The Government today announced the appointment of Prof Alfred Chan as Equal Opportunities Commission Chairperson for a three-year term commencing April 11.
The appointment was made by the Chief Executive under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance.
Selection board chairperson Laura Cha said an open recruitment exercise was conducted by a human resources consultant and the board had considered 144 candidates before making recommendations to the Chief Executive.
Mrs Cha noted that Prof Chan has an impressive professional and public service record in fields such as health, welfare, the elderly and ethnic minorities in both Hong Kong and the international arena.
"His clear vision, passion and commitment in various areas of equal opportunities have been fully evidenced by his work and experience in the social service and tertiary education sectors over the years," she added.
Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Raymond Tam said that in considering the most suitable person for the post, the selection committee had looked at a wide range of candidates.
He noted that those who had led the commission in the past 20 years included a former judge, civil servants and an academic.
Mr Tam thanked incumbent chairperson Dr York Chow for his work over the past three years.
He noted that during Dr Chow's term of office, the commission effectively implemented four anti-discrimination ordinances; facilitated the amendment of the Sex Discrimination Ordinance to expand the scope of protection against sexual harassment; and had set up the Ethnic Minorities Unit.
Under Dr Chow's leadership, the commission's performance has exceeded its targets, efficiently handling more than 10,000 enquiries and more than 500 complaints a year, Mr Tam added.
