Senior appointments (with photos) - Government World Magazine

The Government announced today (July 17) the following senior appointments:

(a) Mrs Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan, Permanent Secretary for Education, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service on August 7, 2020. She will succeed Mr Thomas Chow Tat-ming, who has commenced his pre-retirement leave;

(b) Ms Michelle Li Mei-sheung, Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services), will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Education on August 7, 2020;

(c) Ms Salina Yan Mei-mei, Director-General of Trade and Industry, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) on August 10, 2020; and

(d) Ms Mable Chan, Commissioner for Transport, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport) on August 1, 2020. She will succeed Mr Joseph Lai Yee-tak, who will commence his pre-retirement leave.

The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, said, "The four appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will serve the community with professionalism in their new capacities."

On the retirement of the former Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Thomas Chow Tat-ming, Mr Nip said, "Mr Chow has rendered 35 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community of Hong Kong. As Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, he demonstrated the highest integrity and maintained the balance between catering for the well-being of civil servants and meeting the wider needs of the community. With a strong commitment to serve, he led by example in enhancing the professionalism of the civil service to provide efficient and quality services to the public. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."

Speaking on the retirement of Mr Lai, Mr Nip said, "Mr Lai has served with professionalism in the civil service over the past 36 years. As Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport), he gave the Secretary for Transport and Housing staunch support on issues relating to aviation, maritime, railway, highway and infrastructure developments. Under his leadership, a number of mega transport infrastructure projects were commissioned, including the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, and the Central-Wan Chai Bypass and Island Eastern Corridor Link. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."

Brief biographical notes of the six officers are set out below:

Mr Thomas Chow Tat-ming
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Mr Chow joined the Administrative Service in December 1984 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2011. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the Social Welfare Department, the former General Duties Branch, the former Monetary Affairs Branch, the former Government House, the Financial Secretary's Office, the former Transport Bureau, the former Environment and Food Bureau and the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau. He was Director of Leisure and Cultural Services from August 2006 to August 2009, Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands) from August 2009 to August 2015 and Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service from September 2015 to June 2020.

Mr Joseph Lai Yee-tak
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Mr Lai joined the Administrative Service in August 1983 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2014. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Home Affairs Branch, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the Lands Department, the former Finance Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Economic Services Branch, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former Education and Manpower Bureau, the Trade and Industry Department and the former Constitutional Affairs Bureau. He was Director-General of Trade and Industry from January 2007 to August 2009, Commissioner for Transport from August 2009 to May 2012 and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport) since May 2012.

Mrs Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan
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Mrs Yeung joined the Government in June 1986 as an Executive Officer. She later joined the Administrative Service in June 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2019. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the Department of Health, the former Security Branch, the Home Affairs Department, the former Environment and Food Bureau and the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau. She was Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service from October 2008 to October 2012, Commissioner for Transport from October 2012 to July 2017 and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Education since July 2017.

Ms Michelle Li Mei-sheung
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Ms Li joined the Administrative Service in September 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2016. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Transport Department, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Finance Branch, the former Central Policy Unit, the former Education and Manpower Branch, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the Home Affairs Department, the Home Affairs Bureau and the Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service. She served as Deputy Secretary for Education from September 2009 to July 2014, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services from July 2014 to September 2019 and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) since September 2019.

Ms Salina Yan Mei-mei
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Ms Yan joined the Administrative Service in July 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2018. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Transport Branch, the former Trade Department, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the former Financial Services Bureau, the former Economic Development and Labour Bureau, the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva. She was Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs from October 2009 to September 2011, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) from October 2011 to August 2016 and has been serving as Director-General of Trade and Industry since August 2016.

Ms Mable Chan
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Ms Chan joined the Administrative Service in July 1989 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2019. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Planning, Environment and Lands Branch, the former New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the former Constitutional Affairs Bureau, the former Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau, the former Education and Manpower Bureau and the Education Bureau. She was Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) from July 2012 to July 2016, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) from August 2016 to October 2017 and has been serving as Commissioner for Transport since October 2017.