Peter Lam Kin-ngok, GBS (, born 7 August 1957) is a

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

businessman and billionaire. Peter Lam is the son of the late industrialist tycoon

Lim Por-yen Lim Por-yen (; c. 1914 – 18 February 2005) was a Hong Kong industrialist. He founded the Lai Sun Group, and his family was the biggest shareholder of Asia Television. Biography Lim Por-yen was born in Chaoyang, Guangdong, and moved to Hong ...

and his second wife U Po-chu. Peter is Chairman of Lai Sun Development Company, Lai Fung Holdings,

Hong Kong Tourism Board The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is a Government-subvented body founded in 2001. The Board replaced the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) established in 1957. It has 15 branch offices and representative offices in 6 markets around the w ...

, and a director of e-Sun Holdings. In 2019, Peter became Chairman of the

Hong Kong Trade Development Council The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 as the international marketing dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. The organisation has 50 offices around the world, including ...

(HKTDC). Peter also owns

Media Asia Entertainment Group Media Asia Entertainment Group (), Media Asia Group (, ), is a Hong Kong production company and film distributor for films made in Hong Kong and throughout China. It is a subsidiary of Lai Sun Development Company Ltd. History Headquartered ...

and Clot Media Division. Peter has gained notoriety in Hong Kong's business, media and entertainment industry, as well as in Asia's Hospitality and Food and Beverage industries. In 2008, Peter established Lai Sun Dining. The group develops and operates high-end culinary concepts locally and abroad. Their portfolio currently encompasses 17 brands, 24 outlets, and 9 Michelin stars, including 3 Michelin-starred

8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Otto e Mezzo Bombana is an Italian restaurant at Shop 202, Alexandra House, Central, Hong Kong. It is the only Italian restaurant outside of Italy to have received 3 stars from the Michelin Guide, having been awarded 3 stars by the 2012 Michel ...

, Beefbar, and

China Tang China Tang is a Chinese restaurant located at 53 Park Lane in London which was owned by entrepreneur David Tang (until his death in 2017) and was opened in 2005. It is located within the Dorchester Hotel, and the nearest London Underground statio ...

in London, Hong Kong Landmark, and Harbor City. Before founding Lai Sun Dining in 2008, Peter was a key investor in several restaurant businesses, including

Cipriani Cipriani S.A. is an Italian hotel and leisure company domiciled in Luxembourg that owns and operates luxury restaurants and clubs around the world including Harry's Bar in Venice and formerly the Rainbow Room in New York City. It specialises i ...

Hong Kong and the

China Club The China Club is a retro-chic, Shanghai-style club and Michelin star restaurant in Hong Kong. It is related to the China Clubs in Singapore and Beijing but not to the clubs of the same name in New York City and Berlin, Germany. The China Club ...

Biography

Peter Lam Kin Ngok was born in 1957 in Hong Kong to Teochew parents. He is the son of the industrialist tycoon

and his second wife, U Po-Chu. He has two brothers, Lam Kin Ming and Lam King Hong. At the age of thirteen, he was sent to Canada for four years of high school, after which he attended the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

where he graduated in 1987. After his graduation, he returned to Hong Kong to help his father, eventually becoming the vice-chairman of

Lai Sun Group Lai Sun Group () is a Hong Kong conglomerate. It was founded by garment billionaire and entrepreneur, Lim Por-yen. Its businesses include property development, real estate investment, hotel, telecom, mass media and entertainment. Lai Sun is wo ...

. In 1997, Lam purchased

Furama Hotel The Furama Hotel () was a 33-storey hotel in Central, Hong Kong, located at 1 Connaught Road Central. The site is now occupied by the AIA Central office building. History The Furama Hotel was designed by Eric Cumine Associates and built for th ...

for HK$6.9 billion to rebuild it even though the idea was strongly opposed by his father

. Unfortunately it is during the time Asian economic crisis struck and the property market nose-dived, forcing Lai-Sun Group to borrow money from banks, and this led them to be in debt of a hundred billion Hong Kong dollars After this bad experience, Lam put more focus on his entertainment business. The first step to him becoming an entertainment magnate came in 2002, when the movie produced by his company,

Infernal Affairs ''Infernal Affairs'' is a 2002 Hong Kong action thriller film co-directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak. Jointly written by Mak and Felix Chong, it stars Andy Lau, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Sammi Cheng and Kelly Chen. The film fo ...

, enjoyed huge success. In 2004, Lam and Hong Kong singer

Leon Lai Leon Lai Ming SBS BBS MH (born 11 December 1966), is a Hong Kong actor, film director, businessman and Cantopop singer. He is one of the " Four Heavenly Kings" of Hong Kong pop music. He uses his Chinese name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming", whi ...

started a music group- Amusic which recruited famous Hong Kong singers. In 2009, Peter supported

Sharon Cheung Sharon Cheung (, ) is a Hong Kong-based journalist and entrepreneur. She graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1995. She worked for the ''South China Morning Post'' from 1995 through 1998 and ''Hong Kong Cable Television News ...

to start a free movie website "Goyeah.com". This is the first time in Hong Kong movies were shared online for free. The website's main revenue is from commercials In 2011, Peter was awarded Honorary Doctorate by the

Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) (Chinese: 香港演藝學院) is a provider of tertiary education in Hong Kong. Located near the north coast of Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island, the main campus also functions as a venue for p ...

, recognising his contribution to music & film industries and support to the academy. On February 22, 2013, Hong Kong SAR government announced the appointment of Peter Lam Kin Ngok as the new chairman of

replacing James Tien. In the same year, Lam was elected by members to the standing committee of the twelfth CPPCC national committee. In December 2021, it was reported that Lam had a "privileged" vote in the

2021 Hong Kong legislative election 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...

, where the vote would count approximately 7,215 times more than an ordinary citizen.

Business

Peter Lam is the current chairman of Lai Sun Development,

Holdings, the

(HKTB), Crocodile Garments, and deputy chairman of Lai Fung Holdings. He received the Gold Bauhinia Star award in 2015 for his outstanding contributions.

Lai Sun Group & Hospitality

In 1989, Lai Sun Group entered into the hospitality business with several hotel acquisitions and a partnership with the

Delta Hotels Delta Hotels by Marriott is a four-star brand of hotels and resorts located primarily in North America. Canadian institution Beginnings In June 1962, William Pattison and his business partners opened the 68-room Delport Inn in Richmond, BC. Tha ...

Group. The partnership expanded Lai Sun Group's access into North America. In the early 1990s, Lai Sun Group expanded into China through the acquisition of the Chains Hotels Group. In 1995, the company was subsequently renamed Lai Sun Hotels International Limited. The Group currently owns and operates the Ocean Park Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong, the

Caravelle Hotel The Caravelle Hotel is located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The hotel was opened to the public on Christmas Eve 1959, when the city was known as Saigon. Contemporary journalists noted its use of Italian marble, bullet-proof glass and a "state-o ...

in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and the Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland, as well as Lai Fung Group’s hotel and serviced apartment operations in Shanghai and Hengqin in China.

Four Seasons Hotel & The Beverly Wilshire Hotel

Starting from 1995, Lai Sun Hotels International Limited continued investments in a number of luxury hotels across its international subsidiaries. The hotels included

The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong (), is a Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company five-star hotel, located on the top floors of the International Commerce Centre, West Kowloon, Hong Kong, near Kowloon station. Offering 312 rooms, it occupies the 102nd to 118th f ...

Four Seasons Hotel New York Four Seasons Hotel New York is a luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, that opened in 1993. The luxury hotel stopped booking paying guests in March 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, instead offering free housing for medical ...

and the Four Seasons Hotel Milano. In 1996, the

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

reported that the Lai Sun Group had acquired stakes in the Regent

Beverly Wilshire Hotel The Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel, commonly known as the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, is a historic luxury hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, it was completed in 1928. It has ...

in Los Angeles, USA for a deal estimated to be around USD$100 Million.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Hong Kong

Lai Sun Development Lai Sun Development ("LSD") is a property developer in Hong Kong, public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange established in 1987 by the textiles magnate Lim Por-yen.Raymond Wang and Teddy NgLai Sun Group founder Lim dies at 93, '' The S ...

(LSD) acquired the Furama Kempinski Hotel's parent company, Furama Hotel Enterprises, in June 1997 for HK$7 billion. In December 2001,

, with Peter Lam as CEO, demolished two of its five-star hotels - the Furama Kempinski Hotel, then famous for its revolving restaurant, and

. In its place,

built

AIG Tower The AIA Central (), formerly called AIG Tower (), in Hong Kong is a 185-metre (607 ft.), 37-storey skyscraper that was completed in 2005 and serves as the headquarters of AIA Group. It is located in Central, not far from the landmark Bank ...

, a 185-metre (607 ft.), 37-storey skyscraper that was completed in 2005. It was renamed

AIA Central The AIA Central (), formerly called AIG Tower (), in Hong Kong is a 185-metre (607 ft.), 37-storey skyscraper that was completed in 2005 and serves as the headquarters of AIA Group. It is located in Central, not far from the landmark Ba ...

in 2009.

Lai Sun Dining & Restaurants

In 2008, Peter Lam established Lai Sun Dining, a Hong-Kong based hospitality group. The group owns and operates high-end culinary concepts locally and abroad. Their portfolio currently encompasses 9 Michelin Stars across 17 brands and 24 outlets, including 3 Michelin Starred

, China Tang, the

, Beefbar, and Cipriani Hong Kong.

Global Fair Development Limited

In May 2021,

Liber Research Community Liber Research Community is a non-governmental organization in Hong Kong that focuses on researching land and development policies. History The group was created in 2009 by postgraduates, including Chan Kim-ching, who studied geography and ...

released a report, which included information stating that Lam is a company director at Global Fair Development Limited, a company which allegedly colluded with indigenous villagers to buy

small house policy The Small House Policy (SHP, ) was introduced in 1972 in Hong Kong. The objective was to improve the then prevailing low standard of housing in the rural areas of the New Territories. The Policy allows an indigenous male villager who is 18 ye ...

ding rights and illegally develop them.

Personal life

Peter's father,

, died in 2005 at the age of 90. He had 8 children, including Peter Lam Kin-ngok, Pearl Lam, Lam Kin-hong 林建康, and Lam Kin-ming 林建名 who died on January 8, 2021, due to lymphoma. Peter married Taiwanese actress Hsieh Ling-Ling 謝玲玲 in 1980, the couple had five children- Lester, Emily, Evelyn, Eleanor and Lucas, where Eleanor () and Lucas are mixed twins. However, due to Lam's dissolute, the couple had filed for divorce in 1993, after two years the couple officially divorced. Hsieh Ling-Ling and Peter's eldest son, Lester Lam 林孝賢 who graduated from

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...

in the United States is currently the executive director and CEO of

. In one interview, Lester stated that he admired his father and spoke about how to manage a family business so that he can be considered as the successor of the future

. Their eldest daughter, Emily Lam-Ho 林恬兒, graduated with a double degree from the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

in 2006 and a double masters from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in New York City in 2016. Emily is the CEO and founder of Empact28, director of business development at Sing Tao Daily News Corporation, and the CEO and co-founder of EcoDrive. She married Kent Ho, son of

Charles Ho Charles Ho Tsu-kwok, Grand Bauhinia Medal, GBM (, born 23 June 1949) is a Hong Kong businessman who was the chairman of the Sing Tao News Corporation Limited between 2001 and 2021 and an independent non-executive director of Shun Tak Holdings. A ...

, in 2014. In 2000, Lam's then-girlfriend Monica Chen Yi-ping 陳浥萍, a model, socialite, and businesswoman from

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

, gave birth to their baby daughter Lyann Lam 林利兒. Lyann Angelique Lam is his youngest child. When news of their split broke, Peter and Monica issued a joint public statement pleading with the public to offer space and privacy out of respect for their daughter's young age. She has maintained a relatively private lifestyle despite media interest.

Politics & public positions

Hong Kong Tourism Board

Peter was appointed the Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) for three years from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2016, succeeding

James Tien Pei-chun James Tien Pei-chun, GBS, OBE, JP (; born 8 January 1947) is the former Chairman and Leader of the Liberal Party (LP) and former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (Legco). Coming from the background of an entrepreneur, he was ...

. He was further re-appointed the Chairman for three years from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2019.

Our Hong Kong Foundation

Peter is a counsellor of Our Hong Kong Foundation. This Foundation is a Hong Kong non-profit organization registered in September 2014, with an aim to promote the long-term interests of Hong Kong through policy research, analysis and recommendation. Pooling together local, mainland and international talent, it studies Hong Kong's development needs, offering multidisciplinary public policy recommendations and proposing solutions to foster social cohesion, economic prosperity and sustainable development.

Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong

Peter is the council chairman of the

Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong The Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA) is a pro-business pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong. Chaired by Lo Wai-kwok, the party is currently the second-largest party in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, holding e ...

, a political party formed in October 2012. The goal of this alliance is to drive forward Hong Kong's economy through commercial and industrial development and to help improve people's livelihood through its professionalism and dedication. The alliance offers suggestions for the long-term strategic development of Hong Kong and for the well-being of the public.

Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)

In 2019, Peter was appointed Chairman of the

(HKTDC).

Hobbies

Peter, who loves cigars, owns a cigar shop in Hong Kong. He reportedly enjoys "Buttman" Batman-based humour T-shirts. He also loves horse racing. He and both of his brothers are members of the

Hong Kong Jockey Club The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...

where he owns two horses, Go Baby Go and Million Darling. In Million Darling's six appearances, he has been in the top four every single time. Sadly due to a leg injury, Million Darling was forced to retire in 2011, earning a total stake of HK$939,475.

Yachts

In 2001, Lai Sun Development Chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok was the owner of a 30.5-metre vessel made by San Lorenzo called Sun Princess. The yacht has an estimated cost of US$9 million. In 2016, Dr. Peter Lam was appointed as the Chairman of

Camper and Nicholson Camper may refer to: * A person who engages in recreational camping * A trailer (vehicle) used for camping: ** Popup camper ** Travel trailer * Truck camper * Recreational vehicle * Campervan * Camping (gaming), a tactic in video gaming. People * ...

International, a renowned European yacht brokerage and management firm. Peter's eldest son, Lester Lam 林孝賢, currently serves on Camper & Nicholson's Board of Directors. Peter's passion for yachting developed over decades, as the owner of several yachts in both the Mediterranean and Hong Kong, for which he obtained related licenses and certifications.

Sun Princess and SunPrince

In 2010, Peter's eldest son Lester hosted a massive birthday party aboard his father's yachts, The Sun Princess and The SunPrince. The party itself is estimated to have cost Lam over HKD $500 million (US$894000) to host. Despite many attempts to avoid the paparazzi and the media, photographs of the party became front-page news.

2008 Speeding offence

In early 2008, Lam avoided a

speeding Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...

offence when he successfully challenged the correct use and validity of laser speed detectors by the police. Lam was allegedly clocked at 114 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. He eventually pleaded guilty to driving at 79 km/h, and was fined HK$450.

References

' {{DEFAULTSORT:Lam, Peter Living people 1957 births Lai Sun Group Hong Kong business executives Hong Kong billionaires Members of the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong politicians Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2007–2012 Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2012–2017 Recipients of the Gold Bauhinia Star Hong Kong racehorse owners and breeders University of Oregon alumni Hong Kong people