Bernard Chan Pak-li

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Chan.
Not to be confused with Hong Kong Executive Council member Bernard Charnwut Chan.
Bernard Chan Pak-li
Native name 陳百里
Citizenship People's Republic of China
Education Ph.D. in biomedical engineering
Alma mater La Salle College (1993)
Duke University (2003)
Salary HK$98,000/month[1]

Bernard Chan Pak-li (Chinese: 陳百里, born 1976) is a Hong Kong politician with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. Outside of politics, he is involved in the pharmaceuticals industry.

Scientific career

In November 2004, Chan became the director of research and development at the LifeTec Group (SEHK: 1180), a pharmaceutical company which developed recombinant protein drugs for the treatment of liver disease.[2] In 2006, he and his friends co-founded Comprehensive Drug Enterprises, which would go on to win the Hong Kong Award for Industries' Technological Achievement Award in 2007.[3] He is also a member of the Hong Kong Biotechnology Organization's Executive Council.[4]

In politics

Chan first ran for public office in the 2007 local elections for Kwun Tong District Council to represent Ping Shek.[5] With the help of noted film director Raymond Wong — the father of his then-girlfriend Alvina Wong Yee-kwan (黃漪鈞) — in canvassing the district, Chan was able to receive 62.9% of votes cast, defeating Yun Kwun-wai of the Civic Party and two independent candidates in a landslide to succeed fellow DAB member Chan Kam-lam in the Ping Shek seat.[3][6][7] He was returned to the same seat in the 2011 elections with an even larger margin of victory, receiving 77.2% of votes cast to defeat Lam Sum-shing of the League of Social Democrats.[8]

In February 2013, Chan was nominated by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development to become the political assistant for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, and renounced his U.S. citizenship.[9] He then resigned from the Kwun Tong District Council to take up the post, triggering a by-election. Chan Kam-lam of the DAB stated that the party respected his decision and had no intention of blocking party members from resigning to serve the public in other fields, and that there were ongoing internal discussions in the DAB about whether or not to field a candidate in the resulting by-election.[10]

Personal life

Chan's father Chan Chung-nam (陳宗南) is an energy businessman in mainland China and a member of the Standing Committee of the Zhanjiang People's Political Consultative Conference.[3] Chan himself graduated from Hong Kong's La Salle College in 1993,[11] and went on to receive a Ph.D. from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina in 2003.[1][12] He married Michelle Li (李淑媛), originally of Xinyang, Henan in mainland China, in February 2014; the two met at a technology event in 2010, and began dating soon after.[13]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "區議員陳百里任商務局政助" [District Councillor Chan Pak-li named as Commerce and Economic Development Bureau Political Assistant]. The Sun. 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  2. ↑ "Appointments: Bernard Chan, Director, research and development, LifeTec Group". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "黃百鳴準女婿從政之路從做義工開始" [Wong Pak-ming lets 'son-in-law' walk the road of politics, starting from volunteer work]. Sing Tao Daily. 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  4. ↑ "Council Member: Dr. Bernard P.L. Chan, Ph.D.". Hong Kong Biotechnology Organization. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  5. ↑ "Candidate Number 4: Chan Pak-li, Election Platform". Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  6. ↑ "黃百鳴拉票 陳百里輕勝" [Wong Pak-ming canvassed for votes; Chan Pak-li won easily]. Wen Wei Po. 2007-11-19. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  7. ↑ "Kwun Tong". District Council Election 2007 Results. Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. 2007-11-19. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  8. ↑ "Kwun Tong". District Council Election 2011 Results. Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. 2011-11-07. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  9. ↑ "民建聯區議員 棄美籍任政助" [DAB district councillor renounced U.S. citizenship to become political assistant]. Hong Kong Economic Times. 2013-02-25. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  10. ↑ "觀塘坪石區議員懸空 陳百里辭公職任政助" [Kwun Tong Ping Shek District Council vacancy; Chan Pak-li resigns public office to serve as PA]. Hong Kong Daily News. 2011-03-15. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  11. ↑ "Class of 1993 Distinguished Alumni Forum". The Obsession: La Salle College Old Boys' Association Newsletter 36 (3). June 2014. p. 10. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
  12. ↑ "Job Placements After Graduation". Duke University Biomedical Engineering Department. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  13. ↑ "政壇：陳百里先工作拖住蜜月" [Politics: Chan Pak-li will work and delay honeymoon]. The Sun. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2014-07-02.