Sir Ti Liang Yang said he would keep a low profile in the race for chief executive and promised to give up his knighthood.
He denied reports that former senior executive councillor Baroness Dunn and former governor, Lord Wilson, were members of his think-tank and were helping draft his political platform.
Sir Ti Liang said he believed his knowledge of the lives of different social classes gave him a competitive edge.
But he maintained that a candidate's professional background should not be crucial in the race.
Instead, the choice should be based on the public's acceptance of candidates, he said.
His views were backed by former executive councillor Sir Sze-yuen Chung and John Chan Cho-chak, former Secretary for Education and Manpower.