Dr William Leung has had a successful career of over 30 years in the Hong Kong financial sector. He has served Hang Seng Bank as Executive Director and Sun Hung Kai Financial as CEO. He has also held key positions in major financial institutions in Hong Kong and Australia, including American Express, Standard Chartered Bank, Visa International and Mastercard International.

As an expert in payment and banking, Dr Leung invented the e-cert based digital cheque in 2015, and is thus nick-named “father of the digital cheque”. He is most renowned for his abilities to solve problems with innovative ideas and to lead the future with strategic visions. His reputation extends to his astute leadership and management skills, strong business ethics, and empathetic care for staff and customers alike.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Dr Leung graduated from the Hong Kong Baptist College in 1978 and received a Diploma in English Language and Literature. Dr Leung was elected Honorary Certified Financial Management Planner of the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers in 2006.

Dr Leung has served a spectrum of community and public organisations. He is Chairman of the Employees Retraining Board, Chairman of the Estate Agent Authority, Chairman of the Hong Kong Creative Arts Centre, Emeritus Chairman of the Hong Kong Dance Company, and Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Heart Foundation. He is a co-opted member of the Youth Education, Employment and Training Task Force of the Commission on Poverty of HKSAR. Dr Leung also served as a member of Investor Education Advisory Committee, under the Security and Futures Commission and was a member of the Digital 21 Strategy Advisory Committee.

Dr Leung is a staunch supporter of the tertiary education sector, He is immediate Past Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.  Before that, he served as Treasurer of the Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) Council and Court, and is still serving as Chairman of the HKBU Foundation Alumni Committee and Chairman of HKBU Business School’s Business Advisory Committee.  Currently he is Chairman of the Investment and Allocation Committee of HKU SPACE Alumni.  He has recently been appointed as Chairman of the HKU SPACE Investment Committee and a Senior Advisor to the Board.  

In vocational and professional education, Dr Leung was a member of the Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education, HKSAR and was previously a member of the Banking Industry Training Advisory Committee.  He chaired the Committee on Management and Supervisory Training of the Vocational Training Council (VTC) from 2001 to 2008.  In view of his distinguished services, HKBU conferred him an Honorary University Fellowship in 2013 and a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013/14.  For the same reason, HKU SPACE Alumni conferred him with the Distinguished Alumni Fellowship in 2010 and VTC conferred him a Honorary Fellowship in 2016.  Most recently in October 2017, he was conferred a Honorary Doctorate by the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

The Government of HKSAR also recognised Dr Leung’s contributions to the community. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 2005 and honoured with a Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2009 and again a Silver Bauhinia Star in 2016.

For all these contributions to the community, and to education in particular, Dr Leung well merits the HKU SPACE Honorary Fellowship.