Ms Echo Chan Keng Hong officially took office as the new Coordinator of the Support Office to the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao) at a swearing-in ceremony on March 18 headed by Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Leong Vai Tac.

Her appointment to the body, which is also known as Forum Macao, was effective from March 4. It was made by dispatch No. 76/2015 from the Secretary for Economy and Finance.

Ms Chan joined the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) in 1995. She had been an Executive Director at IPIM since 2004.

In 2011, she took on the additional duties of chairing the Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Technology Industrial Park Development Co. Ltd.

Ms Chan speaks several languages, including Portuguese and Chinese, and has a degree in economics from the University of Jinan in mainland China. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Macau, specialising in marketing and strategic management. In addition, Ms Chan has a Diploma in Language and Portuguese Culture from the University of Coimbra, Portugal.

She joined Macao’s public administration in 1992. Ms Chan headed the Marketing and Public Relations Office of IPIM between July 1996 and October 1999. The official also served as Director of IPIM’s Investor Service Department, between November 1999 and March 2004.

Between August 2011 and December 2014, Ms Chan was a member of the Board of Directors of Macau Investment and Development, SA.

Prior to that – between September 2010 and July 2011 – Ms Chan had been the Deputy Coordinator of the Office for Preparation of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park. She went on to serve as Coordinator there between July 2011 and October 2011.

In his speech during the swearing-in ceremony, the Secretary for Economy and Finance praised Ms Chan’s experience in the field of trade promotion and her deep knowledge of Portuguese-speaking Countries. He pointed out that Ms Chan was a seasoned organiser of trade delegations from China, namely from Guangdong and Fujian provinces, to Portuguese-speaking Countries, helping to promote trade and investment between Mainland China, Macao and Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Secretary declared his trust on Ms Chan and her ability to achieve success in her new position.

He also thanked former Coordinator of the Support Office to the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao, Ms Rita Santos, for her work during the time she held the post.

Ms Chan thanked the Macao SAR Government for her appointment and the trust put in her by the Chief Executive and the Secretary for Economy and Finance. She stated that a lot has already been accomplished by Forum Macao and pledged to work hard to promote the role of Macao as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

Ms Chan also praised the contributions of her predecessor on the job, Ms Santos.