Academic, businessman and policy expert joins university

The University of Science and Technology's council has approved the appointment of Dr Eden Woon Yi-teng as the university's first vice-president for institutional advancement starting from November.

It said Woon would be the university's chief relations and development officer with the job of advancing long-term strategic relations with stakeholders, including alumni, local and foreign organisations. He would also develop strategies to broaden support for the university, and to generate increased donations.

Woon is managing director of the China corporate office of the Li & Fung Group, which he joined in 2007. From 2007 to 2009, he was the managing director of China for Toys Lifung, which operates Toys 'R' Us stores across the country.

Woon was also a vice-president of Starbucks Greater China from 2006 to 2007. He was also chief executive of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce from 1997 to 2006, the first Chinese to hold the position in the city's oldest and largest business organisation.

Professor Tony Chan Fan-cheong, the university president, said: 'Dr Woon has a unique background that combines a stint in academia, substantial exposure to the global, mainland China and Hong Kong scenes, as well as a proven record in international relations, public policy, business development, and corporate affairs.'

Woon was born in Shanghai in 1947 and moved to Hong Kong two years later. He emigrated to the US in 1959 with his family. He served in the US Air Force until 1993, retiring as a colonel. He was assigned to the US embassy in Beijing from 1983 to 1985. From 1985 to 1994, he worked on China policy for the US government and acted as China adviser to the US secretary of defence from 1989 to 1994. He returned to Hong Kong in 1997.