Mr Charles Chow Chan-lum is a highly regarded accounting professional – qualified as a certified public accountant in Hong Kong and a chartered accountant in Scotland. He graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1974 with a degree in Business Administration and was awarded a postgraduate diploma in accountancy from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, in 1975.

Passionate about the arts, Mr Chow has made significant contributions in this field, particularly in revitalising and promoting Cantonese opera. He has been a member of the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee and the Cantonese Opera Development Fund Committee for many years, chairing the Cantonese Opera Advisory Committee from 2010 to 2016. He was the first Chairman of the Hong Kong Inter-School Cantonese Operatic Singing Competition and an advisor to the Chinese Artists Association of Hong Kong.

During his nine years of service to the Academy Council, of which he was Treasurer from 2010 to 2015, Mr Chow provided much valuable advice in guiding the Academy and leading it to success in various important aspects of its development. Both Chinese Traditional Theatre programmes and EXCEL – the continuing education arm of the Academy – have benefitted from his guidance and expertise in enhancing their overall advancement and operations. A strong believer in education, Mr Chow gave staunch support to the establishment of the School of Chinese Opera and the Young Academy Cantonese Opera Troupe, and contributed significantly to the transformation of the Academy’s undergraduate degree programmes from three years to four years. He is currently serving as a co-opted member of the Academy Development Committee.

Mr Chow is a person with a sense of mission, which is reflected in his professional commitments and his service to the community. He is currently a member of the Foreign Experts Consultative Committee on China Independent Auditing Standards of the Finance Ministry, the People’s Republic of China. He was appointed a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee of Guangdong Province, as well as acting as Deputy Chairman of the Auditing and Assurance Standards Committee and as an examination panelist of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He was President of the Taxation Institute of Hong Kong, Chairman of the Chinese Entrepreneurs Organization and Chartered President of the Lions Club of Metropolitan Hong Kong. Mr Chow is currently a member of the Committee on Venue Partnership with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, a member of the RTHK Programme Advisory Panel and an observer of the Independent Police Complaints Council.

In recognition of his contribution to the community, Mr Chow was awarded the Medal of Honour by the Hong Kong SAR Government in 2013.