Alan Tam Wing-lun, the legendary “Principal of Cantopop,” has enjoyed a hugely successful career spanning more than five decades, while his son Howard has quietly built a thriving tech career away from the public eye, according to East Week, a sister publication of The Standard.
Howard, 32, is the only child of Tam and his long-time partner Wendy Chu. He is currently a senior software engineer at a Canadian Web3 startup, where he focuses on digital wallets, cryptography and blockchain-related projects.
A gifted child, Howard excelled academically and musically from a young age. He earned top marks in his GCSE exams before completing a master’s degree in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford in 2017, followed by further studies at Princeton University in the United States.
Despite having opportunities to enter the entertainment industry, Howard chose to forge his own path in technology. He began his tech career at Canadian game company Axiom Zen, where he managed projects including CryptoKitties, the world’s first Ethereum-based NFT game, which sparked a global craze.
Howard later worked at four technology companies, including a stint at Amazon, one of the world’s largest online retailers. He has also set up his own company. By gaining experience across firms of different scales, his annual income has reportedly exceeded HK$1 million, with strong career prospects ahead.
Although based overseas, Howard maintains a close relationship with his father through video calls and gifts. Tam respects his son’s independence, saying: “He’s building his career and has his own life.”
