Co-create happiness for sustainable business!
About CHOA
Celebrate our 2nd Anniversary
About CHOA
“Co-create
happiness
for sustainable business!”
The Chief Happiness Officer Association Limited (CHOA) is a non-profit organization founded in 2021, CHOA has invited over 20 distinguished leaders from the business, industry and education sections to serve as advisors.
The 2024 UN World Happiness Report, Hong Kong’s ranking has continued to decline over the past three years, falling from 77th place in 2021 to 86th this year. Meanwhile, a 2022 Forbes study found that happy employees are up to 20% more productive than unhappy ones.
CHOA’s initiatives are rooted in the belief that happiness and sustainability are intrinsically linked, and their efforts have yielded significant positive impacts across multiple dimensions. The Chief Happiness Officer Association (CHOA) aims at fostering workplace culture and sustainability within communities, organizations, and society at large.
OUR VISION
CHOA aims to build a sustainable corporate culture blueprint for Hong Kong, fostering collaboration to create a healthy, happy workplace and drive long-term corporate and city prosperity.
Our Mission
- Advocating for a corporate culture that nurtures people, profits, and purpose for sustainable growth
- Promoting psychological wellness as key to workplace happiness
- Encouraging businesses to prioritize employee physical and mental health with clear objectives and communication
- Leveraging technology to enhance workplace culture, benefiting the digital generation
- Fostering active knowledge sharing among members and the community for continuous improvement.
What We Care
To rebuild the spirit of Hong Kong by enhancing workplace culture, which is crucial for the city’s sustainable future. Amidst pandemic and social challenges, CHOA has become a mission-driven organization focused on fostering a positive work environment that drives economic resilience. We align with the Hong Kong government’s emphasis on talent as key to economic growth, believing that revitalizing workplace happiness is essential.
CHOA has organized more than 40 initiatives in collaboration with the business, education and social welfare sector in just two years. These initiatives include the CHO Appreciation Award, CHO Review and the Happy School Recognition Program. To date, CHOA has served over 50,000 individuals.
Our Founders
MS. Mary Suen
Founder and Executive Chairman of the Chief Happiness Officer Association
Mary Suen is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the CHO Association. Mary has extensive experience in talent management; she believes that invisible leaders will be the future leadership trend by empowering employees to unleash their talents and being self-motivated in working towards the company’s goal, such that organizations can overcome business challenges in the highly competitive market.
She is passionate about helping individuals, organizations, and communities to learn and grow. With her experiences, she can influence and inspire creative efforts. She is currently devoted to advocating the Chief Happiness Officer Movement in Hong Kong.
Mary joined Hong Kong CHO Limited as a co-founder in 2021 prior to setting up CHOA. Before devoting her time to Hong Kong CHO Limited, Mary was the Senior Director of Corporate Culture & Talent Development at Stan Group (Holdings) Limited. She cultivates people to become passionate and self-driven talents through cultural transformation.
Mary believes that Employee happiness is one of the vital business strategies, and pleasure in the workplace has become a valid concern for both employees and management alike. She aspires to reach the goal by applying a series of values or principles to each interaction with the employee.
She communicates effectively, conveys a unified vision and mission, and promotes a happy environment in the organization.
These two years have been very challenging. It is uneasy to talk about happiness. The world is constantly changing. We hope the changes can create a new and happier situation for future generations. The establishment of the Chief Happiness Officer Association platform implies innovative methods in the business operation model, with "design happiness" as the value, allowing "people" to release happiness.
Having a happy mindset encourages us to embrace new ideas, appreciate things from different angles, broaden our horizons, and be open to unlimited business opportunities. I am very pleased to see a number of like-minded strategic partners who care about society together while building the "Happy Journey" platform; ultimately everyone can become their own "Chief Happiness Officer".
Honorary Chairman（2021-2024）
Mr. Eddie Ng, GBS, JP
Former Secretary
Education of HKSAR (2012-2017)
Mr. Eddie Ng, GBS, JP, former Secretary for Education of HKSAR (2012-2017), is Honorary Advisor of the GBA Economic and Trade Association, Honorary Chancellor of the Social Enterprises Research Academy, and President of the International Institute of Management.
As an expert in human resources management globally, he used to work as senior HR professionals in corporations like Motorola, Citibank, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Jardine Fleming Holdings, JPMorgan Chase and Macquarie Securities Asia.
Professionally he was former President of the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations, Asia Pacific Federation of HRM, and HK Institute of Human Resources Management.
Academically he used to be visiting professors in MBA programs for local universities, as well as HRM programs in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Asean countries. Currently Eddie is actively involving in providing advisory services to some businesses, cultural and education activities like parenting, arts and STEAM programs locally and in GBA cities.
Honorary Advisors
Mr. Jones Chan
Chairman and CEO
Aeso Group
Mr. Jones Chan is the Chairman and CEO of Aeso Group, contributing his expertise to the building and construction industry. He is a respected member of the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and is a registered professional surveyor registered under the Surveyors Registration Board. His professional pursuits are complemented by his active participation in various organizations such as the Association of Hong Kong Professionals, the Hong Kong Professionals and Senior Executives Association, and the Hong Kong Shanxi Union Community.
Beyond his professional commitments, Jones holds leadership roles in several vehicle-centric organizations, including the Honorary Life President of the Hong Kong Land Rover Club and a Founding Director of the Hong Kong Sports Utility Vehicle Association.
Ms. SALLY WAN
Chief Executive Officer, Greater China
AXA Hong Kong and Macau
Sally is the Chief Executive Officer of AXA Greater China and is responsible for the management and operations of AXA Hong Kong & Macau and AXA Tian Ping. She also has oversight of the ICBC-AXA business and AXA Asian Markets Services which specialises in information technology services in Asia.
Prior to joining AXA Hong Kong and Macau in 2018, Sally was with AIA Group for more than 11 years in various senior positions. She spent 7 years in Tokyo with Allianz Fire and Marine Japan Ltd as Chief Financial Officer and other senior positions. Sally serves as a member of the HKFI Governing Committee Member, the Chairman of the General Insurance Council (GIC), and a Councilor of the Life Insurance Council (LIC). She is also a member of the Industry Advisory Committee on General Business for the Insurance Authority, a member of the Market Development Committee for the Financial Services Development Council.
Sally is a qualified accountant with CPA Australia and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from The University of New South Wales, Australia.
Ms. june leung
Chairperson
BExcellent Group
Ms June Leung is the founder and chairperson of Beacon Group, which is a member of BEXCELLENT Group Holdings Limited (Stock code: 1775). Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree granted by the University of Hong Kong and a Doctorate of Business Administration conferred by European University. Probably owing to her humble origins, Ms Leung attaches great importance to the opportunities for children of the general public to receive quality education. She founded the “Uplift Educational Charity Foundation”, a non-profit charity institution, which aims to facilitate universal and fair education. By organizing different activities and providing financial assistance, it provides motivation for the youth of Hong Kong and stimulates their learning ability, creativity and positive thinking. To that end, she has joined a number of associations and taken up some posts in recent years. These associations and posts include being a member of the Board of Directors of Plan International Hong Kong Limited, Vice President of Merchants Support For Rehabilitated Offenders Committee Limited and Honorary President of Hong Kong Ladies Dynamic Association.
Ms. Stella Yung
Executive Director
BNI Association Limited
Stella has been with BNI for 18 years. She is the National Director of BNI Hong Kong, China and Macau, China. She is now supporting over 180 chapters and total 11,200+ members in Hong Kong, Macau and Shenzhen & Guangzhou, China. In the past year, BNI Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China generated more than 688,000 referrals and business turnover exceeded HK$24.2 billion.
BNI Hong Kong has been awarded the world’s top 10 BNI regions for 11 consecutive years since 2012. BNI Shenzhen Luohu, Baoan South and Guangzhou Tianhe have won the world’s first region respectively.
Stella was appointed the National Director for BNI Mainland China in 2018-2019. Under her leadership, BNI China has increased over 2800+members in 2-year time. Stella received the Founder’s Special Award from Dr. Ivan Misner in 2018 Global Convention.
Ms. May Lau
Director of Social Impact
Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited
May Lau is currently the Director of Social Impact at Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, in the lead of the social impact department under the Vice Chairman Office overseeing the strategy and impact programs globally. May is in charge to steer all the donations, sponsorship and partnership of the group for community charity and measure the social impact for reporting to business stakeholders.
Trained as a social worker in Hong Kong and equipped with skills and experience in both the commercial and philanthropy sector. Joined Lee Kum Kee as a Culinary Artist in the global marketing department in 2006 then she was transferred to Lee Kum Kee Family Foundation and started her journey in philanthropy. The critical job duty of the role is to develop a suitable strategy according to the board’s direction and turn it into actionable items.
May Lau is currently a Doctor of Public Administration candidate and has completed the Master of Social Science (Non-profit Management) at the University of Hong Kong with a distinction qualification
Dr. Susanna Chui
Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Leicester Castle Business School
De Montfort University
Susanna teaches and conducts research in areas related to sustainability, entrepreneurship, leadership and organisational behaviour at Leicester Castle Business School of De Montfort University in the United Kingdom. As the Chief Research Officer of the Chief Happiness Officer Award Steering Committee, she is committed to providing analysis of the award survey annually to participating organisations.
Her research interests include leadership and identity, social entrepreneurship, work selves and social impact measurement. She has published in major journals including Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Journal of Organizational Behavior and Journal of World Development. She is now steering three major research projects including inclusive innovation, happiness at workplace and leadership development of non-prototypical leaders.
Susanna has over 13 years of experience serving on government committees; working with social enterprises and non-government organisations on research and training; and serving on advisory boards for social enterprises and non-government organisations.
Ms. Cora Chu
Board Director
Dialogue In The Dark (HK) Foundation Limited
Cora has extensive sales & marketing management experience in the telecommunication industry for local and global markets. She was inspired to pursue her second career at Dialogue In the Dark in 2013 and took up the CEO role since 2015 with key focus on leading the business development in corporate and education sectors, plus the development of empowerment programs to nurture and showcase the talents of People of Differences (PoDs). She stepped down from the CEO role and joined as Board Director in 2023 to continue her support for DIDF.
Cora is committed in engaging PoDs to create social impact by empowering more PoDs to live out their life with respect and dignity at the same time promoting social inclusion, tolerance, respect and appreciation of individual differences.
Prior to joining Dialogue in the Dark, Cora was the Director of Marketing for CSL leading the mobile corporate sales & marketing team. Previous to this, she was the Vice President of PCCW Global leading a global marketing & communications team.
Mr. Ian Choy
Executive Director – People and Culture, Corporate Communications and Administration
Gammon Construction Limited.
Ian is the Executive Director of People and Culture at Gammon Construction Limited. With over 20 years of experience in both strategic and operational Human Resources, he has extensive expertise in people management, transformation, and complex workforce management. Prior to joining Gammon, he served as the Chief People Officer at McDonald’s in Hong Kong for 10 years. Earlier in his career, Ian worked with Jardines in the property management and restaurant businesses.
Ian actively supports the wider community in Hong Kong through his participation in various professional associations and government advisory boards. Ian holds two master’s degrees which include an MBA and Property Valuation and Law. He is also the Vice President of Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, the People Management Committee Member of The Hong Kong Management Association, and members of various Education Bureau committees.
Mr. Paul Pong
Founder & Chairman
Institute of ESG & Benchmark
Mr Pong is Managing Director of Pegasus Fund Managers Ltd. He works in the fund management industry over thirty years with solid experience in traditional funds, hedge funds and venture capital.
Mr Pong involves actively in the financial sector and community services. He is Chairman & Founder of The Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia, Current BOD Member and Ex-Chairman of The Institute of Financial Planners of HK, Member of Hong Kong Academy of Finance, Founding Member of High Performance Computing Association and Advisor of CityU Academy of Innovation.
He is also Member of Academic and Accreditation Advisory Committee of Securities & Futures Commission, Member of Advisory Committee of Hang Seng Indexes Co Ltd and Vice Chairman of The HK Institute of Financial Analysts and Professional Commentators.
Dr. Darron Sun
Vice-Chairman
Institute of Financial Technologists of Asia
Darron is a highly accomplished professional with IT, FinTech, PropTech, Internal Audit, and Cybersecurity expertise. With extensive experience in the public and financial sectors, he has held senior positions and established himself as a seasoned practitioner. Darron is the Head of Information Technology in the public sector, overseeing strategic technology initiatives and driving digital transformation efforts. Recognized as a World CIO200 (HK), he has significantly enhanced organisational performance and led digital transformation in a global financial institution. Darron holds multiple Master’s degrees and certifications in areas such as accounting, FinTech, cybersecurity, auditing, and ESG. He actively engages with professional bodies and community service initiatives, leveraging his expertise to drive innovation and promote industry standards. Darron’s professional journey and diverse accomplishments highlight his commitment to excellence, leadership, and continuous professional development.
Mr. Robert Ip
Chairman
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce – Industry and Technology Committee
Robert joined Minolta (HK) Limited in 1990. In the last some thirty years, he rose from Sales Executive to became the first Chinese Managing Director of Konica Minolta Business Solutions (HK) Ltd (KMHK) in 2016 due to his unparalleled business acumen, outstanding management capabilities and visionary leadership skills.
Robert has successfully transformed KMHK into a business solutions expert, providing total solutions for helping customers enhance their efficiency and productivity. In 2014, he pioneered in establishing the first social enterprise operated by an MNC in Hong Kong namely the “i-Transform Station”, which employs hidden youth and helps them integrate into the society.
Robert obtained an MBA Degree from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a Master of Science Degree in Information Systems from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Robert is a columnist of Hong Kong Economic Journal and the author of the book “我要做MD”. In his articles, he shares his management philosophies and real stories in the business world, aiming to motivate the youngsters in the workplace.
Ms. Miko Cheung
Human Resources Director
LAWSGROUP
Ms. Miko Cheung has been in the human resources field for over 15 years. As a Group HR Director, she is responsible for the full spectrum of human resources and learning development initiatives and deliverables across all Business Units within LAWSGROUP in different regions. Miko has played a key catalyst role in promoting and implementing LAWS’s Value Framework – H.I.T. (Happiness-Integrity- Teamwork) culture and building a competent, committed, professional, and strong employer’s brand that attracts top-quality talents to grow with the Group.
Miko has a strong passion for building a human-centric culture. Under Miko’s leadership, LAWS won the honor of “Manpower Developer” awarded by the Employees Retraining Board, “Training and Development Excellence Award – development category” by HKMA in 2018, and won the HR Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2019.
Ms. Lancy Chui
Senior Vice President, Greater China Region
ManpowerGroup
Lancy Chui is the Senior Vice President of ManpowerGroup Greater China Limited (2180.HK), where she has played a vital role in developing business strategies for the Greater China region. She is a recognized HR expert and frequently appears in the media as a spokesperson for ManpowerGroup. Lancy has received prestigious awards, including the GBA Outstanding Women Entrepreneur Award and the Asian Female Business Leader Award. She holds positions in various organizations, including the Greater Bay Area Hong Kong Women Entrepreneurs Association and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Advisory Board. Lancy is actively involved in HR management workshops, writes for JobMarket magazine, and contributes to CTHR.com. She also participates in charitable initiatives and nonprofit organizations.
Ms. Susanna Li
Chief Operating Officer
McDonald’s Hong Kong
Ms. Susanna Li is a highly accomplished professional with a wealth of experience in the retail and fast-food industry. Currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at McDonald’s Hong Kong, she has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s success in the region. Prior to her role at McDonald’s, Ms. Li held key positions at Apple, where she served as the Head of Learning & development in the Asia-Pacific region. She also served as the Vice President of Human Resources at McDonald’s China, where she demonstrated her passion for both people and business growth. Ms. Li firmly believes that prioritizing employee experience is essential in creating exceptional customer experiences.
Ms. Elsa Wong
Managing Director
NEC Hong Kong Limited
Ms. Elsa Wong is Managing Director of NEC Hong Kong Limited, a leading Japanese based technology company in providing one-stop solutions/services for various industries in Hong Kong, Macau and GBA.
Her goal is to newly implement innovative technologies and standards for excellence in society. Through our business activities, NEC will “Seize the Future Together” with customers and society to achieve the five visions of society: Living harmoniously with the earth to secure the future; Nurturing prosperous cities with inclusive and harmonious societies; Creating sustainable societies by shaping new industries and workstyles; Sharing hopes that transcend time, space, and generational boundaries; Bringing people together and filling each day with inspiration.
Prof. Randy Chiu
Founder
RC Talent Management Professional Ltd.
Professor Randy Chiu is a highly regarded leader in HRM education in Hong Kong. He is a Professor Emeritus at Hong Kong Baptist University and the Founder of RC Talent Management Professionals Ltd. With numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Human Resource Educational Elite in Greater China Award, Outstanding Contribution to HR Award, and the Medal of Honor from the Hong Kong SAR Government (2012), Professor Chiu is recognized for his significant contributions to promoting equal opportunities. He has designed and managed HRM degree programs, published over 100 academic works, and actively participates in public events, research, and talks to advocate for best HR practices and social harmony. Additionally, he serves as a subject matter expert and advisor in HRM for various organizations and has been involved in promoting good HR management and labor relations practices. He has been invited to be a panel judge or adjudicator for various competitions and events promoting good HR management and labor relations practices. He frequently appears as a speaker and guest on radio and TV news programs, delivering over 120 talks and lectures to professional bodies, schools, community associations, NGOs, and statutory bodies.
Dr. Buston Chu
Founder
Service Cybernetics Consulting Limited
Buston is recognized as a passionate advocate of customer service excellence in Hong Kong evidenced by his active engagement and continuous efforts in advancing service design, delivery management and service leadership to meet the new generation customer demand across industries. Dedicated to the community, he serves as Honorary Advisor (Former Chairman) of Hong Kong Association for Customer Service Excellence, and members of numerous advisory committees of HKSAR government and authorities. Besides business consulting and executive training, Buston is passionate about tertiary education. He is an Adjunct Professor, teaching services marketing, brand management in universities including HKU, PolyU and Baptist University.
Ms. Miranda Kwan
Director, Business Assurance
SGS Hong Kong Limited
Ms. Miranda Kwan is currently the Director of Business Assurance, SGS Hong Kong Limited with more than 20 years of management experience. She is responsible for the overall strategy and management of the Certification and Training division including Quality, Environmental, Health & Safety, Information Security, Services, ESG, Sustainability and Supply Chain Management. She holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemical Technology and an MBA from HK Polytechnic University. For community services, Miranda is a member of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board, a member of the Consumer Council and a member of the Accreditation Advisory Board (AAB) of Hong Kong Accreditation Service.
Mr. Chuk-fai Kwan MH, JP
The Chairman of “Community Investment and Inclusion Fund”, and Chairman of “Financial Education for Working Adults and Seniors Advisory Group” under the Securities and Futures Commission
Mr Kwan has extensive corporate management experiences and has been active in promoting corporate social responsibility, social capital building in various organizations. He is now a Professor of Practice, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He is also the Chairman of Community Investment and Inclusion Fund, and Financial Education for Working Adults and Seniors Advisory Group under the Securities and Futures Commission
Dr. Thomas Man
Associate Dean (Enterprise & Business Engagement), School of Business
The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Dr. Thomas Man has extensive experience in teaching, research, and academic administration and development in local and international higher education institutions. He has edited and co-authored several books, as well as authored and co-authored over 60 papers in the field of business management, with a focus on entrepreneurship and small business management, business and management education, family business, and entrepreneurial learning and education. In addition to teaching entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, Dr. Man also leads course development in these fields. He is dedicated to serving the community in various capacities, including serving as an advisor for start-ups and business associations, adjudicating business competitions, and acting as an external examiner for other higher education institutions.
Ms. Bonny Tam
General Manager – Human Resources
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas)
Ms. Bonny Tam has extensive working experiences in Human Resources Management covering various industries including banking, container terminal and logistics, airport management and public utility. She is currently the General Manager of Human Resources at the Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) and leads the overall Human Resources functions for the Hong Kong Division.
Ms. Tam holds an Executive Master Degree in Business Administration (EMBA), a Master Degree in Training and Development and a Bachelor Degree in Arts. She is also currently a taskforce member of the Business Prospect and Legislative Issues Committee of Employers’ Federation of Hong Kong.
Dr. Barry Ip
Vice President – Learning and Advancement
Wynn Macau, Ltd
Dr. Barry Ip is a senior executive with over two decades of progressive experience in talent management across multiple global industries. He has held leadership positions at world-renowned organizations such as Microsoft, Jabil Circuit, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
As the Vice President of Learning and Advancement at Wynn Palace Hotel and Wynn Macau Hotel, Dr. Ip is pivotal in driving key business objectives, including talent management, executive development, corporate culture building, service quality maintenance, and more.
Dr. Ip has served as the ex-Vice President of the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resources Management (HKIHRM), a member of the People Development Committee of the Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA), and a member of the Learning Committee of the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council (VTC).
Dr. Ip is a Visiting Professor at several prestigious universities in China, where he shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in talent management and innovation. He has earned a PhD, an MBA, and completion of the Executive Development Program in Innovation Management from Cambridge University.
Founding Members
Corporate Members
SME Members
Our Committees
To achieve our vision from different perspectives, we will form 4 Committee Groups with the below mission:
CHO APPRECIATION AWARD & CHO REVIEW
The establishment of the CHO Appreciation Award committee will promote more meaningful awards related to the concept of the CHO, such as at the company, entrepreneur, and employee levels, to commend people who are willing to give in different positions and jointly promote the CHO movement.
The award ceremony is a start point that allows us to explore further how happiness-related management skills impact the productivity of companies. We are grateful to have our CHO Appreciation Award awardees participating in the CHO Review coordinated by CHOA & The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK). During the interview, we have invited leadership teams and colleagues from different departments to share their thoughts on the company’s culture.
The committee should be made up of experts who are passionate about recognizing and rewarding the best CHO practices to corporations or individuals. The committee will plan and support the award planning, recruitment, and ceremony, thus encouraging corporations to evaluate and incorporate CHO concepts.
Hong Kong Corporate Happiness Index
CHO Association and the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong cooperate to conduct corporate research and build a systematic evaluation platform. A group of professors collects and studies the happiness data of enterprises in different industries, which are professionally recognized by SGS to quantify the happiness index of enterprises with different indicators. We expect that index release conferences will be held every six months in the future, and the evaluation data will be made public to let the public explore the latest corporate happiness.
The committee should be made up of experts who are passionate in researching and studying the happiness findings of different corporations and would like to liaise with different parties to conduct studies. The committee will plan, schedule and facilitate the research procedure, thus providing valuable information for corporations and the public.
Events and Projects
The Events and Projects committee aims at promoting corporate happiness by organizing a series of activities planned throughout the year. The ambition is to implement the concept of CHO on multiple levels. More importantly, we encourage the community to start small changes in daily life by sharing the happy stories of the public on the channel, holding campaigns or activities, conducting company visits and learning exchanges, etc.
The committee should be made up of experts who are passionate about coordinating projects and would like to advocate the CHO movement in corporations and the community through diverse events. The committee will plan, schedule, and organize different events or campaigns regularly throughout the year for CHOA members.
People Transformation
CHO Association hopes to encourage a group of Human Resources practitioners to become the pioneers of the CHO movement through enhancing workforce performance and productivity and offering new talent transformation solutions to help the companies grow.
The committee should be made up of Human Resources experts who are passionate about talent development and would like to bring in innovative ideas. The committee will lead the industry to actively look for best practices and incorporate creative measures or systems that can improve the company’s culture, thus being the pioneer in advocating the CHO movement in corporations while achieving strategic business objectives for the organization.
