Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1999

Che nDin-hwa OBE, DBA Dr. Chen Din-hwa has long impressed the property developers and weaving industries of Hong Kong as much by his leadership as by his genius. Born in Ningpo, Zhejiang in 1923, Dr. Chen's father was in the textile business. The young Chen Din-hwa made up his mind early to make his career in business and, in his twenties, was already the general manager of three business organizations in Shanghai and Ningpo. In 1949, he moved to Hong Kong and established Nan Fung Textiles Limited in 1954. It was a modest operation during those early years but ， under the diligent and judicious care of Dr. Chen, the company achieved amazing growth and, in less than a decade, had produced marvellous results. The company underwent a major reorganization in 1969 when Nan Fung Textiles Consolidated Limited came into being. In 1970, Nan Fung was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and became the holding company of three wholly-owned subsidiary companies, Nan Fung Textiles Limited, Nan Fung Textiles Second M i l l Limited, and Kin Fung Garments and Investments Limited, with a diversified portfolio of business interests. Since then the Nan Fung Group has grown from strength to strength, building new plants, bringing in advanced technology, and exploring new business opportunities. In the short span of a few years the Group not only achieved unprecedented success, but also provided new space for development for others in the cotton yarn business. Over the years the weaving industry underwent many changes and reforms to become one of the pillars of Hong Kong's economy, and the contribution o f Dr. Chen Din-hwa to this success is universally acknowledged. Hence the epithet ‘King of Cotton Yam', which Dr. Chen certainly deserves. In 1976, Dr. Chen expanded hi s business operations to overseas countries, and invested The 54th Congregation