Kenneth Lau

Kenneth Lau Ip-keung BBS MH JP (Chinese: 劉業強, born 1966) is a New Territories rural leader in Hong Kong. He is the current chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk and member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong for the Heung Yee Kuk functional constituency, succeeding his father Lau Wong-fat in 2015 and 2016 respectively. He has been a non-official member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong since 2017. He was awarded the Bronze Bauhinia Star by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2017.[1]

The Honourable Kenneth Lau Ip-keung BBS MH JP
劉業強
Kenneth Lau
Non-Official Member of Executive Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2017
Appointed by	Carrie Lam
Preceded by	Cheung Hok-ming
Member of Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 October 2016
Preceded by	Lau Wong-fat
Constituency	Heung Yee Kuk
Chairman of Heung Yee Kuk
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 June 2015
Preceded by	Lau Wong-fat
Member of Tuen Mun District Council
In office 1 January 2000 – 1 April 2011
Appointed by	Leung Chun-ying
Personal details
Born	1966 (age 54–55) British Hong Kong
Nationality	British
Political party	Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong
Spouse(s)	Judy Lau Yap Ai-ai
Parents	Lau Wong-fat
Residence	Hong Kong
Alma mater	London School of Economics (BS)
Occupation	Businessman

Kenneth Lau Ip-keung
Traditional Chinese	劉業強
Simplified Chinese	刘业强
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Liú Yèqiáng Yue: Cantonese Jyutping lau4 jip6 koeng4

Biography

Lau was born in 1966 to Lau Wong-fat, the powerful rural leader and the chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk for 35 years. He graduated from the London School of Economics in 1989 with a degree in mathematics and statistics. In May 2015, he was elected unchallenged to the Kuk chairmanship upon his father's retirement.[2][3]

Lau was an appointed member of Tuen Mun District Council from 2000 to 2011. He was also a member of the government's Environmental Campaign Committee (2010–13).[4]

Since 2006, he has been a member of the Election Committee, under the New Territories District Council Subsector from 2006 to 2011 and through Heung Yee Kuk since 2011.[5]

Lau is a director of the Community Chest of Hong Kong. He and his wife, Judy Lau Yap Ai-ai, are members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club and horse owners.

Lau was revealed to be a British citizen by documents in the Panama Papers.[6]

In the 2016 Hong Kong Legislative Council election, he succeeded his father to become a member of the Legislative Council in the Heung Yee Kuk functional constituency unopposed.

According to his July 2020 declaration of interest, he owns more than 400 pieces of land throughout Hong Kong.[7] In addition to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, the declaration lists him as a member of other organisations such as the Mission Hills Golf Club, Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club, and the Hong Kong Golf Club.[7]

References

1. "Appendix to the 2017 Honours List" (PDF). Hong Kong SAR Government. 1 July 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
2. Lau, Stuart (30 May 2015). "Lau Wong-fat's son 'rushes' to take over Heung Yee Kuk". South China Morning Post.
3. Ng, Kang-chung (1 June 2015). "Heung Yee Kuk chairman steps into father's shoes saying he'll seek his advice". South China Morning Post.
4. Ng, Kang-chung; Cheung, Gary (23 June 2015). "The businessman who has very big boots to fill". South China Morning Post.
5. "Lau, Kenneth Ip Keung". Webb-site Who's who.
6. Panama Papers: Future political star and Heung Yee Kuk lawmaker have British nationality, Hong Kong Free Press, 20 April 2016
7. "Kenneth Lau Declaration of Interest" (PDF).