Nanlu Chen

Philip Chen Nan-lok GBS JP (born 2 September 1955) is the former Chairman of the Board of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, former CEO of Hang Lung Group and Hang Lung Properties, former Deputy Chairman of Cathay Pacific, and former director of Swire Pacific.

Biography

Philip Chen graduated in 1961 from the Precious Blood Kindergarten on Ice House Street, Happy Valley. He then attended Precious Blood Primary School. In 1967 he entered Wah Yan College, Hong Kong, and studied there until 1974, alongside future Hospital Authority Chairman Leung Ping-chung, Auxiliary Police Force Commissioner Yiu Yeung-lung, and Maritime Department Director Liao Hon-po. He then enrolled at the University of Hong Kong, lived in Ricci Hall, and in 1977 graduated with a degree in Politics and History. After graduation, he joined Cathay Pacific, with postings in Tokyo and Beijing. In 1984 he earned an MBA from the University of Hong Kong. In 1989 he was appointed Chief Representative and General Manager in Beijing for Swire (China).

In 1992, Chen returned to Cathay Pacific as Regional General Manager for Southeast Asia, based in Singapore. In 1994 he moved to Dragonair as CEO. In 1997 he was promoted to Deputy Managing Director of Cathay Pacific, and in late 2004 succeeded David Turnbull as CEO of Cathay Pacific, becoming the first ethnic Chinese to hold the position. During his tenure he orchestrated the merger of Cathay Pacific and Dragonair and strengthened ties with Air China, facilitating Cathay’s expansion into the Mainland and establishing it as a leading regional hub airline. However, his hardline approach during labor disputes, particularly the 2001 pilots’ strike, led to criticism and a HK$60 million damages ruling against the airline for wrongful dismissals and defamatory remarks.

From January 1997 to December 2002, Chen served on the ICAC Community Relations Citizens Advisory Committee, later chairing the Advisory Committee on Corruption Prevention and serving on the Corruption Problems Advisory Committee for six years. He also chaired the Tourism Industry Integrity Promotion Programme Planning Committee.

Between 2000 and 2003, he was Chairman of the Board of Ocean Park Hong Kong, turning its finances around from loss to profit. He subsequently served on the board of Hong Kong Disneyland.

In August 2006, Chen was appointed a Director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (and became Vice Chairman in April 2020). In the same month, he joined the board of Hong Kong Disneyland for two years.

On 8 March 2007, following the announcement of Cathay Pacific’s 2006 results, Chen resigned as CEO effective 1 July 2007, and returned to Swire (China) as Chairman, while continuing as a non-executive deputy chairman of Cathay Pacific.

On 19 April 2010, Cathay Pacific announced that Chen would step down as Deputy Chairman on 1 July 2010 for personal reasons. Swire Pacific also announced his resignation as Executive Director the same day, ending his 33-year career with Swire.

On 27 April 2010, Chen was appointed CEO of Hang Lung Group and Hang Lung Properties, effective 15 July 2010, overseeing the company’s businesses in Hong Kong and Mainland China and strengthening management systems and brands. On 16 March 2018, it was announced that he would retire on 16 July 2018 and be succeeded by Gregory Loo, former Head of Citigroup Hong Kong and Macau.

Public Service

Chen has held numerous public and advisory roles: member of the Hong Kong Real Estate Developers Association board and executive committee; member of the Hong Kong–Taiwan Business Cooperation Committee; member of the Hong Kong–Japan Economic Cooperation Committee; Honorary President of the China Travel Service (Hong Kong); standing committee member of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce; founding member of the Chinese Hong Kong (Region) Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the Board of the Hong Kong Jockey Club; Honorary Vice-President of The Community Chest; council member of the China Overseas Friendship Association and Shanghai Overseas Friendship Association; advisor to the Bauhinia Foundation.

He serves as a Council Member and Advisory Committee member of the University of Hong Kong, Advisory Committee member of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Business School, Advisory Committee member of the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, International Advisory Committee member of Lingnan (University) College, Sun Yat-sen University, board advisor to Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, and advisory board member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Hong Kong Chapter.

He has also held positions with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Aviation Development Advisory Committee, and University Grants Committee, where he served as Chairman of the Quality Assurance Council. He was formerly Chairman of the Tourism Industry Council and the Airline Representatives Association of Hong Kong and served on the board of the International Air Transport Association.

Family

Chen is married to Susan Ng, the fourth daughter of Maximal Group Chairman Ng Sum-tak, making him brother-in-law to Susan Ng’s sister. They have a son, Jonathan Chen, and a daughter, Amber Chen.

Publications

Since 2000, Chen has written a travel column under the pen name “Roaming the Sky” for Wen Wei Po, compiling his overseas postings and personal travels into essay collections:

• “Blue Skies and Green Lands” ISBN 988201481X
• “Writing My Wanderlust” ISBN 9882018130
• “Stories of Wind and Flowers” ISBN 9882111688
• “Clouds and Currents” ISBN 9789882115644
• “Scenes of the Lion City” ISBN 9882116841
• “Beauty and Grace” ISBN 9789882190603
• “East, West, North, South: Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria” ISBN 9882191959
• “Great Cities of the World” ISBN 9789628269501

All royalties from these books have been donated to the Cathay Children’s Wheelchair Fund and the Friends of Grace Association.

Named after Him

• The Philip Chen Nan-lok Trophy, one of the races on Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman’s Day, inaugurated in the 2022/2023 season

Honours

• 1997: Fellow, Royal Aeronautical Society
• 2000: Justice of the Peace, Hong Kong
• 2001: Beta Gamma Sigma Honor, HKUST
• 2002: Silver Bauhinia Star
• 2004: Honorary Doctor of Business Administration, HKUST
• 2004: Fellow, Hong Kong Management Association
• 2009: Officer, French Legion of Honour
• 2009: Outstanding Alumni, School of Professional and Continuing Education, University of Hong Kong
• 2010: Eta Sigma Delta Honor, CUHK
• 2012: Gold Bauhinia Star
• 2013: Honorary Fellow, University of Hong Kong
• 2014: Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences, Lingnan University
• 2016: Beta Gamma Sigma Honor, University of Hong Kong

External Links

• “Blue Skies and Green Lands” – Cosmos Books (archived)
• Philip Chen Nan-lok: Everything Works – Southcn.com (archived)