Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation managing director Kam in the running for CEO position
- Source says the 56-year-old, who runs mainland and overseas operations for the rail giant, is among the candidates to replace Lincoln Leong
The MTR Corporation’s managing director Jacob Kam Chak-pui is among the candidates to be its next CEO as the troubled rail giant struggles to ride out its management crisis, the Post has learned.
A source familiar with the situation said Kam, 56, managing director of operations and mainland business, was one of the candidates being considered to replace incumbent CEO Lincoln Leong Kwok-kuen, who sought early retirement in August following a construction scandal that struck Hong Kong’s most expensive rail project, the HK$97.1 billion (US$12.3 billion) Sha Tin to Central link.
“Dr Kam is among those vying for the top job and the board is now weighing up the candidates,” the source said. In 2017, Leong took home a pay packet of HK$15.2 million including bonus.
Another insider source said there were some overseas candidates and internal MTR managerial staff applying for the position, and a committee composed of board members would make a decision.
The race for the top job was heating up as the source said chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang had turned down an offer from Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to extend his contract by another three years.
Kam is the best candidate I’ve ever come across for this top job
In an announcement issued on Monday, the government said Ma was reappointed as the MTR Corp’s chairman for another six months until June 30, 2019. The source said Ma agreed to the six-month extension as he hoped to finalise the recruitment of a new CEO.