The 49th Annual General Meeting was held at Room S421, L4, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong at 7:00pm on Tuesday, 25 June 2024.

49.0 Official opening of the 49th Annual General Meeting

The President, Ir Dr Barry LEE Chi Hong, having ascertained that a quorum of 60 Corporate Members was present, called the 49th Annual General Meeting to order.

The President then asked the Chief Executive and Secretary to read out the Notice of the Meeting. The Chief Executive and Secretary confirmed that the Notice to members had been distributed in accordance with the requirements of the Constitution, which should be taken as read.

49.1 Confirmation of the Minutes of the 48th Annual General Meeting

Ir Dr Barry LEE Chi Hong, the President, proposed that the Minutes of the 48th Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday, 28 June 2023, printed in the August 2023 issue of the Hong Kong Engineer be adopted as a true record. This was seconded by Ir Edmund LEUNG Kwong Ho. The motion was carried.

49.2 Audited Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2024

The President stated that copies of the accounts had been sent to members in compliance with the Constitution and invited the Chief Executive and Secretary to highlight the main points on the Statement of Accounts. The Chief Executive and Secretary reported that the Institution continued to sustain a healthy financial and cash position with an increase by 11.3% in income generated for the year as compared to that of last year. After COVID, a high number of activities and events were organised during the year, and the increased activities led to a 21.9% rise in total expenditure. Consequently, the Institution recorded a deficit of HKD1.1 million before a decrease in the fair value of investments amounting to HKD1.3 million. The net assets had slightly reduced by 1.8% in the amount of HKD2.4 million for the year under review, which was mainly because of the deficit of the year. He also highlighted that the Institution had successfully organised the second “Hong Kong Engineers Week” this year under a self-financing principle, and it achieved a break-even position. The Meeting noted that, to sustain membership growth, various promotional activities had been implemented to attract qualified engineers to join the Institution, and the Institution would explore and execute additional campaigns to address this challenge. Regarding the Benevolent Fund of the Institution, the surplus for the year was in the amount of HKD173,000 and the accumulation was HKD4.4 million.

Ir Dr LO Wai Kwok then proposed and Ir Louis SZETO Ka Sing seconded the motion that the audited Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2024 be adopted. The motion was carried.

49.3 Appointment of the Auditor for 2024/2025

On the recommendation of the Council, Ir Kelvin TANG Sher Kin proposed and Ir Ringo YU Shek Man seconded the motion that Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu be re-appointed as the Auditor of the Institution for 2024/2025. The motion was carried.

49.4 Annual Report for Session 2023/2024

The President said that the Annual Report for Session 2023/2024 had been sent to members and he highlighted the Institution’s achievements under his presidency in the following main areas: organisation of the “Hong Kong Engineers Week 2024”, expansion of reciprocal recognition agreement to Mainland counterparts, establishment of the Nuclear Discipline, collaboration with industry partners, as well as maintaining strong collaboration with the media, etc.

On the invitation of the President, Vice Presidents Ir Eric MA Siu Cheung, Ir Alice CHOW Kin Tak and Ir Prof Frank CHAN Fan briefed members on the work of the Administration Board, Qualification and Membership Board and the Learned Society Board in this Session respectively.

Ir LEE Ping Kuen then proposed and Ir Prof Louis LOCK Fat Shing seconded the motion that the Annual Report for Session 2023/2024 be adopted. The motion was carried.

49.5 Re-election of the incumbent Vice Presidents as Vice Presidents

and

49.6 Election of a new Vice President nominated by the Council

The President stated that in accordance with the Constitution, the incumbent Vice Presidents shall normally be re-elected for up to two further consecutive years provided that the total period of service as Vice President shall not exceed three consecutive years. The two incumbent Vice Presidents were Ir Alice CHOW Kin Tak and Ir Prof Frank CHAN Fan.

The President then announced that the Council had nominated, in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Constitution, Ir Rupert LEUNG Kwok Yiu and Ir Allan CHAN Sau Kit, in order of their candidate numbers, as candidates for election as a new Vice President.

(Post-meeting note: The voting results, having been checked and scrutinised by the Scrutineers, Ir John CHAN Kwan Wing, Ir Norman CHAN Sin Wing, Ir CHEUNG Tin King, Ir Ricky LEUNG Wing Kee, Ir Charles SO Hung Tak, Ir Prof WONG Sze Chun and Ir Dr Herbert ZHENG Wei were as follows:

For the re-election of the incumbent Vice Presidents

Incumbent Vice President

Ir Alice CHOW Kin Tak

Voting result:

Total no. of valid votes : 2,020

Total no. of invalid votes : 143

Total no. of ballot papers : 2,163

Incumbent Vice President

Ir Prof Frank CHAN Fan

Voting result:

Total no. of valid votes : 2,035

Total no. of invalid votes : 130

Total no. of ballot papers : 2,165

The two incumbent Vice Presidents, Ir Alice CHOW Kin Tak and Ir Prof Frank CHAN Fan, were duly re-elected.

For the election of a new Vice President

Total no. of valid votes : 2,112

Total no. of invalid votes : 59

Total no. of ballot papers : 2,171

Voting result:

Ir Rupert LEUNG Kwok Yiu was declared duly elected as the new Vice President.)

49.7 Election of Elected Ordinary Members of the Council

The President announced that there were nine candidates for the five vacancies of Elected Ordinary Members of the Council. The nine candidates in order of their poll numbers were as follows:

Ir Phyllis CHEN Fai Wing

Ir Benedict CHEUNG Lai Shun

Ir Tony ZA Wai Gin

Ir Clifford PHUNG Wing Cheung

Ir CHENG Chi Lung

Ir Dr CHEUK Chi Yin

Ir Edmond FONG Wai Man

Ir CHEUK Kim Tang

Ir Prof CHUNG Kwok Fai

(Post-meeting note: The voting results, having been checked and scrutinised by the Scrutineers, Ir John CHAN Kwan Wing, Ir Norman CHAN Sin Wing, Ir CHEUNG Tin King, Ir Ricky LEUNG Wing Kee, Ir Charles SO Hung Tak, Ir Prof WONG Sze Chun and Ir Dr Herbert ZHENG Wei, were as follows:

Total no. of valid votes : 2,090

Total no. of invalid votes : 80

Total no. of ballot papers : 2,170

Voting results:

The five candidates who received the most votes were:

Ir Dr CHEUK Chi Yin

Ir Benedict CHEUNG Lai Shun

Ir CHENG Chi Lung

Ir Tony ZA Wai Gin

Ir Edmond FONG Wai Man

They were declared duly elected.)

49.8 Election of the President for Session 2024/2025 by the Council

The President announced that in accordance with the Constitution, the Council had elected Ir Eric MA Siu Cheung as the President for Session 2024/2025.

49.9 Installation of incoming President

The President was pleased to install the incoming President Ir Eric MA Siu Cheung and passed onto him the Medal of Office.

49.10 Presentation of Past President’s Medallion

Ir Eric MA Siu Cheung, the newly installed President, presented the Past President’s Medallion to the Immediate Past President, Ir Dr Barry LEE Chi Hong. Ir Eric MA Siu Cheung then delivered a speech to members.

Ir Ma stated that it was truly his honour to have been elected as the President for Session 2024/2025. In the year ahead, Ir MA had chosen “Grow the Nexus, Link the Links” (一脈相承 縱深相連) as the theme of his Presidency. Ir MA highlighted his work plan for the year ahead, which would centre around five main areas: governance review, renovation of the HKIE HQs, commemorating the HKIE 50th anniversary, initiatives to attract, nurture and retain talents, and negotiating more mutual recognition agreements, particularly with counterparts in mainland China.

He concluded that despite the unprecedented challenges the engineering industry would face, he was confident that the HKIE would make its mark in the development and help keep Hong Kong ahead of the curve.

There being no other business, Ir Dr Barry LEE Chi Hong declared the 49th Annual General Meeting closed at 7:45pm.

Members casting their votes

Ir Eric Ma at the Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting in session

Ir Dr Barry Lee, the Immediate Past President (2nd right), presenting the Annual Report for Session 2023/2024

Members voting for the motion

Ir Eric Ma (R), the newly-installed President, and Ir Dr Barry Lee (L), the Immediate Past President

Members congratulating Ir Eric Ma on his presidency of the HKIE

Photo with the newly-installed President (8th left) after the Annual General Meeting

A group photo of the Council Members for Session 2024/2025 was taken at their first meeting on Thursday, 25 July 2024.

Note: Ir Prof Christopher Chao, Ir Alexis Lee, Ir Horace Lee, Ir Prof Eddie Lock, Ir Dr C M Ng, Ir Kelvin Tang were not available for the photo session.

The HKIE delegation, comprising President for Session 2023/2024 Ir Dr Barry Lee, Vice President for Session 2023/2024 Ir Alice Chow, and two young engineers Ir Eva Lee and Miss Jessy Ng, who are the Captain and Ally of Engineer Alliance of the Hong Kong Engineers Week 2024 respectively, visited Australia from 26 to 29 May 2024. Besides strengthening the ties with HKIE members in Australia, the trip also served the twofold purposes of building connection with Engineers Australia (EA) and attracting engineering talents to work in Hong Kong.

The delegation had meetings with EA in both Canberra and Sydney, and the delegation was received with warm hospitality in both places. The discussions revolved around the two institutions’ common commitment to sustainability, measures to raise the visibility and status of engineers, our cooperation under the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Engineer Framework and the profession’s global advancement. Another key takeaway from the meeting in Sydney was the method EA used to promote engineering and engineers. They have been making good use of short videos and LinkedIn to engage with their audience, a strategy that the HKIE may make reference to in the future. The visits were fruitful as the connection between the HKIE and EA has been re-established, paving the way for more collaborative opportunities in the future.

One of the highlights of the trip was the cocktail reception co-organised with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), Sydney, in the evening of 28 May 2024. The event attracted more than 80 attendees, including local engineers, HKIE members who had emigrated to Australia, and guests invited by HKETO Sydney. Engineers from various disciplines who were originally from Hong Kong, and Australian engineers from different backgrounds, all listened with intense interest to President’s presentation on the opportunities offered by Hong Kong’s vibrant engineering sector. It was an evening filled with informative sharing and intellectual exchange, amid a relaxed setting.

On the last day of the trip, namely 29 May 2024, the delegation paid visits to two universities and met with the engineering faculty as well as the students there. The morning session at Western Sydney University stimulated discussions on the diverse opportunities awaiting those who were eager to pursue a career in Hong Kong’s engineering industry. Especially of interest to students were the city’s innovation and technology sector and the role engineering practitioners could play in that ever-evolving scene. In the afternoon, at the University of New South Wales, the delegates continued to spread the word of our city’s bright prospects. Students were most intrigued by our engineering professionals’ endeavours to build a smarter and more sustainable future, the Research and Development (R&D) opportunities in store, and the endless possibilities going forward. Overall, the visits to the universities were a success and the messages delivered by the HKIE delegates were well received by the audience.

The delegation met with EA and exchanged souvenirs after the meeting

The cocktail reception at Sydney, co-organised with HKETO Sydney, was well attended

The delegation visited the Western Sydney University

Students at University of New South Wales showed interest in the opportunities in
Hong Kong’s engineering industry

The Internation Council on Electrical Engineering (ICEE) Conference 2024 was successfully held in Kitakyushu, Japan, from 30 June to 4 July 2024. It was hosted by the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ) and jointly organised with the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering (CSEE), the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers (KIEE) and the Institution. With the theme “TRANSformative Electrical Engineering for Future Society”, the Conference attracted more than 300 delegates from all over the world. The HKIE delegation was led by Senior Vice President Ir Alice Chow together with Ir Prof C C Chan, Ir Andrew Yan, Ir Mandy Leung, Ir Prof Henry Chung and Ir Dr Sam Lam.

Our Senior Vice President Ir Alice Chow delivered an address at the Opening Ceremony on behalf of the Institution. She recognised the efforts of the ICEE in actively promoting the sustained excellence in the electrical engineering profession.

Ir Prof C C Chan gave a keynote speech titled “New Journey of Energy Revolution and Automotive Revolution” which provides insight into the development of sustainable energy solutions and the future of the automotive industry. His speech was well received by the delegates.

The Conference provided a valuable platform for engineers and engineering students to exchange their knowledge, experience, and innovative ideas, fostering technical advancements in the field of electrical engineering. A total of 178 papers and 164 posters were presented in oral and poster sessions respectively. The Conference included a special session and four panel discussion sessions on topics of common interest, including microgrids, advanced modelling and simulation techniques for power systems, AI applications in power and energy systems, and advanced distribution systems. During the conference, delegates engaged in fruitful conversation and exchanges of knowledge through presentations and discussions.

The Conference was concluded by technical visits to SHIN-KOKURA Thermal Power Station, JR Kokura General Rolling Stock Center and TOTO museum.

The next ICEE Conference will take place in July 2025 in Wuhan, China.

Keynote presentation by Ir Prof C C Chan

(L to R) Prof Masayuki Watanabe, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the ICEE Conference 2024, Dr Lianjun Shi, Secretary General of CSEE, Dr Shinya Fushimi, President of IEEJ, Ir Alice Chow, Senior Vice President of HKIE and Prof Byong Jun Lee, President of KIEE at the Opening Ceremony

Delegates from Hong Kong, China at the ICEE Conference 2024

On 15 June 2024, Continuing Professional Development Committee (CPDC) organised a course on “Engineers in Society and Professional & Ethical Responsibility for Engineers.” Some participants joined the course by invitation to fulfill the specific top-up requirements for HKIE membership, subject to successful completion of written assignment and the written exam. The course was also open for registration for Scheme “A” trainees as a CPD course.

Twelve candidates joined the course to fulfill top-up requirements while 15 Scheme “A” trainees joined as a CPD course. Experienced HKIE members, including Ir P C Lo, Ir Stephen Chik, Ir Enoch Lam and Ir Tak Tang were the four speakers for the course. The course covered the topics such as professional competence standards, statutory responsibilities, professional ethics, and HKIE Rules of Conduct. After the presentation session on the topics, the participants were divided into groups in the discussion session. Each of the speakers joined in the groups as facilitators and had fruitful discussions with the participants. Each group was required to share their results and support their views as a professional engineer.

CPDC would like to thank the speakers for their time and effort in preparing for the course and their continuing support for CPD events.

The speakers delivering their insights

The participants during the discussion session