Bernard Chan, vice-chairman of the board that manages Hong Kong’s arts hub in West Kowloon, will succeed Henry Tang Ying-yen as chairman on October 1, pledging to resolve its financial crisis by boosting revenue and commercialising operations.
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority announced on Tuesday that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu had appointed Chan as the board’s chairman for a two-year term, as Tang’s tenure had been renewed three times previously.
West Kowloon Cultural District is the city’s arts and cultural hub, comprising the modern art museum, M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Chinese opera house Xiqu Centre and other arts facilities and properties.
Chan is no stranger to the arts hub. Before becoming the authority’s board vice-chairman, he served as the board chairman of the Hong Kong Palace Museum from 2018 to 2022. He is currently the board chairman of M+.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the authority’s operating deficit increased 33 per cent to HK$769 million (US$98.9 million) while its revenue contracted 18 per cent to HK$871 million.