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Biography

I retired as Chairman of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited , Hang Seng Bank Ltd., and as a main board Director of HSBC Holdings in 2005 after 37 years with the HSBC Group, all of which was spent in the Middle and Far East. Having started a banking career in London 3 years prior to HSBC, I had 40 years in banking. And in 2011 in a return to the industry, I have become non-executive Chairman of HSBC Bank Middle East Limited.

I currently hold a number of other material advisory positions and directorships, including:



  • Senior Adviser to PricewaterhouseCoopers

  • Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of Noble Group

  • Director of SOCAM Development (formerly Shui On Construction and Materials)

  • Board Member of the DIFC Higher Board. (September 2011)

    • I was appointed in 2008 by President Lee Myung Bak of South Korea as a Member of, and Special Adviser to, the Korea National Competitiveness Council, Office of the President; I believe the first foreigner to hold such a position. President Lee has ambitious plans for opening the Korean economy. Although I have formally stepped down from that particular appointment (October 2011), I remain a Consultant

    I am an Honorary Steward and Voting Member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, having stepped down as Deputy Chairman due to the pressure of my international travel. I was a member of the Board of the Mass Transit Railway Corporation. a former Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, and have recently stepped down after five years as Chairman of the Dubai International Financial Centre.

    I am a Founding Member of the Seoul International Business Advisory Council, which I chaired for four years, Adviser to the Kuwait China Investment Company, in addition to a number of Government, professional and community appointments in Hong Kong and Overseas. I am also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (FCIB)


    Awards & Accolades


    • Commander of the British Empire (CBE) - for contribution to banking

    • Gold Bauhinia Star awarded by the Government of Hong Kong SAR (2004)

    • Justice of the Peace.

    • Honorary DBA from the City University of Hong Kong

    • DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Person of the Year (2003)

    • Honorary Citizen of Seoul in recognition of my work for the city.

    • Lifetime Achievement award by the Asian Banker (2006)

      • and on 24 June 2011 was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.