CUHK Business School Mourns the Passing of Prof. David Chan
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School expresses its deepest sorrow on the passing of Prof. David Chan, Director and Professor of Hotel and Tourism Management, on 9 November 2022.
Prof. Chan joined CUHK in 2018 and took the helm of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Prof. Chan shared a strong passion for nurturing a new generation of young leaders driven by a hospitality spirit, an attitude in hopes of creating a better world by bringing happiness and unforgettable memories for people.
With a vision to bring innovation to hospitality business education, Prof. Chan orchestrated countless opportunities for students to develop their potentials and supported faculty members to venture into cutting-edge research and pedagogies. Through thick and thin, it was a tribute to his remarkable leadership that the School of Hotel and Tourism Management reached its new heights.
Prior to joining CUHK, Prof. Chan dedicated his career to the world-leading hotel groups, including Peninsula, Regent, Marriott and Hyatt in the US, Australia, Mainland China and Hong Kong. He obtained his PhD in Tourism Management from Sun Yat-Sen University and completed Advanced Management Programme from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. Actively contributing to the development of the industry, Prof. Chan was President of Greater China of International Association of Hotel General Managers and Vice President of China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce, among many other roles he served.
Prof. Chan will be dearly missed. He was a great leader, colleague, friend, mentor, and above all, a profoundly kind-hearted gentleman. The spirit, energy and memories he shared will continue to flourish and shine inside every soul he touched.
As a way to celebrate his life, Prof. Chan’s family has created an online memorial board for those who would like to leave their thoughts and memories.