Profiles of ME recipients

Dr Lawrence Poon Chi-kin is a leading figure in the local innovative tech scene and the CEO Advisor on applied research and development (R&D) at Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI), currently in charge of overall planning and development of ASTRI’s new initiatives in smart city, smart mobility and PropTech R&D. Before joining ASTRI in February 2023, Dr Poon had devoted over 17 years of his time to Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), and Automotive Platforms and Application Systems (APAS) R&D Centre. Under his leadership, the R&D team had grown from a group of nine employees to a full-fledged department of 140-plus scientists and researchers within 10 years. He spearheaded the overall planning and development of HKPC’s two new divisions, Smart City Division and APAS, while steering the applications and commercialisation of research outcomes in Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area markets. His specialities include artificial intelligence, robotics, smart mobility, electric vehicles, autonomous driving, GeronTech, and the metaverse. An owner of 10-plus patents covering wide range of smart city applications such as artificial intelligence of things, electric vehicles, and autonomous driving, Dr Poon has won many international awards over the years.

Dr Ian Wong Yin-wai joined Raymond Industrial Ltd. (RIL) as a product engineer in 2009 and was enrolled in an MPhil programme at PolyU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering with funding from Innovation and Technology Fund and RIL. He switched to a PhD programme in his second year while helping RIL develop new technologies in his spare time. In 2013, Dr Wong spearheaded a new capsule beverage machine project, expanding the company’s product line and opening up new market opportunities in the U.S. He later formed and led a successful project management team, securing a major contract from an international brand and sustaining the company’s steady development. In recognition of his contributions, he was promoted to Senior Project Manager and then to Vice President at the age of 30, making him the youngest member of senior management in the company’s history. During his seven-year tenure, he reformed the business department and broadened the client base to mitigate the impacts in times of global economic downturns. Currently, he oversees the operation of both the engineering department and the research and development department, as well as the formulation of routine anti-COVID measures.