Michael Tien
Michael Tien Puk-sun | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 26, 1950 Hong Kong |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, politician |
| Known for | Founder and chairman of G2000 and U2 Clothing; former chairman of Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation; Legislative Council member for New Territories North West |
Michael Tien Puk-sun (; born 26 August 1950) is a prominent Hong Kong entrepreneur and politician currently serving as a Legislative Council representative for New Territories North West. He is the founder and chairman of the retail brands G2000 and U2 Clothing. Additionally, he has held the position of chairman at the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC). Michael was once a member of the Liberal Party, which was led by his older brother James Tien, before becoming a part of the New People's Party.
History
In December 2001, Tien took over as chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC), replacing K. Y. Yeung during a period marked by public scrutiny. He introduced governance reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability within the corporation, frequently attending Legislative Council sessions to clarify company policies. His tenure ended in 2006 when he resigned amid disagreements with fellow board members regarding his leadership approach.
Tien joined the Liberal Party in 2008 and assumed the role of District Officer for Kowloon West. In 2010, he departed from the party to co-establish the New People's Party alongside Regina Ip, where he served as deputy chairman.
During the 2017 Chief Executive election, Tien endorsed Regina Ip but openly criticized the election process for being influenced by an "invisible hand," alluding to the role of the Liaison Office. After Ip withdrew her candidacy, Tien shifted his support to John Tsang, even though Ip later backed Carrie Lam just before the election. On 10 April 2017, Tien resigned from the New People's Party together with six District Councillors.
In the 2019 District Council elections, Tien lost his seat on the Tsuen Wan District Council amidst a significant defeat for pro-Beijing candidates during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests.
By December 2021, it was reported that Tien possessed voting rights amounting to four votes in the 2021 Hong Kong legislative election, equating to approximately 0.0328896% of total voting power—roughly 6,618 times greater than that of an ordinary voter.
Background and education
Tien's education includes attendance at Diocesan Boys' School and a one-year study period at Worcester Academy in the United States. He earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University and completed an MBA at Harvard Business School.
Property ownership
As of January 2022, Tien holds real estate assets located in Hong Kong, mainland China, and the United States.
Current posts
- Legislative Council member representing New Territories North West (2021 constituency)
- Deputy member representing Hong Kong in the National People’s Congress, PRC
- Chairman of the Employees Retraining Board (ERB)
- Chairman of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR)
- Member of the Manpower Development Committee (MDC)
- Member of the Education Commission (EC)
- Chairman of Retail Industry Working Group under Skills Upgrading Scheme (EDB)
- Supervisor at David Li Kwok Po College
Previous posts
- Chairman of Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC)
- Chairman of Privatization Sub-group within Business Advisory Group (BAG), Financial Secretary’s Office
- Chairman of Wholesale, Retail, Import & Export Training Board at Vocational Training Council (VTC)
- Chairman of Working Group on Professional Relevance Advisory Committee on Teacher Education & Qualification (ACTEQ)
- Chairman of Advisory Committee to School of Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Member of Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority
- Council member at Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC)
- Member of Language Fund Advisory Committee (LFAC), Education Department
- Member representing Discovery Park Constituency on Tsuen Wan District Council
- Alternate member on Listing Committee, Hong Kong Stock Exchange
- Member of Hong Kong Sports Development Board
- Director at The Community Chest of Hong Kong
- Head of Liberal Party’s Kowloon West Regional Office