Past Event: Stanford GSB Chapter of Hong Kong

Date:	Breakfast, Friday, 21 October 2011
Speaker Series:	SIR C.K. CHOW CEO MTR Corporation
Topic:	NOT YOUR FATHER'S COMMUTE: How the World's Most Profitable Metro System is the Largest Real Estate Developer, Biggest Smart Card Innovator, Most Trend-Setting Shopping Mall Operator and Most Influential Player in Urban Planning that You've Never Heard Of.
Time:	7:45 am to 9:30 am
Place:	The American Club, Town Club, 49th Floor and Terrace 2 Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong

Event Details
The Stanford GSB Chapter of Hong Kong welcomed to a breakfast talk Sir C.K. Chow, Chief Executive Officer of MTR Corporation. Joining MTR in 2003, shortly after its listing and at the time of the SARS crisis, Sir C.K is one of the world's most experienced public transportation executives.  First operating in 1979 and listed in 2000, carrying roughly 4.5 million passengers a day out of a 7 million population, the MTR is one of the heaviest used metro systems per capita in the world. Less well known is that the MTR is the world's only fully self-financing profitable metro system, one of its largest cash-less smart card operators (used by 95% of HK's population, with 20 million cards in circulation/11 million transactions daily), one of Asia's largest shopping mall operators (12 malls across Hong Kong, including the stylish Elements), one of Asia's savviest real estate developers (jointly developing both ICC and IFC) and unique among mass transit railway systems, leading urban planning in HK as much as it contributes to it. The MTR is also taking its skill set abroad, with operations in Beijing, Shenzhen, London, Melbourne and Stockholm.

We are delighted that Sir C.K. was able to share his thoughts and experiences with Chapter members.


Attendance
More than 50 individuals pre-registered for this event including Stanford GSB alumni, Stanford Law School alumni, other Stanford University alumni, Asian Young Leaders of the Urban Land Institute and graduates of MIT’s real estate program.


Speaker's Bio: Sir C.K. Chow
Sir C. K. Chow is CEO of Hong Kong's MTR Corporation, joining the Group in 2003, during one of the most trying periods in its history, post-SARS, and one of the only years in which MTR revenues ever declined. Under his watch, net profits have grown from HKD 4.5 billion to almost HKD 8.7 billion and MTR has set an international standard for innovation and profitability while providing among the world's most affordable and reliable public transportation to its customers. Prior to joining MTR, Sir C.K. was CEO of Brambles Industries PLC, and, earlier, Chief Executive of GKN PLC, a leading engineering company based in the UK, beginning his career with the BOC Group (formerly known as British Oxygen) in Hong Kong, Japan, the USA and the UK. In 2000, Sir C. K. was knighted in the United Kingdom in recognition of his contribution to industry.

Among his outside boards, Sir C.K. is a past director of Standard Chartered Bank, and a current independent non-executive director of Anglo American plc and of AIA Group Limited. Among his non-profit roles, he serves as Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (Hong Kong's largest charity and contributor to the Hong Kong Government budget), is Deputy Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, a Council Member of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Member of the Board of the Community Chest of Hong Kong. He also serves on a number of Government committees, including the Commission on Strategic Development, the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries & Conditions of Service, the Standing Committee on Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service, as well as the Independent Commission on Remuneration for Members of the Executive Council and the Legislature, and Officials under the Political Appointment System of the HKSAR Government. Sir C. K. is a member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Sir C.K. holds a BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin, an MSc in the same field from the University of California and an MBA from The Chinese University of Hong Kong with honorary degrees from the University of Bath and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He has also attended the Advanced Management Program at HBS.