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The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, has appointed Ms Melissa Brown and Mr Tam Wing-pong as new lay members of the Council of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA).
The appointments were made under the Professional Accountants Ordinance (Chapter 50). Ms Brown's term will commence on December 1, 2012, and will expire on November 30, 2014, while Mr Tam's term is from December 15, 2012, to November 30, 2014.
Welcoming the newly appointed members, Professor Chan said, "We are glad to have Ms Brown and Mr Tam as the new lay members serving on the HKICPA Council. Ms Brown and Mr Tam have expertise and a wealth of experience in the financial market and public service respectively. From the respective perspectives of the investing public and the community in general, they will provide valuable input to the HKICPA Council. These important dimensions will help the Council in taking forward reform measures aimed at upholding the quality and public accountability of the profession."
Professor Chan added, "We are also grateful to the outgoing lay members, Ms Catherine Leung Kar-cheung and Mr Ambrose Cheung Wing-sum, for their invaluable contributions and support rendered to the Council over the past six years."
Ms Brown is currently a member of the Public Shareholders Group established under the Securities and Futures Commission. She was a member of the Listing Committee of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited from 2006 to 2012.
Mr Tam was a veteran Administrative Officer of the civil service. He last held the office of the Postmaster General before his retirement.
Under the Professional Accountants Ordinance, the HKICPA Council comprises a maximum of 23 persons, including four lay members appointed by the Chief Executive. The power of the Chief Executive to make appointments to the Council has been delegated to the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.
The other two incumbent lay members are Mr Andrew Fung Hau-chung and Ms Edith Shih.
The HKICPA is the statutory licensing body for accountants and currently has more than 32,000 members. It is responsible for matters such as the regulation and development of the profession, and the promulgation of financial reporting standards. The HKICPA Council is its governing body.
Ends/Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:00
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