Laura M Cha

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Affiliation
Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd and member of the Hong Kong-United States Business Council
Bio

Mrs. Cha is Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd and a member of the Hong Kong-United States Business Council.
Mrs. Cha is also an Independent Non-Executive Director of Ant Group Co Ltd, a Senior International Advisor of Foundation Assets Management Sweden AB and a member of Sotheby’s International Advisory Board. In addition, Mrs Cha is also Vice Chairman of the International Advisory Council of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, and a Director of the World Federation of Exchanges.
Mrs. Cha has previously served as Independent Non-Executive Director of the following companies:

-2013-2022   Unilever plc (listed in London)
-2011-2021   HSBC Holdings plc (listed in London and Hong Kong)
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited – chairman (2019-2021), independent non-executive director (2004-2021) and deputy chairman (2007-2019)
-2008-2018   China Telecom Corporation Limited (listed in Hong Kong)
-2008-2012   Tata Consultancy Services Limited (listed in Mumbai)
-2006-2012   Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (listed in Hong Kong)
-2006-2009   Baoshan Iron & Steel Co Ltd (listed in Shanghai)
-2004-2009   Johnson Electric Holdings Limited (listed in Hong Kong)

Mrs. Cha became the first, and to-date, the only person outside Mainland China to join the Central Government of the People’s Republic of China at the vice ministerial rank when she was appointed as Vice Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission in January 2001. She served in that position until 2004. Mrs. Cha worked for the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong from 1991 to 2000, becoming its Deputy Chairman in 1998.
Mrs. Cha was a member of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong from 2004 to 2022. She also served as Chairman of the University Grants Committee in Hong Kong (2007 to 2011), Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in Hong Kong (2007 to 2012) and Chairman of The Financial Services Development Council of Hong Kong from (2013 to 2018). She was a member of the Global Agenda Council on the Global Financial System at the World Economic Forum from 2010 to 2013.
Mrs. Cha earned her BA degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a JD degree from the Santa Clara University in California. She practiced law in San Francisco and Hong Kong from 1983 to 1991. She was also a former member of the Committee of 100 in the US.

She was awarded a Silver Bauhinia Star in 2001, a Gold Bauhinia Star in 2009 and the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2017 by the Hong Kong Government for her public service.