Senior appointments (with photos)
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     The Government announced today (September 24) the following senior appointments:

(a) Mr Donald Tong Chi-keung, former Permanent Secretary for the Environment/Director of Environmental Protection, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing)/Director of Housing on October 21, 2019. He will succeed Mr Stanley Ying Yiu-hong, who will commence his pre-retirement leave;

(b) Ms Carol Yip Man-kuen, Director of Social Welfare, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Security on October 21, 2019. She will succeed Mrs Marion Lai Chan Chi-kuen, who will commence her pre-retirement leave;

(c) Mr Gordon Leung Chung-tai, former Postmaster General, will take up the post of Director of Social Welfare on October 9, 2019; and

(d) Miss Leonia Tai Shuk-yiu, Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Welfare), will take up the post of Government Property Administrator on November 11, 2019.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, said, "The four appointees are seasoned Administrative Officers with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that they will serve the community with professionalism in their new capacities."

     On the retirement of Mr Ying, Mr Law said, "Mr Ying has rendered 36 years of loyal and dedicated service to the community of Hong Kong. During his tenure as Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing)/Director of Housing, he ably led the Housing Department to tackle many complex and sensitive issues. He managed his portfolio of duties with dedication, ensuring the proper operation of the department in carrying out its many important functions, including development, construction, allocation, management and sale of public and government subsidised housing. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."

     Speaking on the retirement of Mrs Lai, Mr Law said, "Mrs Lai has served with zeal and professionalism in the civil service over the past 37 years. As Permanent Secretary for Security, she made significant contributions to various security policies, including maintaining the law and order in Hong Kong, tackling drug abuse through multi-pronged strategies, upgrading the fire safety of old buildings and improving the efficiency of immigration control. I wish her a fulfilling and happy retirement."

     Brief biographical notes of the six officers are set out below:
 
Mr Stanley Ying Yiu-hong
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     Mr Ying joined the Administrative Service in August 1983 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2007. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Councils and Administration Branch, the former Civil Service Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former General Duties Branch, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the former Trade Department, the former Education Department, the former Finance Bureau and the Security Bureau. He served as Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) from November 2007 to July 2012, was seconded to the Competition Commission as Secretary-General from June 2013 to April 2014 and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Housing)/Director of Housing since April 2014.

Mrs Marion Lai Chan Chi-kuen
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     Mrs Lai joined the Administrative Service in August 1982 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2011. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Councils and Administration Branch, the former Medical and Health Department, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former General Duties Branch, the Housing Department, the former Security Branch, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Official Languages Agency, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the Social Welfare Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau and the former Office of the Telecommunications Authority. She served as Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Food) from April 2010 to January 2015 and Permanent Secretary for Education from January 2015 to July 2017, and has been serving as Permanent Secretary for Security since July 2017.

Mr Donald Tong Chi-keung
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     Mr Tong joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2018. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Transport Department, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington, the former New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, the former Environment and Food Bureau, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Home Affairs Bureau. He served as Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA from October 2008 to February 2014, Commissioner for Labour from March 2014 to September 2016 and Permanent Secretary for the Environment/Director of Environmental Protection from September 2016 to May 2019.

Ms Carol Yip Man-kuen
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     Ms Yip joined the Administrative Service in July 1987 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2015. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Survey Office, the former Transport Branch, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch, the former New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office, the former Trade Department and the Trade and Industry Department. She served as Deputy Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food (Elderly Services and Social Security) (later renamed Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Welfare)) from September 2006 to September 2009 and Deputy Secretary for Security from September 2009 to July 2013, and has been serving as Director of Social Welfare since July 2013.

Mr Gordon Leung Chung-tai
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     Mr Leung joined the Administrative Service in August 1985 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2018. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Security Branch, the former Deputy Chief Secretary's Office, the former Office of Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils, the former Economic Services Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat on secondment, the former Education and Manpower Bureau, the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, Radio Television Hong Kong and the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau. He served as Director, Project Planning Office from October 2016 to January 2017, Director, Celebrations Coordination Office from January 2017 to July 2017 and Postmaster General from July 2017 to September 2019.

Miss Leonia Tai Shuk-yiu
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     Miss Tai joined the Administrative Service in July 1988 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2018. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Finance Branch, the former Home Affairs Branch, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the former Business and Services Promotion Unit, the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, the Civil Service Bureau and the Trade and Industry Department. She served as Deputy Director-General of Trade and Industry from November 2007 to January 2012 and Deputy Director of Broadcasting from March 2012 to July 2016, and has been serving as Deputy Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Welfare) since July 2016.
 

Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Issued at HKT 16:00

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