Mr Stephen Wong (Moderator)

Deputy Executive Director & Head of Public Policy Institute
Our Hong Kong Foundation

Mr Stephen Wong received a B.A. Degree in Economics from the University of Chicago, Phi Beta Kappa, and an M.A. Degree in East Asian Studies (Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies) from Yale University.  Since then, he worked for a number of global financial institutions, including as an Executive Director in UBS (London) and a Managing Director at RBS.  Mr Wong joined Our Hong Kong foundation as Senior Consultant in May 2015, and was appointed Deputy Executive Director and Head of Public Policy in November of the same year.  He is now Deputy Executive Director and Head of Public Policy Institute.

Mr Wong's public service includes various advisory roles appointed by the Hong Kong Government, including Board Member of the Financial Services Development Council, Board Member of the Urban Renewal Authority, Member of Investment Committee of the Beat Drugs Fund, Member of Investment Sub-Committee of the Housing Authority, Member of Feasibility Study Working Group of "Special Needs Public Trust", Co-opted Member of Social Innovation & Entrepreneurship Development Fund Task Force of Commission on Poverty, Non-official Member of the Assessment Panel of the "Innovation and Technology Fund for Application in Elderly and Rehabilitation Care" of the Social Welfare Department, and ex-Member of Task Force on Land Supply, etc.

Mr Wong is also active in community service.  He is Chairman of the Clean Air Network, Vice Chairman of the Admissions, Budgets & Allocations Committee and Investment Sub-Committee Member of the Community Chest, and Executive Committee Member & Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Social Enterprise and Innovation Platform of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.  Mr Wong is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Hong Kong University SPACE for the Institute for China Business.

Dr Lawrence Cheung

Chief Innovation Officer
Hong Kong Productivity Council


Dr Lawrence Cheung has over 25 years of experience in research and development, consultancy and business.  He manages a broad business portfolio on technological research and development as well as consultancy services in smart city, automotive, smart electronics, geron-tech, environmental management, testing, food processing & Chinese medicine, business growth, change & impact.

He is currently the Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association; Honorary Advisor of the Hong Kong Electronics and Technologies Association; an executive committee member of the Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association; Member of Innovation and Technology Training Board of Vocational Training Council; Member of Innovation & Technology Development Committee in Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Member of Industry & Technology Committee in Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and Member of Pilot Green Transport Fund in Environmental Protection Department.

Prior to joining HKPC, Dr Cheung was living in Australia holding a senior research post in Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) of Australia.  He obtained Bachelor of Engineering with honours and Bachelor of Science degrees from Monash University in Australia.  His doctorate degree was also from Monash University.  Dr Cheung joined HKPC in 1996.

Mr Albert Chow

Executive Director
Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications

Mr Albert H P Chow is currently the Executive Director of HKCAAVQ.  Prior to joining HKCAAVQ, he was the Director of General Administration of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and has broad expertise in higher education, and vocational and professional education and training (VPET) sectors in Hong Kong and neighbouring areas.  Prior to joining HKBU, Mr Chow also served as the Head of Academic Quality Assurance of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Director of Qualifications cum Registrar of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).

Internationally Mr Chow has made significant contributions to the education and professional practice agreements in the engineering and information technology fields.  Over the years, he has led HKIE projects in outcome-based accreditation and out-of-jurisdiction accreditation that are recognised by international agreements under the Washington Accord, Sydney Accord and Seoul Accord.  Mr Chow was also chairman/member of a number of working groups and committees set up by the Government and the sectors.

From October 2011 to September 2017, he had been working in close partnership with HKCAAVQ in his capacity as a Council Member.

Mr Fred Sheu

National Technology Officer
Microsoft Hong Kong Limited

As National Technology Officer at Microsoft Hong Kong, Fred Sheu supports policy decision and delivers technologically relevant and scalable solutions into Hong Kong market.  His main objectives are to align IT value propositions to public policies in such areas as healthcare, education, environment, and local social and economic development; and to promote a digital agenda in top policy areas, including innovation, security and privacy, technology neutrality, accessibility, and interoperability.

Prior to Microsoft, Fred worked with Hewlett Packard (HP) Enterprise where he was the General Manager of Software for HPE Hong Kong.  Fred is an active veteran in Hong Kong ICT industry, he serves in councils of Hong Kong Computer Society (HKCS), itSMF Hong Kong Chapter and the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation (HKITF).

Fred graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Computer Science (Hon) degree.

Ms Elaine Mak

Principal Assistant Secretary (Further Education)
Education Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Ms Elaine Mak is the Head of Further Education Division in the Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.  Ms Mak oversees policy matters concerning vocational and professional education and training (VPET), self-financing post-secondary sector, quality issues in further and higher education sectors, Hong Kong Qualifications Framework, as well as Diploma Yi Jin Programme.

Ms Mak also serves in the Secretariat to the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational and Professional Education and Training established by the Government in 2018.  The Task Force evaluates the implementation progress of the recommendations made by the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education in 2015, and advises the Secretary for Education on how VPET can be better promoted in the career and life planning education in secondary schools to cater for students’ diverse abilities and interests, and how to foster closer business-school collaboration through the Business-School Partnership Programme to meet the manpower needs of Hong Kong.  The Task Force will also make recommendations on other VPET promotion measures.

Mr Richard Skinner

Dean
Hong Kong International Aviation Academy

Mr Richard Skinner, Dean of the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), is responsible for the strategic development of the HKIAA to ensure it supports both the domestic growth of Hong Kong's aviation industry as well as establishing Hong Kong as a regional aviation training hub for Asia Pacific.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Plymouth University, UK and a Master of Business Administration, 'Aerospace Management' from the Toulouse Business School, France.  He has spent 28 years in the Hong Kong Police Force of which 11 years were in senior management positions.  While in the Hong Kong Police, Richard was seconded as the Assistant Executive Director (Operations) in the Aviation Security Company Ltd (AVSECO), Hong Kong International Airport.  In 2015 Richard joined AVSECO permanently as the Director of Hong Kong's ICAO Accredited Aviation Security Training Center (HK ASTC).  He was seconded to the Airport Authority to help set up the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA) in August 2016 and was appointed as the General Manager and Dean in June 2017.  On 1 December 2019, the HKIAA became a fully owned subsidiary of the Airport Authority Hong Kong.

Mr Esmond Lee, JP (Plenary Speaker)

Deputy Secretary for Education
Education Bureau, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Mr Esmond Lee is a Deputy Secretary for Education in the Education Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.  He is responsible for policies on higher and further education, covering the publicly-funded and self-financing post-secondary education sectors, the vocational education sector, adult education, and the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

Before taking up the current post, Mr Lee served in various policy bureaux and departments, including the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency, the Judiciary, and the Transport and Housing Bureau.