Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2005

Citation The 62nd Congregation for the Confermen t of Degree s Doctor o f Social Science, honoris causa Mr. Cheng Hoi Chuen Vincen t F r om th e office o f th e C h a i r man o f th e H o n g K o n g a n d Shanghai Ba n k i ng Co r p o r a t i on o n th e 34th floor of th e HSBC b u i l d i ng i n Central y o u look ou t over on e o f the great business a n d f i n a n c i al centres o f th ew o r l d . T h i s office i s w i t h o u t d o u bt th e pinnacle o f b a n k i ng i n H o n g K o n g a n d arguably i n th e wh o le region. HSBC is o f course a t r u ly global financial i n s t i t u t i on an d the leading bank i n th e Asia-Pacific, w i t h branches i n 22 countries a n d territories. I t is f r om this office t ha t th e affairs o f th e Asia-Pacific r e g i on o f th e b a nk are directed. Th e man w h o occupies this office is Mr. Vincent Cheng, w h o stands before u s this mo r n i n g. H e is on e o f th e mo s t d i s t i n g u i s h ed a l u m n i o f Th e Chinese U n i v e r s i ty o f H o n g K o ng an d th e first Chinese t o be chairman o f th e HSBC As ia Pacific. Mr . Cheng's rise t o great heights i n th e b a n k i ng w o r l d i s i n t i ma t e ly b o u n d u p i n t h e rise t o f i n a n c i al a n d c omme r c i al eminence o f H o n g K o n g itself. I t i s a m o v i ng story o f success against th e odds. L o o k i n g across t h e h a r b o ur f r om M r . C h e n g 's s p a c i o us o f f i ce y o u ca n se et he dense, vibrant cityscape o f Kowloon, including Shamshuipo, wh e re h e g r ew u p i n th e 1950s. T h a t w a s a v e r y d i f f e r e nt w o r l d , w h e r e f am i l i e s s t r u g g l ed t o m a k e ends me et i n c r o w d ed streets a n d c r amp ed apartments. Mr. Cheng himself also struggled t o overcome adversities i n c h i l d h o o d. Bu t i t seems as i f t h i s o n l y s t r e n g t h e n e d h i s c o u r a ge a n d d e t e rm i n a t i o n , a n d ma de h i m mo re keenly aware o f th e sufferings o f the p o or a n d th e h a n d i c a p p e d . A s a m e m b er o f L e g co a n d Exco, h e w o r k e d tirelessly fo r th e betterment of such people. One o f the t u r n i ng points i n M r . Cheng's life wa s w h e n he became a s t u d e nt o f Th e Chinese Un i v e r s i ty o f H o n g Ko n g. Here h e 2 4 Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 2005