In the mid-1960s, Sir Kan Yuet Keung (right), and Bishop Ronald Owen Hall (middle) attended a ceremony in Chung Chi.

Hong Kong-born Sir Kan Yuet Keung (1913-2012) was the son of Mr. Kan Tong Po, a co-founder of the Bank of East Asia. In his early years, he was educated at Diocesan Boys’ School and The University of Hong Kong (HKU). After graduating from the university in 1934, he went to Britain the following year to start his law studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He then gained his solicitor qualification in 1940, and joined Lo & Lo in 1945, where he later became a senior partner. He succeeded in his family’s business and served as the Chairman of the Bank of East Asia in 1963, the year his father passed on.

Sir Kan Yuet Keung was committed to public affairs. In 1949, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Hong Kong Government. He was also appointed as an Unofficial Member of the Urban Council (1957), the Legislative Council (1961), and the Executive Council (1966) and later promoted to the Senior Unofficial Member of both the Executive and Legislative Councils. He also served in different public organisations, such as Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. His deep acquaintance with commercial and home affairs, along with his social contributions, earned him a Knight Bachelor and the GBE from the Queen. He was also awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from both The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and HKU.

Sir Kan Yuet Keung first served as a member of the Chung Chi Board of Governors in 1954, participating in the drafting of the College Constitutions, supporting Chung Chi in gaining official approval to provide courses, and promoting the development of the current Ma Liu Shui campus. In 1961, he resumed his position on the Board of Chung Chi. From 1964 to 1968, he succeeded Dr. Pang Shao Hsien as Chairman of the Board and served as a member of the CUHK Council concurrently, pushing for the development of both Chung Chi and the University. From 1971, he was appointed as Chairman of the CUHK Council until he became Pro-Chancellor and Life Member of the Council in 1982. He retired from his position in 1996. Over those two decades, CUHK achieved significant outcomes in campus development, academic excellence, and international reputation, where the dedication and contributions of Sir Kan Yuet Keung were indispensable and deserve lasting recognition.