In a Hong Kong event showing rising awareness of diversity, top-flight bankers have showed support for the need to cater to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender clients in the Asia-Pacific region.

Bankers in Asia have showed their support for the first-ever "Out on the Street" event in Hong Kong - a business summit focused on issues advanced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The event was held late last week.

This is the first time "Out on the Street" has come to Asia, after running for several years in New York and London. Barclays sponsored the Asian LGBT summit, organised by Todd Sears, in Hong Kong for around 200 delegates from the corporate world. 

Some of the speakers included Barclays chief executive Antony Jenkins, Goldman Sachs Asia-Pacific head of global leadership and diversity Stephen Golden, Credit Suisse chief operating officer and chief financial officer Asia-Pacific Andrew Morgan, Citi managing director Peter Maskrey and HSBC Private Bank CEO for North Asia, global private banking Bernard Rennell, among other senior private bankers.

"The accelerating pace of change we have seen in the US and Europe is also happening in Asia. The fact that issues as non-discrimination and the legality of firing someone because of their sexuality are being discussed in Asia, where just a few years ago weren't even being discussed, is progress," said Sears in an interview with Gay Star News. 

The invitation-only summit was held at the Conrad Hotel in Hong Kong.