Grace Yu Ho-wun, MH

Court member (2019 – present)
Member, Youth Development Commission
Member, Commission on Children
Member, Commission on Poverty
Member, Community Care Fund

“Embrace challenges, be open-minded, and unleash the power of innovation.”

Grace Yu collaborated with CityUHK’s Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences to distribute CityUHK milk to students at a primary school in Sham Shui Po. This visit also increased the awareness and idea of veterinary medicine to the students.

The CityUHK Mastermind Series encourages the younger generation to bravely face challenges throughout life. In July 2023, Grace Yu (third from the right) attended the book launch event.

Grace Yu Ho-wun is a lifelong learner who embraces challenges and diverse opportunities. She embarked on a career in finance, accumulating years of experience and accolades in industry management and entrepreneurship. While some may view her as a finance elite and business powerhouse, she hasn’t limited her latitude to the corporate world and instead has concurrently dedicated herself to children and youth affairs, deeply caring about the development of Hong Kong's next generation.

Grace actively participates in various public roles closely tied to youth development. She has served on the Youth Development Commission, Commission on Poverty, Community Care Fund, and as Chairman for the Sham Shui Po Youth Network and Family Harmony Concern Group, and as Chairman for the Publicity and Promotion Committee for the Hong Kong Award for Young People, among others. Her commitment to helping young people plan their careers and personal growth, be it in education or employment, is a significant part of her life.

To understand the roots of Grace’s commitment, one must consider her family heritage. Her grandfather was the renowned “Ginger King,” Mr. U Tat Chee, OBE, JP, a highly successful businessman and philanthropist in post-World War II Hong Kong, who placed great importance on education. Among his many roles in the community, he was also the first Chinese vice-chairman of The Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong, working tirelessly to advocate for the rights of children and adolescents.

“In the 1950s and 1960s, resources were scarce. My grandfather firmly believed that education could change a person’s destiny. He took the lead in providing education, establishing schools, and offering scholarships for the children of workers. He also organised extracurricular activities, trips, and other events to enrich the lives of young people. For over twenty years, I have been following in his footsteps, focusing on the development of the younger generation.”

Concerned about the development opportunities available for the younger generation, Grace Yu sponsored the “Create your Future@CityUHK X Grace Yu Ho Wun Youth Development Fund” program organised by CityUHK and the “Strive and Rise Alumni Club,” creating a platform for youth to experience university life.

Throughout her work with children and youth, Grace has encountered many young individuals who often feel uncertain and anxious about their future prospects. Over the years, Grace has welcomed numerous summer interns from Po Leung Kuk. Seeing them cherish these opportunities made her realise that all young people need is a chance and platform to learn and grow.

“One of most saddening things I have seen is that these youths dare not imagine a future simply because they do not believe they will have an opportunity.”

She decided to expand the scale of her charitable work and establish the “Grace Yu Ho Wun Youth Development Fund.” Over the years, the fund has sponsored and co-organised various activities, including providing secondary school students with an understanding of the different industries, as an example, aviation industry and its prospects, sponsoring exchange programs for mainland and Hong Kong students in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tianjin, and supporting secondary school students in the Strive and Rise Programme to join the “Create your Future@CityUHK X Grace Yu Ho Wun Youth Development Fund” programme, organised by CityUHK and the Strive and Rise Alumni Club, to explore diverse university courses. Behind all these activities lie one core belief:

“I hope that young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can understand the various employment and educational opportunities in our city. They should not be limited by their current circumstances but instead widen their horizons and create their own future.”

Grace Yu (second from the left) firmly believes that young people should dare to pursue their dreams. The “Fly My Way Exchange Programme 2023,” sponsored by her Youth Development Fund, aims to take them to new adventure and provide first-hand experience with the aviation opportunities in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hong Kong, broadening their horizons.

Grace Yu delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the “Post-War Hong Kong & the Story of Tat Chee Avenue” exhibition at CityUHK.

In addition to inspiring Grace to take on social responsibility alongside her business pursuits, Mr. U Tat Chee also influenced her entrepreneurial spirit.

“My grandfather always used his knowledge and experience to make innovative contributions to the Hong Kong community. As an entrepreneur, it takes a spirit of adventure to move forward. The passion for work, courage, and fearlessness of failure is critical to success. I also embrace challenges and believe that young people should have this fearlessness of failure.”

The road where CityUHK is located is named after Mr. U Tat Chee, “Tat Chee Avenue.” When Mr. U developed “Yau Yat Chuen,” he had already planned for the inclusion of kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and universities, integrating his educational blueprint into the community development. In 2019, Grace collaborated with scholars on U Tat Chee: The Ginger King in Post-War Hong Kong, published by the City University of Hong Kong Press, and co-organised numerous related exhibitions and cultural events. The experience of publishing a book opened her eyes to the immense value of knowledge dissemination through the printed medium. In 2023, she once again collaborated with City University Press (UP) to launch the CityUHK Mastermind Series, which encourages the younger generation to face challenges without fear through the stories of successful entrepreneurs. This year, she has continued her efforts by collaborating with UP to plan and launch the CityUHK TechVenture Series of books, focusing on the local startup ecosystem and entrepreneurial stories to broaden the perspectives of young people aspiring to start their own businesses, and promoting the entrepreneurial spirit in Hong Kong while raising the profile of local businesses.

As a Court member, Grace is amazed by the rapid development of CityUHK in just 30 years and is delighted by the commitment of Professor Freddy Boey, President of CityUHK, to further engage with the community. Education is the work of shaping individuals over centuries, but it also advances with the times. If it weren't for researchers constantly breaking new ground, there would be no breakthroughs in scientific research, and the world would not progress.

“I believe that young people have the power to transform their lives through knowledge and employment. By keeping an open mind, embracing challenges, and committing to lifelong learning, we can unleash the innovative force within each of us.”

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