Raised in Guangdong, Professor Kan Tai-keung SBS moved to Hong Kong in 1957, studied applied design at the Department of Extramural Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and founded his own design company in 1976. As the ‘Godfather of Hong Kong Design’, Dr Kan has spent most of his life in the field of design. Not only does he contribute to the progress of design, he also pushes the industry forward by implementing a business model to elevate the profession, and endeavours to promote design education. His works have received numerous awards in both local and international competitions. Overseas awards he received include: Best Design Corporate Identity, Asian Advertising Award in 1991 & 1994; Gold Award, International Art Competition, Los Angeles; CLIO Award, Finalist Certificates, New York; Best Work in “Applied Typography 6” Yearbook, Japan; Gold Award in Mercury Award, New York; Numerous CA Awards, New York; and 1st Prize in the 1st International Computer Art Biennale in Rzeszow, Poland. At home, he was one of the “Ten Outstanding Young Persons” in 1979; and was the Best Designer of the Exhibition at the Urban Council Design Grand Award in 1984. He won the Artist of the Year Award and Designer of the Year in 1991; “Men of the Nineties” in 1992; and Outstanding Achievements Award 1998. His design works are in many museum collections worldwide and his works have often been featured in international magazines. In recognition of his extraordinary achievements in the design field and contributions to the Hong Kong Community, a Silver Bauhinia Star was bestowed upon him in 2010 by the Hong Kong SAR Government.
Dr Kan is an Affiliated Fellow of Wu Yee Sun College since 2011 and is the Former Dean of Cheung Kong School of Art & Design at Shantou University. He received the first-ever Hong Kong Designers Association Lifetime Honorary Award ( 香港設計師協會終身榮譽獎 ) in 2016, a well-deserved first recipient of the award.
Dr Kan has close links with the Association, having refreshed the Association's corporate image through designing a new set of company logos to mark the Association’s 55th Anniversary. Dr Kan also advises the Association’s arts management programmes and is a regular speaker at our Theme Year and Leadership and Management Seminar series.
Professor Frederick Ma GBS JP is the Chairman of MTR Corporation Limited, former Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury and former Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong SAR Government. He is currently an Independent Non-Executive Director of FWD Group, a Director of Husky Energy Inc., and a Non-Executive Director of the China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation.
Professor Ma holds a BA (Honours) from The University of Hong Kong and majored in economics and history. After graduation, he held different senior positions of various local and overseas banks, financial institutions and major companies, including Chase Manhattan Bank, Royal Bank of Canada Dominion Securities, JP Morgan Chase, Kumagai Gumi (HK) Limited and Pacific Century Cyberworks Limited.
In 2002, Professor Ma joined the Hong Kong SAR Government as the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury and assumed the post of Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development in 2007 until 2008.
At The University of Hong Kong, Professor Ma established the Frederick Ma Si Hang Scholarships from 2002 to 2006 for the award of five scholarships to undergraduate students in the Department of History. In 2008, he was appointed Honorary Professor in the HKU School of Economics and Finance.
Professor Ma is a Member of the International Advisory Council of China Investment Corporation and the Global Advisory Council of the Bank of America, and is a Professor of Finance Practice in the Institute of Advanced Executive Education at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and an Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was conferred the degree of Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences by Lingnan University in 2014. He was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star in 2009 and appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2010.
Professor Ma is a regular supporter of the Association. He was the keynote speaker at the Association’s Annual Fellowship Dinner in 2016 and shared his views on positive thinking under challenging times at a Theme Year Seminar. More recently, Professor Ma also spoke on resilience and growth at a conference organised by the AMD to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the founding of the HKSAR.
Professor Marjorie Yang GBS JP is Chairperson of Esquel Group, a leading Hong Kong - based textile and apparel manufacturer with operations throughout the world. After growing up in Hong Kong, Professor Yang went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pure mathematics. In 1976 she received an MBA from Harvard Business School. She returned to Hong Kong in 1978 and became a founding member of Esquel. She was named Chairperson of the Group in 1995.
Professor Yang currently sits on the boards of The Gillette Company, Swire Pacific Limited and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, and is a member of the New York Stock Exchange International Advisory Committees. Since 2001, she has been highlighted on Fortune magazine's annual international list of the top 50 most powerful women in business for her significant achievements in running a global operation employing 47,000 people.
Professor Yang is a Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. She has an immense interest in conserving the country’s environment and culture, especially in Xinjiang, western China and holds membership in the Advisory Council of Natural Resources Defense Council in China.
Marjorie is also dedicated to promoting education and innovative technologies. She is the Co-chairperson of the advisory board of CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab) at MIT and the Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Coding and Computational Thinking Education at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. She also serves as Member of various advisory boards including Harvard University, Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan, Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management and Schwarzman College at Tsinghua Univesity. She has been the Chairperson of the Council of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for six years until 2015.
Over the years, Professor Yang has also lent her support to the Association’s Annual Conference, both as conference speaker and member of the organising committee.
