Walter Kwok, driving force in Hong Kong business and Imperial alumnus, has died aged 68
Mr Kwok’s family announced in a statement: “We are saddened to announce the passing of Mr Walter Kwok, who left this world peacefully on the morning of 20 October 2018, with his loving family by his bedside.”
Born the oldest of three sons in 1950 in Hong Kong, Mr Kwok had a long-standing relationship with Imperial. He completed his BEng in Civil Engineering in 1971, followed by an MSc in 1972, and was later awarded an honorary degree by the College in 2007.
Mr Kwok became the Chairman and CEO of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), one of the world’s biggest property developers, when his father, Kwok Tak-seng passed away in 1990. Mr Kwok parted ways with SHKP before starting his own property company, Empire Group Holdings in 2014.
Mr Kwok was passionate about education and supported Imperial’s own President’s Scholarship Fund, both personally and through the SHKP Kwoks Foundation. The President’s Scholarship ensures talented students join the Imperial community and make the most of their studies and all the College has to offer. It provides students with the freedom to take up opportunities like unpaid internships or summer research opportunities to develop skills that will prepare them for the workplace.
In 1998, Mr Kwok was awarded the Legion d'Honneur Knighthood for his contribution to the economic and cultural development of France in Hong Kong and China. He was an Honorary Citizen of Beijing and Guangzhou and a Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.