Honorary University Fellows
Dr Robin Chan Yau-hing is the Chairman of Asia Financial Holdings Ltd and Asia Insurance, Vice-Chairman of the People’s Insurance Company of China (Hong Kong) Ltd, and a director of many companies, including PICC Life Insurance Co Ltd, K Wah International Holdings Ltd and Chong Hing Bank Limited, etc. He is also an Advisor to the Board of Directors of Bangkok Bank, Thailand.
Dr Chan has been a long-term supporter of the education sector and HKU. Dr Chan is a Founding Honorary President of the HKU Foundation, a Member of its Board of Directors since 1996 and Deputy Chairman of its Membership Committee since 2003.
He is now Vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Founding Chairman and current President of the Hong Kong Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations. He also served as a deputy to the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th National People’s Congress, as a Member of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Preparatory Committee and as Chairman for the 41st and 42nd term of office of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. The honours Dr Chan has received include The Knight Commander (Second Class) of The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand and the Order of Commander of The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant by the King of Thailand, the Gold Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government, an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Laws by Pepperdine University in the US and Honorary Fellowship of Hong Kong Baptist University.
Citation delivered by Professor Eric Chieh CHANG, Dean of Business and Economics
Dr Robin Chan Yau-hing is the Chairman of Asia Financial Holdings Ltd and Asia Insurance, Vice-Chairman of the People’s Insurance Company of China (Hong Kong) Ltd.
He is a director of many companies, including inter alia, PICC Life Insurance Co Ltd, K Wah International Holdings Ltd and Chong Hing Bank Limited, and is also an Advisor to the Board of Directors of Bangkok Bank, Thailand.
Born in Shantou, Dr Chan received his secondary education at Ling Ying College in Hong Kong, after which he studied at the Institute of Banking, New York.
His father, Mr Chin Sophonpanich, was the Founder and former President of Bangkok Bank and, on completion of his education, Dr Chan returned to Hong Kong to manage his family’s business.
While Dr Chan has built an impressive reputation in his field and is renowned throughout Asia as an entrepreneur and financier, he has also been a long-term supporter of the education sector and of this University.
Dr Chan has been a tireless advocate of HKU’s educational development and research for over 16 years, and through his activities with the HKU Foundation, he has given us not only the benefit of his leadership and counsel, but also the gift of his time.
When he urged our students to make the most of their time at the University and to broaden their horizons, he really meant it.
Because through his support of the HKU First-in-the-Family Education Fund, he literally gave them the means to take themselves out of their comfort zones, learn more about the world, and in doing so, learn more about themselves.
Dr Chan’s active participation in civic and community affairs is also extensive. He is now Vice-chairman of the All- China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, Founding Chairman and current President of the Hong Kong Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations.
He also served as a deputy to the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th National People’s Congress, and as Chairman for the 41st and 42nd term of office of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.
The honours Dr Chan has received include the Knight Commander (Second Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, and the Order of Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant by the King of Thailand.
He was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star in 2000, conferred with an Honorary Doctorate (Degree of Laws) by Pepperdine University in the United States, and received an Honorary Fellowship from the Hong Kong Baptist University in 2010.
It gives me great pleasure, Mr Pro-Chancellor, to present Dr Robin Chan Yau-hing for the Honorary University Fellowship, in recognition of his contributions to Hong Kong and academia.