Honorary University Fellows
Mr Simon Siu Man Suen is the founder and Chairman of the SML Group. He established his apparel branding and packaging company in Hong Kong three decades ago, and it has grown into one of the global leaders in the industry, with a presence in over thirty countries.
Mr Suen has a great interest in Chinese culture and regards Professor Jao Tsung-I as a mentor who has inspired him to promote Chinese classical learning and sinology. Mr Suen is the Chairman of Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole Fan Club, and has lent the institute his enthusiastic leadership, counsel and support. To help further promote Professor Jao’s work, Mr Suen is also the Honorary Chairman of the Jao Studies Foundation, which promotes traditional Chinese culture and supports scholars in the field.
Mr Suen is also the Honorary Director of the Mr Simon Suen and Mrs Mary Suen Sino-Humanities Institute, which aims to boost academic collaboration on Chinese classical learning and Sinology, and to develop cultural exchange opportunities. The Suens have established a Development Fund at the Hong Kong Baptist University to help advance classical Chinese learning through research and exchange activities.
Mr Suen is Honorary Vice President of the Chinese Museums Association, a non-profitable organisation under the State Administration of Cultural Heritage that promotes museology and research. He has been a keen and active supporter of the Scout Association of Hong Kong since 1998 and is currently its Vice President.
Mr Suen was appointed Justice of the Peace in 2012.
Citation delivered by Professor Chack Fan LEE, Director of HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education, Director of Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole
Mr Simon Suen Siu Man is the founder and Chairman of the SML Group. He established his apparel branding and packaging company in Hong Kong three decades ago, and it has grown into one of the global leaders in the industry, with a presence in over thirty countries.
He is a long-time supporter of Professor Jao Tsung-I and the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole (饒宗頤學術館) at the University of Hong Kong. He is also a very well known philanthropist for art and the study of Chinese culture and humanities.
Mr Suen is a founding president of the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole Fan Club. He has essentially been the staunchest and most enthusiastic supporter of the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole since its establishment in 2004 at HKU, lending enormous personal support to the research programmes at the Petite Ecole.
More importantly, he has enthusiastically championed Professor Jao Tsung-I’s scholarly research both nationally and internationally. Under his leadership, the Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole is now recognised as a major institute for Chinese art and cultural studies, both regionally and internationally.
Furthermore, he has served as the Organising Committee Chairman for fundraising activities in support of Professor Jao’s research projects.
One of these is the Jao Studies Foundation, which promotes traditional Chinese culture and supports scholars in the field, and of which Mr Suen is also Honorary Chairman.
Indeed, the establishment of the Jao Studies Foundation would not have been possible without Mr Suen’s vision, his strong leadership and his hard work in planning and networking.
Over the years, he has also helped numerous other charitable causes across our community.
Mr Suen is also the Honorary Director of the Mr Simon Suen and Mrs Mary Suen Sino-Humanities Institute, which aims to boost academic collaboration on Chinese classical learning and Sinology, and to develop cultural exchange opportunities.
The Suens have established a Development Fund at the Hong Kong Baptist University to help advance classical Chinese learning through research and exchange activities.
Mr Suen is Honorary Vice President of the Chinese Museums Association, a non-profitable organisation under the State Administration of Cultural Heritage that promotes museology and research. He has been a keen and active supporter of the Scout Association of Hong Kong since 1998 and is currently its Vice President.
He is, inter alia, an Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organizations, Regional Honorary President of the Scout Association of Hong Kong (Kowloon Region), and Director of the Lifeline Express Hong Kong Foundation.
Mr Suen was appointed Justice of the Peace in 2012.
It gives me great pleasure, Mr Pro-Chancellor, to present Mr Simon Suen Siu Man for the Honorary University Fellowship, in recognition of his contributions to Hong Kong and academia.