Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee appointed as CEO of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA or the Authority) today announced the appointment of Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of WKCDA, after obtaining the prior approval of the Chief Executive of the HKSAR as required under the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority Ordinance. Mrs Fung will assume duty on 15 October 2021 for a term of three years.

Following a global search, Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee proved herself to be the best candidate for the CEO position. Mrs Fung has been actively involved in the development and promotion of arts and culture since 2009 in her capacity as the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services and contributed significantly to the West Kowloon Cultural District (West Kowloon or the District) Project since 2014 as the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, including supporting the launch of Hong Kong Palace Museum project. Her in-depth understanding of WKCDA and the wider arts and culture landscape in Hong Kong is unparalleled.

The Honourable Henry Tang Ying-yen, Chairman of the Board of WKCDA, said, ‘On behalf of the WKCDA Board of Directors, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Mrs Fung as the new CEO of the Authority. Mrs Fung’s exceptional leadership and industry expertise in the fields of local arts and culture are invaluable to the development of the District. She has a clear vision for West Kowloon and sets ambitious goals with a view to developing the District into an iconic arts and cultural destination that would be the pride of Hong Kong and a premium international brand on its own. I am confident that the District will continue to evolve and become the world’s leading arts and cultural hub under her leadership.’

Fung said of her appointment, ‘I am deeply honoured to have been given the opportunity to nurture and build an iconic cultural district in Hong Kong, with the aim of bringing it to the global stage, and especially to provide steer on the impending opening of two world-class museums, M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum. West Kowloon is progressing from the construction stage to the operational stage. I look forward to working with the incredible team of WKCDA to take the District to the much-anticipated next phase.’

Mrs Fung has made significant contribution to the Authority during her secondment from the HKSAR Government as Acting CEO between December 2020 and June 2021 by bringing her extensive executive and management experience to WKCDA, laying a strong foundation for the future development of the Authority. The impending tasks of the new CEO are to provide leadership to strategically develop the District into a renowned arts and cultural hub, manage the Authority’s business strategy, policies and operational matters, and lead and manage community and stakeholder engagement programmes.

Notes to editors

Biography of Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee

Mrs Fung joined the Administrative Service in July 1986 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A1 in April 2019. She has served in a wide range of bureaux and departments, including the former Transport Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Civil Service Branch, the former Education and Manpower Branch, the former Chief Secretary's Office, the Information Services Department, the former Trade Department, the Home Affairs Bureau, the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer and the former Education and Manpower Bureau. She was Director of Information Services from July 2007 to August 2009, Director of Leisure and Cultural Services from August 2009 to July 2014, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs from July 2014 to April 2018, and has served as Head, Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office from April 2018 to December 2020. She was on secondment from the HKSAR Government to WKCDA as Acting CEO between December 2020 and June 2021.

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About the West Kowloon Cultural District

The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on forty hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces, and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances and cultural events, providing twenty-three hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.