PCPD - The Recruitment of Deputy Privacy Commissioner (DPC)

Date: 13 July 2009

The Recruitment of Deputy Privacy Commissioner (DPC)

1.    The term of service of the current DPC, Mrs. Bonnie Smith expires at the end of August 2009. Since she does not wish to be re-appointed, PCPD has mounted an open recruitment campaign to find someone to succeed her.

2.    Among the applications received, there were many candidates of high calibre. A selection board was set up, comprising Mr. Roderick Woo, the Privacy Commissioner; Professor John Bacon-shone, head of Hong Kong Privacy, and Mr. David Cheng, a senior chartered accountant. Selected candidates were interviewed by the selection board in the presence of two independent Observers, Mr. Edwin Tam and Mr. Raymond Yip, respectively a current and a former member of the Personal Data (Privacy) Advisory Committee. The selection board reached an unanimous decision on the best candidate suitable for appointment.

3.    The Privacy Commissioner then referred the matter to a review board comprising Mr. Michael Leung Man-kin, former head of ICAC and Mr. Patrick Wu Po-kong, retired banker. The review board was satisfied with the selection process and endorsed the finding and recommendations of the selection board.

4.    The Privacy Commissioner is indebted to the afore-mentioned six persons who had freely assisted him in the selection process.

5.    In the circumstances, the Privacy Commissioner is pleased to announce that he has extended an offer, subject to contract, to Ms Margaret CHIU Sai-fong who was considered by the selection board as the most suitable candidate, and the offer has been accepted.

6.    Ms Chiu is currently the Director of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel of Estate Agents Authority (EAA) which, like the PCPD, is also a statutory body. Admitted as a solicitor in 1986, she managed her own law firm for many years from 1992. After leaving the legal profession she worked for sometime in the Ombudsman’s Office handling complaints and investigation work.

7.    Ms Chiu had been with the PCPD as Legal Counsel for six years and is conversant with the personal data privacy law and the general operation of PCPD. Her major contributions to PCPD included a strong participation in the first ever Inspection (of the Hospital Authority’s patients data system) undertaken by PCPD, and the publication of the legal reference book, Data Protection Principles in the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance - from the Privacy Commissioner’s perspective.

8.    Mr. Roderick Woo remarked, "When I set up the award in 2006, Ms Chiu was voted by my office staff as <My Most Favourite Workmate>. ; She won it again in the       following year. It was quite clear that her working relationship with the colleagues in the PCPD was excellent. I am pleased to welcome her back as my deputy."

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