Senior Appointments

Unlocking the power of senior leadership: elevating your team with strategic appointments

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 ApolloniaLiu, 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.

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Senior Appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Remarks by CE at media session before ExCo (with video)

Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (October 22):

Reporter: Good morning, Mr Lee. A few questions. Last year, you set a total of 150 indicators for specified tasks, and completed all of them but six in your Policy Address, and this year, 138 indicators. How do you see the success rate for last year and how many of them the Government can complete this year? For the second question, as the first phase of disposable plastics ban is now in full force, what can businesses expect to happen in terms of enforcement action, and when the second phase could begin? Thank you.

Chief Executive: I set indicators for the purpose of, first of all, ensuring that the result-oriented culture will be fully established and practised in the Government. This is a new policy, which was introduced when I assumed office in 2022. I am glad to see that, overall, the performance in this area has been satisfying my requirement. Last year, there were six items that did not meet the original target time, but there are reasons which I think I can accept, because the purpose of setting all these indicators is to ensure that we produce the results we want, and also, if there are situations where we can produce even better results, and some time may be taken to ensure that, I think that is a reasonable thing to do. Six out of 150, I think, is a result that is conforming to my requirement.

One more important thing of setting all these indicators is that indicators are means; indicators are not themselves an end. We must see how these indicators will work for us. What is important, other than the number that has been indicated to you, i.e., that over 140 targets have been met satisfactorily, is also to look for other indicators which come out very objectively. These are international indicators, as I have mentioned in my Policy Address. For all these results, the purpose is to check whether the policy directives have been correctly set, because I believe if I set the policy directives in the right direction, then I will reach my goal eventually, which will mean overall good for Hong Kong. I am glad to see that in these almost two and a half years of governance and also the new measures that we have introduced, the position of Hong Kong as an international financial centre has increased one position, so we have come back in the top three as an international financial centre. The measures we have taken are bringing results. Also, in regard to talent, the position of competitiveness has actually increased seven positions, and we have become within the top 10 in regard to talent. Also, for overall competitiveness internationally, we have moved up two positions, and we are the fifth most competitive economy.

We have the indicators I have set in the Policy Address, which I used to check whether the policy directions are set rightly, and also we do produce a result-oriented government. If there are things that we can do even better after the first indicators were set, and we proceed in that direction, then I think it is the result that I want, because, I want to repeat again: indicators are means to ensure that we achieve the end result we want. Internationally, these very objective indicators have shown that the policy directives have been set in the right direction. Thanks to the efforts of the Government and the community as a whole, we have actually produced good results and good success in some very important areas.

Regarding the plastic-free culture we want to build, we have already finished the first phase, which was the six-month adaptation period for the first phase of plastic products to be, first of all, no longer provided and also not offered for sale. I think this six-month adaptation period has gone on smoothly. Generally, I think the culture has been built, but of course, if, after this adaptation period, there are still occasions where the requirements have not been followed, we will take enforcement action. I think it is important to know that changing culture in this area really takes quite some time, so my policy is, while we need to have punishment, I mainly want this behavioural change to be one that will be taken on board by the majority of the people. It is not heavily punitive; rather, it is through allowing people to change behaviour, so that the community has more or less accepted this plastic-free culture.

I am glad to see that there are good results in the catering sector, in the building management sector, and in the hotel sector, which indicated that there has been a lot of disposable cutlery saved as a result of this plastic-free culture we want to build. Also, we will try to help industries or businesses to go through this process, so we will give people a reasonable period to correct. The responsible department, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), has already indicated we will give 10 days for people to correct if it is discovered during their checks. Of course, if no correction is taken after 10 days, then enforcement action will be taken, and they will be punished in accordance with the law.

As regards the future, I think we want to go on to ensure that this plastic-free culture is more entrenched. We will, first of all, prepare society and the businesses, particularly when we decide as to how we will go to the next stage, i.e., whether there will be sufficient alternative products available in the market for society to move smoothly into the next stage and, more importantly, affordable prices, because what we learned from the first phase is, despite the fact that we all subscribe to this plastic-free culture, it is an important change of behaviour; we also want businesses to be able to go through the process in a smooth manner, and people to be paying an affordable price for all this change of behaviour. These are the serious considerations the EEB (Environment and Ecology Bureau) will bear in mind to design how we proceed further.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)