Jack So

{{short description|Chairman of the Board of Airport Authority Hong Kong}}

{{Infobox person

|honorific_prefix=The Honourable

|name=Jack So

|native_name=蘇澤光

|native_name_lang=zh-hk

|honorific_suffix={{post-nominals|country=HKG|GBM|GBS|JP}}

|image=Jack So cropped.jpg

|parents=

|birth_date={{birth year and age|1945}}

|birth_place = Guangzhou, China

|alma_mater=University of Hong Kong

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|occupation=Chairman of the Airport Authority Hong Kong

|module={{Infobox Chinese

|child = yes

|t=蘇澤光

|s=苏泽光

|j=sou1 zaak6 gwong1

|y=

|p=Sū Zéguāng

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}}

Jack So Chak-kwong, GBM, GBS, OBE, JP ({{zh|first=t|t=蘇澤光|s=苏泽光}}) is the chairman of the Board of Airport Authority Hong Kong from June 2015. He is a former chairman and executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), former chairman and Chief Executive of the MTR Corporation, and former deputy chairman and Group managing director of PCCW.

In October 2013, he was appointed Chairman of the Consultative Committee on Economic and Trade Co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland. In January 2013 he was appointed a non-official member of the Economic Development Commission, and Convenor of its Working Group on Convention and Exhibition Industries and Tourism.

He was the Chairman of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Society, Chairman of Harrow International School Hong Kong, member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Honorary Consultant to the Mayor of San Francisco, International Business Advisor to the Mayor of Beijing, and a member of Lantau Development Advisory Committee of Hong Kong Government.

He is an independent non-executive Director of AIA Group and China Resources Power, and senior advisor to Credit Suisse, Greater China. So is a former independent director of HSBC and Cathay Pacific.

A Justice of Peace, So were awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2011 and the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201706/30/P2017062900879.htm|title=2017 Honours List|website=www.info.gov.hk}}

Early years

So was born in Guangzhou, China on 1945. He went to La Salle College and the University of Hong Kong{{cite web |url=http://singtao.com/archive/fullstory.asp?andor=or&year1=2003&month1=2&day1=13&year2=2003&month2=2&day2=13&category=all&id=20030213a02&keyword1=&keyword2= |title=蘇澤光決辭地鐵主席 |work=Sing Tao Daily |date=13 February 2003 |accessdate=16 February 2012 |archive-date=16 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916064526/http://singtao.com/archive/fullstory.asp?andor=or&year1=2003&month1=2&day1=13&year2=2003&month2=2&day2=13&category=all&id=20030213a02&keyword1=&keyword2= |url-status=dead }} and obtained a diploma in economics from Cambridge University, UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.thepeakmagazine.com/hk/pursuit/jan2010 |title=Thinking big |publisher=thepeakmagazine.com |date=10 January 2010 |accessdate=5 June 2017}}

Career

So began his career with the Hong Kong Government. He then joined the private sector in 1978 and held various senior positions in stockbroking, banking and property development.

He served as executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) from 1985 to 1992, and the chairman from 2007 to 2015.{{cite web |url=http://investors.aia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=242118&p=irol-govBio&ID=207814 |title=簡歷 | 投資者關係 | 美國友邦保險有限公司 |publisher=Investors.aia.com |accessdate=16 February 2012 |archive-date=16 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916232140/http://investors.aia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=242118&p=irol-govBio&ID=207814 |url-status=dead }}

So was the chairman and Chief Executive of the MTR Corporation from 1995 to 2003. He was deputy chairman and Group managing director of PCCW from 2003 to 2007.

He is a non-executive Director of American International Assurance and China Resources Power, and senior advisor to Credit Suisse, Greater China. So was an independent director of HSBC from 2000 to 2007 and Cathay Pacific from 2002 to 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2015/0902/LTN201509021962.pdf|title=Notice of (1) COMPLETION OF SUBSCRIPTION OF NEW SHARES; (2) CHANGE OF DIRECTORS; (3) CHANGE OF BOARD COMMITTEES MEMBERS; (4) CHANGE OF AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE; AND (5) CHANGE OF AGENT FOR THE SERVICE OF PROCESS IN HONG KONG (Huanxi Media Group Limited)|publisher=}}

In the political aspect, So is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from 2008 to 2018. He was an International Business Advisor to the Mayor of Beijing,{{cite web |url=http://politics.people.com.cn/BIG5/shizheng/252/9667/9685/6998614.html |title=中國人民政治協商會議第十一屆全國委員會委員名單-時政-人民網 |work=People's Daily |accessdate=16 February 2012 |archive-date=9 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609092726/http://politics.people.com.cn/BIG5/shizheng/252/9667/9685/6998614.html |url-status=dead }} and was appointed Honorary Consultant to the Mayor of San Francisco in 2013. He was also appointed by the HKSAR Government as Chairman of the Film Development Council from April 2007 to March 2013.

So is an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). He was appointed Member of The University Council in 2000 and served as the Chairman of The university's Campus Development & Planning Committee from 2006 to 2012, and was responsible for the building of HKU's new Centennial Campus.{{cite web|url=https://www4.hku.hk/hongrads/citations/jack-chak-kwong-so-jack-so-chak-kwong |title= HKU Honorary Degrees 184th Congregation – Citations |work=www4.hku.hk }}

Awards and honours

Honorable Decorations in Social Science from the University of Hong Kong (2011){{Cite web|url=http://www4.hku.hk/hongrads/index.php/archive/graduate_detail/307|title=HKU Honorary Graduates – Graduate Detail|website=www4.hku.hk|access-date=1 May 2017}}
Gold Bauhinia Star (Hong Kong/2011)
Grand Bauhinia Medal (Hong Kong/2017)

Controversies

= Panama Papers =

So's name is found among the Panama Papers, including as an owner of an offshore company Jaderich Limited and as a stock holder of Solid Foundation Limited (SFL).{{cite web|url=https://offshoreleaks.icij.org/nodes/12105565|title=JACK SO CHAK KWONG - ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database|publisher=}} He refused to reveal the business nature of Jarderich Ltd, when he was enquired by the local media. He only stated the company has been inactive for year.{{cite web|url=https://www.hk01.com/%E6%B8%AF%E8%81%9E/20516/-%E5%B7%B4%E6%8B%BF%E9%A6%AC%E6%96%87%E4%BB%B6-%E8%98%87%E6%BE%A4%E5%85%89-%E9%83%AD%E7%90%B3%E5%BB%A3%E7%AD%89%E6%B3%95%E5%AE%9A%E6%A9%9F%E6%A7%8B%E6%88%90%E5%93%A1%E5%9D%87%E6%8C%81%E9%9B%A2%E5%B2%B8%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8|title=【巴拿馬文件】蘇澤光、郭琳廣等法定機構成員均持離岸公司|last=香港01記者|website=香港01}}