Report on the Annual General Meeting of FIPHK held on 8^th May 2010.

The eighth Annual General Meeting of the Forum was held on 8^th May 2010 at the Hong Kong Cricket Club.

The following decisions were taken at the AGM:

1.      Minutes of the AGM held on May 6^th 2009 were approved.

2.      Harry Banga, Forum’s President, read his speech, as attached below.

3.      Forum’s Audited Annual Accounts for the year ended December 2009 were approved.

4.      Motion to amend Article 72 of Forum’s Memorandum & Articles of Association was approved. The amended Article 72 permits sending messages, notices and other communications to members electronically.

5.      Mr. Harry Banga was re-elected as a director of the Forum.

6.      M/s Philip C. C. Hau & Co. was re-elected to continue to audit Forum’s annual accounts for 2010.

Forum of Indian Professionals (HK) Limited

Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 8^th May 2010

Speech of Mr. Harindarpal Singh Banga, President.

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

Summer finally seems to have come to Hong Kong, so a warm and humid welcome to this year AGM.  It’s wonderful to see so many of you here today.  I hope this means that our other events will also continue to see growing numbers.

Membership of the Forum continues to grow, albeit slowly. Membership stands at 135 today, an increase of 30% over last year.  The increase in numbers is primarily due to the high quality of events hosted, as well as a more proactive membership popular. Whilst our ever popular Cricket and Quiz drew increasing numbers, talks with people like Jason Wordie were a sellout.  I think we’ll try and get him back this year to carry on from where he left off last time.  Average participants at events excluding our annual dinner was 70 in 2009.Our annual dinner has become a highly anticipated and hugely enjoyable event, with the organizing committee striving to raise the bar every year.

The literary group has gathered its own momentum and continues to thrive. They hosted 10 meetings last year.  More people seem to be participating.  Keeping the wider FIPHK membership informed about its activities ensures that more people want to participate.  The hikers have continued with their travels around Hong Kong and we’ve even had joint literary-hiking events.  This year saw the launch of a photography sub group, and I’m sure we’ll see more members joining in. 

All this is very positive and you all must always be aware of the fact that our success depends on you.  An organization is only as good as its people.  The more you all get involved, be it in bringing in new members or ideas; or in helping organizing events, the better our forum will be.  The more talent that we can tap, the more successful we will be.  I would ask all of you to continue to strive to take the Forum to the next level.

Our revamped website at www.fiphk.com was launched in February this year. The culmination of several months of hard work allows us to benefit from its various features including membership and event management. Work continues to make the website even more appealing to our members.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the M.C.  All of them have heavy work schedules and travel incessantly; yet they always make time to work for the Forum.  Their dedication and commitment to the organization is a source of pride for all of us and I would like you to join me in a vote of thanks to the M.C.

On a separate note, our patron, Mr. L D. Ralte will soon be departing the shores of Hong Kong.  He has been very proactive in his support for the Forum and we will all be sad to see him go we are hosting a farewell for him on the 19^th June and I would request you all to attend in large numbers to show your support for him.

Thank you.