Etelka Bogardi

Asia Head of FinTech and Financial Services Regulatory; Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright (Asia) LLP

Singapore
Singapore
T:+65 63095455
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong SAR
T:+852 3405 2578
Singapore
Singapore
T:+65 63095455
Hong Kong SAR
Hong Kong SAR
T:+852 3405 2578
Etelka Bogardi

Etelka Bogardi

vCard

Biography

Etelka Bogardi is a financial services regulatory lawyer, splitting her time between Hong Kong and Singapore. She leads the FinTech practice in North Asia and is the Asia lead of the our global payments practice.

Etelka has been based in Asia for over 16 years and focuses on advising international financial institutions, investment funds, intermediaries, asset managers, insurers and FinTech companies on compliance with regulatory laws. Given her previous experience as Senior Counsel to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Etelka is particularly familiar with financial services and products regulation, licensing and authorization issues, banking and intermediaries supervision and conduct matters, markets infrastructure, compliance and cross-border regulatory issues. Etelka frequently advises on regulatory matters related to innovative technologies in the financial markets, as well as payments regulation.

Etelka currently sits on the FinTech working group of the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA) and provides frequent commentary to the press on regulatory issues. She is currently serving as a Hong Kong ambassador to the Global Blockchain Business Council, the leading industry association for the blockchain technology ecosystem.


Professional experience

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  • Solicitor, qualified in England & Wales 2003
  • Solicitor, qualified in Hong Kong 2009

Advising:

  • A number of financial institutions in relation to licencing and authorization issues in Hong Kong.
  • A private bank on the regulatory aspects of the launch of investment products in Hong Kong.
  • A number of major financial institutions on investigations conducted by the HKMA.
  • Bitfinex, the first cryptocurrency exchange in Hong Kong, on the Hong Kong regulatory treatment of Bitcoin and in relation to anti-money laundering matters in 2013.
  • A leading US broker-dealer in respect of regulatory issues relating to a swap execution facility.
  • A number of domestic and international banks on regulatory issues relating to the supervision by the HKMA (including licencing, change of controlling shareholders and reporting obligations).
  • A Hong Kong-listed financial institution with its headquarters in the PRC in relation to a proposed hybrid capital issuance for regulatory capital purposes.
  • A European bank on the restructuring of its Hong Kong branch.
  • A number of entities on money lenders' licencing issues in Hong Kong.
  • A number of financial institutions on jurisdictional regulatory reviews.
  • An Australian financial services provider on Hong Kong regulations regarding leveraged foreign exchange trading.
  • A New Zealand company on the regulatory aspects of a proposed ICO in Hong Kong and Singapore.
  • A US technology company on the implementation of a blockchain-assisted FX settlement system.
  • A global financial institution on an online trade finance platform.
  • Financial institutions and start-ups on payment services.
  • A number of financial institutions on licencing and authorization issues in Hong Kong, including in relation to banking licences, applications for licensing by the SFC, as money brokers and as money service operators.
  • The National Council for Social Security and China Southern Fund Management on all aspects of its investment management needs conducted out of Hong Kong, including investment management agreements and transition management agreements.
  • Northern Trust on all aspects of its business in Hong Kong, including client documentation, China Connect and deal execution.
  • HitBTC, a European cryptocurrency exchange launched in 2013, on the Hong Kong regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies.

Leading individual, China: Financial Services: Non-contentious Regulatory, Chambers China 2022

Next generation partner, Hong Kong: TMT, Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022

Global leader, Banking – Regulatory, Who's Who Legal 2022

National leader, Mainland China & Hong Kong – Banking, Who's Who Legal 2022

Global '45 under 45' banking regulation professional, Global Banking Regulation Review 2020

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  • Hungarian