Philip Stanley Cassidy
Philip Stanley Cassidy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date |
| Died | May 14, 1971 (aged 82) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Taipan of John D. Hutchison & Co.; member of Executive Council of Hong Kong; member of Legislative Council of Hong Kong |
Philip Stanley Cassidy CBE, JP (30 March 1889 – 14 May 1971) was a prominent entrepreneur operating in both Britain and Hong Kong. He held the position of taipan at John D. Hutchison & Co., a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa, and served as an unofficial member on the Executive Council of Hong Kong as well as the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
Biography
Cassidy's arrival in Hong Kong took place in 1913, where he initially joined the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. By 1922, he had become a partner at John D. Hutchison & Co., an import-export business, collaborating with his brother-in-law T. E. Pearce. Their enterprise expanded with the establishment of a Canton branch in 1929, which operated until its closure in 1941. Following Pearce’s death during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941, Cassidy took over as taipan.
Within the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Cassidy was a key leader, holding the chairman role from 1948 to 1950 and again from 1951 to 1952. The chamber appointed him to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1948, and he contributed to the Executive Council of Hong Kong from 1951 through 1952.
Cassidy's influence extended beyond commerce; he was involved in various leadership capacities including serving on the Committee of the Diocesan Boys' School starting in 1922, acting as a director for the European Y.M.C.A., participating on the Court of the University of Hong Kong from 1929 onward, and holding an official position at St. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong. In addition, he co-established the Cheero Club in 1935 to provide recreational activities for British military personnel stationed in Hong Kong.
After concluding his public duties in 1952, Cassidy retired to London. Subsequently, he assumed the chairmanship of the Hong Kong House and received a CBE honor in 1959.
On 15 January 1919, Cassidy married Margaret Johnson Rodger, daughter of A. Rodger associated with China Sugar Refinery. Their son, Richard Ross Forbes Cassidy, pursued a career as an architect based in Scotland.