On Saturday, 25 July 2026, The University of Manchester East Asia Centre successfully hosted its mid-year networking event, the Manchester Summer Bash, at Alto in the Regal Hong Kong Hotel.

Despite an escalating typhoon signal across the city, we were delighted to welcome nearly 100 guests to the venue. Hosting a summer gathering to welcome recent cohorts has become a cherished tradition for both our Centre and our broader community. This year’s event celebrated our incoming January 2026 and July 2026 Manchester Global MBA cohorts, while providing alumni, corporate partners, and friends with an enjoyable afternoon of networking before the busy autumn season begins.

Ines Leong and Gordon Cheung opened the event professionally with reflections on their Manchester Global MBA journeys, followed by our Centre Director, Olivia Chan, who delivered an opening remark to welcome our guests. Dr. Justin Cheng, Vice-Chair of the AMBS Alumni Association (HK), also gave a wonderful speech highlighting the Association's work during the year and sharing what's next, including the upcoming Annual Dinner and board elections in October.

Guests also enjoyed an interactive AI photo booth setup by the Centre, which proved to be a popular feature, delivering instant printed photos and digital downloads.

Excitement peaked during the event’s lucky draw. Congratulations to the 10 fortunate winners who took home a University of Manchester East Asia Centre tote bag autographed by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, along with the business school book published by Alliance Manchester Business School titled "Reimagining Business Schools for the 21st Century", edited by the head of AMBS, Professor Ken McPhail!

To view and download the full photo gallery from the event, please click here.

We extend our sincere thanks to Emily Mak, Campaign and Digital Lead, for her seamless execution and management of the event. We also deeply appreciate everyone who braved the weather to join us and shared their memories on social media using the #ManchesterSummerBash tag. Your engagement and posts serve as fantastic recognition for our team’s hard work.

We look forward to welcoming our community to future events and wish everyone a wonderful summer.

To learn more about our vibrant global network, upcoming alumni events, and professional development opportunities across East Asia, please visit our homepage. Furthermore, to discover how our part-time Global MBA programme can accelerate your career and help you achieve your personal leadership goals, please book a 1-to-1 consultation with our admission team.