Christine Loh

Christine Loh Kung-wai, SBS, OBE, JP (born 1 February 1956), is a former Hong Kong Legislative Councillor, founder and CEO of Civic Exchange, founder of the Citizens Party, and founder of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor. From 2012 to 2017, she was Under Secretary for the Environment in the government of CY Leung.[4][5]

Dr Christine Loh SBS OBE JP
陸恭蕙
Christine Loh Kung-wai at the CWMC 2006.
Member of the Legislative Council
In office 1 July 1998 – 30 June 2000
Preceded by	New parliament
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Constituency	Hong Kong Island
In office 11 October 1995 – 30 June 1997
Constituency	Hong Kong Island Central
Majority	12,762 (30.7%)
In office 8 October 1992 – 31 July 1995
Appointed by	Chris Patten
Personal details
Born	1 February 1956 British Hong Kong
Political party	Citizens Party (defunct)
Domestic partner	Craig Ehrlich[1][2][3]
Education	St. Paul's Convent School Island School Bedford High School
Alma mater	University of Hull (LLB) City University of Hong Kong (LLM)

Christine Loh
Traditional Chinese	陸恭蕙
Simplified Chinese	陆恭蕙
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Lù Gōnghùi Yue: Cantonese Jyutping luk^6 gung^1-wai^6

Until her appointment as Undersecretary for the Environment, Loh was CEO of Civic Exchange, the Hong Kong think tank that she co-founded in 2000. She was named "Woman of the Year for 2006" by Hong Kong Business.[6] She has worked in many areas, including law, business, politics, media and the non-profit sector, but is best known as a leading voice in public policy in Hong Kong, particularly in promoting democracy and environmental protection. She has long been associated with the campaign to save Hong Kong's Harbour from excessive land reclamation and overdevelopment.

In 2017, following the end of her official role, she is an adjunct professor in the Division of Environment and Sustainability at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and is said to be revising her book Underground Front: The Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong, first published in 2010.[5]

Education and professional career

Loh attended St. Paul's Convent School in Causeway Bay, and later Island School in Mid-levels, Hong Kong. She then went to Bedford High School in the UK. She later attended the University of Hull, City University of Hong Kong (Masters of Law in Chinese & Comparative Law) and the University of Hull (Doctor of Law, honoris causa) and was trained as a lawyer but she worked for 12 years as a commodities trader (1980–1991), rising to become managing director and later director of business development. Loh spent fourteen years in the commercial world, holding top regional posts in commodities trading at Philipp Brothers and Phibro Energy – the physical commodities trading arms of US multinational Salomon, Inc. (now Citicorp) — before joining a Hong Kong company (CIM Co.), where she headed the special projects division between 1992 and 1994. In April 2006, she was elected by shareholders of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx) to be a director of the company.[6]

Political career

Loh was appointed to the Legislative Council (LegCo) in 1992. In 1995 and 1998 she ran in two direct elections and won by large margins.[7] She co-founded, in 1995, the Society for Protection of the Harbour and was responsible for creating and sponsoring the historic Protection of the Harbour Ordinance.[8] While part of the democratic camp in LegCo, she took a less confrontational approach than some, preferring to keep open lines of communication with the so-called pro-China camp.

In 2000, she and Lisa Hopkinson co-founded a Hong Kong-based non-profit think tank, Civic Exchange, and once again entered the political spotlight, but outside of the LegCo. She resigned as its chief executive on 11 September 2012 upon her appointment as Undersecretary for the Environment in the administration of CY Leung, taking up her new post the following day.[9] At the same time, she resigned from all her positions in other non-profit organisations, academic affiliations, and non-executive directorships in commercial firms.

She left the government at the end of CY Leung's term, in July 2017.[5]

Other activities

From 1991, Loh hosted a public affairs radio programme and a variety of TV programmes.

Affiliations

• Chief Executive, Civic Exchange, 2000–2012
• Chairperson, Hong Kong Observers, 1980s
• Chairperson, Friends of the Earth (HK), 1991–1992; 1993–1994
• Chairperson, Citizens Party (HK), 1997–2000
• Chairperson, Society for Protection of the Harbour, 2003-200?
• Council Member, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 1999–2005
• Honorary Research Fellow, Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management, University of Hong Kong, 2001–2005
• Member, Advisory Committee, Securities and Futures Commission, 2001–2005
• Board Member, Community Business Advisory Member, International Advisor, Asia Society, USA
• Co-Chair, Human Rights in China, since 2005

Publications

• Underground Front: The Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong (book), Hong Kong University Press, 2010[5]

Awards

• Woman of the Year () – 2006
• Outstanding Young Person’s Award 1988
• Communicator of the Year, 1994
• Stars of Asia, Businessweek, 1998
• Stars of Asia, Businessweek, 2000
• Entrepreneur of the Year (Women of Influence Award 2003)
• Honorary degree from University of Exeter (15 July 2016), for her contribution to environmental protection[10]
• Silver Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong SAR Government (1 July 2017)[11]

References

1. Cohen, Edie (1 February 2006). "It's A Breeze pix: An easy-living Santa Monica house by John Friedman Alice Kimm is green indoors and out". Interior Design. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010.
2. "Apology". South China Morning Post. 6 January 2009. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010.
3. Oliver, Rachel (12 July 2006). "Downright upright". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original (DOC) on 30 October 2010.
4. "Organisation". Retrieved 5 November 2012.
5. Ex-environment deputy Christine Loh to update and revise book on Communist Party in Hong Kong, HKFP, by Kris Cheng, 17 Sept 2017
6. Hong Kong Democratic Foundation. "Person: Christine Loh". Archived from the original on 30 October 2010.
7. "The Hong Kong Observer". HKDF Newsletter. October 2000. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010.
8. New talents to boost govt Archived 18 January 2013 at Archive.today, China Daily, 13 Sept 2012
9. "Former lawmaker Loh receives govt appointment" Archived 7 January 2013 at Archive.today. The Standard, 11 September 2012
10. "University of Exeter". Exeter. July 2016.
11. "Appendix to the 2017 Honours List" (PDF). Hong Kong SAR Government. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.

External links

• Christine Loh's profile at Civic Exchange
• bio at rocky Mountain Institute