Senior Appointments (with photos)
The Government announced today (May 17) the following senior appointments:
(a) Mr Andrew Lai Chi-wah, Director of Lands, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) on July 23, 2024, to succeed Miss Cathy Chu Man-ling who will proceed on pre-retirement leave on the same day;
(b) Ms Vivian Sum Fong-kwang, Commissioner for Tourism, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism on July 29, 2024, to succeed Mr Joe Wong Chi-cho who will proceed on pre-retirement leave in August;
(c) Ms Maggie Wong Siu-chu, Director-General of Trade and Industry, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development on August 5, 2024, to succeed Miss Eliza Lee Man-ching who will proceed on pre-retirement leave in July;
(d) Mrs Apollonia Liu Lee Ho-kei, Deputy Secretary for Security, will take up the post of Director of Information Services on May 24, 2024, vice Mr Fletch Chan Wai-wai; and
(e) Mr Mickey Lai Kin-ming, Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, will take up the post of Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation on May 29, 2024, to succeed Dr Leung Siu-fai who will proceed on pre-retirement leave on the same day.
Commenting on the appointments of Mr Andrew Lai, Ms Vivian Sum, Ms Maggie Wong and Mrs Apollonia Liu, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, “The appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will continue to serve the community with professionalism in their new posts.”
Commenting on the appointment of Mr Mickey Lai, Mrs Yeung said, “Mr Lai possesses profound professional knowledge and experience, and has proven leadership and management skills. I am confident that he will be able to lead the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to meet the challenges ahead.”
On the retirement of the four senior officials, Mrs Yeung thanked them for each rendering over 30 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community and making significant contribution to the Government. She wished them a fulfilling and happy retirement.
Mrs Yeung said, “During Miss Eliza Lee’s tenure as Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Miss Lee steered the successful completion of various important milestone projects including the conclusion of free trade agreement negotiations with key markets, the smooth opening of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Bangkok and Dubai, and Hong Kong, China’s participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization, all of which have substantially enhanced Hong Kong’s external trade relations in geo-economically important markets. She also played an instrumental role in promoting tourism, attracting inward investment, developing the telecommunications and broadcasting sector, protecting intellectual property and promoting competition and consumer interests.
“As Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury), Miss Cathy Chu is responsible for formulating fiscal policies. She adheres to the principle of exercising fiscal prudence, and makes contributions to maintaining fiscal robustness and sustainability. With Miss Chu’s drive to further the tax competitiveness of Hong Kong, various tax enhancement initiatives were introduced. These have sharpened the competitive edge of our place in offering a favourable business environment, and upheld Hong Kong’s good taxation reputation in the international arena. With Miss Chu’s sterling efforts, procurement policies and processes were streamlined to enable departments to procure digital technologies and innovation solutions for adoption in providing services to the public with enhanced efficiency and quality.”
Mrs Yeung said, “During Mr Joe Wong’s tenure as Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Wong confidently led the team to deliver and organise a spectrum of signature initiatives, including the hosting of the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum with the highest number of participating countries and overseas delegations ever, the preparation for organising the first ever Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo, the organisation of the first ever Art@Harbour and Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, which turns Victoria Harbour into an open-air art gallery and promotes Hong Kong’s pop culture respectively, the planning for the expansion of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in the Northern Metropolis, and the establishment of the Mega Arts and Culture Events Fund, all of which are instrumental in propelling the development of arts and culture in Hong Kong. He also steers the development of the Kai Tak Sports Park and the preparation for the hosting of the 15th National Games in 2025, as well as promoting the development of the tourism appeal of Hong Kong, and the integration of culture, sports and tourism.
“As Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Dr Leung Siu-fai has made sustained efforts in the promotion of agriculture and fisheries; the enforcement of regulations on plants, pesticides and animal controls; and the conservation of our natural environment and the safeguard of ecological integrity.”
Brief biographical notes of the nine officers are set out below:
Miss Eliza Lee Man-ching
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Miss Lee joined the Administrative Service in August 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2019. She has served in a diverse range of bureaux and departments, including the former Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the former Chief Secretary’s Office, the Correctional Services Department, the former Recreation and Culture Branch, the former Transport Branch, the former Trade Department (later reorganised as the Trade and Industry Department), the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the former Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (later reorganised as the Labour and Welfare Bureau) and the former Office of the Telecommunications Authority. She was Director-General of Communications from April 2012 to August 2017, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Creative Industries) from August 2017 to June 2018, and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) (later renamed as Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development) since June 2018.
Miss Cathy Chu Man-ling
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Miss Chu joined the Administrative Service in June 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2023. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Trade Department, the former Security Branch, the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, the former Home Affairs Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, the Tourism Commission and the Information Services Department. She was Postmaster General from September 2019 to July 2021 and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) since July 2021.
Mr Joe Wong Chi-cho
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Mr Wong joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2023. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, the former Economic Services Branch, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington DC, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Housing Department, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Information Services Department and the Tourism Commission. He was on secondment to Ocean Park Corporation as Chief Executive from May to August 2021, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs from October 2021 to June 2022, and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism since July 2022.
Dr Leung Siu-fai
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Dr Leung joined the Government as Fisheries Officer in August 1991. He was promoted to Senior Fisheries Officer in July 1998, to Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation in December 2005, and to Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation in January 2010. He has been Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation since July 2015.
Mr Andrew Lai Chi-wah
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Mr Lai joined the Administrative Service in July 1992 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2022. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Planning, Environment and Lands Branch, the Housing Department, the Civil Service Bureau, the Home Affairs Department and the Innovation and Technology Commission. He was Deputy Director of Environmental Protection from April 2012 to July 2016, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) from August 2016 to August 2020, and has been serving as Director of Lands since August 2020.
Ms Vivian Sum Fong-kwang
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Ms Sum joined the Administrative Service in August 1991 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2022. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former Finance Branch, the former Trade and Industry Bureau, the former Industry Department, the Trade and Industry Department, the Financial Secretary’s Office, the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. She was Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service from June 2013 to September 2016, Deputy Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce and Industry) from September 2016 to April 2021, and has been serving as Commissioner for Tourism since April 2021.
Ms Maggie Wong Siu-chu
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Ms Wong joined the Administrative Service in November 1993 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2023. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Chief Secretary’s Office, the former Home Affairs Branch, the former Education and Manpower Bureau, the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the Civil Service Bureau and the Security Bureau. She was Private Secretary to the Chief Executive from March 2019 to May 2021, Deputy Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce and Industry) (later renamed Deputy Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development) from May 2021 to July 2022, and has been serving as Director-General of Trade and Industry since August 2022.
Mrs Apollonia Liu Lee Ho-kei
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Mrs Liu joined the Administrative Service in August 1990 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2022. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the Transport Department, the former City and New Territories Administration (later reorganised as the Home Affairs Department), the former Central Policy Unit, the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the Civil Service Bureau and the Security Bureau. She was Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport) from June 2009 to August 2011, Deputy Director of Administration and Development in the Department of Justice from September 2011 to December 2018, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Security since December 2018.
Mr Mickey Lai Kin-ming
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Mr Lai joined the Government as Assistant Curator II in July 1990. He was appointed as Fisheries Officer in August 1996. He was promoted to Senior Fisheries Officer in July 2005, to Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation in February 2015, and to Deputy Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation in August 2021.
