Wilfred S Y Chan
2 November 1933 - 23rd October 2020
Wilfred passed away at the age of 86 in Hong Kong. Wilfred Chan was one of the pioneer engineering students from Hong Kong. He arrived at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ in 1953 and graduated with First Class Honours in civil engineering in 1957.
He had a very interesting career. He spent his early career in the oil industry. He worked for both Shell and Esso before becoming Managing Director of the large French construction company, Dragages et Travaux Publics, and a Partner in the British consulting engineering firm, Binnie and Partners. He then set up Wilfred Chan Management Consultants Ltd and worked very successfully for two decades before he took retirement.
He was honoured by º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ with the award of the Hon. D. Tech. in 1991 by Sir David Davies, the then Vice-Chancellor.
Wilfred was a past President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers which includes all disciplines of engineering in their membership. He was also a FICE and FIStructE. While the Senior Vice President of the HKIE, Wilfred planned, organised and spearheaded a daring fund raising campaign to raise HK$5 million in 1984 to buy their own premises. If he did not embark on this most ambitious scheme, HKIE would have gone bankrupt! As it is, HKIE now is the only professional body in Hong Kong which owns its own office, a record the members of HKIE are still very proud of.
Besides helping HKIE in solving their premises problem, Wilfred also was one of the contributors to the funds that helped erect the civil engineering building at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. There is a room named after him.
Wilfred was one of the founding members and former chairman of the University alumni group in Hong Kong, established in 1962. In an interview for the University in 2016 he said: "I sincerely hope that our graduates will not forget their heritage. Go out and spread the name of our university and make an impact."
Wilfred was a true son of º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. His family still holds the record of having the greatest number of boys studying at º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ. He was one of five first cousins with the same grandpa to go to º¬Ðß²ÝÊÓƵ from 1951 to 1955. All became Chartered Civil Engineers.
May he rest in Peace.