Board of Directors

Dr. Timothy Tong is our chairman of the board of directors and independent director and has been instrumental in the establishment of our various initiatives with academic institutions and other industry association types to enhance and step up our contributions and support to talents out of the AMTD SpiderNet ecosystem, such as the formation of AMTD FinTech Centre of PolyU Faculty of Business as one of the rare institutions across Asia to be able to award Ph.D. degrees in FinTech.

Dr. Tong was appointed as our chairman of the board of directors and independent director in February 2020 and February 2021, respectively. Dr. Tong is also an independent director of AMTD IDEA Group (NYSE: AMTD: SGX:HKB) since February 2022. Dr. Tong is the chief executive officer of AMTD Charity Foundation, and chairman of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum, which is an organization formed by distinguished personalities and academics of Hong Kong, with the full support of the Hong Kong SAR government. The mission is to connect the current and next generations of leaders in scientific pursuit, and to promote understanding and interests of the young generation in Hong Kong and around the world in various disciplines in science and technology.

Dr. Tong is an internationally renowned educator and expert in heat transfer. He served as the President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University from January 2009 to December 2018. He is also the former dean of the school of engineering and applied science at The George Washington University, the former chairman of the steering committee of the Pilot Green Transport Fund of the Environmental Protection Department, a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a fellow and former president of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences. Dr. Tong currently serves as an independent non-executive director of Airstar Bank, an independent non-executive director of Xiaomi Corporation (SEHK: 1810); an independent non-executive director of Gold Peak Industries (Holdings) Limited (SEHK: 40); a non-executive director of Freetech Road Recycling Technology (Holdings) Limited (SEHK: 6888); and an independent non-executive director of Gold Peak Industries Limited (SGX: G20).

Dr. Tong has been a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference since March 2013 – to present and a Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong since July 2010. Dr. Tong received a Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in December 1980. Dr. Tong received a master of science degree in engineering from University of California in June 1978 and a bachelor degree of science in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University in June 1976.

Neil Parekh is our independent director and has more than 30 years’ of global experience in the financial services industry. Mr. Parekh was appointed as our independent director in July 2020. Mr. Parekh has been a partner and head of Asia, Australia and New Zealand at Tikehau Capital (EPA: TKO) since July 2020.

Prior to joining Tikehau Capital, Mr. Parekh served as general manager of Asia at National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) from 2013 to 2020 where he was responsible for the overall business, regulatory, and governance matters for the bank’s Asian business. From 2013 to 2020, Mr. Parekh served as a director of Nautilus Insurance and National Australia Bank, Singapore. Mr. Parekh is currently the chairman of the international advisory committee for the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Singapore, member of the governing council of the Singapore Institute of Directors, and advisory committee member of James Cook University, Singapore. He served as a member of the governing council of Association of Banks in Singapore from 2015 to 2019 and vice chairman of Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) from 2015 to 2018. Mr. Parekh received a bachelor’s degree in commerce with honors in June 1984 and a master’s degree in commerce in June 1986 from the University of Delhi. In June 1988, he also obtained a master’s degree in business administration from Northeastern University.

Dr. Frederic Lau is our director and president. Dr. Lau has over 30 years of experience in regulating and managing financial institutions, especially in areas such as industry development, regulatory framework, risk management, and internal control. Dr. – Lau is also the vice chairman of our Controlling Shareholder. Dr. Lau is the director of the Airstar Bank since July 2018, and served as the founding chief executive since the banking license was granted in May 2019 to October 2020. Dr.- Lau served in Hong Kong and U.S. regulatory agencies for years, including the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Office of Thrift Supervision (subsequently merged with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, OCC) of the U.S. Treasury Department.

Dr.- Lau was an executive director and group risk director at Dah Sing Banking Group, and a member of the board of directors of Dah Sing Bank from 2005 to 2011. Dr. Lau was also a member of board of directors of Shenzhen Development Bank (subsequently renamed as Ping An Bank) from 2011 to 2014. He was a managing director of Promontory Financial Group from 2011 to 2014. Dr. Lau received a Ph.D. in business management from University of South Australia in 2004.

Mark Lo is our director and chief executive officer and has over 19 years of experience in global financial markets including investing, researching and trading capital markets in Asian and global markets. Mr. Lo was appointed as our director in January 2021. Mr. Lo joined AMTD Group in December 2015 and is the Group Vice President of our Controlling Shareholder.

Prior to joining the AMTD Group, from December 2010 to December 2015 Mr. Lo served as vice president of PineBridge Investments emerging markets fixed income group, a global asset manager with offerings that span the asset class and capital structure spectrum. Prior to joining PineBridge Investments, Mr. Lo served as a vice president of RBS Coutts and associate director of OSK Securities and BNP Paribas. Mr. Lo obtained a bachelor degree of arts in economics with first class honors from the University of Calgary in 2001 and a master’s degree of arts in economics from the University of British Columbia in 2002.