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The Government announced today (November 26) the following senior appointments:
(a) Mr Andrew Wong Ho-yuen, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism), will assume the post of Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) on December 30, 2014. He will succeed Miss Au King-chi, who will retire after 32 years of service with the Government;
(b) Mr Philip Yung Wai-hung, Commissioner for Tourism, will assume the post of Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) on December 27, 2014;
(c) Miss Cathy Chu Man-ling, Director, Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in Beijing, will assume the post of Commissioner for Tourism on December 22, 2014; and
(d) Ms Gracie Foo Siu-wai, Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs, will assume the post of Director, Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing on January 21, 2015.
Commenting on the above appointments, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Paul Tang, said, "The appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with rich experience in public administration and proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will continue to serve the community with professionalism and dedication in their new capacities and rise to the challenges ahead."
On the retirement of Miss Au King-chi, Mr Tang said, "Miss Au has served with strong drive and dedication in the civil service throughout the years. She has made exemplary contributions to the development of Hong Kong.
"During her tenure with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the former Financial Services Bureau, Miss Au has made commendable efforts in consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's position as an international financial centre. She played an instrumental role in taking forward a host of regulatory reforms to enhance the robustness of Hong Kong's financial system and uphold financial market stability. She steered through the complex reforms of the securities and companies legislation, upgrading Hong Kong's corporate governance regime to meet evolving market development needs and improve Hong Kong's international competitiveness. Miss Au devoted unrelenting efforts in opening up new business opportunities for our financial sector and made exemplary contributions towards facilitating financial co-operation with the Mainland at both the central and regional level. We sincerely wish her a happy retirement."
Brief biographical notes on the five officers are set out below:
Miss Au King-chi
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Aged 54, Miss Au joined the Administrative Service in August 1982 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2010.
Miss Au has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Councils and Administration Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Medical and Health Department, the former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Municipal Services Branch, the former Securities Review Committee, the former Monetary Affairs Branch, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the Information Services Department, the Chief Executive's Office and the former Financial Services Bureau (later renamed the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau). She was Deputy Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands) from August 2004 to May 2006, and Commissioner for Tourism from May 2006 to November 2008. Miss Au has been Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) since January 2009.
Mr Andrew Wong Ho-yuen
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Aged 55, Mr Wong joined the Administrative Service in August 1982 and rose to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in September 2006.
Mr Wong has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Office of Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, the former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Trade Department, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Geneva, the former Chief Secretary's Office (later renamed the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels and the Administration Wing. He was Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive's Office from August 2005 to January 2006, and Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service from February 2006 to December 2010. Mr Wong has been Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism) since January 2011.
Mr Philip Yung Wai-hung
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Aged 53, Mr Yung joined the Government in July 1983. He served initially as a Court Interpreter and later as an Assistant Information Officer. He joined the Administrative Service in July 1986 and rose to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2010.
Mr Yung has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Housing Department, the former General Duties Branch, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration (later renamed the Home Affairs Department), the former Chief Secretary's Office, the former Chief Executive (Designate)'s Office, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the Financial Secretary's Office and the Trade and Industry Department. He was Deputy Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Commerce and Industry) from July 2004 to August 2006, and Deputy Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works (Transport) (later retitled Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport)) from August 2006 to January 2010. Mr Yung has been Commissioner for Tourism since February 2010.
Miss Cathy Chu Man-ling
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Aged 50, Miss Chu joined the Government in August 1987 as an Executive Officer. She joined the Administrative Service in June 1988 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2009.
Miss Chu 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 (later renamed the Security Bureau), the Information Services Department and the former Environment, Transport and Works Bureau (later renamed the Transport and Housing Bureau). She was Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs (West Kowloon Cultural District) from July 2008 to July 2010, and Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) from October 2010 to July 2012. Miss Chu has been Director, Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing since July 2012.
Ms Gracie Foo Siu-wai
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Aged 49, Ms Foo joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2009.
Ms Foo has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former General Duties Branch, the former Civil Service Branch, the former New Airport Project Co-ordination Office, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, the former Finance Branch (later renamed the Finance Bureau), the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau (later renamed the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau) and the former Office of the Telecommunications Authority. She was Deputy Director of Broadcasting from August 2006 to February 2009, and Deputy Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands) from February 2009 to September 2012. Ms Foo has been Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs since September 2012.
Ends/Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:01
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