Banker Peter Wong has been named the new chairman of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) governing council, succeeding barrister Priscilla Wong after her term ends next month. The government on Wednesday announced the appointment of the banker, who was previously the Asia-Pacific chief executive officer at HSBC, for a term of three years with effect from January 1, 2025. Chief Executive John Lee, in his capacity as the university's chancellor, also appointed five new members to the governing council. They include former director general of civil aviation Simon Li; Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Standing Committee member Irons Sze; lawmaker Rock Chen; former president of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management Wilfred Wong; and CPPCC delegate Samuel Yung. Five other current members will also leave the governing council, alongside the outgoing chairwoman. "The newly appointed members are all elites in the community, possessing outstanding capabilities and rich experience," the government said in a statement. "The chief executive hopes that the new appointments will provide the HKU's governance with a new outlook and new impetus, begin a new chapter in governance, steer the HKU towards striving for excellence and provide fresh momentum to the university." The university, for its part, said it respects the appointments made by the administration. "The university will continue to pursue excellence and make contributions in academic excellence, talent cultivation and international cooperation," HKU said. In June, a task force was established amid an escalating conflict among the university's leadership, with vice-chancellor Zhang Xiang complaining that he was left in the dark about appointments made by Priscilla Wong. In the government statement, the chief executive thanked the task force “for its unremitting efforts in coordinating the HKU's internal operations, enhancing communication, assisting in resolving issues, reaching a consensus, and achieving a positive outcome”. "The group will continue its work to facilitate collaboration between the new council and the management for the continuous enhancement of the HKU's governance effectiveness."
