The Hong Kong Institute of Directors (“HKIoD”) announced the winners of the Directors Of the Year Awards (“DYA”) 2019 during its annual dinner last night held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year’s main theme for HKIoD is “Embracing Innovation for Sustainable Growth”, closely related to two main topics affecting the business world in recent years. The first is how to establish effective governance procedures and corporate culture to ensure the company keeps updated about the latest information, and integrated with innovation when technologies are advancing daily. The second is how to maximise the impact of their actions while implementing sustainable development and fulfilling corporate social responsibility. To address these concerns, innovation is the driver of development and the catalyst for the sustainable advancement of a company. This year, 14 winners, including directors and boards, have demonstrated the vision and courage to lead their teams towards innovation and express care for the well-being of the community and the next generation while creating value for their company.
The event commenced with an opening speech by Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD. The Hon James Lau, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, was invited again to serve as Guest of Honour and to deliver a speech.
Dr Christopher To, Chairman of HKIoD, said, “Innovation can be likened to the acceptance and open-mindedness to flexibly adopt new concepts to business, rather than just taking action. A person’s imagination is often constrained by his or her background and experience. If creativity in a company is only led by its management and passed to the teams for implementation the results may not be satisfactory. Ideally an innovative company should have a vibrant structure and corporate culture, allowing every staff member, regardless of position or tenure, to think out-of-the-box and express their opinions through an effective established channel, and may be rewarded handsomely for their contribution. This year’s winning directors and board members have shown how a creative mindset can lead to the development of a dynamic company. We hope that their experiences can serve as worthy examples for their industries, so that in addition to its status as an international financial centre and a cosmopolitan metropolis, Hong Kong will soon be recognised as the ‘City of Innovation'”.
Mr Vincent Chan, Chairman of the Organising Committee of DYA 2019, said, “The concept of sustainable development has started rather late in Hong Kong, but fortunately the pace has accelerated in recent years. While it is easy for a company to learn about sustainable development, it is truly a challenge to master. Anyone who wants can try, but how to effectively do so and benefit more people is actually a sophisticated art. In view of this, the Organising Committee has added ‘sustainable growth’ to this year’s award theme, hoping to honour those conscientious directors who are keen on giving back to the community and striking a balance between profit and fulfilling their social responsibility; inspiring more passionate players in the commercial sector”.
Dr Carlye Tsui, CEO of HKIoD, said, “While successfully conducting business in a fast-changing world, company leaders must constantly gain new knowledge in order to make wise decisions during critical moments. The training provided by HKIoD is in step with the latest business trends, providing access for directors to the most current information and knowledge, helping them maintain high corporate governance standards under all circumstances and seize new opportunities for growth. In the past 22 years since inception of HKIoD, in addition to providing training for directors with offering on the latest information, practices and guidelines, HKIoD has served as the voice of directors on related issues. We have also provided a platform for directors to benefit from collective wisdom and mutual encouragement at all times, particularly during challenging moments. Directors can then adopt appropriate strategies and draw on positive energy in order to lead the growth of their companies”.
The winners of the DYA 2019 in the various award categories are listed below.
Listed Companies Categories
Executive Directors
– Mr Lee Seng Jin
CEO, Samson Paper Holdings Limited
– Dr Ma Mingzhe
Chairman and CEO, Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.
– Mr Yan Jianguo
Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, China Overseas Land & Investment LTD.
– Mr Yim Tsz Kit Jacky
Executive Director, S.A.S. Dragon Holdings Limited
Boards
– Board of Directors, Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.
Non-listed Companies Categories
Executive Directors
– Mr Chan Kai Ho
Chairman, Storefriendly Self Storage Group Ltd.
– Ir Spencer Li
Director and General Manager, BlueOcean Pay
– Ir Tong Sidney Pui Keung
Executive Director, Lik Kai Engineering Co. Ltd. and Trustful Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd.
Boards
– Board of FSE Holdings Limited
Statutory/Non-profit-distributing Organisations Categories
Non-Executive Directors
– Mr Victor So Hing Woh SBS JP
Chairman of the URA Board, Urban Renewal Authority
– Mr Michael Wong Yick Kam MH JP FHKIoD
Member, Executive Committee & Past Chairman, Hong Kong Youth Hostel Association
Boards
– Board of Directors, The Australian International School Foundation Limited
– Board of Directors, Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited
In addition: recognition of Excellence in Board Diversity
– Executive Committee of Scout Association of Hong Kong
About Directors Of The Year Awards
First launched in 2001, Directors Of The Year Awards were the first ever such Awards organised in Asia. The project has now become an annual project of impact in the community. The objectives are to recognise directors and board of directors for outstanding director practices and corporate governance, to publicise the significance of good corporate governance and to promote awareness of good corporate governance and director professionalism in Hong Kong. Nominations are open to the public. As good corporate governance is vital to all types of organisations, and professional director practices are encouraged from directors in all board roles, the Awards recognise excellence in categories by company types, including listed companies, non-listed companies and statutory/non-profit-distributing organisations, and categories by roles, including Executive Directors, Non-Executive Directors and Boards. For more details on the previous years’ Awards, please visit http://www.hkiod.com/dya-awardees.html
About The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
The Hong Kong Institute of Directors is Hong Kong’s premier body representing directors to foster the long-term success of companies through advocacy and standards-setting in corporate governance and professional development for directors. A non-profit-distributing organisation with membership consisting of directors from listed and non-listed companies, HKIoD is committed to providing directors with educational programmes and information service and establishing an influential voice in representing directors. With international perspectives and a multi-cultural environment, HKIoD conducts business in biliteracy and trilingualism. Website: http://www.hkiod.com.
Media Enquiries:
Strategic Public Relations Group Limited
Eveline Wan +852 2864 4822 / eveline.wan@sprg.com.hk
Brenda Chan +852 2114 4396 / brenda.chan@sprg.com.hk
Chak Yau +852 2114 4395 / chak.yau@sprg.com.hk
Directors Of The Year Awards 2019 Enquiries:
The Hong Kong Institute of Directors
Odessa So +852 2889 4988 / odessa.so@hkiod.com
Moni Ching +852 2889 1414 / moni.ching@hkiod.com