Hong Kong Jockey Club elects Chen as new chair

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has announced the appointment of Philip Chen as its new chairman and also named Michael Lee as deputy chairman.

Chen succeeds Anthony Chow, who has retired after two years as chairman and 18 as a steward of HKJC. Chow has been invited to serve as an honorary steward in recognition of his years of services.

Elected to the role by HKJC’s Board of Stewards, Chen has been a member of jockey club since 1987 and a voting member since 2003, and currently serves as a non-executive director of property developer Hang Lung Properties.

Lee has been a club member since 1989 and a voting member since 2001, and he takes on his new role while also continuing as a director of private investment company Oxer Holdings.

“It’s an immense honour and privilege for me to take up the new role,” Chen said. “Our past chairmen, stewards, voting members and management have built a strong foundation for the club over the decades.

“The club has a well established and highly effective integrated business model, which has enabled us to achieve world-class racing, provide substantial tax and charity support, and deepen our engagement with the community.

“Certainly in these challenging times the club will do everything it can to support the betterment of our society, which is, and always will be, our purpose.” 

The double appointment comes after HKJC last week announced that it was to reopen the majority of its off-course betting shops on non-racedays from today (22 June), as restrictions placed on the network as a result of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) are eased.

All shops will remain open until the end of the current racing season on 14 July to provide betting services for horse races and customer services.