Respectable leaders of different professions with outstanding social service accomplishments will share their personal insight, experience and advice to enhance our Scholars’ philanthropic aspirations, broaden their global perspectives and enrich their network.
The Hon. Bernard Chan, GBS, JP has a BA in Studio Art at Pomona College, the noted liberal arts college in the US. He is the President of both Asia Financial Holdings and Asia Insurance, which has gained a reputation as one of the financially strongest insurers in Hong Kong. Mr. Chan is substantially involved in public services: he is a Hong Kong Deputy at the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China and the former Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council, HKSAR. With sharp business acumen, Mr. Chan is also Chairman of the Hong Kong-Thailand Business Council encouraging the development of trade and investment between the two places. Concerned about the plight of the disadvantaged and the lack of social cohesion in Hong Kong, Mr. Chan serves as the Chairperson of The Hong Kong Council of Social Service striving to build meaningful bridges between the business world, the welfare sector and its clients.
Ir. Fan Chan is the former Secretary for Transport and Housing of the HKSAR Government. Ir. Chan’s community service record spans over 30 years. Along with fellow university graduates, he founded the Association for Engineering and Medical Volunteer Services in 1982. He is also the Founding Steering Committee Chairman of the Growing Partners Project co-organized by dedicated alumni of the University of Hong Kong and The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong. Committed to contributing to tertiary education of the engineering profession, he currently serves as a member on related Departmental Advisory Committees at the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Mr. Cheney Cheng is currently the Managing Partner of Altive, a SFC-licensed asset manager focusing on alternative investments. He is also a Venture Partner at Pacific Century Group. Mr. Cheung started his career in Goldman Sachs. He had been focusing on the venture capital investment and international mergers and acquisitions in the technology sector before joining the current company. Being passionate about education and children’s wellbeing, he is also the Co-Founder of Teach For Hong Kong.
Ms. Karen Cheung is Trustee and Chief Strategist of the Foundation, and Vice Chairman of Vervain Resources. As the granddaughter of Dr. Chen, she is actively engaged in various projects steered by the Foundation. She is also serving on the boards of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Hong Kong, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Mill 6 Foundation Limited. She was appointed Honorary Fellow of The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2021 and Honorary University Fellow of The University of Hong Kong in 2022.
Mr. Cheung Wai Hing is a Solicitor, China Appointed Attesting Officer and a senior partner in a leading law firm in Hong Kong, with substantial experiences in community services, including as Chairman of the Board of Directors of HKSAR Government’s Applied Research Council; Hon. Legal Advisor of Po Leung Kuk, The Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association, Wai Yin Association and other local charities.
Vanessa is the Group Managing Director of Nan Fung Development Ltd., managing the Group’s real estate development portfolio and sustainability strategies
She is also the Founder of The Mills – a revitalization project of transforming the Nan Fung Textile Mills into a global innovation techstyle destination comprising of art, start-up incubator and experiential retail. The Mills project piloted many of the Group’s current social innovation and environmental sustainability works. Along with her experience in working for AECOM as a Landscape Designer as well as a part-time lecturer at HKU on City Branding, she hopes to inspire the younger generation and push Hong Kong’s leadership potential beyond the status quo.
She is a convener of NarrativeHK, an initiative promoting positive attitude among her generation in envisioning the future of HK and the co-owner of HK’s first CrossFit gym, Asphodel Fitness and Performance.
Vanessa obtained her Master in Landscape Architecture at Harvard University and Bachelors in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley.
Professor Alan Chow is currently an Adjunct Professor with the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was the Chief Executive Officer of The D. H. Chen Foundation from 2013 to 2019, and was a banker with over 25 years of diverse experience in financial services before committing himself to a second career in philanthropy. Currently, Professor Chow is Council Member of Hong Kong Red Cross and Chairman of Hong Kong Red Cross Special Education & Rehabilitation Service Governing Committee. He is also Member of the Community Investment and Inclusion Fund (CIIF) Committee, Member of the Task Force of The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund (SIE Fund) and Member of the Investment Committee of The Community Chest of Hong Kong. In 2013, he received the award of Outstanding Third Age Citizen for his remarkable achievements in social services, voluntary and charity work.
Mr. Fung is the Chief Financial Officer at Henderson Land Development with over 36 years of experience in banking, capital markets and asset management. He has been serving different public service organizations and higher education institutions in various capacities, including Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and more.
Mr Jat Sew-Tong, SBS, SC, JP has been in private practice as a barrister since 1990. He graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1987 and University of Oxford in 1989. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1988 and the Hong Kong Bar in 1989, and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2002 at the age of 36. In 2014 he was appointed Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court and a Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court from 2006 to 2014. Active in public service, he was formerly Chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, Chairperson of the Minimum Wage Commission, Chairman of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards, Chairman of the Review Committee on Trust Fund for SARS, Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Appeals Board, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Review (Inland Revenue Ordinance) and other public bodies. In 2014, he was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in recognition of his public service.
Mr. Stephen Kuok is the Chairman and Managing Director of Chevalier Group and with over 40 years of experience in strategic planning and business operation management in business investments such as building construction, civil engineering, building supplies, aluminium windows and curtain walls, lifts and escalators, electrical and mechanical engineering, property development. He had served on a number of HKSAR Government boards and committees of the respective industries.
Dr. Fan Ning graduated from the University of Hong Kong. He is now an Associate Consultant of the Surgical Department, Honorary Clinical Assistant Professor at CUHK, mentor of the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at CUHK, and Elite Mentor of the MBA program at CUHK.
He is the Founding Chairman of Health In Action, Executive Committee Member of Shum Shui Po DHC, and CIIF committee member. Moreover, he has engaged in JCECC Community Engagement Task Force, Primary Care Working Group HKCSS and Community Pharmacy Working Group in Primary Care Office.
Dr. Fan has worked to provide humanitarian aid in war-torn and disaster-ridden areas, as a member of Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Red Cross. He was also the President of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Hong Kong Office) from 2008 to 2013. He has received the Hong Kong Humanity Award from the Hong Kong Red Cross and RTHK in 2009, and the Eco Star Award in 2014.
Mr. Peter POON is currently the Chief Program Officer of The D. H. Chen Foundation and the Adjunct Associate Professor of the Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prior to his work in the Foundation, he was the Executive Director of the Kwai Ching District Health Centre and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation. Peter is a health care professional by training and has devoted his professional life in community health, empowerment and compassionate care development both in program, organizational and system levels.
Ms. Shuen is currently the General Counsel of Vervain Resources and the Honorary Legal Advisor of The D. H. Chen Foundation, as well as a director of DHCF Institute of Education Excellence. She was previously a Senior Legal Counsel for an international bank trustee with vast experience advising on private wealth matters involving family and charitable trusts and foundations, succession and philanthropy advisory and family and corporate governance. Admitted as a solicitor of the Courts of Hong Kong, England & Wales and New Zealand after receiving her LLB (Hons) and BCom degrees from the University of Auckland, she is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a Hong Kong Civil Celebrant of Marriages.
Mr. Bird Tang has a unique philosophy in nurturing youth leaders: not a few people doing great things; but many people doing small and meaningful deeds.
Before working full time as the Executive Director of VolTra, a charitable organisation he founded to promote global citizenship, Bird was a secondary school teacher for 6 years. He had also served as trainer and consultant for Jockey Club Charities Trust, British Council, European Commission, UNESCO, etc. In the last 15 years, Bird has engaged and inspired over 15,000 participants with different backgrounds and nationalities to learn about social innovation and sustainable development.
With his contribution to Hong Kong, Bird received many prestigious awards and scholarships. He completed Stanford Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship in 2019 and Chicago Booth Executive MBA in 2021, empowering him further to be an impactful facilitator.
Dr. Tong Choi Wai has nearly 40 years in language education and teacher training. He has a Ph.D. from Macquarie University, Australia and was the Assistant Professor, professional consultant at CUHK Faculty of Education. In 2015, he was appointed as the Director of Quality School Improvement Project (QSIP) which is the most popular school support project in Hong Kong. Upon his retirement in 2019, he had the honor to join the Bei Shan Tang Foundation as a Professional Consultant.