Mentor
Clement Kwok
Overview
Clement Kwok retired in 2024 from The Hongkong & Shanghai Hotels Ltd, the owner and operator of the world-renowned Peninsula Hotels Group, following a remarkable 22-year tenure as Managing Director and CEO. Prior to that, he was Finance Director of MTR Corporation, the owner and operator of Hong Kong’s underground subway system, as well as being a major property developer.
Clement’s professional background was in accountancy with Price Waterhouse and investment banking with Schroders. He has also held key board positions, including Independent Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair at Hang Seng Bank Ltd, Independent Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair at Swire Pacific and Independent Non-Executive Director and audit committee member at Shui On Land, Wing Tai Properties and Chen Hsong Holdings. He has also served on the board of the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Clement is renowned for transforming the Peninsula Hotels brand into a coveted global luxury icon. Under his leadership, the group expanded from seven to 12 properties – including flagship openings in Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris, London, Istanbul, and the recent Peninsula London Residences – and led major renovations in Hong Kong, Chicago, Beijing, and Manila.
He also prioritised long-term sustainability via the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Committee and led the “WorkPlace 2025” initiative to modernise employee culture and customer experience.
Before his Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels tenure, Clement built his financial and strategic foundations in global banking and infrastructure: he qualified as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse, led corporate finance at Barclays de Zoete Wedd UK, and Schroders Asia, and served as Finance Director of MTR Corporation (1996–2002) during its IPO and major bond issuance phases.
He brings deep cross-sector expertise in:
Luxury hospitality strategy – designing and delivering scaled global asset growth alongside elevated service standards
• Corporate governance & audit oversight – leading audit committees and bolstering governance at public-sector financial institutions
• Crisis resilience in tourism – navigating SARS (2003), financial crash (2008), natural disasters (2011), protests (2019), and COVID-19 with stability and foresight
• Long-term ESG & culture transformation – embedding sustainability, purpose-led workplace reforms and cultural modernisation
A graduate of the London School of Economics (BSc Economics), Clement holds fellowships with ICAEW and Hong Kong’s CPAs. He was honoured as Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (2015) for his contributions to Franco–Hong Kong relations.
He is celebrated for his strategic clarity, inclusive leadership, and stewardship of a storied brand during periods of global volatility – qualities that set a benchmark for executives in hospitality, luxury real estate, crisis management, and long-term brand governance.
PDF Profile
Download PDFMajor Career Roles
Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels Ltd
CEO
Hang Seng Bank
Independent Non-Executive Director
Hang Seng Bank
Audit Committee Chair
Swire Pacific
Independent Non-Executive Director
Swire Pacific
Audit Committee Chair
Hang Seng Bank
Independent Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair
Swire Pacific
Independent Non-Executive Director and Audit Committee Chair
Shui On Land
Independent Non-Executive Director and member of Audit and Strategy Committees
Other Career Highlights
Member of World Travel & Tourism Council
Prize winning chartered accountant
Led major IPOs for HK corporates, Banks and Government
Served on many Hong Kong institutions including Stock Exchange Listing Committee, Takeovers and Mergers Panel, Harbourfront Commission and Chinese University Hotel Advisory Board, as well as the Interpretations Committee of the International Accounting Standards Board
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