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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) will present its “Outstanding Alumni Award” to eight alumni in recognition of their remarkable professional achievements and contributions to their alma mater and the community. The award presentation ceremony will be held on 12 April.

The awardees, in alphabetical order, are:
• Mr Barrie Ho Chow-lai, Founder & Director, Barrie Ho Architecture Interiors Ltd. and Barrie Ho Collections Ltd.
• Prof. Bernard Hon Kwok-keung, Professor of Manufacturing Systems, University of Liverpool, the UK
• Prof. Law Chung-king, Robert H. Goddard Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, USA
• Mrs Yvonne Law Shing Mo-han, National Chief Knowledge Officer & Partner, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
• Mr Tommy Li Wing-chuen, Creative Director, Tommy Li Design Workshop Ltd.
• Mr Joseph Lo Kin-ching, Vice Chairman, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
• Dr Samson Tam Wai-ho, Chairman, Group Sense (International) Limited
• Mr Marco Wu Moon-hoi, Vice Chairman, Hong Kong Housing Society

Launched in late 1996, the biennial “Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award” is jointly organized by PolyU and the Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations (FHKPUAA) for the sixth time. It aims to honour outstanding graduates of PolyU and its forerunners, the Government Trade School, the Hong Kong Technical College and the Hong Kong Polytechnic.  Over the years, PolyU and its forerunners have sent forth more than 250,000 graduates.  A total of 30 distinguished alumni in various professions have been honoured in the past award selections and they are fine testimony of PolyU’s accomplishments in nurturing professional talents for the community.

The seven-member Panel of Judges of this year’s award, made up of senior government officials and renowned community and business leaders, is chaired by The Hon. Stephen Ip Shu-kwan, Secretary for Economic Development and Labour of the HKSAR Government.  Its members, in alphabetical order, include: Mr Chan Tze-ching, Citigroup Country Officer, Hong Kong and Head of Greater China, Corporate & Investment Banking, Citigroup; The Hon. Henry Fan Hung-ling, Member of Executive Council, HKSAR; The Hon. Vincent Fang Kang, Member of Legislative Council and Chief Executive Officer, Toppy Co. (Hong Kong) Ltd.; Dr Lam Tai-fai, First Vice-President, the Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations and Managing Director, Peninsula Knitters Ltd.; Dr Ng Tat-lun, President, the Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations; and Prof. Poon Chung-kwong, President, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The Honorary Consultant of the selection is Ernst & Young Certified Public Accountants.

Biodata of the awardees

Mr Barrie Ho Chow-lai
- 1988/ Diploma in Design; 1991/ Bachelor of Arts in Design (Interior Design)

Mr Ho founded Barrie Ho Architecture Interiors Ltd in 1999, emphasizing on quality fusion design service in architecture, interior design and furniture design. In 2002, he established Barrie Ho Collections Ltd. which aims to blend contemporary elements with Chinese culture. Mr Ho was Chairman of Interior Design Association (Hong Kong), Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre and Advisor to the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s professional services promotion committee. He is committed to promoting the professionalism of the industry and supports a registration system for interior designers. He is also devoted to furthering the development of creative industries, which he believes is based on education. Mr Ho has been Member of Advisory Committee of PolyU’s School of Design since 2003. His remarkable achievements have made him a recipient of Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award and Ten Outstanding Designers Award in 2005, and Greater China Design Award in 2006.

Prof. Bernard Hon Kwok-keung
- 1971/ Higher Diploma in Production Engineering

Prof. Hon is currently Professor of Manufacturing Systems of the University of Liverpool in the UK. A world renowned scholar in the area of manufacturing systems, Prof. Hon’s research expertise lies in production technology and manufacturing systems, with over a hundred scientific publications. He stimulates new engineering developments in the areas of rapid prototyping, product innovation and microsystems packaging. He has made enormous contributions to the academic development of PolyU’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Prof. Hon is Fellow of the International Academy for Production Engineering and the Institution of Engineering and Technology. He is also Honorary Chair Professor of the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Professor of the Wuhan University of Technology. To promote Chinese culture, Prof. Hon founded the Birmingham Chinese School in 1986 which offers Chinese and cultural classes for adults. 

Prof. Law Chung-king
- 1965/ Certificate in Electrical Engineering

Prof. Law is currently Robert H. Goddard Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of the Princeton University in the US. He is an international authority in the areas of combustion sciences, propulsion, and fluid and gas dynamics. Over the years, he has earned many teaching and research awards presented by representative institutions such as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society for Engineering Education and   Combustion Institute. Recognized as one of the world’s top 100 Highly Cited Researchers in engineering by the Institute for Scientific Information, Prof. Law has also been awarded a US patent for his invention of ramjet fuel. His success culminated in his election as Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering of the United States in 2002. Prof. Law is Honorary Professor of Tianjin University, Chinese Academy of Science and Tsinghua University. With close association with PolyU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Law has contributed significantly to its extension of international network and improvement of research performance.  

Mrs Yvonne Law Shing Mo-han
1977/ Higher Diploma in Accountancy

Mrs Law is currently National Chief Knowledge Officer & Partner of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. She is also Chairman of the Taxation Committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Vice President of the Association of Women Accountants Hong Kong. Mrs Law was appointed part-time Member of the HKSAR Government’s Central Policy Unit from 2002-04 and Member of the Commission of Strategic Development in 2005. With her professional accomplishments, Mrs Law was recognized as Top Tax Advisor in Hong Kong and the mainland in 2001-06 by International Tax Review, and named one of the National Hundred Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs in 2006. Mrs Law has also contributed to the development of the University’s School of Accounting and Finance by serving as Member of its Advisory Committee.

Mr Tommy Li Wing-chuen
1983/ Higher Certificate in Two-Dimensional Design

Mr Li is currently Creative Director of Tommy Li Design Workshop Ltd., specializing in poster, packaging design, corporate identity and brand design. He is Member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) which gathers the world’s leading graphics designers and artists. Mr Li is also Honorary Professor of the Shanghai Academy of Film and Art. Over the years, Mr Li has received almost 500 awards. In particular, he is a record owner who has received four awards from the New York Art Directors’ Club. The long list of awards includes World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer Award, Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award and Outstanding Graphic Designer Award. He is identified by Agosto, a design magazine in Japan, as one of the most influential designers in Hong Kong in the next decade. His distinguished achievements have made him Distinguished Design Alumni awarded by the University’s School of Design in 2004.

Mr Joseph Lo Kin-ching
- 1976/ Higher Diploma in Accountancy

Mr Lo is currently Vice Chairman of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. He was elected Chairman of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Hong Kong Branch. He has served on the investigation panel of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants since 1995. Mr Lo was appointed by the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong as member of the working group of the Growth Enterprise Market in 1999.

With his distinguished professional achievements, Mr Lo has made immense contributions to the development of PolyU. After his appointment as Member of the University Council in 2001, Mr Lo has taken on the important positions as Treasurer of Council and Member of the University Court since 2002. Mr Lo has provided valuable insights for the continuous growth of PolyU through his enthusiastic participation in various committees of the Council, including the Finance Committee, Executive Committee, Fundraising Committee and Honorary Degrees Committee. Mr Lo has also contributed to accountancy education as Adjunct Professor of PolyU’s School of Accounting and Finance.       

Dr Samson Tam Wai-ho
2005/ Doctor of Philosophy 

Dr Tam is currently Chairman of Group Sense (International) Limited (GSL), which focuses on the development of handheld information devices, including electronic dictionaries, personal digital assistant and smart phones. The company’s introduction of the world’s first “Instant-Dict” Chinese-English electronic dictionary in 1989 has become a household name. Under Dr Tam’s leadership, GSL won the first Hong Kong Award for Industry: Technological Achievement presented by the HKSAR Government in 1997. He is devoted to the promotion of technological cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland by serving as Deputy Chairman of the Hong Kong Productivity Council and Vice Chairman of the PRD Council of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. Dr Tam was named a recipient of the Young Industrialist Award of Hong Kong in 1992 and Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 1997. Dr Tam was Chairman of Advisory Committee of the Department of Electronic and Information Engineering and made contributions to its development.

Mr Marco Wu Moon-hoi
1967/ Higher Diploma in Surveying and Building Technology

Mr Wu is currently Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Housing Society. Mr Wu is also Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Under his leadership as Former Director of Buildings of the HKSAR Government, the Department implemented the revised enforcement strategy against unauthorized building works and took a major step forward in the promotion of green buildings in Hong Kong. Mr Wu was Chairman of the Advisory Committee of PolyU’s Department of Building and Real Estate, making important contributions to the department’s long-term development. Mr Wu was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2006 for his distinguished and dedicated service to the Government and the community.

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