Yolanda Lam (Moderator)

Yolanda Lam is a policy researcher and freelance writer. She was Researcher in the Arts and Sports team at Our Hong Kong Foundation from 2020-2024, where she remains a consultant. She has authored policy reports and op-eds on the intersection of technology and the arts, aiming to drive policy developments for local cultural and creative industries into the digital era. Yolanda graduated with a BA in Education (English, Drama & the Arts) from Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, where she was awarded a Senior Scholarship.

Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality

One of the departments of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government, the Bureau is responsible for the management of culture and arts, tourism and sports, radio and television, as well as creative cultural industry and the museum sector. It actively sculpts Shenzhen into a modern, civilized city that demonstrates its cultural soft power. It is committed to building a world-class tourist destination and an internationally-renowned sports city to promote the vigorous development of Shenzhen’s culture, sports, tourism and other industries, thereby enhancing the city’s global influence.

Paul TAM

Mr Paul Tam joined WKCDA in March 2020. Mr Tam leads the Performing Arts Division to deliver world-class programmes and performing arts venues and facilities in the WKCD. He is responsible for steering the strategic planning and sustainable development of these venues, and overseeing their business direction, artistic development, venue operations, technical and production, facilities planning and delivery.

Mr Tam is a seasoned arts executive with over 20 years of experience in performing arts management. Before joining WKCDA, Mr Tam served as Executive Director of Hong Kong Ballet, where he oversaw its strategic development, institutional advancement, brand-building, education and community outreach, and international touring. Currently, Mr Tam is Director of the International Society for the Performing Arts, Board Member and former Chairman of the Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association Governor of the Federation of Asian Cultural Promotion and Advisor for Our Hong Kong Foundation.

Betty Au

The Assistant Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Ms Betty Au has led various major projects and initiatives in the public sector recently which include the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, the Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival, the Hong Kong Week, etc. promoting Hong Kong’s distinctive status as a cultural metropolis and fostering collaborations with the Mainland and overseas counterparts. Apart from formulating policies in cultural exchange and development, Ms Au also oversees the planning and design of new performance venues and cultural complexes including the East Kowloon Cultural Centre project facilitating the incubation of arts technology.

Throughout her career in the arts and culture sector, Ms Au oversaw diverse facets in arts administration covering the planning and management of performance venues, presentation of cultural programmes and festivals, administration of arts funding schemes, as well as corporate governance in the LCSD.

Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to delivering quality leisure and cultural services for both Hong Kong citizens and visitors from all over the world. In the performing arts arena, the LCSD operates 16 performance venues, including Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong Coliseum, playing an instrumental role in the materialisation of artists’ creative visions. It also presents and curates various major cultural programmes and festivals all-year round, including the Hong Kong Pop Cultural Festival, International Arts Carnival, Chinese Culture Festival, Asia+ Festival, etc. To strengthen Hong Kong’s role as the hub for arts and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world, the LCSD has actively supported cultural exchange activities and programmes, including organising large-scale outbound project like the Hong Kong Week, hosting the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival in 2024.

• Simultaneous interpretation is available in English, Cantonese and Putonghua.
• Holders of the HKPAX Full Pass, Day Pass and Student Pass can access all sessions of Conversations. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online pre-registration is required.