The Board of Governors delegates most of it responsibilities to the Executive Committee, which is chaired by Ms. Ronna Chao. The Committee formulates the strategic plans to guide both the academic and non-academic development and operation of the Institute.
Ms. Ronna CHAO
Chief Executive Officer, Bai Xian Asia Institute
Ms. Ronna CHAO is CEO of Novel Investment Partners Limited, Chairperson of Novetex Textiles Limited, and a Director of Novelpark Investments Limited. Her responsibilities in these various capacities cover investment and portfolio management, property redevelopment, and textile manufacturing.
Prior to joining the Novel Group, she began her career in New York first as a Mergers & Acquisitions financial analyst at Goldman Sachs, and then as an associate in the Licensing Department of the lifestyle and apparel company Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
Ms. Chao is also CEO of Bai Xian Asia Institute (BXAI). Initially funded by the Chao family’s Bai Xian Foundation (BXF), and with the support of five founding members, BXAI was established in 2014 to oversee the development and implementation of the AFLSP. Today, BXAI supports up to 100 scholars each year to study away from their home country or region at one of its 8 partner universities.
In addition, Ms. Chao serves as CEO of Bai Xian Foundation (BXF); Council Member of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council; External Advisory Board Member of the Campus Asia Program at Waseda University; Council Member of the Board of Council, UWC ISAK Japan; Member of the Advisory Board of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (SSEE), University of Oxford; Special Counsellor of Our Hong Kong Foundation; Member of the Board of Directors of Mother’s Choice; Ordinary Member and Director of the Yeh Family Philanthropy Limited; Board Trustee of Asia Society Hong Kong Center; Advisory Board Member of GoImpact; and Advisory Council Member of the Washington Institute for Business, Government and Society. She was also a Court Member of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology from 2010 to 2016. Ms. Chao is a Standing Committee Member of the 12th Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Hong Kong CPPCC.
Ms. Chao has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Brown University, and earned her M.B.A. from Stanford University. She also spent a year as an undergraduate at Keio University in Tokyo.
Mrs. Yvette Yeh FUNG
Board Governor, BXAI
Executive Committee Member, BXAI
Chair, The Yeh Family Philanthropy
Mrs. Yvette Yeh FUNG is Chair of The Yeh Family Philanthropy, a family foundation whose mission is “building capacity in promising young minds through education and social entrepreneurship.” The foundation’s strategy is to identify innovative models to address issues in education and social innovation.
As a U.S. trained attorney, Mrs. Fung practiced law in California for several years before returning to Hong Kong and working in her family’s businesses. She is an Executive Director of Hsin Chong International Holdings Ltd., a family office. She has a keen interest in education and philanthropy and serves on the boards of Stanford Law School, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong Society for the Deaf and SOW Asia Foundation. She is a board member of Tai Ping Carpets International Ltd. and has been on boards of other Hong Kong listed companies. She holds a BA from Stanford University, MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management and JD from Stanford Law School.
In her spare time, Mrs. Fung loves to travel with her family, especially to exotic and far-flung locations with a goal of joining the Travelers’ Century Club.
Professor Takanori KITAMURA
Board Governor, BXAI
Executive Committee Member, BXAI
Adjunct Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Professor Takanori KITAMURA is a professor of Japanese studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), an honorary senior research fellow at CUHK’s Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, and honorary director of the university’s Research Centre for Comparative Japanese Studies. He is actively involved in the activities and development of the Department of Japanese Studies at CUHK, and in promoting major international exchange events at the university.
Prior to joining CUHK, Professor Kitamura had served at the Japanese Foreign Ministry for almost 40 years. His previous roles include Japanese ambassador to Greece, consul-general of Japan in Hong Kong, managing director of planning and evaluation at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), senior research fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, and deputy chief of protocol at the Foreign Ministry. He also served at Japan’s embassies in China and the Philippines, as well as at the Japan’s representatives of the United Nations.
Ms. Jean SUNG
Board Governor, BXAI
Executive Committee Member, BXAI
Head of The Philanthropy Centre, Asia, J.P. Morgan Private Bank
Jean Sung is Head of The Philanthropy Centre, Asia for J.P. Morgan Private Bank. Prior to joining The Philanthropy Centre, Jean was Head of Global Philanthropy for JPMorgan Chase in Asia Pacific (2006-2013), managing the firm’s corporate giving in 13 Asian countries. In this role, Jean developed programs and services designed to develop livelihood and workforce skills. She implemented these programs with nonprofits and multi-lateral partners. She also developed and initiated country specific needs assessments. This included KPIs, budgets and timelines to respond to social needs with programs and services aligned with the company’s corporate giving strategy and focus in economic development, financial empowerment and workforce development.
As Head of The Philanthropy Centre, Asia for J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Jean works with clients and their families to enhance philanthropic impact nationally, regionally and globally by offering strategic and innovative advice, thought leadership and learning opportunities. The philanthropy advisory assists philanthropists across Asia to develop, articulate and strengthen their giving strategies as well as determine giving vehicles and structures that would be most effective and efficient.
Jean is recognized for her ability to identify social gaps, customize collaborative alliances with multilaterals and cross-sector organizations, and connect like-minded peer groups. She serves as Board Governor of Bai Xian Asia Institute, Executive Committee Member of Outward Bound, and Executive Committee Member of Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children.
She is fluent in English, Mandarin, Shanghainese and Cantonese.
Mr. Shin WATARI
Board Governor, BXAI
Executive Committee Member, BXAI
Chairman & CEO, Cornes Holdings (Overseas) Limited
Mr. Shin WATARI serves as Chairman of Cornes Holdings (Overseas) Ltd., Electronic Scientific Engineering Ltd, Quicksilver Connections Ltd (Australia). Mr. Watari was previously President & CEO of Cornes & Co Ltd. and Director of The Wharf (Holdings) Ltd. He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and received his M.A. from the Graduate School of Architecture, Washington University. Mr. Watari is also a Trustee of Washington University.
Mr. William WONG
Executive Committee Member, BXAI
Chief Investment Officer, Novel Investment Partners Limited and Bai Xian Foundation
Mr. William WONG is Chief Investment Officer of Novel Investment Partners Limited and Bai Xian Foundation. His responsibilities in these various capacities cover investment and portfolio management and property redevelopment. Prior to joining the Novel Group, he worked as a private banker at Goldman Sachs and Citibank. Mr. Wong has a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and International Management from Boston University.
Mr. Kazuma YAMAUCHI
Executive Committee Member, BXAI
Founder CEO, KZM & Company Limited
Mr. Kazuma YAMAUCHI is the Founder and CEO of KZM & Company, a consulting firm that specializes in the fields of investment, start-ups, IP rights, entertainment, content, and social media. Prior to establishing KZM, he was an investment professional at the Private Equity group of Apollo Management, a global alternative asset manager with approximately US$160 billion of assets under management. Prior to joining Apollo, he worked at MBK Partners, an Asian private equity investment fund, and prior to that, he worked in the principal investment team at Goldman Sachs in Tokyo.
Outside of the work, he manages the Hong Kong branch of University of Tokyo’s alumni association, where he leads and coordinates various activities for UTokyo alumni in Hong Kong. He was a former member of the Jing Forum, a bilateral discussion forum between Peking University and The University of Tokyo.
Mr. Yamauchi received a BA and an MA from the University of Tokyo.
