Anson Chan is the longest-serving of the post-war chief secretaries and colonial secretaries.
And she is probably the only one to receive an extension to her appointment in the same post after reaching retirement age.
Appointed Chief Secretary on November 29, 1993, Mrs Chan will have served in the post for eight years and seven months when her term expires on June 30, 2002.
Of post-war colonial secretaries and chief secretaries, Sir David Ford put in 6.5 years from February 1987 to November 1993.
Former chief secretaries Sir David Akers-Jones and Sir David Ford both retired and were re-employed afterwards.
Sir David Akers-Jones retired at 55 when he was a policy secretary in April 1982. He was then re-employed as a policy secretary until June 1985 when he became chief secretary. He was then appointed a special adviser to Sir David Wilson from April to October 1987.
Former chief secretary Sir David Ford retired at the age of 58 in December 1993. He was then re-employed as the commissioner to London at the senior D8 rank until April last year.