Honorary University Fellows
Mr David Fong Man Hung is the Managing Director of Hip Shing Hong (Holdings) Company Limited, one of the longest-standing property developers in Hong Kong. He also chairs the twin philanthropic endeavours of the Fong family: The Fong Shu Fook Tong Foundation and Fong’s Family Foundation.
Mr Fong holds a BA in Economics from Simon Fraser University, Canada, and an MBA from the University of Hong Kong. He joined the family business, Hip Shing Hong, to lead its real estate venture, first in the US and subsequently in Hong Kong, assuming his current capacity of Managing Director in 2009. Under his leadership, Hip Shing Hong has prospered, embraced smart technologies, and enriched its portfolio to include new sectors and revitalisation projects.
At the University of Hong Kong, Mr Fong has served as a Court member and helped accelerate HKU’s entrepreneurial culture through his support of the DreamCatchers Forum. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the HKU Foundation.
Mr Fong is an Honorary Fellow of the City University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is currently a National Committee Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Life Honorary Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Advisor of Our Hong Kong Foundation, and Executive Council Member and Trustee of WWF Hong Kong. Mr Fong was appointed a Justice of the Peace and awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government in 2008 and 2011 respectively.
Citation delivered by Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean of Business and Economics
Mr David Fong Man Hung is the Managing Director of Hip Shing Hong (Holdings) Company Limited, one of the most longstanding property developers in Hong Kong. He also chairs the twin philanthropic endeavours of the Fong family: The Fong Shu Fook Tong Foundation and Fong’s Family Foundation.
Mr Fong holds a BA in Economics from Simon Fraser University, Canada, and an MBA from the University of Hong Kong. Following graduation, he joined the family business, Hip Shing Hong, to lead its real estate business in California, USA. In 1994, he returned to Hong Kong and oversaw a number of important functions of the company including cross-border projects and joint ventures.
In 2009 he assumed his current capacity of Managing Director to steer the strategic direction of the company. Since then, he has enriched its portfolio by investing in new sectors, such as serviced apartments and hotels, and upgraded its properties with new and smart technologies. Under his leadership, Hip Shing Hong also revitalised an industrial building in Wong Chuk Hang to create a modern arts hub to support young artists, start-ups, and non-profit organisations with rental concessions.
Mr Fong recognises that upholding his family’s tradition of serving the public is a heavy responsibility and a lifelong journey. But he also feels his success in growing the family business and advancing their philanthropic legacy have been his greatest accomplishments, and is grateful to his grandfather and his immediate family members for their support.
At the University of Hong Kong, he has served as a Court member and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the HKU Foundation since 2013. Through his personal support and the DreamCatchers Forum in 2015, Mr Fong also helped build and boost HKU’s entrepreneurial culture.
Mr Fong is also an Honorary Fellow of the City University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is currently a National Committee Member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Life Honorary Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, and Executive Council Member and Trustee of WWF Hong Kong. Mr Fong was appointed a Justice of the Peace and awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the HKSAR Government in 2008 and 2011 respectively.
Mr Fong’s worldview is one of collaborative optimism: without cooperation to resolve world issues like climate change, the unintended consequences of technology and poverty will result in wasted resources and massive human casualties. He feels that the greatest hope for humanity is for universities and governments to work closely together to tackle world issues beyond the boundary of nation, race, politics and religion, and for us to learn to live harmoniously by accepting our differences.
Therefore, Mr Pro-Chancellor, it is my great pleasure to present Mr David Fong Man Hung for the Honorary University Fellowship, in recognition of his contributions to Hong Kong and academia.