Kenneth Fok

Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, JP (; born 2 July 1979) is a Hong Kong businessman and politician. He is the eldest grandson of tycoon Henry Fok and eldest son of Timothy Fok. He is the vice president of the Fok Ying Tung Group, vice president of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China and a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Biography

Fok was born into the prominent pro-Beijing business family. His grandfather, Henry Fok, was a Hong Kong real estate developer, president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Football Association, and was one of the first Hong Kong entrepreneur to invest in the mainland China in 1980s. He rose to become the vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). His father, Timothy Fok, is also president of the Hong Kong Football Association and the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, member of the CPPCC National Committee and former member of the Legislative Council for the Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication functional constituency. His mother, Loletta Chu, was the winner of the 1977 Miss Hong Kong Pageant.

Fok was graduated from the Oxford University with a bachelor's degree in Economics and Management before he returned to Hong Kong to join his family business and subsequently became the vice president of the Fok Ying Tung Group. Due to his family's political background and influence in the sports development, he was appointed to serve on various government advisory and statutory bodies, including the chair of the Committee of Youth Activities in Hong Kong, member of the Youth Development Commission, Commission on Poverty, and Betting and Lotteries Commission; executive vice chair of Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, standing committee member of Youth Committee of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, standing committee member of the All-China Youth Federation, and vice chairman of Tianjin Youth Federation and trustee of the China Oxford Scholarship Fund.
Other public offices he holds include member of the Hong Kong Art Development Council, adviser of the Association of Chinese Culture of Hong Kong, adviser of the Hong Kong Culture and Art Promotion Association and the chairman of the Culture Action.

He is also vice chairman of Elite Sports Committee and ex-officio member of Sports Commission of Home Affairs Bureau, vice president of the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, president of the Gymnastics Association of Hong Kong, China, director of Hong Kong Sports Institute, a committee member of International Relations Committee of Olympic Council of Asia, president of Asian Electronic Sports Federation, and member of International Experts Committee For Global Active City Asian Standard. His appointment as vice president to the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, where his father Timothy Fok is a long-time president, was scrutinised by the media, which claimed that Timothy Fok appointed his son without transparency, and that Kenneth Fok had no record in any type of sporting achievement.

Fok was appointed member of the Tianjin Municipal Committee Member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. He was also appointed as a part-time member of the Central Policy Unit during the Donald Tsang administration from 2008 to 2009. He was also appointed member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, following the paths of his grandfather and father. In 2016, he was appointed Justice of the Peace by the Hong Kong government.

Controversies

In December 2021, it was reported that Fok had a "privileged" vote in the 2021 Hong Kong legislative election, where the vote would count approximately 7,215 times more than an ordinary citizen. He was elected as a member of the Legislative Council following his win in the Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication constituency.

On 5 January 2022, Carrie Lam announced new warnings and restrictions against social gathering due to potential COVID-19 outbreaks. One day later, it was discovered that Fok attended a birthday party hosted by Witman Hung Wai-man, with 222 guests. At least one guest tested positive with COVID-19, causing all guests to be quarantined. Fok later refused to discuss how he could be held accountable for attending the party after the government had warned against gathering in large groups.

Personal life

Fok met China's "princess of diving", multi-time Olympic gold medallist Guo Jingjing in 2004. The couple married on 8 November 2012 and have a son and two younger daughters. In 2019, his father Timothy gifted a HK$160 million house in Repulse Bay for Kenneth and his family.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fok, Kenneth
1979 births
Living people
Hong Kong businesspeople
People from Panyu District
Alumni of Pembroke College, Oxford
Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
HK LegCo Members 2022–2025
Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2017–2021
Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2021–2026
Hong Kong justices of the peace
The Amazing Race contestants
Reality show winners