Zhou Songgang
Sir Chung‑kong Chow GBM GBS JP (born 9 September 1950) is a Hong Kong business executive of Shunde, Guangdong origin. Educated in the UK, US and Australia, he was knighted in 2000. From December 2003 to December 2011 he served as Chief Executive of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation, overseeing the merger of the MTR and KCR systems.
In April 2012 he was appointed Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, and in June 2012 became a non‑official member of the Hong Kong Executive Council.
Early life
Chow was born 9 September 1950 in Hong Kong. He attended St Trinity’s Kindergarten, Farm Road Government Primary School (Nga Po Road), and Pooi To Primary and Secondary Schools, graduating Form Six in 1968.[1] He held a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, an MSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, and an MBA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He also completed executive studies at Harvard Business School.
Business career
Chow is a chartered engineer. He spent twenty years with BOC Group in Hong Kong, Japan, the US and UK, becoming a Group Director and President of its gas business in 1993. In 1997 he joined GKN plc as its first Chinese President. From 2001 to 2003 he was CEO of Brambles Industries in Australia, leading several major mergers. He was created a Knight Bachelor in 2000 for services to British industry.
In December 2003 Chow became CEO of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation. He also served as non‑executive Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) (2004–2011) and as a non‑executive Director of Standard Chartered plc (1997–2008).[2] He retired from MTR on 31 December 2011, succeeded by Jay Walder.[3]
Public service
Chow has held numerous public offices: member of the Commission on Strategic Development; Council member of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants; member of the Hong Kong Tourism Board; and was appointed Council Fellow of the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2011. He served on the board of the Hong Kong Jockey Club from 2011 and was appointed Chairman of the Urban Renewal Authority on 1 May 2019.
2007 District Council Election Controversy
In 2007 Chow supported Civic Party candidate Tanya Chan in the Central and Western District Council election, against Liberal Party incumbent Lam Man-kit. Liberal Party chairman James Tien criticized Chow’s intervention, but the dispute was amicably resolved by apology between Chow and Tien.
Honours
- Knight Bachelor (2000)
- Justice of the Peace (2014)
- Gold Bauhinia Star (2015)
- Grand Bauhinia Medal (2021)
Professional fellowships
- Fellow, Royal Academy of Engineering
- Fellow, City and Guilds Institute
- Fellow, Institution of Chemical Engineers
- Honorary Fellow, Institution of Engineering and Technology
- Fellow, Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences
- Honorary Fellow, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
- Honorary University Fellow, Chinese University of Hong Kong (2011)
Honorary degrees
- Doctor of Engineering, University of Bath
See also
- Farm Road Government Primary School
- Pooi To Middle School
- MTR Corporation
- MTR–KCR merger
References
External links
- Commons category: Chow Chung-Kong
- MTR Corporation governance profile
- Hong Kong businesspeople
- MTR Corporation
- Standard Chartered Bank people
- Farm Road Government Primary School alumni
- Pooi To Primary School alumni
- Pooi To Middle School alumni
- Knights Bachelor
- University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
- University of California, Davis alumni
- Harvard University alumni
- Hong Kong pro-establishment politicians
- Chairmen of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing
- Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong
- Hong Kong political figures
- Grand Bauhinia Medal recipients
- Gold Bauhinia Star recipients
- Hong Kong Jockey Club racehorse owners
- Hong Kong government officials
- People from Shunde District
- Hong Kong Hakka people
- Chow (surname)