The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has confirmed the appointment of Martin Liao as its new chairman.
At the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) late last week, the new Board of Stewards elected Liao to take over as the club’s 27th chairman.
Liao has been a member of the club since 1988 and became a voting member in 2002 and a Steward in 2013.
He succeeds Michael Lee, who has stepped down after serving 19 years as a Club Steward and the past three years as chairman. Lester Huang has been appointed deputy chairman.
Voting members also elected two new stewards to fill the vacancies left by Lee and Silas Yang, who decided not to seek re-election at the AGM, with Rimsky Yuen elected for a two-year term and John Lo elected for a three-year term.
Yuen has been a member of the Club since 2001 and became a voting member in 2020, while Lo has been a member of the Club since 2010 and became a voting member in 2021.
New chairman Liao, alongside Andrew Weir and Jackson Biu, who retired by rotation, were re-elected as Stewards each for a three-year term.
Commenting on his appointment, Liao said: “I am truly honoured to take up the Chairmanship of The Hong Kong Jockey Club. This is an especially exciting time for the Club, with its world-class racing and entertainment attracting growing numbers of fans in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, allied to the undoubted promise offered by equine industry development in the Greater Bay Area. Of course, the Club will remain focused on fulfilling its core and ultimate purpose: the betterment of society.”
Paying tribute to his predecessor, Liao added: “Michael proved the epitome of stable helmsmanship during his tenure. He helped guide the Club through considerable change during the post-pandemic period, confronting challenges with resilience and calm while ensuring the Club upheld its strong commitment to the community. He leaves the Club as well placed as it has ever been to achieve its strategic goals in the years ahead.”