Chris has 20 years of experience working on large-scale business events. Originally from the UK, Chris has lived and worked in Hong Kong since 2015. Chris moved to Hong Kong to establish a North Asia office for a London-based trade expo organiser and launch a series of digital transformation events. The challenges of living sustainably and a developing concern around the exponential threats of the global climate emergency compelled Chris to “rethink” his own personal contribution to Hong Kong and how he could best make a positive impact on a city he now proudly calls home.

Chris conceived, designed and launched the ReThink HK event during the first part of 2019 – undeterred by the challenges faced by live events at that time, due to civil unrest, the new event concept for uniting the full business and sustainability ecosystem, championing positive action and shared responsibility received excellent support. The inaugural 2020 event was, unsurprisingly, delayed due to COVID but finally ran, in-person, at the K11 Quarry Bay with 450 attendees and all delegate fees were donated to local charities.

Chris’ experience in hosting content-led expo-style healthcare events in the UK, where partnerships and collaboration were crucial to scale and success, provided the foundation for Chris to widen the supporting-network of organisations and sponsors for ReThink HK. The event was moved to the HKCEC for the 2021 edition and resulted in Hong Kong’s best attended event dedicated to the business of sustainability, with over 2,200 attendees. Chris is proud to have maintained the event’s impact pledge; with all delegate fees contributing to impact projects with local Hong Kong charities.

Working alongside the Business Environment Council, Consulates and trade promotion offices, Chambers of Commerce, specialist industry associations, NGOs and action groups the collective ambition for ReThink HK is to accelerate change in Hong Kong – the event returns for its fourth edition this September at the HKCEC, will host over 6,000 attendees and aims to be at least carbon neutral.

All proceeds from delegate fees will be redirected to the newly incorporated Rethink Foundation, a not-for-profit focussed on helping registered NGOs build capacity and operate more sustainably.

Chris received a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and Italian from the University of Plymouth (UK). Chris is a member of the British Chamber of Commerce’s Social Sustainability Committee, sits on the Executive Committee and the Sustainability sub-committee of the Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

• Greater action from businesses to contribute towards a more sustainable HK
• Encourage other event organisers to commit to sustainable solutions
• Demonstrate that businesses can be operated profitably and with purpose

Mr Tse joined the former Environmental Protection Agency in 1985 which was subsequently reorganised in 1986 to become the current Environmental Protection Department (EPD). Throughout the service with EPD, Mr Tse had taken up a wide range of duties at professional and senior managerial levels. He was appointed as a Deputy Director of Environmental Protection in 2013 and subsequently as the Under Secretary for the Environment in August 2017.

Mr Tse possesses a broad spectrum of experience in various areas of environmental protection, including law enforcement, computer modelling, environmental impact assessment and cross-boundary cooperation with the Mainland.  During his tenure as the Under Secretary for the Environment, he helped spearhead the formulation of policies on air quality, waste management, climate actions and conservation.

Ms Ho is appointed the Secretary for Housing on 1 July 2022. Ms Ho joined the Government as Architect in 1992 and was promoted to Chief Architect in 2009, and to Government Architect in 2012. She was appointed the Director of Architectural Services in 2020. Apart from serving in the Architectural Services Department, Ms Ho had been posted to work as the Deputy Head of Energizing Kowloon East Office under the Development Bureau. During the out-break of COVID-19 in 2020 to 2022, she has actively participated in the construction of quarantine facilities, temporary hospitals and community isolation facilities at Penny’s Bay, Kai Tak and many other locations by adoption of Modular Integrated Construction method.

Ms Ho graduated from the Faculty of Architecture of The University of Hong Kong. She also attended the Advanced Management Program of INSEAD in France. She is a member of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and a Registered Architect.

Mr Chan was appointed the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury on 16 August 2017.

Mr Chan has many years of senior executive experience in the banking industry. He was a Managing Director in the Global Markets Division of Credit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank, and was a Managing Director in Financial Markets of Standard Chartered Bank.

Prior to joining the Government, Mr Chan held multiple roles in a number of public and professional bodies, including Vice President of the Hong Kong Society of Financial Analysts, Director of Hong Kong Securities & Investment Institute, Advisor of the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society, as well as a General Committee member of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Mr Chan was also a member of the Central & Western District Council.

Mr Chan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Hon) and Psychology from the University of Michigan, USA. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.