Honorary University Fellows

Citation for Mr Lim Por Yen delivered by Professor S K Lam, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the Honorary University Fellowships Presentation Ceremony on December 16, 2003:

Mr Lim Por Yen is a successful businessman and renowned philanthropist. He is founder of the Lai Sun Group and has been Executive Director of the company since 1959.

He is also Chairman and Managing Director of Lai Sun Garment International Ltd, Chairman of both Crocodile Garments Ltd and Lai Fung Holdings Ltd and an Executive Director of eSun Holdings Ltd.

Born in Chaoyang, Guangdong, Mr Lim moved to Hong Kong with his father in the 1930s and founded his first factory in 1945. His business expanded rapidly and he founded the Lai Sun Garment Factory in 1947. The group continued to grow and has now diversified into the property and investment business.

His generosity has seen him donate more than HK$600 million to charity over the years and he has magnanimously supported education, healthcare and culture in Hong Kong and mainland China. His donations have helped build a number of schools in Hong Kong and on the mainland and he has contributed nearly HK$100 million to the construction of the Late Sun Yat Sen Hospital in Guangzhou.

His support of the University has been greatly appreciated. He generously donated HK$2 million to the HKU Foundation as one of its Founding Honorary Presidents. And he recently supported the 90th anniversary celebrations as a diamond patron. His donation of HK$20 million was an enormous boost to the SARS Fund and to the establishment of the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole.

It gives me enormous pleasure, Mr Pro-Chancellor, to present Mr Lim Por Yen for the Honorary University Fellowship in recognition of his contributions to Hong Kong and the University.