Judy Chen Qing, 38, the daughter of Chen Zuoer, former deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, was born in Shanghai in 1971. She went to the US to study global economics in 1991 and came to Hong Kong to work for PCCW 10 years later. She joined the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation in 2003 and became chairwoman in 2005. She joined Merrill Lynch as a financial planner at the end of 2006.
'Financial planning requires me to be very rational, but I have to be sentimental in conservation work. I am constantly balancing sense and sensationalism,' she said.
One very sensational moment came when she visited the Giant Panda Veterinary Hospital in Sichuan with the foundation two years ago, where she met her panda 'daughter' Qing-qing. 'When my colleagues held Qing-qing, she fought and looked frightened, but when I held her in my arms, it was such a miracle that she was calmed down. We looked at each other and I felt some kind of affinity between us,' she said.
Now two years old, she was the only panda born in spring at the centre. Pandas usually give birth only in autumn. The team visited the hospital 100 days after the panda's birth. That day, Ms Chen decided to sponsor her for life, called the panda her daughter and named her Qing-qing after herself.
Now she visits her 'daughter' every three months.
'Three months is actually too long for me. I miss her,' she said. 'To ensure she can recognise me when we meet, I leave my T-shirt with her every time I see her, so she knows my smell. I also tell the staff at the panda reserve to hand the phone to her when I call.'
She has recently written a book about her interactions with Qing-qing, which will be launched at the Book Fair. Proceeds from the book will be donated to the Giant Panda Base Rebuilding Fund, which helps rebuild the reserves.