Herbert John Charles Browne, OBE, JP (21 December 1923 – 23 July 2015) was a British businessman. Born on 21 December 1923 in

Bangalore Bangalore (), List of renamed places in India, officially Bengaluru (), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan area, metropolitan population of a ...

, India, Browne spent the majority of his career working for the

Swire Group Swire Group () is a Hong Kong- and London-based British conglomerate. Many of its core businesses can be found within the Asia Pacific region, where traditionally Swire's operations have centred on Hong Kong and mainland China. Within Asia, ...

in Japan, Hong Kong and London. He joined the company in 1947, having spent the war years in India. Recruited for his shipping experience, Browne worked in Hong Kong and Japan and in 1964 was appointed chairman, or Taipan, in Hong Kong. This position included chairmanship of some of the Group's key subsidiaries, including

Cathay Pacific Airways Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (CPA), more widely known as Cathay Pacific (), is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport. The airline's operations and subsidiaries have ...

HAECO Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (HAECO) is a leading independent aircraft engineering and maintenance group with its head office located at Hong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport is Hong Kong's m ...

and Swire Pacific. From 1973 - 1984 he was appointed director of the Group holding company John Swire & Sons Ltd. in London and from 1984 to 1988 he was Deputy Chairman of

Lloyd's Register of Shipping Lloyd's Register Group Limited (LR) is a technical and professional services organisation and a maritime classification society, wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to research and education in science and ...

. During his career Browne held many outside directorships and public positions, including director of HSBC and chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Advisory Group. He was an Unofficial Member of the

Legislative Council of Hong Kong The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under China's " one country, two systems" constitutional arrangement, and is the power centre of Hong Ko ...

from 1968 to 1973. During this time he also served periodically as an Unofficial Member of the

Executive Council of Hong Kong The Executive Council of Hong Kong (ExCo) is the cabinet of the Government of Hong Kong, acting as a formal body of advisers to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong that serves as a core policy-making organ assisting the Chief Executive. It is ...

. Browne married Veronica Schlee on 11 February 1950 at St John's Cathedral in Hong Kong. They had four children, Laurence, Rollo, Stephen and Marcus. He died on 23 July 2015 in Bramley, UK, aged 91.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Browne, Herbert John Charles 1923 births 2015 deaths British expatriates in Japan British expatriates in Hong Kong Hong Kong chief executives Cathay Pacific Swire Group Members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong Officers of the Order of the British Empire British people in colonial India