Outgoing Hong Kong science park boss Fanny Law has ‘no regrets’ but admits she might have been blunt giving views to those in power
Future of developing innovation and technology in city depends on finding and retaining talent, she says
The outgoing head of Hong Kong’s science park expressed “no regrets” over leaving her position after four years but admitted she might have been blunt when giving her views to those in power.
Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun, whose term as chairwoman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation expires next Saturday, said her principle had always been to “speak the truth to the rich and powerful”.
“Sometimes I can be blunt with my words, but I’m not the type of person who holds grudges,” Law said on a radio programme on Saturday.
While Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas Yang Wei-hsiung described his relationship with Law as one of “harmony in differences”, Law said she did not recall coming up against the technology chief.
“After he said those words … I thought about them every night,” Law added.
“If you’re dissatisfied with me, you should just tell me. I don’t think I’m perfect.”
Law said her comments were directed towards issues and not specific people, adding that she and Yang both worked for the public interest.
In the past, when she served as permanent secretary to then-education chief Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, Law said they had tried to convince each other with data.
News this month of her stepping down as head of the science park has been viewed as unusual because her predecessor, Nicholas Brooke, held the position for six years.
On the same programme, Law said the future of developing innovation and technology in the city depended on finding and retaining talent.
Foreign researchers might be reluctant to move to the city due to high property prices and rent.
Apart from employment for researchers, she continued, prospective talent also wanted career opportunities for their spouses and education for their children.
To improve Hong Kong’s culture of innovation, Law urged officials to update laws to allow pioneering technologies to be tested and developed locally.
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Upon leaving her position as chairwoman, Law said she would spend additional time on herself and “exercise more”.