Out Leadership Founder & Principal Todd Sears was profiled in the publication Time Out Hong Kong following the Out Leadership: Asia 2015 LGBT Summit, Out Leadership’s third Summit in Hong Kong.
Sears noted that while the summit, which was sponsored by HSBC and Hogan Lovells, was a success, no companies headquartered in Hong Kong or Mainland China have been involved with Out Leadership. “Asian companies have LGBT employees and at some point they’re going to have to acknowledge that and start supporting them.”
Hong Kong was first chosen as the host for Out Leadership summits because of the depth of the city’s financial services sector. However, LGBT individuals still do not enjoy the same rights and protections as heterosexual Hongkongers. While the situation from a human rights standpoint is far from ideal, Sears also pointed out that “it’s bad for business,” and “it’s time for Hong Kong to change and join the 21st century.”