Introducing the FCC’s New Members: April 2022

I am vice president, trade lane, for Toll Global Forwarding Asia, which is part of the Japan Post. I have been living in Hong Kong for more than three-and-a-half years and have enjoyed my time here. Prior to moving to Asia, I lived in Los Angeles, California, for many years. My interests range from travel, hiking, biking and scuba diving to reading books. I have two adult sons who currently reside in the USA.

FRANCESCA BIROLI

I was born and raised in Italy, where I studied law at university. I moved to Hong Kong eight years ago and consider it my home. I have been working at the law firm de Bedin & Lee since I moved here.

CHEUNG KWONG-KEI

I was behind bars for over 30 years – as the head of Hong Kong’s major prisons – including Stanley, Lai Chi Kok and Siu Lam. Early retirement from this role granted time to pursue my interests, like volunteering, travelling and photography. My new hobby of cooking also gives me a great sense of achievement. My work taught me about security management and dealing with people from all walks of life, and I am currently the director of communications of an international federation that works against copyright theft. Having been away from life behind bars for years now, I look forward to being inside bars again – this time at the FCC.

ANGELA CHEUNG WONG WAN-YIU

I am an educator. My interest is in education, education policy formulation and administration, organising functions and education conferences. Now in retirement, I still hold the roles of vice president of the UNESCO Hong Kong Association; school manager at the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Group Lee Shau Kee College; and member of the fundraising committee at St Stephen’s Girls’ College. Until my retirement, I worked in the education sector. I was vice-principal and acting principal at St Stephen’s Girls’ College, then became the education services secretary of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals. In the 1980s, I was invited by the government to become a member of the Education Commission. My hobbies are photography, music, reading and writing.

PETER CREWE

I am of Irish heritage and was born in the UK. I moved to Hong Kong in 1998. I have also lived and worked in Brunei, Indonesia and Australia. After 32 years on the corporate side of the insurance industry, I retired and set up my own small company for angel investing, consultancy, board advisory and independent non-executive director services. Hong Kong is my home – I love its diversity and energy. Food and wine are a passion, history a life-long interest and digital a learning curve – plus I’m a supporter of my hometown football club, Aston Villa.

EDWARD GREEN

I have served in the United States military for more than 17 years, performing long tours in Iraq and Korea, and have travelled and lived in many parts of east Asia, including a year in Taiwan. I hold a master’s degree in Chinese studies and speak both Mandarin and Korean. My wife, Jessica, and our five children have joined me in Hong Kong, where I am the Army Liaison Officer at the US Consulate. My hobbies include skiing, hiking, mountain biking and motorcycle riding.

DAMEN HOLMES

I am a Eurasian who was born in Hong Kong and am fluent in Cantonese. Sentenced to boarding school in Tasmania at the age of nine, I also went to university there. I became a solicitor in 2009 and practiced law in Melbourne. I was paroled back to Hong Kong in 2016 and am still a solicitor, specialising in commercial litigation. I am a lover of all sports, especially cricket, having proudly represented Hong Kong. But as time has gone on, my bowling averages have gone up and my batting averages down.

NATALIE KOH

I have been in Hong Kong for about four years, mostly with the South China Morning Post as a digital producer and news editor. Now, I work at Haymarket, leading the AsianInvestor editorial team as their managing editor. In my 10-year career, I’ve been tasked with helping editorial teams adapt to a digital-first world, by integrating data analytics into news flows and introducing digital best practices to news teams. I also work to improve gender representation in workplaces. In 2018, I led the winning team at the SCMP hackathon with a strategy to improve the representation of women in our coverage. The idea was adapted into the project known as Lunar Today.

CHRISTOPHER LAWRENCE

Starting work in Hong Kong on 8 August 1988 proved to be auspicious. I joined Cathay Pacific as a pilot after working at the now-defunct British Caledonian, and British Airways. It was an adventure in those days. I was a pilot for 47 years and recently retired. Over 20 years ago, I began an interest in mentoring, counselling and supporting those who may find their particular circumstances challenging. I obtained several qualifications and a Master’s in counselling at Monash University. With a desire to improve the standards and support of the counselling community, I formed the counselling practice Perspection, with a team of eight counsellors.

FILIPE PACHECO

I arrived in Hong Kong in August 2021 to cover Asian equity capital markets for Bloomberg News. Many asked me why, as a journalist, I would move to the city at a time when many are deciding to leave. My answer: I want to see a place in transition with my own eyes, and report on it. My journalistic carrier started in my hometown of São Paulo, Brazil, 15 years ago. From there I relocated to Dubai for five years to cover emerging markets within Europe, Middle East and Africa. I’m hoping Hong Kong will soon allow normal travel again – I am ready to explore the region. In the meantime, I’m trying to discover hikes, distant beaches and quiet neighbourhoods across the territory.

WINNIE PUN

I started my career as an auditor, became a portfolio manager, and moved on to sales before taking on a role heading up public policy for Asia-Pacific at BlackRock. As my job exposes me to a lot of policy debate, I am particularly interested in the talks hosted by the FCC. I lived in Australia for eight years before returning to Hong Kong in the 1990s. I love music and travelling, but the COVID-19 lockdowns in the last two years have driven me to explore many Hong Kong neighbourhoods that I had never visited before.

DOMINIC RIGBY

I came to Hong Kong from London in 2007 for a three-week secondment that was continually extended over a six-month period. Fifteen years later, I find myself still here, with the only regret of having not visited Asia sooner. The food, city lights, clash of cultures and lure of the hills and water in such close proximity have made it an easy decision to stay, along with the odd beer and glass of wine. I work as finance director for a small financial services firm. I am happiest on the trails or a bike – being an avid runner and cyclist.

JOOST SCHOKKENBROEK

I arrived in Hong Kong in late February 2021, leaving my wife and four adult children behind in the Netherlands, to helm the Hong Kong Maritime Museum at Pier 8 in Central. Previously, I held curatorial and managerial positions at the Kendall Whaling Museum in the US, the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the Vancouver Maritime Museum in Canada, combined with professorial positions at universities. The FCC is a great club, where three important Cs – congeniality, creativity, critical thinking – fuse. I like sports, hiking, reading and going to the movies.

COLIN SYMMONDS