Government Announces Key Senior Appointments Ahead of Upcoming Retirements in Hong Kong Administration

2026-06-15 16:00 Last Updated At：16:08

Government announces senior appointments

The Government announced today (June 15) the following senior appointments:

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Government announces senior appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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Government announces senior appointments Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

(a) Ms Maisie Chan Kit-ling, ex-Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, will take up the post of Director-General of Communications on July 2, 2026, to succeed Mr Chaucer Leung Chung-yin on retirement;

(b) Mr Albert Yuen Yuk-kin will take up the appointment as Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene on June 16, 2026, vice Mr Donald Ng Man-kit, following an open-cum-in-service recruitment exercise;

(c) Ms Ann Chan Wai-yan, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury), will take up the post of Commissioner for Tourism on June 25, 2026; and

(d) Mr Arsene Yiu Kai-cheuk, Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), will take up the post of Director, Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing (Beijing Office) on June 29, 2026, to succeed Mr Rex Chang Wai-yuen on retirement.

Regarding the appointments of Ms Maisie Chan, Ms Ann Chan and Mr Arsene Yiu, 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 Yuen, Mrs Yeung said, "Mr Yuen has extensive experience in public administration and law enforcement, and possesses outstanding leadership and management capabilities. I am confident that under his leadership, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will continue with its reforms to provide public services, perform regulatory functions and meet future challenges with innovation and excellence."

Turning to the retirement of the two senior officials, Mrs Yeung thanked them for each rendering over 30 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community and making significant contributions to the Government. She wished them a fulfilling and happy retirement.

On the retirement of Mr Chang, Mrs Yeung said, "During his tenure as Director, Beijing Office, Mr Chang oversaw the smooth operation of the Beijing Office as well as the two liaison units in Liaoning and Tianjin. He led major efforts to promote Hong Kong's unique strengths under 'one country, two systems' and co-operation with major provinces and municipalities, thereby contributing to our integration into the national development strategy."

Turning to Mr Leung, Mrs Yeung said, "During his tenure as Director-General of Communications, he provided strong leadership in ensuring the robust regulation and development of telecommunications and broadcasting industries in Hong Kong. He spearheaded a whole host of policy initiatives to promote the development of advanced communications technologies and infrastructure, ensuring that world-class communications services were in place to meet the challenges of the information age and underpin Hong Kong's status as a leading telecommunications and broadcasting hub in the region and beyond."

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

Mr Rex Chang Wai-yuen

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Mr Chang joined the Administrative Service in July 1989 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2021. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Security Branch, the former Finance Branch, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, the Trade and Industry Department, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, the Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office, and the Education Bureau. He was Director of Information Services from August 2019 to December 2021, Commissioner for Belt and Road from December 2021 to November 2022, and served as Director, Beijing Office from December 2022 to March 2026.

Mr Chaucer Leung Chung-yin

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Mr Leung joined the Government as Telecommunications Engineer in April 1997. He was promoted to Chief Telecommunications Engineer in July 2009, to Assistant Director of Telecommunications in November 2012, and to Deputy Director-General of Telecommunications in May 2016. He served as the Director-General of Communications cum Director of Film, Newspaper and Article Administration from July 2019 to April 2026.

Ms Maisie Chan Kit-ling

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Ms Chan joined the Administrative Service in July 1994 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2025. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the Home Affairs Department, the former Trade Department, the former Finance Bureau (later renamed as Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau), the former Education and Manpower Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Civil Service Bureau and the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link Independent Expert Panel. She was Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene) from January 2015 to July 2018, Deputy Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs from July 2018 to July 2023, and Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area from July 2023 to January 2026.

Mr Albert Yuen Yuk-kin

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Mr Yuen joined the Government in 1986 and had served in various positions in the Police Force. He served as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) between August 2021 and August 2023, and was appointed as Advisor in the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for one year in November 2023. In February 2026, the Environment and Ecology Bureau conducted an open-cum-in-service recruitment exercise for the post of Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene. Following the established selection process, Mr Yuen has been identified as the most suitable candidate. The Government appointed Mr Yuen as the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene under civil service appointment terms, with effect from June 16.

Ms Ann Chan Wai-yan

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Ms Chan joined the Administrative Service in June 1997 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2025. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Financial Secretary's Office, the Housing Bureau, the Civil Service Bureau, the former Constitutional Affairs Bureau, the former Education and Manpower Bureau, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the former Home Affairs Bureau, the Labour and Welfare Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the former Transport and Housing Bureau. She was Coordinator (Policy Address) of the former Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office from July to November 2020, Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service from December 2020 to July 2024, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) since August 2024.

Mr Arsene Yiu Kai-cheuk

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Mr Yiu joined the Administrative Service in September 2001 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B in April 2024. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Housing Bureau, the Security Bureau, the former Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Office of the Chief Executive-elect and the Chief Executive's Office. He was Principal Assistant Secretary for Food and Health (Food) from February to April 2022, Assistant Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Market Special Duties) from April to August 2022, and has been serving as Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene) since August 2022.

Five Passengers Sentenced for Importing Duty-Not-Paid Cigarettes and Smoking Products in Hong Kong.

Five incoming passengers convicted and jailed for possessing/importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products

Five incoming passengers were sentenced to six weeks' to four months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the Magistrates' Courts today (June 15) for possessing or importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs Officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), as well as for importing alternative smoking products (ASPs), in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 46-year-old Chinese female passenger at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on June 13 and seized 2 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $10,600 and a duty potential of about $8,500. She was subsequently arrested. She was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (June 15).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 29-year-old Chinese male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on June 13, and seized 190 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 28 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $84,700 and a duty potential of about $600 from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to four months' of imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today.

Additionally, Customs officers intercepted three incoming Chinese male passenger, aged 31, 37 and 40 respectively at the airport yesterday (June 14). Customs officers seized 16 800 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with a market value of about $84,000 and a duty potential of about $55,000, and 16 800 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with a market value of about $84,000 and a duty potential of about $55,000, as well as 17400 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 27 ASPs, with a market value of about $87,000 and a duty potential of about $57,000, from their personal baggage respectively. The three passengers were subsequently arrested. They were each sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today.

Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Government Announces Key Senior Appointments Ahead of Upcoming Retirements in Hong Kong Administration

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