Tony YUE Kwok-leung

Mr Tony YUE Kwok-leung

Honorary University Fellow (2026)

A distinguished leader in the construction industry by profession with a lifelong passion for sport, Mr Tony Yue Kwok-leung has dedicated many decades of his life to the promotion, governance, and strategic development of competitive sports for Hong Kong at local, regional, and international levels. With determination, persistence, and a belief in the power of human potential, he has played a pivotal role in transforming Hong Kong into a recognised sporting force on the world stage, particularly in the discipline of table tennis. He has certainly written his name into Hong Kong’s sporting history.

Mr Yue’s academic credentials nurtured his intellectual rigour and global outlook. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Brown University and a Master of Science from Stanford University, two of the world’s most prestigious institutions. This outstanding educational background equipped him with the analytical mindset and problem-solving skills that would later serve him not only as Director of Wo Hing Construction Company Limited, but also in the complex arena of sports administration.

Mr Yue’s leadership in the sporting world is nothing short of remarkable, and it was an early personal connection to sport that sowed the seeds. His father, Mr Yue Yun-hing, was a renowned table tennis player, and under this familial influence, he was introduced to the sport from a young age. What began as a pastime became a channel that helped him gain self-confidence, taught him the value of discipline, and instilled in him a passion for excellence.

Committed to the development of sports, Mr Yue has served as the Vice-President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China since 2006, and as Chairman of the Hong Kong, China Table Tennis Association, where his vision and leadership elevated the sport to new heights. In the international community, he has been Member of the Board of Directors of the International Table Tennis Federation and the Honorary Life Secretary General of the Asian Table Tennis Union, demonstrating his capacity in sports governance. Moreover, he was appointed as the Chef de Mission for the Hong Kong, China Delegation to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games and the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, and as the Deputy Chef de Mission for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. He was the Headquarters Official for the Hong Kong, China Delegation at the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games and Singapore 2009 Asian Youth Games. These roles demanded not only mastery in planning and management, but also the ability to inspire and motivate athletes. In recognition of his significant contributions to sports, he was awarded the Medal of Honour in 2003 and Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2016 by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). In addition, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2008 by the Government of the HKSAR.

When Team Hong Kong, China’s athletes excel on the international stage, Mr Yue sees it as tangible proof of Hong Kong’s strong sporting foundation and soft power. In his view, sport can unite the community and foster close exchanges and connections between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. To further Hong Kong’s sports development, he tirelessly advocates for a systematic and organised approach, knowing that victories can be achieved more effectively through structured pathways, early talent identification, and sustained support. As he often emphasises, athletes must train for at least 10,000 hours to reach world-champion level, making it crucial to encourage sports participation among young people. With more than 8,000 active table tennis players on the local roster, many of whom are only 13 or 14 years old, Hong Kong possesses a critical pipeline for identifying and nurturing future champions. Furthermore, having served as Chairman of the Elite Sports Committee of the Sports Commission and Member of the Sports Commission of the Government of the HKSAR, Mr Yue has been instrumental in shaping policies that prioritise the best interests of Hong Kong’s athletes.

Mr Yue’s philosophy is simple yet profound: set realistic goals and pursue them persistently. Adversities, when they arise, are not insurmountable obstacles. On the contrary, they offer a window to raise self-awareness, analyse failure, and discover solutions. He has learnt, through a lifetime of navigating challenges in both business and sports administration, to see every difficulty as an opportunity for reflection and growth. This proactive and pragmatic mindset for facing adversity is captured in his life motto: Seize the Day. He urges students and the younger generation to better themselves every day, take ownership of their education, and to live the present to the fullest.

Mr Yue served as Advisor of the China Studies Programme and as Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Department of Sports and Health Sciences (then known as the Department of Physical Education), underscoring his deep and longstanding connection with Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). Mr Yue has also offered invaluable advice on sports-related education programmes, helping to shape the future of sport education at HKBU, and enabling students of the programmes to pursue their academic studies alongside their sporting dreams. He finds the University’s commitment to whole person education and transdisciplinary learning exceptionally commendable, believing that sport education is irreplaceable in developing one’s character. He is particularly pleased to see athletes returning to university for further education, viewing this as a win-win for the university, the athletes, the sporting world, and society at large.

In recognising Mr Tony Yue Kwok-leung, the University honours not only a towering figure in sports administration, but a person whose extraordinary contributions to the promotion and development of sports have built an enduring legacy. Beyond a doubt, Mr Yue is an admirable inspiration to all in the HKBU community. It is therefore with great pleasure that the University confers upon him the title of Honorary University Fellow.