Kenneth Leung
| The Honourable Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong 梁繼昌 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Legislative Council | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Chan |
| Constituency | Accountancy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1962 (age 52–53) |
| Political party | Professional Commons |
| Alma mater | Hong Kong Polytechnic University London School of Economics (BSc, LL.M.) |
| Occupation | Tax Consultant Accountant |
Kenneth Leung Kai-cheong (Chinese: 梁繼昌; pinyin: Liáng Jìchāng; Cantonese Yale: Lèuhng Gaichēung) is a leading tax adviser in Hong Kong. He has been voted the world's 250 top tax advisers since 2008.[1] He currently is a consultant at, and heads the Asia Pacific tax practice of, the British law firm Clifford Chance. He has been active in participating in public affairs since the 1990s to promote fair competition, the diversification of economy, responsible fiscal policy and housing policy, human rights and democratic reforms. He is a founding member of the Hong Kong Core Value Movement and the Synergynet. He is also a founding member and vice-chairman of the political think-tank, The Professional Commons.
Education and professional qualifications
Leung was born in Hong Kong. He graduated from Queen's College in 1981 before going on to the Hong Kong Polytechnic, where he received a professional diploma in accountancy. He then went abroad for further studies, first for a BSc in economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, graduating in 1987, and then an LL.M at the same institution, which he completed in 1992.
Leung holds the professional qualifications of FCPA, Chartered Accountant, UK Chartered Tax Adviser, and Hong Kong Certified Tax Adviser. He is a solicitor admitted in England and Wales and in Hong Kong.
In politics
He first contested and won in a by-election in 2005 to fill a casual vacancy in the accountancy sub-sector of the Election Committee for the Chief Executive. In 2006, he participated in the sub-sector election (accountancy) for the Election Committee again and was elected with the second highest votes amongst the 20 successful candidates in that sub-sector. He nominated Lee Wing-tat and Alan Leong respectively in the 2005 and 2007 Chief Executive Election. In 2011, he led a nine-member team, "Democratic Accountants", to take part in the Election Committee sub-sector election for a third time; all members were elected. He nominated Albert Ho to take part in the Chief Executive election in 2012. Later that year, he ran in the LegCo election for the seat representing the Accountancy constituency. He was elected with 7,701 votes, against 6,538 for Nelson Lam and 2,231 for other candidates.[2][3]
In 2013, Leung was one of eight legislators treated by Cathay Pacific to a six-day trip to France to tour Airbus factories. In response to the public outcry and the perception of a conflict of interest, Leung stated that he would donate HK$100,000 to UNICEF, but refused to apologise.[4]
Other government and professional activities
As of 2013, Leung is a member of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (since 2007),[5] the Independent Police Complaints Council (since 2011),[6] and the Estate Agents Authority (since 2010).[7] He has previously been a member of the Inland Revenue Board of Review and the Estate Agents Authority's Disciplinary Committee.
Leung also plays a role in a number of industry and professional groups, He was vice-chairman of the Taxation Policy Committee of The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong before rising to the chairmanship in 2008.[8] He has been the vice-chairman of The Professional Commons since 2007.[9] He continues to be a member of the Joint Liaison Committee on Taxation (since 2007) and the tax sub-committee of the Hong Kong chapter of the Alternative Investment Management Association, Hong Kong Chapter (since 2007).[10] He was formerly a member of the Public Affairs Form and an external examiner for the PCLL courses of the University of Hong Kong and the City University of Hong Kong.
He has published articles in international professional journals including International Tax Review, Asia-Pacific Journal of Taxation, China Tax, and China Staff. He is a regular contributor to the column in Hong Kong Economic Journal, the Professional Eye.
Personal life
Leung is short-sighted, with one eye much worse than the other. In 2013, doctors found damage to the retina of his right eye, which if it worsened could have led to retinal detachment, and he underwent surgery to correct the problem.[11]
References
- ↑ Tax Directors' Handbook. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ "Introduction to Candidates: Leung Kai-cheong Kenneth" (PDF). Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
- ↑ "Election Results: Accountancy". Hong Kong: Electoral Affairs Commission. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
- ↑ "梁繼昌捐10萬拒道歉 (Leung Kai-cheong will donate $100k, refuses to apologise)". Ming Pao. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
- ↑ Hong Kong Housing Authority. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ Independent Police Complaints Council . Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ Estate Agent Authority. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ The Taxation Institute of Hong Kong. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ The Professional Commons. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ The Alternative Investment Management Association, Hong Kong Chapter. Retrieved on 24 August 2011.
- ↑ "梁繼昌扮酷有苦衷". Ming Pao. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
| Legislative Council of Hong Kong | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Paul Chan |
Member of Legislative Council Representative for Accountancy 2012–present |
Incumbent |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Leung Che-cheung Member of the Legislative Council |
Hong Kong order of precedence Member of the Legislative Council |
Succeeded by Alice Mak Member of the Legislative Council |