Jack So
Jack So Chak-kwong | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1945 Guangzhou, China |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Known for | Chairman of Airport Authority Hong Kong; Chairman and executive director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council; Chairman and Chief Executive of MTR Corporation; Deputy chairman and Group managing director at PCCW |
Jack So Chak-kwong, GBM, GBS, OBE, JP (), has held the position of chairman of the Board at Airport Authority Hong Kong since June 2015. Previously, he was chairman and executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), led the MTR Corporation as chairman and Chief Executive, and served as deputy chairman and Group managing director at PCCW.
In October 2013, So was named Chairman of the Consultative Committee on Economic and Trade Co-operation between Hong Kong and Mainland China. Earlier that year, he joined the Economic Development Commission as a non-official member and took on the role of Convenor for its Working Group focused on Convention and Exhibition Industries and Tourism.
His extensive leadership portfolio includes chairmanship of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society and Harrow International School Hong Kong. He has been a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, served as Honorary Consultant to the Mayor of San Francisco, acted as International Business Advisor to the Mayor of Beijing, and contributed to the Hong Kong Government’s Lantau Development Advisory Committee.
So currently holds independent non-executive directorships at AIA Group and China Resources Power, alongside his role as senior advisor to Credit Suisse in Greater China. His past board memberships include independent directorships at HSBC and Cathay Pacific.
Recognized as a Justice of Peace, So received the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2011 followed by the prestigious Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2017.
Early years
Born in 1945 in Guangzhou, China, So completed his secondary education at La Salle College before attending the University of Hong Kong. He further obtained a diploma in economics from Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
Career
So commenced his professional journey within the Hong Kong Government before transitioning into the private sector in 1978. His career spans senior positions across stockbroking, banking, and property development industries.
Between 1985 and 1992, he was executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC), later returning as chairman from 2007 until 2015.
From 1995 to 2003, he led the MTR Corporation as chairman and Chief Executive. Subsequently, he held the roles of deputy chairman and Group managing director at PCCW from 2003 through 2007.
Currently, So serves as a non-executive Director for both American International Assurance and China Resources Power, while advising Credit Suisse in Greater China at a senior level. His prior independent directorships include tenures at HSBC (2000–2007) and Cathay Pacific (2002–2015).
In political spheres, So was affiliated with the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from 2008 to 2018. He also provided counsel as an International Business Advisor to Beijing’s Mayor and functioned as Honorary Consultant to San Francisco’s Mayor in 2013. Additionally, he chaired Hong Kong’s Film Development Council between 2007 and 2013.
Academically, So has been honored with an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences from the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He contributed as a University Council member starting in 2000 and led HKU’s Campus Development & Planning Committee from 2006 to 2012, overseeing construction projects including the Centennial Campus.
Awards and honours
- Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences awarded by the University of Hong Kong (2011)
- Gold Bauhinia Star recipient (Hong Kong, 2011)
- Awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal (Hong Kong, 2017)
Panama Papers
The Panama Papers revealed So as the proprietor of the offshore entity Jaderich Limited and a shareholder in Solid Foundation Limited (SFL). When approached by local journalists, he chose not to disclose the nature of Jaderich Ltd’s operations, merely indicating that the company had remained dormant for several years.
External links
- Farewell to Jack So Chak-kwong by HKTDC, available on YouTube