Ronnie Chan
Ronnie Chan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1949 Hong Kong |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Chairman of Hang Lung Group and Hang Lung Properties; philanthropy to universities including Harvard and USC |
| Notable work | Chairman of Asia Society Hong Kong Center; donor to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy |
Ronnie Chan Chi-chung (; born 1949) is a prominent entrepreneur based in Hong Kong.
Education
Chan obtained both his bachelor's and master's degrees in biology from California State University, Los Angeles. He later completed an MBA at the University of Southern California in 1976. Additionally, he has been honored with honorary doctorates from Tel Aviv University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Career
In 1991, Chan assumed the role of chairman at Hang Lung Group and its subsidiary, Hang Lung Properties, which ranked among Hong Kong's leading real estate developers as of 2014. He took over these positions following his uncle’s tenure. Beyond this, he holds the position of vice-president at the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, co-chairs the Asia Society while also chairing its Hong Kong Center, and acts as an advisor to the China Development Research Foundation under the State Council.
Chan has contributed advisory expertise to several academic institutions and think tanks, including China Foreign Affairs University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and his alma mater, the University of Southern California.
He was a member of the board of directors and part of the audit committee at Enron Corporation during its collapse amid fraudulent activities. His critical remarks regarding U.S. financial policies at the 2009 Horasis Global China Business Meeting in Lisbon drew considerable attention.
Political views
Through his companies’ voting influence within Hong Kong's Election Committee, Chan supported Carrie Lam’s candidacy for Chief Executive. Nonetheless, during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests, he openly criticized appointing a civil servant to that position as "the most ridiculous thing," attributing the disturbances to Lam’s "unwise policies" and political factors rather than social grievances. He also endorsed Leung Chun-ying in the 2013 Chief Executive election.
Chan has observed that Hongkongers possess a distinct "DNA" compared to mainland Chinese due to many having fled from there, suggesting that this divergence in national identity contributes to the protests.
Philanthropy
Since 1996, Chan has consistently provided yearly financial aid to underprivileged students attending top-tier Chinese universities.
In September 2014, the Chan family, through their Morningside Foundation, donated US$350 million to Harvard University and US$20 million to the University of Southern California. These contributions resulted in naming honors: the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and USC's Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.
In 2021, Morningside granted US$175 million to the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, which led to its renaming as UMass Chan Medical School. Its individual schools were also renamed accordingly: the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, and Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Personal life
Chan’s brother, Gerald Chan, is also a director at Hang Lung Group. Ronnie Chan is married to Barbara Chan and they have two sons.
In 2004, his son Adriel Chan graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations from USC. His other son, Adley Chan, earned bachelor's degrees in sociology and occupational therapy along with master's and doctoral degrees in occupational therapy from USC.