The head of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's campaign office has been appointed vice-chairman of a top government commission tasked with exploring the city's long-term development strategies.

Executive councillor Barry Cheung Chun-yuen was named deputy head of the Commission on Strategic Development in the government's announcement yesterday of the group's membership.

The commission, which is chaired by the chief executive, comprises 31 members from the business, industrial, financial services and academic sectors and three government officials.

Among those named were former chief secretary Sir David Akers-Jones - a firm Leung supporter - and Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing chairman Chow Chung-kong, who supported Leung's election rival Henry Tang Ying-yen. Five pro-establishment lawmakers - Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, Vincent Fang Kang, Chan Kin-por, Abraham Razack and Chan Han-pan - also made the list.

Just three members - Dr Joseph Lee Kok-long, Peter Cheung Kwok-che and Dr Law Chi-kwong - belong to the pan-democratic camp.

Most of the members are locally grown leaders in various fields, unlike the Financial Services Development Council - created after Leung's policy address on Wednesday - which includes several financial services heavyweights from the mainland. The members will serve a two-year term.

The commission was set up by former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa in 1998. Fourteen members, including Leung, Woo Chia-wei - then president of the University of Science and Technology - and Victor Fung Kwok-king - then chairman of Li & Fung - were appointed at the time.