New Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman Martin Liao pays tribute to predecessor Lee’s stable leadership

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has a new leader with the election of the Hon. Martin Liao as Chairman for 2025/26, succeeding Michael Lee, who stepped down after 19 years as a steward, including the past three as Chairman. 

Lester Huang was elected Deputy Chairman. Two new stewards, the Hon. Rimsky Yuen and John Lo, also joined the board.

In his first remarks as chairman, Liao praised his predecessor’s leadership. “Michael proved the epitome of stable helmsmanship during his tenure. He helped guide the Club through considerable change during the post-pandemic period, confronting challenges with resilience and calm while ensuring the Club upheld its strong commitment to the community. He leaves the Club as well placed as it has ever been to achieve its strategic goals in the years ahead.”

Looking to the future, he said, “I am truly honored to take up the chairmanship of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. This is an especially exciting time for the Club, with its world-class racing and entertainment attracting growing numbers of fans in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, allied to the undoubted promise offered by equine industry development in the Greater Bay Area. Of course, the Club will remain focused on fulfilling its core and ultimate purpose: the betterment of society.”

The Hon Rimsky Yuen, one of the two new Stewards elected at the AGM, brings extensive legal and public service experience to the Board. A barrister since 1987, he was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003 and went on to serve as Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice from 2012 to 2018. 

Since stepping down from government, he has returned to private practice at Temple Chambers, where he specializes in commercial disputes, international arbitration, and mediation. Yuen has been a club member since 2001 and a voting member since 2020. 

Beyond his professional work, he plays a prominent role in international arbitration and mediation bodies, including as co-chair of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and chairman of the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association. 

He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2010 and awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2017.