Ronnie Chan

Ronnie Chan Chi-chung GBM (Chinese: 陳啟宗; born 1949) is a Hong Kong billionaire businessman.

The Honourable

Ronnie Chan

GBM
陳啟宗
Ronnie Chan in 2009
Born
Chan Chi-chung

1949 (age 71–72)
British Hong Kong
OccupationProperty developer
Net worthUS$2.0 billion (January 2016)[1]
Spouse(s)Barbara Chan
Children2
RelativesGerald Chan (brother)
Ronnie Chan
Traditional Chinese陳啟宗

Education

In 1976, Chan received his MBA from the University of Southern California.[2][3][4]

Chan has received honorary doctorates from Tel Aviv University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.[5]

Career

In 1991, he became the chairman of Hang Lung Group and its subsidiary Hang Lung Properties. As of 2014, it was one of the largest real estate developers in Hong Kong.[6] He succeeded the chairman position in the companies from his uncle. He is also the vice-president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, a Co-Chairman of the Asia Society and Chairman of its Hong Kong Center, and an advisor to the China Development Research Foundation of the State Council of the People's Republic of China.

He has served on the governing or advisory bodies of several think-tanks and universities, including China Foreign Affairs University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and his alma mater, the University of Southern California.[7][8]

He was a director of Enron Corporation and a member of its audit committee when it filed for bankruptcy as a result of fraud.[9] In November 2009, he attended the Horasis Global China Business Meeting in Lisbon, where his criticisms of American financial policy garnered widespread attention.[10]

Political views

Through his companies' multiple votes on Hong Kong's democratic 'Election Committee', Chan supported Carrie Lam for the role of Chief Executive. But in 2019, during the massive protests that rocked the territory, he opined that having a civil servant (as she was) in the role was the “most ridiculous thing” and that Lam's "unwise policies" had contributed to the unrest, which he emphasised was down to political, not social, issues. He also supported Leung Chun-ying in the 2013 election for Chief Executive.[11]

He holds that Hongkongers' "DNA is different from the mainlanders’ because many escaped from there,” noting that “Hong Kong people cherish freedom, .. while mainland Chinese people value patriotism and nationalism.”[11]

Philanthropy

In September 2014, Chan's family, through their Morningside Foundation,[12] donated US$350 million and US$20 million to Harvard University and the University of Southern California, respectively.[13][14][15]

In 1996, Chan began providing yearly financial assistance to needy students at top universities in China.[6]

Personal life

Chan's brother Gerald Chan is also a director of Hang Lung Group.[16]

Chan is married to Barbara Chan and has two sons.[13][14]

In 2004, Chan's son Adriel Chan received his bachelor's degree in international relations from USC. Chan's other son Adley Chan earned his bachelor's degree in sociology, as well as bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in occupational therapy from USC.[14]

References
  1. "Forbes profile: Ronnie & Gerald Chan". Forbes. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  2. Ronnie C. Chan ENRON profile
  3. "HANG LUNG PROPERTIES". www.hanglung.com.
  4. USC. Ronnie C. Chan. "usc.edu". Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  5. Committee of 100. Member Roster. "committee100.org". Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  6. Liu, Juliana (19 September 2014). "Hong Kong's tycoon philanthropist Ronnie Chan". BBC News. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  7. "Ronnie Chan". Institute for New Economic Thinking. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  8. Staff, WSJ. "Ronnie Chan: Don't Forget China's Problems". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  9. "Enron's Cast of Characters and Their Stock Sales". Trinity University. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  10. "Wall Street's Ego Bubble", Newsweek, 17 November 2009
  11. Property developer Ronnie Chan says Hong Kong needs a ‘strong, political leader’ to handle protest crisis and putting civil servants in charge is ‘the most ridiculous’ idea, SCMP, 8 Oct 2019
  12. "Philanthropy". www.morningside.com.
  13. Tsang, Denise. Ronnie Chan: philanthropist taking charity through the roof. 22 September 2014. "scmp.org". Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  14. Raymond, Jessica. Chan family gift creates first named, endowed occupational therapy program in nation. 17 September 2014. "usc.edu". Retrieved 5 December 2016.
  15. "Conversation with Ronnie Chan on Philanthropy". Asia Society.
  16. "Hong Kong's 40 Richest". Forbes. 28 January 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2016.
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