Dickson Poon

Sir Dickson Poon (born 19 June 1956) is a Hong Kong businessman involved in the watch, department store, and fashion brand retail industries. He was knighted by the Queen of the United Kingdom in 2015.

Background

Poon is the son of watch businessman Poon Kam-kai. He attended St. Joseph's Primary School and St. Joseph's College in Hong Kong, enrolling in Form 1 in 1968. He later studied at Uppingham School in the UK, then attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, USA, majoring in philosophy and economics. After graduating in 1978, he returned to Hong Kong, worked as a salesman at his father's watch shop, and trained in watchmaking for 18 months at Chopard in Geneva, Switzerland.

Retail Business

• In 1980, with US$1 million from his father, he founded Dickson Watch & Jewellery in Central's Landmark. In 1981, he acquired the Hong Kong agency rights for Charles Jourdan, and in 1983 for Polo Ralph Lauren.
• In 1985, he acquired listed company Shun Fung Enterprise and renamed it Dickson Concepts, injecting his retail business into it. In 1987, he purchased French brand ST Dupont for US$52 million.
• In October 1991, he acquired UK department store Harvey Nichols for £53.7 million, turning it profitable. In November 1992, he expanded to major cities in China and Taiwan. Later he acquired Seibu Department Stores in Hong Kong and China, opening branches in various cities.
• During the dot-com boom, he founded Dickson Cyber Concepts, entering the tech business, and opened Dickson CyberWorld in Kowloon Station (closed in 2005). In 2005, he opened Seibu in Langham Place, and Harvey Nichols in Landmark. Another Seibu branch was opened in The Kowloon Hotel by the end of 2006.

His retail network now consists of 248 stores in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Sales distribution: 65% Hong Kong, 18% Taiwan, 8% Mainland China, and 9% other Southeast Asia.

Entertainment Career

In 1984, Poon entered the film industry, co-founding D&B Films with Sammo Hung. The company produced several movies starring Chow Yun-fat, Michael Hui, Michelle Yeoh, George Lam, etc. Notable works include *An Autumn's Tale*. He also founded DMI Records, releasing albums for Danny Chan and others, but the company closed in 1995.

Family

Poon has had three marriages. His first wife, Karen Yip, daughter of Shanghai textile businessman Yip Yuen-lung, bore him a daughter, Poon Chor-wing. His second wife was Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh. His current wife, Pearl Yu, comes from a wealthy family and married him in 1992. They have two sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Poon Koon-tat, became Executive Director of Dickson Concepts on 14 December 2018.

Poon is the fourth child in the family. One of his sisters, Poon Kam-chui, is married to David Li, Chairman of Bank of East Asia.

Racehorses

Poon is a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He began owning racehorses in 1991, including Light and Easy, Racing Saint, etc. In 1997, he purchased a French horse, Industrial Pioneer, for US$600,000. It was euthanized after an accident in 1998, leading to a landmark lawsuit in Hong Kong against the Jockey Club and deceased jockey Kan Wai-yu. In 1999, he bought a Japanese horse, Star Flash, which retired early due to injury.

Honors

• Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
• Knight Bachelor (New Year Honours 2015)
• Hong Kong Young Industrialist Award
• Silver Bauhinia Star (1999)

References

• "Fortune" Top Businesswomen List
• Dickson CyberWorld
• Dickson Cyber layoffs
• Market Weakness Forecast
• Poon: GST is Poison
• First Horse Compensation Case in HK
• Hong Kong Music Timeline (70s–90s)

See Also

• Dickson Concepts