“It has always been my desire to give back to society.”
A well-known figure in the accounting field, Richard Sun Po-yuen is also highly recognised for his long years of service and various contributions to diverse sectors in Hong Kong.
His list of directorship in public bodies testify to his deep drive to contribute to society. “I wish to fulfill my responsibility to my profession as well as society,” said the partner of top accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Institutional Group Leader of its Assurance Division in Hong Kong and Macau.
In 12 years time, Richard rose to a partner position at PwC after obtaining the Professional Diploma in Accountancy from the then Hong Kong Polytechnic in 1984. As his career flourished, he remained as committed to public services. “It is all about passion, and my motto is to remain true to my original aspiration,” said Mr Sun.
He was first inspired to take part in voluntary work when he was a tertiary student. After joining the Social Services Group on campus, he started making regular visits to the homes of new immigrants from China in Diamond Hill – then a squatter village – showing concern and acceptance for the newcomers struggling to make a living.
He did not cease serving in other positions upon graduation. Over the past two decades, for example, he has been an active fundraiser for the annual Community Day organised by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Hong Kong Branch, of which he was once chairman.
His commitment to serve goes far beyond charity. As a recognised leader and spokesperson in capital markets, his expertise has been much sought after by the public. He was on the Listing Committee of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited for five years, and formerly the Director of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation as well as the Estate Agents Authority. “It was an eye-opening experience working for different bodies. The listing work, in particular, is crucial to Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre.” he said.
Richard is honoured by his alma mater with the Outstanding PolyU Alumni award in 2013 and University Fellowship in 2018. He finds resonance with the compulsory Service Learning component in PolyU’s undergraduate curriculum. “I hope students will cherish the opportunity. Through their participation in social services, they can learn valuable things like empathy which they may not develop from studying.”
Publishing date: December 2019
