Kenneth Chen
Kenneth Chen | |
|---|---|
| 陳維安 | |
| Secretary General of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong | |
| In office 29 September 2012 – 31 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Pauline Ng Man Wah |
| Succeeded by | Dora Wai |
| Undersecretary for Education | |
| In office 24 July 2008 - 30 June 2012 | |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Yeung |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1965 (age 59–60) Hong Kong |
| Nationality | Chinese (Hong Kong) |
| Spouse | Maura Wong Hung Hung (Senior Citizen Home Safety Association CEO) |
| Alma mater | Princeton University Harvard University Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania Diocesan Boys' School |
Kenneth Chen Wei-on, GBS is an academic administrator and former public servant serving as Vice President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was previously Secretary General of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 2012 to 2024, and Undersecretary for Education from 2008 to 2012.
Education
[edit]Chen attended Diocesan Boys' School from 1977 to 1982,[1] and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University, a Master of Science degree in applied mathematics from Harvard University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.[2]
Career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Chen worked as a management consultant and as a private equity investment manager after graduating. He served as a part-time member of the Central Policy Unit from 1998 until 2000, when he joined the senior management of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, rising to the position of Director of Racecourse Business when he left to join the government in 2008.[2] He was a member of the Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications between 2002 and 2008.[3]
Undersecretary for Education (2008-2012)
[edit]In 2008, he was nominated Undersecretary for the Education Bureau under the Political Appointments System.[3] He chaired a working group to study the development of e-learning resources in Hong Kong. A report was published in October 2009.[4]
Secretary-General of the Legislative Council (2012-2024)
[edit]Chen was appointed secretary-general by the Legislative Council Commission in 2012, a contract non-civil service position. In 2020, his annual salary was reported to be 3.6 million HKD.[5]
In 2019, he was criticised by the pan-democrats for exceeding his powers. On behalf of the Secretariat, he issued a circular to members of the bills committee on Saturday requesting them to vote on whether to replace James To with Abraham Razack as the presiding officer of the committee in question. The pan-democrats believed that he did not follow the convention of allowing members to discuss the matter first. An online petition gathered over 20,000 signatures calling for his resignation.[6]
Vice-President (Administration) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2024-2025)
[edit]Chen was appointed vice president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) for a 3-year term in September 2024, succeeding Eric Ng, who was abruptly dismissed for signing a petition that opposed a legislative measure to decrease the size of the university council.[7] The appointment indirectly contributed to a governance crisis at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), where Chen had initially been chosen for a similar role but did not end up being appointed due to HKU president Zhang Xiang failing to secure approval for the proposed annual pay package of more than 5 million HKD.[8]
It was reported in July 2025 that Chen had tendered his resignation as vice president after only 11 months in the role, reportedly because he "did not find the work environment suited him". He is expected to leave office on 16 September 2025.[9]
Personal life
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (March 2019) |
References
[edit]- ^ "拔萃校友報師恩 給好校長一個家 DBS alumni show teacher gratitude -gifts headmaster a home". Apple Daily (in Chinese). Hong Kong. 2 November 2009.
- ^ a b Legislative Council Secretariat (28 June 2012). "Kenneth CHEN appointed Secretary General of LegCo Secretariat (with photo)" (PDF). www.legco.gov.hk. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ a b Info.gov.hk. "Info.gov.hk." CE appoints Under Secretaries (with photos). Retrieved 21 June 2008.
- ^ "SED welcomes submission of textbooks and e-learning resources report". Info.gov.hk. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
- ^ "HKU head failed to get ex-Hong Kong official for senior role before CUHK offer". South China Morning Post. 8 August 2024. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ Lum, Alvin (7 May 2019). "Legco secretary general sidesteps calls to resign over removal of pan-democrat bills committee chairman James To, insisting he did everything by the book". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Chinese University of Hong Kong vice-president 'resigns' after less than a year". South China Morning Post. 10 July 2025. Archived from the original on 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "HKU head failed to get ex-Hong Kong official for senior role before CUHK offer". South China Morning Post. 8 August 2024. Archived from the original on 8 August 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "CUHK vice president Kenneth Chen resigns after less than a year in role: sources". www.thestandard.com.hk. Retrieved 11 July 2025.