Syren Johnstone
首席講師
法學碩士（合規和監管）課程執行總監
文學士（榮譽）、理科碩士（牛津大學）
文科碩士（法律）（倫敦大學）
英格蘭及威爾斯、香港執業律師
Biography
Following private practice with Linklaters (London, Tokyo and Hong Kong), and in Tokyo with Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, Syren undertook senior management roles including as Regional Head (Asia) of Legal & Compliance at Banco Santander, and Regional Head (Asia) of Transaction Management with Société Générale where he was licensed with the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong (SFC) as responsible officer for Equity Corporate Finance and as a Principal with The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
He is a Fellow of the Asian Institute of International Financial Law, a Consultant and Examiner to the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute (HKSI) for the Licensing Examinations for securities and futures intermediaries, the industry benchmark examination recognized by the SFC, and a Member of the Fintech Advisory Group of the SFC (2016-2021).
As an educator at HKU he directs the Master of Laws in Compliance & Regulation Programme and teaches courses covering the regulation of the securities market, corporate finance practices, mergers & acquisitions, the prospects and challenges of new financial technologies and sustainable finance products, and associated industry compliance issues.
He has published widely in recognized academic journals. He is the author of “Rethinking the Regulation of Cryptoassets: Cryptographic Consensus Technology and the New Prospect” (E. Elgar 2021), and co-authored “Financial Markets in Hong Kong: Law and Practice” (OUP, 2006/2016), regarded as a cornerstone publication in this field. His academic works have been referenced in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and the Court of Appeal.
Journal articles
Books and book chapters
Monographs and other papers
SFC Licensing Examination Manuals (HKSI)
Summary of scientific publications
S. Johnstone, Frederick J Long and Abdullah Bin Azhar (2022) “Progress and notions of progress in sustainable finance” Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. https://doi.org/10.1080/20430795.2022.2148816
S Johnstone, “Regulating for blockchain ecosystem development means getting past the stumbling block of regulatory incrementalism” Stanford Journal of Blockchain Law and Policy, Vol 5 No. 2, 2022 https://stanford-jblp.pubpub.org/pub/regulating-for-blockchain-ecosystem-development/release/2
S Johnstone, “Blockchain as a disruptor of securities regulation”. Hong Kong Lawyer, April 2022
Frederick J. Long & Syren Johnstone (2021) Applying ‘Deep ESG’ to Asian private equity. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment. https://doi.org/10.1080/20430795.2021.1879562
S. Johnstone, “Secondary markets in digital assets: rethinking regulatory policy in centralized and decentralized environments.” Stanford Journal of Blockchain Law and Policy, Vol. 3 No. 2, June 2020. https://stanford-jblp.pubpub.org/pub/secondary-markets-digital-assets/release/2
S. Johnstone, “A viral warning for change. COVID-19 versus the red cross: S.better solutions via blockchain and artificial intelligence” (February 3, 2020). Available in English at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3530756Available in Chinese at https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/fXeSu8Tw_SXr0lpEBG6Cbw
S. Johnstone and F.J. Long, “Hong Kong’s paperless prospectus law”, Hong Kong Lawyer, January 2020
S. Johnstone and F.J. Long, “Alibaba, HKEX & ESG: Missed leadership opportunities” International Financial Law Review, December 2019
S. Johnstone, “Regulating Cryptoexchanges”, Hong Kong Lawyer, August 2019
S. Johnstone, “IPO Sponsor Duties and the SFC’s Recent Disciplinary Actions” Hong Kong Lawyer, July 2019
S. Johnstone, “Taxonomies of digital assets: recursive or progressive?” Stanford Journal of Blockchain Law & Policy, Vol 2 No. 1 (2019) https://stanford-jblp.pubpub.org/pub/taxonomies-digital-assets/release/2
S. Johnstone, “How can blockchain and other consensus driven cryptographic technology be regulated?”, Hong Kong Lawyer, November 2018
S. Johnstone “ICO utility tokens and the relevance of securities law”, Hong Kong Lawyer, March 2018
S. Johnstone and N Davis “Transparency of information in the market: the CITIC case before the Market Misconduct Tribunal” Hong Kong Lawyer, July 2017
S. Johnstone “Credit Ratings: The Moody’s case” Hong Kong Law Journal, vol 47(1) 2017, 193-219
S. Johnstone “Equity crowdfunding: caveat emptor?” International Financial Law Review, May 2016
S. Johnstone, A da Roza and N Davis “Deconstructing sponsor prospectus liability”, Hong Kong Law Journal, vol 46 2016
S. Johnstone, “A Flawed Debate”, International financial Law Review, May 2015
S. Johnstone, A da Roza and BFC Hsu “Regulator Accountability”, International Financial Law Review, May 2009
S. Johnstone “Hong Kong Equity Offerings: An Analysis of Credit Risks”, Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, Vol 12, No 8., 1997
S. Johnstone “A Safe Harbour”, New Law Journal, July and August, 1993
Syren Johnstone, “Rethinking the Regulation of Cryptoassets: Cryptographic Consensus Technology and the New Prospect”, Edward Elgar Publishing 2021. Rethinking the Regulation of Cryptoassets
S Johnstone, “Crypto-assets and disintermediation in finance: A view from Asia”, in E. Kaili and D. Psarrakis (eds.) Disintermediation Economics: The Impact of Blockchain on Markets and Policies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021), Chapter 10, pp. 215-245.
S. Johnstone, “Fintech regulation in Asia”, chapter in “Dritto del Fintech”ed. Marco Cian and Claudia Sandei. Wolters Kluwer, Milan, Italy, 2020.
DW Arner, S Goo, B Hsu, S Johnstone and P Lejot “Hong Kong financial markets: law and practice”, Second Edition, Oxford University Press 2016
DW Arner, B Hsu, CK Low, GP Lienke and S Johnstone “Hong Kong commentary”, chapter in International Securities Regulation eds RC Rosen, IM Pollac and E Levy, published by Oceana Publications, 2006
B Hsu, DW Arner, M Tse and S Johnstone “Hong Kong financial markets: law and practice”, Oxford University Press, 2006
S Johnstone and D Mullarkey “Exchange Traded Equity Options and Financial Futures in Hong Kong”, chapter in The Capital Guide to Financial Futures and Traded Options in Asia, published by The International Securities Institute, 1996
Johnstone and F.J. Long, “Joint Submission to HKEX’s July 2020 Consultation Paper on Paperless Listing”,September 2020. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3670542
F.J. Long and S. Johnstone, “Applying ‘Deep ESG’ to Asian Private Equity”, February 2020. University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law Research Paper No. 2020/021, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3562096
S. Johnstone, “Inhabiting different realities: incrementalism, paradigms and the New Prospect”, AIIFL Working Paper No. 35, May 2020, http://ssrn.com/abstract=3605107
S. Johnstone, “Requisites for Development of a Regulated Secondary Market in Digital Assets”, AIIFL Working Paper No. 33, April 2019, https://ssrn.com/abstract=3379623
S. Johnstone, “Regulating cryptographic consensus technology: oxymoron or necessity?”, AIIFL Working Paper No. 32, October 2018, https://ssrn.com/abstract=3264556
S Johnstone “A red flag for the licensing regime”, AIIFL Working Paper No. 29, July 2018, https://ssrn.com/abstract=3223425
S Johnstone and SH Goo “Report on improving corporate governance in Hong Kong”, December 2017, Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Report on CG
S. Johnstone, N. Davis and D.W. Arner, “Moving forward on listing reform”, AIIFL Working Paper No. 22, October 2017
S Johnstone “Does Hong Kong Remain an Equivalent Jurisdiction for the EU Credit Rating Regime? February 2017 https://ssrn.com/abstract=2949585
S Johnstone, N Davis and DW Arner “A principles-based response to the proposed reform of the governance structure for listing regulation in Hong Kong”, submission in response to the SFC/HKEX Joint Consultation Paper on listing reform, November 2016. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2867895
S Johnstone “A red flag for Hong Kong credit ratings”, AIIFL Working paper No. 18, August 2016. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2812445
S Johnstone, A Da Roza, N Davis, “IPO sponsor prospectus liability: the bridge too far?” AIIFL Working Paper No. 17, 2015. https://ssrn.com/abstract=2803793
S Johnstone, “Law, Regulation And Smart Regulation – Where To Next?” Colloquium on Current Issues In Financial Regulation, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 12 January 2010
DW Arner, B Hsu, A De Roza, F Da Roza, S Johnstone and P Lejot “The Global Financial Crisis and the Failure of Financial Regulation in Hong Kong” AIIFL Working Paper No. 4, 2009. https://ssrn.com/abstract=1349625
S. Johnstone, “Financial markets in Hong Kong – developing regulation”, Hong Kong Law Journal, Law Lectures for Practitioners, 2006, pages 101-122
S Johnstone, Guest Speaker, Merrill Lynch Investment Management Workshop, 24 April 2004, KL, Malaysia
S Johnstone, “Regulation of Takeovers and Share Buy-backs”, 1ed, 2021
S Johnstone “Regulation of Corporate Finance”, 2ed, 2018
S Johnstone and DW Arner “Fundamentals of Securities and Futures Regulation”, 2ed 2018
S Johnstone and P Espinasse “Study Manual for Paper 15 Sponsors (Principals) and Paper 16 Sponsors (Representatives) of the Licensing Examination for Securities and Futures Intermediaries”, 2017
S Johnstone and D Arner “Regulation of Asset Management”, 2ed, 2016
DW Arner and S Johnstone, “Regulation of Securities”, 2ed, 2014
S Johnstone and D Arner “Regulation of Credit Rating Services”, 2011
S Johnstone, D Arner, B Hsu and M Tse “Corporate capital, governance and takeovers”, Coursebook for the Professional Diploma in Financial Management, Module 5, 2006
DW Arner, B Hsu, S Johnstone and M Tse “Regulatory framework: securities and futures industry”, Coursebook for the Professional Diploma in Financial Management, Module 4, 2006
S. Johnstone and E.T. Rolls, “Delay, discriminatory, and modality specific neurons in striatum and pallidum during short-term memory tasks”, Brain Research, Vol 522, 1, 147-151
ET Rolls and S Johnstone, “Neurophysiological analysis of striatal function” in Neurophysiological disorders associated with subcortical lesions, Oxford University Press, 1992
Other journal articles:
– Brain Research (1990)
– Vision Research (1988)
– Perception (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990)