5WeN2SyyiE2Zga?dl=0
EPK LINK: http://bit.ly/2n5izDe
Hong Kong, Hong Kong, March 26, 2017 — Charlize Theron, Naomi Campbell, Jackie Chan, Charli XCX, Mark Ronson, CL, and amfAR Chairman of the Board Kenneth Cole were among those who gathered at the third annual amfAR Gala Hong Kong at Shaw Studios to honor Pansy Ho for her commitment to the fight against AIDS. The event, presented by Harry Winston and AMTD Group, raised over $3.5 million for amfAR’s life-saving AIDS research programs.
Other guests in attendance included Park Seo Joon, Ahn Jae-hyun, Rosamund Kwan, amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Milutin Gatsby, Josie Ho, Budi Tek, Sir David Tang, Timmy Xu, Lorraine Schwartz, Gu Youming, Gaile Lok, Charmaine Myolie Wu, Kimbee Chan, Michelle Cheng, Yvette Yung, Charles Ho, Kent Ho, Emily Lam Ho, Allan Zeman, Charmaine Zeman, Fernando Botero, Marines Botero, Maisy Ho, Chairmaine Ho, Winnie Chiu, Josephine Chiu, Harris Chan, Tina Leung, BryanBoy, Yi Zhou, Faye Tsui, Alex Lam, Lelia Chow, Ricky Kwok, Calvin Choi, Zou Tao, Jean-Marc Lacave, Achille Boroli, and René Koneberg among others.
Naomi Campbell opened the evening by welcoming guests and introducing amfAR Chairman of the Board Kenneth Cole, who thanked event sponsors and spoke about amfAR’s TREAT Asia program and the organization’s Countdown to a Cure initiative, which is dedicated to developing the scientific basis of a cure by 2020.
Cole then introduced Honorary Chair Charlize Theron, who stressed the challenges of HIV and urged focused efforts on “the communities that are most vulnerable, that are most in need of prevention, education, and support.” She ended by thanking all guests, describing their attendance as “a symbol of generous support and commitment to bringing this epidemic to an end in our lifetime, to removing it as a threat to our children and to future generations.”
Sir David Tang presented the amfAR Award of Courage to his friend, businesswoman and philanthropist Pansy Ho, describing her commitment to giving back as “nothing short of admirable” and recognizing her efforts for the past three years in supporting the amfAR Gala Hong Kong. In her remarks, Ms. Ho dedicated her gratitude to all who have supported the amfAR Gala Hong Kong and invited everyone to keep working together towards finding a cure on behalf of the 37 million people around the world who are living with HIV/AIDS.
The evening also featured spectacular live performances. Grammy-nominated British pop sensation Charli XCX ended the evening with a set of her top hits Boom Clap, Fancy, and I Don’t Care that brought the crowd to their feet. Five-time Grammy Award-winning musician Mark Ronson then kicked off the after-party with a DJ set that kept guests dancing until the morning.
K-Pop superstar CL (Lee Chae-rin) also took the stage during the program to perform her debut American singles, Lifted and Hello Bitches.
Guests enjoyed bidding on exclusive items during the live auction, conducted by Simon de Pury and Shally Lin. Highlights included:
- Jackie Chan surprised guests and auctioned an opportunity for one lucky guest to appear in his upcoming film with Sylvester Stallone and to attend the movie’s premiere in Beijing. This once-in-a-lifetime role sold for the highest amount of the evening, $300,000.
- Charlize Theron offered an opportunity for two to attend the New York City premiere of The Fate of the Furious, the eighth film in the epic Fast and the Furious franchise, along with tickets to the VIP after-party following the screening and a suite at The Peninsula New York, which sold twice for a total of $200,000.
- An Andy Warhol print of amfAR Founding International Chairman Dame Elizabeth Taylor, titled Liz, 1964, sold for $130,000.
- A seven-night stay for twelve people at Leonardo DiCaprio’s iconic Palm Springs home, originally built for beloved entertainer Dinah Shore and neighbored by homes to stars such as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant, Dean Martin, Liberace, Elvis Presley, and amfAR’s Founding International Chairman Elizabeth Taylor, sold for $100,000.
- Moët & Chandon offered, for the first time ever in Asia Pacific, the opportunity for a guest to purchase their very own Moët & Chandon vending machine, which holds 315 Moët & Chandon mini bottles and sold for $80,000.
- Herb Ritts’ 1986 photograph of Madonna, which became the cover of her third studio album True Blue and was later named one of Billboard’s 50 Greatest Album Covers of All Time, sold for $55,000 to Ms. Pansy Ho.
- Isla Flouo Mossi, a work by American artist Donna Huanca, and Under Heaven-3309CF0162, a work by Shanghai-based artist Xu Zhen, both sold for $130,000 each.
Charlize Theron served as the event’s Honorary Chair. Naomi Campbell, amfAR Chairman of the Board Kenneth Cole, Michelle Rodriguez, Michelle Yeoh, Nayla Hayek, Vin Roberti, Budi Tek, Yvette Yung, and amfAR Global Fundraising Chairman Milutin Gatsby served as Event Chairs. Event Co-Chairs included Achille Boroli, Guy Bradley, Harris Chan, Angelica Cheung, Winnie Chiu, Calvin Choi, Josie Ho, Louise Hung, Miky Kambara, René Koneberg, Jean-Marc Lacave, Su Mang, Dee Poon, and Oscar Wang. Vice Chairs of the event included Frank Cancelloni, Zou Tao, and Teras Young.
Harry Winston and AMTD Group served as the event’s Presenting Sponsors. Audi Hong Kong and Moët Hennessy were the Signature Sponsors. HANXI was the Associate Sponsor. The Upper House was the event’s Hospitality Partner. Delta Air Lines is the Official Airline of amfAR. amfAR Gala Hong Kong was produced by Andrew Boose/AAB Productions and Josh Wood/Josh Wood Productions.
In 2001, amfAR launched TREAT Asia, a cooperative network of clinics, hospitals, and research institutions working together with civil society to ensure the safe and effective delivery of HIV/AIDS treatments across Asia and the Pacific. TREAT Asia now encompasses 20 adult and 16 pediatric clinical sites across the region.
About amfAR:
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested $480 million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 3,300 research teams worldwide.
About Harry Winston, Inc.:
Founded in New York City in 1932, The House of Harry Winston continues to set the standard for the ultimate in fine jewelry and high-end watch making. From the acquisition of some of the world’s most famous gemstones, including the Jonker, Hope and Winston Legacy Diamonds, to adorning Hollywood’s leading ladies on the red carpet, for over eight decades, Harry Winston has been a symbol of the best there is. Headquartered in New York, the company operates retail salons worldwide, in locations including: New York, Beverly Hills, London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
About Harry Winston’s Partnership with amfAR:
In January 2015, Harry Winston, Inc., announced a groundbreaking new partnership with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, that represents the single largest corporate partnership in the Foundation’s history. Through a wide range of contributions including direct financial support and in-kind donations, Harry Winston will help advance amfAR’s efforts to end the global AIDS epidemic through innovative research.
Harry Winston is the first company to serve as the presenting sponsor for the organization’s 27 gala events taking place across the globe over the next three years. These events are vital to raising more than half of amfAR’s general operating support, enabling the organization to invest wisely in pioneering research and programs. The company is also a leading supporter of amfAR’s Countdown to a Cure for AIDS initiative, which is aimed at developing the scientific basis for a cure by 2020.
About AMTD Group:
AMTD Group is a Hong Kong-based comprehensive financial institution with services coverage across China and the world. As one of the largest Hong Kong-based investment management companies and the biggest corporate insurance brokerage firm, AMTD has been widely recognized as a pre-eminent capital markets player with cross-border investment banking capability in Asia. Founded in 2003, AMTD’s key shareholders include CK Hutchison Holdings, Morgan Stanley, China Minsheng Investment Group and L.R. Capital Group. In 2016, AMTD successfully completed its debut HKSE-listed USD bond offering, which represents the first ever and the largest international USD bond offering from an unrated and unlisted financial services company in Hong Kong.
AMTD has always been dedicating to serving and connecting capital and resources across Mainland, Hong Kong and the globe. On par with multinational bulge brackets, the Group is capable of providing full-fledged securities services and investment banking business and is among the top bookrunners of both equity and debt capital markets in Hong Kong. AMTD has completed a series of landmark capital markets and advisory transactions with compelling momentum, covering a wide product spectrum including IPOs, placements, debt offerings and financial advisory services.
AMTD owns the largest market share in Hong Kong corporate insurance brokerage market and provides risk solutions alongside the internationalization of numerous Chinese companies. The Group also manages a rapid-growing asset portfolio and combines investment and financing across a global network. Meanwhile, AMTD has a long history of promoting technological innovation and the development of the sharing economy, especially in the field of Fintech investment. Last year, as the only Hong Kong-based financial institution, the Group was for the first time selected by the "Institutional Investor" magazine as one of the "2016 Fintech Finance 35".