Introducing the FCC’s New Members: November 2020
The Membership Committee is always impressed by the diversity, experience and talents of FCC applicants. Join us in welcoming our latest batch of new members.
Howard Chang
I am a Hong Kong native currently working as a tax director at a technology firm. Most people think taxes are painful, but I actually find the topic very enjoyable, especially when it comes to participating in policy work, such as representing industry groups in front of LegCo, or OECD tax policy working groups. Recently, I have taken the opportunity to try new indoor activities, like online learning and some serious cooking — well beyond mere sustenance! I look forward to being part of the FCC community and meeting new people!
Dr. Francis Neoton Cheung
I am an urban designer and development consultant by profession, a property developer in my own time, the convenor of urban development think tank Doctoral Exchange, and a champion of the Marine Enclave developments. Born and bred in Hong Kong, I studied at Queen’s College, then graduated with distinctions from the University of Hong Kong. I have served on the HKSAR’s first Election Committee, as well as the Land and Building Advisory Committee and the Town Planning Appeal Board. In my free time, I am a contemporary porcelain artist and I like hiking, reading and playing mahjong.
Yoon Kueen Chong
Apa khabar? That’s “How are you?” in Bahasa. I am Y. K., a Malaysian with two lovely daughters who has lived in Hong Kong for over a decade. I work in international real estate and am now the Managing Director of Artana Asia Limited. Besides work, I enjoy reading, bowling, golfing, boating, and travelling – my ability to speak and write in five languages has made many journeys extra memorable. The FCC was the first club I visited when I landed in Hong Kong, and I’m grateful to become a member today.
Kevin Ding
I was born in Wuhan, but I grew up in Shenzhen where my height and exceptionally large feet drew the attention of national swimming coaches. I almost made a career of it, but I prefer drinking red wine to spending hours underwater. After moving to Hong Kong 15 years ago, I earned a finance degree and two master’s degrees in economics and international relations. I’m now working for Hang Lung Properties Limited. But the truth is, I still prefer the wine. I’m happy to discuss/debate the latest seasonal Beaujolais, or maybe even some politics.
Peter Paul de Groote
I arrived in Hong Kong last May, and to say that it has been interesting so far would be an understatement. Before Hong Kong, I spent 26 years with Médecins Sans Frontières and have lived and worked in many places, from Zaire and Ethiopia to Myanmar, South Sudan, Nepal, India, and a few more. Currently, I’m the director of the Kadoorie Charitable Foundation. The combination of dynamic city life and the outdoors makes Hong Kong ideal for me. Mingling with the wonderful (and sometimes eccentric) FCC crowd only adds to the experience.
Susan Latimer
I was born in South Africa and moved to Hong Kong in 2001. I derive enormous pleasure from running my business, Jetfresh Foods. We import and distribute microgreens and edible flowers to restaurants and hotels in Hong Kong and Macao. I like to keep busy and have a broad range of interests and creative pursuits. In the summer, I enjoy travelling to new places and always go back to visit my daughters in South Africa. I love to soak up the rural, untamed beauty of the Eastern Cape coastline, where we have a family home.
Billie Lau
I’ve covered banking and finance for more than 25 years, and I am currently working as the deputy news editor of the Business section at Apple Daily. Amid Hong Kong’s darkest hour, I am honoured to be a member of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
Fran Lebowitz
I’m Fran Lebowitz — no, not that Fran Lebowitz! Funnily enough, however, I too, was in the book business in New York City, where I once worked as a literary agent and editor at Writers House and William Morris Agency. I’ve lived in Asia for years but there was a time at the start of 2020, a time of flying, of congregation, when I thought I would resume life in New York. Alas, that has not been the case. After a stint in Singapore, I am now in Hong Kong, and keen to be part of the conversation at the FCC.
Tiffany Liang
I am a freelance reporter at The Washington Post, focusing on social issues in Hong Kong. Born and raised in mainland China, I came to Hong Kong three years ago to pursue a master’s degree in international journalism. I cover public affairs and international insights, as well as human-interest stories in mainland China and Hong Kong. Currently, I am also exploring financial journalism. Outside of work, I love hiking, art exhibitions and trying new restaurants. I am really excited to become an FCC member!
Natasha Marks
I’m an architect at Aedas Architects, and I moved to Hong Kong in September 2019 with my husband Richard. I am British but I lived in Kuwait for a couple of years when I was young and spent a year in Hong Kong during university. I recently started my own practice here called NK3 Ltd, which specialises in commercial architecture. I’ve travelled extensively in Africa and the Middle East both for work and pleasure, and when not at my desk, I can usually be found hiking or paddle-boarding in Stanley with my dogs.
Rahul Mehta
I am a solicitor at Slaughter and May. I came to Hong Kong in 2016, supposedly on a two-year secondment from the corporate law firm I was working for in London at the time. But, as is tradition, I am still here almost five years on! Off-duty, I’m partial to a game of squash or golf, a hike, a beer or a decent bottle of wine, and wish I understood the intricacies of mahjong. As amusing exploits go, I once accidentally won a Russian verse-speaking competition. Do ask me about it at the bar sometime…
Win Pang
Hello! I was born and raised in Hong Kong, though my family is Indonesian-Chinese, from an island named Belitung. I love my job in equity sales at UBS AG, because it allows me to meet great people and stay up-to-date with global news. Aside from work, I liked to travel and hang out with friends pre-pandemic. Now I enjoy reading, meditation, jogging, yoga, watching NBA games and the occasional Zoom chat. I am also taking psychotherapy classes and a children’s coding course, taught by my 8-year-old niece, who taught herself to code during the lockdown.
Benjamin Qiu
As a capital market and intellectual property lawyer, I often split my time working and travelling between Asian cities. In my free time, I also volunteer on the Board of the Shanghai FCC. I studied and worked in Silicon Valley prior to returning to Asia, and I grew up in Beijing where, to my knowledge, I was the first kid to have a skateboard!
Bill Rigby
I’m the Spot Enterprise Editor at Reuters. I moved to Hong Kong last December to edit some of the longer-form stories Reuters produces in the Asia region, ranging from local unrest to street protests in Thailand. I grew up in Manchester, England, went to university in London and started my career at Reuters there in the late 1990s. I spent the last 20 years working for the agency in New York and Seattle, writing and editing news about finance, markets, aerospace and technology. When I’m not working, I like to ride my bicycle up and down the Peak.
Neville Sarony
I’m an Anglo-Irish, ex-Gurkha, ex-Foreign Service member who has been a practicing barrister in Hong Kong since 1986. Before that, in the 1960s, I practiced in London and Kathmandu. A Queen’s Counsel, I’m a specialist in professional negligence and complex crime, author of the Max Devlin novels (including the forthcoming The Chakrata Incident), and a contributor to online news platforms EJ Insight and Asia Times. Besides that, I am also a political satirist, jazz pianist and singer, an after-dinner speaker, and sometimes an actor. Joining the FCC is a high quantum of solace for me.
