Stanley Ho
Encyclopedia
Stanley Ho, GBM
, GLM, GBS
, GML, OBE (born 25 November 1921), also known as Ho Hung Sun, Stanley Ho Hung Sun, is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong
and Macau
. Ho is sometimes nicknamed "The King of Gambling", reflecting the government-granted monopoly
he held of the Macau gambling industry for 40 years. In 2011, he was the 13th richest man in Hong Kong with a net worth of US$2 billion. He is also Macau's wealthiest person and amongst the wealthiest in Asia. He owns many properties in both Hong Kong and Macau and has taken part in many kinds of business including entertainment, tourism, shipping, real estate
, banking, and air transport. It is also estimated that his enterprises employ almost one fourth of the workforce of Macau.
Apart from Hong Kong and Macau, he has also invested in mainland China
, Portugal
, North Korea
, Vietnam
, the Philippines
, Mozambique
and East Timor
.
Ho is also a famous industrialist and entrepreneur in Asia, and he has held a number of important positions in many firms in Hong Kong and Macau
. His opinions and statements on Hong Kong's real estate and commercial development have considerable sway on the market. In the past few years, he has been involved in litigation with his own sister, Winnie Ho, concerning the ownership of the Macau casino. Having suffered a stroke in July 2009, followed by a long period of recovery, Ho began steps in late 2010, subsequently hotly disputed and in confusing circumstances (Jan 2011), to devolve his grip on his financial empire to various of his wives and children.
. Ho Sai Kwong (何世光), one of Ho Fook's sons, had 13 children, of which Stanley was the 9th child.
Although his family was very wealthy, he started his business on his own. When he was 13 years old, his father lost a vast sum of money in the stock market crash
and went bankrupt. Consequently, Ho's two elder brothers committed suicide, and his father abandoned the family, leaving him with his two elder sisters and his mother.
, at which he attended Class D owing to unsatisfactory academic results. After realizing that studying assiduously was the only way to improve his social status, his hard work paid off and earned him a scholarship to the University of Hong Kong. He became the first student from Class D to be granted a university scholarship
. However, he was unable to finish his university study because of the outbreak of World War II
. In 1942, he fled the Japanese to Macau.
Ho began clerical work at a Japanese-owned import-export firm in Macau. With his talents and command of four languages, he won the trust of his employers and quickly became a partner of the firm, at the age of 22.
Ho made his first fortune smuggling luxury goods across the Chinese border from Macau during World War II, according to Joe Studwell's book "Asian Godfathers". In the same text there are very clear references that point to criminal activities directly related to cronyism and political manipulation. Stanley Ho collaborated with the Japanese during occupation in Hong Kong and also cooperated with the PRC Communists during the Cold War
. An unnamed source also claims he was seated at the head of the ballrooms during official ceremonies in colonial Hong Kong, a fact that could be explained by his cooperation with the Japanese during the occupation.
In 1943, he set up a kerosene
company and established a construction company with his money. As the construction industry in Hong Kong was experiencing a period of rapid growth, Ho profited greatly.
Ho, along with partners, including Hong Kong tycoon the late Henry Fok
, renowned Macau gambler the late Yip Hon
and his brother-in-law the late Teddy Yip
, bid for Macau franchises. By bidding high and promising to promote tourism and to develop infrastructure
, they won the public tender for Macau's gaming monopoly at a cost of approximately (US?)$410,000, defeating the longtime Macau casino barons, the Fu family. In 1961, the company was renamed Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau
, S.A.R.L. (STDM). Business at its flagship Lisboa Casino Hotel
blossomed, the hotel later to become well-known internationally.
In the same year, Ho also set up Shun Tak Holdings Ltd, which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
. Through a subsidiary, TurboJET
, it owns one of the world's largest fleets of high-speed jetfoils, which ferries passengers between Hong Kong and Macau.
Ho's investments in Macau are diverse. In 1989, after STDM took full control of the Macau Jockey Club
, Ho became its chairman and chief executive officer. In 1998, Ho became the first living Macanese resident to have a local street named after him. He also launched Asia's first football and basketball lottery called SLOT. Ho also launched the DrHo888.com web site, an online casino operated in partnership with Vancouver
-based eyeball.com.
Stanley Ho was also named by the Canadian Government
, citing the
Manila Standard
newspaper, as having a link to the Kung Lok Triad (Chinese mafia) and as being linked to 'several illegal activities'. during the period 1999–2002. Ho's ties to Chinese organised crime have also been reported by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, citing a U.S. Senate committee and several government agencies, when the state investigated his ties to American casino operator MGM Mirage
.
.
In 1942, Ho married his first wife, Clementina Leitao, a woman from a prestigious Portuguese family – her grandfather was a lawyer and was Macau's only notary public at the time. They had four children. In the late 1950s, Ho met Lucina Laam King-ying, whom he legally married in Hong Kong, in 1962. Leitao was involved in a motor vehicle accident in 1973, and suffered partial memory loss as a result. Following her car accident, Leitao needed constant nursing care; Ina Chan, who became Ho's third 'wife' in 1985 and with whom Ho has had three children, was one of the nurses brought in to look after her. In 1981, Ho's and Leitao's son Robert and daughter-in-law, Melanie Susan Potier ("Suki"), died in a car accident; Leitao died in 2004. Fourth 'wife' Angela Leong On-kei, with whom Ho has had five children, met Ho in 1988 at a private ball.
Ho handed over the reins of STDM to daughter Pansy Ho
, who is also a 50 percent partner in MGM Macau; son Lawrence Ho is the CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd, another Macau-based casino company. Josie Ho
(何超儀) is a rock singer and award-winning actress. His grandchildren are a perennial subject of local social columns and paparazzi
.
Over the years, dancing has been one of Ho's favourite hobbies, achieving excellence in tango
, cha-cha-cha
, and waltz
. He often danced for televised charity fundraisers and has sponsored numerous dance performances in Hong Kong and Macau, including the Hong Kong Arts Festival
and the Macau Arts Festival, promoting the art of dance. He has also invited internationally renowned dancing groups, such as the National Ballet of China
, to perform in Hong Kong and Macau. Ho is a patron of the Hong Kong Ballet
, the International Dance Teachers Association
and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Dance
.
A thoroughbred
racehorse owner, one of Stanley Ho's runners, Viva Pataca
, named after the currency of Macau
, won several top Hong Kong races in 2006 and 2007.
Stanley Ho suffered a fall late in July 2009 at his home and required brain surgery as a result. For seven months, Ho was confined to the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
and, later, the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital
, making only one public appearance on 20 December 2009, when he travelled to Macau to meet Chinese president Hu Jintao
on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Macau's return to Chinese sovereignty. Ho was discharged from the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital on 6 March 2010, and has since used a wheelchair.
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bronze sculpture of a horse's head originally taken from the Old Summer Palace
. Ho had reportedly just purchased it from a Taiwanese businessman for US$8.84 million.
Ho has set up several scholarship
s to encourage students to further their studies. He established the Guangzhou Education Fund which subsidises university research. Other funds established have been the Macau-Sino-Latin Foundation and the Chinese Culture and Arts Association of Macau.
Ho attended the 90th Anniversary ceremony of the University of Hong Kong at which he shared stories about his university life with the public. He was the chairman of the executive committee of the University of Hong Kong Foundation for Educational Development and Research. He made donations to the University of Hong Kong for:
Stanley Ho pledged a ₤2.5 million donation to Pembroke College, Oxford
in 2006 to endow a chair – 'Stanley Ho University Lecturer in Chinese History'. Ho has also funded scholarship of £9,000 per annum for Chinese studies in the academic year beginning 2009 at the University.
companies: Action Winner Holdings Ltd, wholly owned by third wife, Ina, holding 50.55 per cent and Ranillo Investments Ltd, equally held by each of Laam's five children, holding the balance. The allotment document filed with the Registrar of Companies was signed by Laam's daughter Daisy.
Ho, represented by Messrs. Oldham, Li & Nie, issued proceedings in the High Court, naming its directors – 11 defendants, including his second and third wives, and children Pansy and Lawrence Ho, alleging the group "improperly and/or illegally" acted in changing the share structure. The writ sought an injunction restraining the defendants from selling or disposing any of the 9,998 new shares in the company. The two British Virgin Islands companies were also named in the writ. Ho said his intention from the outset was to divide his assets equally among his families and that the actions of the directors of Lanceford effectively eliminated this possibility, according to a statement issued by Gordon Oldham.
Amidst confusion caused by conflicting statements from Ho and his wives and children about the state of the dispute, Ho, through Oldman – who had been allegedly sacked and rehired within the space of a few days - said he had been pressured to make public statements and sign legal documents without him being fully apprised of their contents. What was to become a saga of soap-opera proportions ensued including official video postings of statements on Youtube
.
in 1984. He was appointed an OBE
from Queen Elizabeth II in 1989 for philanthropy.
In 1995, the Portuguese government appointed Ho to the Grã-Cruz da Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique (Great Cross of the Order of Prince Henrique), the highest honour for any civilian, for his contributions to society. In 1998, Dr Stanley Ho Avenue in Macau was named, which made Ho the first Chinese person in Macau history to receive this honour during his lifetime.
In 2003, Ho received the Gold Bauhinia Star
from the Chief Executive of Hong Kong
, Tung Chee Hwa
, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the community, in promoting education, sports and other community services for youth.
In 2008, Ho received the Medal for Business Entrepreneurialism from the city of Cascais
and the street running adjacent to the Estoril Casino was renamed as Avenida Stanley Ho. It was the first road in Portugal to be named after a living Chinese citizen.
In June 2009 he received the Visionary award at the G2E Asia
conference, organised by the American Gaming Association; the award was delivered by Macau SAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho.
In November 2010, Dr Ho was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal
the highest under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, reserved for those making a lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong.
Grand Bauhinia Medal
The Grand Bauhinia Medal the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style "The Honorable"...
, GLM, GBS
Gold Bauhinia Star
The Gold Bauhinia Star is the highest rank in Order of the Bauhinia Star in Hong Kong, created in 1997 to replace the British honours system of the Order of the British Empire after the transfer of sovereignty to People's Republic of China and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special...
, GML, OBE (born 25 November 1921), also known as Ho Hung Sun, Stanley Ho Hung Sun, is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
. Ho is sometimes nicknamed "The King of Gambling", reflecting the government-granted monopoly
Government-granted monopoly
In economics, a government-granted monopoly is a form of coercive monopoly by which a government grants exclusive privilege to a private individual or firm to be the sole provider of a good or service; potential competitors are excluded from the market by law, regulation, or other mechanisms of...
he held of the Macau gambling industry for 40 years. In 2011, he was the 13th richest man in Hong Kong with a net worth of US$2 billion. He is also Macau's wealthiest person and amongst the wealthiest in Asia. He owns many properties in both Hong Kong and Macau and has taken part in many kinds of business including entertainment, tourism, shipping, real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
, banking, and air transport. It is also estimated that his enterprises employ almost one fourth of the workforce of Macau.
Apart from Hong Kong and Macau, he has also invested in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
and East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
.
Ho is also a famous industrialist and entrepreneur in Asia, and he has held a number of important positions in many firms in Hong Kong and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
. His opinions and statements on Hong Kong's real estate and commercial development have considerable sway on the market. In the past few years, he has been involved in litigation with his own sister, Winnie Ho, concerning the ownership of the Macau casino. Having suffered a stroke in July 2009, followed by a long period of recovery, Ho began steps in late 2010, subsequently hotly disputed and in confusing circumstances (Jan 2011), to devolve his grip on his financial empire to various of his wives and children.
Early life
Ho Fook (何福), Stanley Ho's grandfather, was a brother of Robert HotungRobert Hotung
Sir Robert Ho Tung Bosman, KBE , better known as Sir Robert Hotung, was an influential Eurasian businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong. It has often been claimed that he was the "first Chinese person to be allowed to live on Victoria Peak" in 1906, two years after the enactment of the...
. Ho Sai Kwong (何世光), one of Ho Fook's sons, had 13 children, of which Stanley was the 9th child.
Although his family was very wealthy, he started his business on his own. When he was 13 years old, his father lost a vast sum of money in the stock market crash
Stock market crash
A stock market crash is a sudden dramatic decline of stock prices across a significant cross-section of a stock market, resulting in a significant loss of paper wealth. Crashes are driven by panic as much as by underlying economic factors...
and went bankrupt. Consequently, Ho's two elder brothers committed suicide, and his father abandoned the family, leaving him with his two elder sisters and his mother.
Education
Ho studied at Queen's College, Hong KongQueen's College, Hong Kong
Queen's College , initially named The Government Central School in 1862, later renamed as Victoria College in 1889, is a sixth form college for boys with a secondary school attached. It was the first public secondary school founded in Hong Kong by the British colonial government...
, at which he attended Class D owing to unsatisfactory academic results. After realizing that studying assiduously was the only way to improve his social status, his hard work paid off and earned him a scholarship to the University of Hong Kong. He became the first student from Class D to be granted a university scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
. However, he was unable to finish his university study because of the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1942, he fled the Japanese to Macau.
Career
Ho made his first fortune smuggling luxury goods across the Chinese border from Macau during World War II, according to Joe Studwell's book "Asian Godfathers". In the same text there are very clear references that point to criminal activities directly related to cronyism and political manipulation. Stanley Ho collaborated with the Japanese during occupation in Hong Kong and also cooperated with the PRC Communists during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. An unnamed source also claims he was seated at the head of the ballrooms during official ceremonies in colonial Hong Kong, a fact that could be explained by his cooperation with the Japanese during the occupation.
In 1943, he set up a kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
company and established a construction company with his money. As the construction industry in Hong Kong was experiencing a period of rapid growth, Ho profited greatly.
Ho, along with partners, including Hong Kong tycoon the late Henry Fok
Henry Fok
Henry Fok Ying Tung was a Hong Kong businessman. He has ancestral roots in Nansha, Panyu, now part of Guangzhou, Guangdong). Fok was the vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of PRC since March 1993, and was possibly the most powerful...
, renowned Macau gambler the late Yip Hon
Yip Hon
Yip Hon was a gambling tycoon in South China. His wealth was estimated to be HK$ 100 million. In his childhood, he stayed in Kong Mun of Kwangtung, and usually participated in gambling with his pocket money. He was nicknamed Kwai Wong Yip Hon (1904 – 7 May 1997) was a gambling tycoon in South...
and his brother-in-law the late Teddy Yip
Teddy Yip
Theodore "Teddy" Yip was a businessman from Indonesia who was instrumental in developing Macau as a tourist destination and who was a Formula One team owner in the 1970s.-Early life and business career:...
, bid for Macau franchises. By bidding high and promising to promote tourism and to develop infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
, they won the public tender for Macau's gaming monopoly at a cost of approximately (US?)$410,000, defeating the longtime Macau casino barons, the Fu family. In 1961, the company was renamed Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau
Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau
The Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, SA is a company in Macau owned by Stanley Ho and his family. Historically it held a monopoly to Macau's gambling industry as the only licensee for casinos. In 2002, the Macau government began issuing more licenses and the monopoly was broken...
, S.A.R.L. (STDM). Business at its flagship Lisboa Casino Hotel
Casino Lisboa, Macau
The original casino and the 12-storey round hotel tower were built in 1970 by Stanley Ho, Teddy Yip, Yip Hon and Henry Fok. A 270-room extension was added in 1991 for a total of 927 rooms. In 2006, another extension, the Grand Lisboa, was built next to the current complex. Therefore a total of 2362...
blossomed, the hotel later to become well-known internationally.
In the same year, Ho also set up Shun Tak Holdings Ltd, which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in Hong Kong. It is Asia's third largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalization behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange and fifth largest in the world...
. Through a subsidiary, TurboJET
TurboJET
TurboJET is the brand name for the operations of the Hong Kong-headquartered Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited , which was established from the joint venture between Shun Tak Holdings Limited and China Travel International Investment Hong Kong Limited in July 1999...
, it owns one of the world's largest fleets of high-speed jetfoils, which ferries passengers between Hong Kong and Macau.
Ho's investments in Macau are diverse. In 1989, after STDM took full control of the Macau Jockey Club
Macau Jockey Club
The Macau Jockey Club is an organisation providing horse racing and betting entertainment in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, in the People's Republic of China....
, Ho became its chairman and chief executive officer. In 1998, Ho became the first living Macanese resident to have a local street named after him. He also launched Asia's first football and basketball lottery called SLOT. Ho also launched the DrHo888.com web site, an online casino operated in partnership with Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
-based eyeball.com.
Stanley Ho was also named by the Canadian Government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, citing the
Manila Standard
Manila Standard Today
The Manila Standard Today is the fourth-largest broadsheet newspaper in the Philippines as of 2006. Initially established as the Manila Standard, it merged with another newspaper of record, Today, on March 6, 2005...
newspaper, as having a link to the Kung Lok Triad (Chinese mafia) and as being linked to 'several illegal activities'. during the period 1999–2002. Ho's ties to Chinese organised crime have also been reported by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, citing a U.S. Senate committee and several government agencies, when the state investigated his ties to American casino operator MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
.
Business
- Chairman of the Shun Tak Group (信德集團)
- Director of Shun Tak Shipping Company, Limited
- Chairman of iAsia Technology Limited (亞洲網上交易科技有限公司)
- Chairman of the Chinese Recreation Club in Hong Kong (CRC)
Community
- President of Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong (香港地產建設商會)
- Chairman of the board of directors of the University of Hong Kong Foundation for Educational Development and Research (香港大學教研發展基金董事局)
- Member of the Court and Council of the University of Hong Kong (香港大學校董會)
- Member of the Court of the Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong Polytechnic UniversityThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University specialises in professional education in Hong Kong. The University’s teaching units are grouped under six faculties and two schools; the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, Faculty of Business, Faculty of Construction and Environment, Faculty of...
- Vice patron of Community Chest of Hong KongThe Community Chest of Hong KongThe Community Chest of Hong Kong is an independent, non-profit organisation. It was established on 8 November 1968 in Hong Kong. As one of the most important charities in Hong Kong, The Community Chest serves as an umbrella organisation to provide grants to a wide range of community projects...
(香港公益金) - Member of the board of trustees of the Better Hong Kong Foundation
- Patron of the Society of the Academy for Performing Arts (香港演藝學院)
- Vice-president of the Association of Benefactors of Kiang Wu Hospital (鏡湖醫院) in Macau
- Trustee of the Foundation for the Co-operation and development of Macau
- Member of the Council of the University of Macau
Politics
In 1987, Portugal agreed to return Macau to China in 1999. Ho took part in the joint advisory committee. He is a Standing Committee member of the 9th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative ConferenceChinese People's Political Consultative Conference
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [], shortened as 人民政协, Rénmín Zhèngxié, i.e. "People's PCC"; or just 政协, Zhèngxié, i.e. "The PCC"), abbreviated CPPCC, is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China...
.
- Member of the Selection Committee for the first Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
- Member of the Consultative Committee for the Basic LawHong Kong Basic LawThe Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, or simply Hong Kong Basic Law, serves as the constitutional document of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China...
of the Hong Kong SAR
Personal life
Ho has 17 children born to four different women. He refers to his children's mothers as his wives. Polygamy remained legal in Hong Kong until 1971. Also, he was rumoured to have numerous undisclosed relationships.In 1942, Ho married his first wife, Clementina Leitao, a woman from a prestigious Portuguese family – her grandfather was a lawyer and was Macau's only notary public at the time. They had four children. In the late 1950s, Ho met Lucina Laam King-ying, whom he legally married in Hong Kong, in 1962. Leitao was involved in a motor vehicle accident in 1973, and suffered partial memory loss as a result. Following her car accident, Leitao needed constant nursing care; Ina Chan, who became Ho's third 'wife' in 1985 and with whom Ho has had three children, was one of the nurses brought in to look after her. In 1981, Ho's and Leitao's son Robert and daughter-in-law, Melanie Susan Potier ("Suki"), died in a car accident; Leitao died in 2004. Fourth 'wife' Angela Leong On-kei, with whom Ho has had five children, met Ho in 1988 at a private ball.
Ho handed over the reins of STDM to daughter Pansy Ho
Pansy Ho
Pansy Catalina Ho Chiu-king is the daughter of Hong Kong and Macau-based businessman Stanley Ho, and the managing director of various companies he founded, including Shun Tak Holdings and the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau....
, who is also a 50 percent partner in MGM Macau; son Lawrence Ho is the CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd, another Macau-based casino company. Josie Ho
Josie Ho
Josephine "Josie" Ho Chiu-Yi is a daughter of Macao casino magnate Stanley Ho, and a singer and actress from Hong Kong.-Movie career:She was involved in numerous movies, TV commercials, TV dramas, and singing performances....
(何超儀) is a rock singer and award-winning actress. His grandchildren are a perennial subject of local social columns and paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
.
Over the years, dancing has been one of Ho's favourite hobbies, achieving excellence in tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
, cha-cha-cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
, and waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
. He often danced for televised charity fundraisers and has sponsored numerous dance performances in Hong Kong and Macau, including the Hong Kong Arts Festival
Hong Kong Arts Festival
Hong Kong Arts Festival , founded in 1973, is a focus programmes for the Culture of Hong Kong, in order to provides a wide range of art programmes from all over the world....
and the Macau Arts Festival, promoting the art of dance. He has also invited internationally renowned dancing groups, such as the National Ballet of China
National Ballet of China
The National Ballet of China , known in China as the Central Ballet Troupe was founded on 31 December 1959. It is the mainland Chinese national ballet troupe...
, to perform in Hong Kong and Macau. Ho is a patron of the Hong Kong Ballet
Hong Kong Ballet
The Hong Kong Ballet is Hong Kong's leading professional ballet company, and also the famous group for Classical Ballet, since it founded in 1979....
, the International Dance Teachers Association
International Dance Teachers Association
The International Dance Teachers Association is a leading dance teaching and examination board based in Brighton, England. Operating internationally, the IDTA is one of the largest dance teaching organisations in the world and currently has over 7,000 members in 55 countries...
and is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Dance
Royal Academy of Dance
The Royal Academy of Dance is an international dance education and training organization, and examination board that specialises in the teaching and technique of Ballet. The RAD was established in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, and received its...
.
A thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse owner, one of Stanley Ho's runners, Viva Pataca
Viva Pataca
Viva Pataca is a Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by the Dukes of Devonshire and Roxburghe, he was out of the mare Comic and sired by English Group One winner, Marju...
, named after the currency of Macau
Macanese pataca
The pataca is the currency of Macau. It is subdivided into 100 avos , with 10 avos called ho in Cantonese. The abbreviation MOP$ is commonly used....
, won several top Hong Kong races in 2006 and 2007.
Stanley Ho suffered a fall late in July 2009 at his home and required brain surgery as a result. For seven months, Ho was confined to the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital
Hong Kong Adventist Hospital is one of two Adventist Hospitals in Hong Kong, the other being Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital. It is a private sector hospital, and is located on Hong Kong Island...
and, later, the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital , or HKSH, is a private hospital established in 1922 in Happy Valley, Hong Kong.It is one of the most famous of the Hong Kong hospitals, renowned for its high quality hospital services and comfortable accommodation for patients. All clients can also choose their...
, making only one public appearance on 20 December 2009, when he travelled to Macau to meet Chinese president Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Macau's return to Chinese sovereignty. Ho was discharged from the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital on 6 March 2010, and has since used a wheelchair.
Family
| wife(s) | *Clementine Leitão (1923–2004) |
*Lucina Laam (b. 1943) |
*Ina Chan (b. 1953) |
*Angela Leong (b. 1961) |
| children** grandchildren*** | **Jane Ho (b. 1947) married to Siu Pak-sing | **Pansy Ho Pansy Ho Pansy Catalina Ho Chiu-king is the daughter of Hong Kong and Macau-based businessman Stanley Ho, and the managing director of various companies he founded, including Shun Tak Holdings and the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau.... , (b. 1962) married to Julian Hui (divorced) |
**Florinda Ho, (b. 1989) | **Sabrina Ho, (b. 1989) |
| ***Ringo Siu | **Daisy Ho (b.1964) married to Simon Ho | **Laurinda Ho, (b. 1991) | **Arnaldo Ho (b.1993) | |
| **Robert Ho (1948–1981) married to Melanie Susan Potier | **Maisy Ho (b.1967) | **Orlando Ho, (b. 1991) | **Mario Ho (b.1995) | |
| ***Faye Ho (b.1975) | **Josie Ho Josie Ho Josephine "Josie" Ho Chiu-Yi is a daughter of Macao casino magnate Stanley Ho, and a singer and actress from Hong Kong.-Movie career:She was involved in numerous movies, TV commercials, TV dramas, and singing performances.... , (b. 1974) married to Conroy Chan |
**Orlando Ho (b.1997) | ||
| ***Sarah Ho (b.1978) | **Lawrence Ho (b.1976) married to Sharen Law | **Alice Ho, (b. 1999) | ||
| **Angela Ho married to Peter Kjaer | ***Ho Hoi Chi (b.2006) | |||
| ***Stanley Willers (b.1987) | ||||
| ***Ariel Ho-Kjaer (b.1993) | ||||
| **Deborah Ho |
Non-linear relations
- Ambassador Eric Hotung, a grandson of Sir Robert HotungRobert HotungSir Robert Ho Tung Bosman, KBE , better known as Sir Robert Hotung, was an influential Eurasian businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong. It has often been claimed that he was the "first Chinese person to be allowed to live on Victoria Peak" in 1906, two years after the enactment of the...
, is a second cousin of Ho. - One of Ho's sisters, Susie Ho, is the widow of one of his then partners, Teddy YipTeddy YipTheodore "Teddy" Yip was a businessman from Indonesia who was instrumental in developing Macau as a tourist destination and who was a Formula One team owner in the 1970s.-Early life and business career:...
. - According to available records, Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
and Stanley Ho are second cousins through Lee's mother, Grace Ho (何爱瑜). Her father, Ho Kom Tong (何甘棠), and Ho's grandfather, Ho Fook, were brothers.
Qing relic
On 21 September 2007, Stanley Ho donated to the Chinese government a Qing dynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
bronze sculpture of a horse's head originally taken from the Old Summer Palace
Old Summer Palace
The Old Summer Palace, known in China as Yuan Ming Yuan , and originally called the Imperial Gardens, was a complex of palaces and gardens in Beijing...
. Ho had reportedly just purchased it from a Taiwanese businessman for US$8.84 million.
Education donations
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s to encourage students to further their studies. He established the Guangzhou Education Fund which subsidises university research. Other funds established have been the Macau-Sino-Latin Foundation and the Chinese Culture and Arts Association of Macau.
Ho attended the 90th Anniversary ceremony of the University of Hong Kong at which he shared stories about his university life with the public. He was the chairman of the executive committee of the University of Hong Kong Foundation for Educational Development and Research. He made donations to the University of Hong Kong for:
- running facilities and accommodation, e.g. Stanley Ho Sports Centre, Flora Ho Sports Centre, Ricci Hall
- maintenance, and to Lady Ho Tung Hall, which was established by the Ho family.
Stanley Ho pledged a ₤2.5 million donation to Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College, Oxford
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
in 2006 to endow a chair – 'Stanley Ho University Lecturer in Chinese History'. Ho has also funded scholarship of £9,000 per annum for Chinese studies in the academic year beginning 2009 at the University.
Lanceford dispute
In late January 2011, a dispute erupted among his wives and children involving the transfer of ownership of his private holding company, Lanceford. On 27 December, Lanceford allotted 9,998 new shares, representing 99.98 per cent of its enlarged share capital, to two British Virgin IslandsBritish Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands, often called the British Virgin Islands , is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S...
companies: Action Winner Holdings Ltd, wholly owned by third wife, Ina, holding 50.55 per cent and Ranillo Investments Ltd, equally held by each of Laam's five children, holding the balance. The allotment document filed with the Registrar of Companies was signed by Laam's daughter Daisy.
Ho, represented by Messrs. Oldham, Li & Nie, issued proceedings in the High Court, naming its directors – 11 defendants, including his second and third wives, and children Pansy and Lawrence Ho, alleging the group "improperly and/or illegally" acted in changing the share structure. The writ sought an injunction restraining the defendants from selling or disposing any of the 9,998 new shares in the company. The two British Virgin Islands companies were also named in the writ. Ho said his intention from the outset was to divide his assets equally among his families and that the actions of the directors of Lanceford effectively eliminated this possibility, according to a statement issued by Gordon Oldham.
Amidst confusion caused by conflicting statements from Ho and his wives and children about the state of the dispute, Ho, through Oldman – who had been allegedly sacked and rehired within the space of a few days - said he had been pressured to make public statements and sign legal documents without him being fully apprised of their contents. What was to become a saga of soap-opera proportions ensued including official video postings of statements on Youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Honours
Apart from the University of Hong Kong, Ho was awarded an honorary doctorate of social sciences from the University of MacauUniversity of Macau
The University of Macau, ;, established in 1981, was the first and currently the largest university in Macau, a former Portuguese colony. It was formerly known as University of East Asia , and was renamed the University of Macau in 1991. The university offers about 100 Doctoral, Master's and...
in 1984. He was appointed an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
from Queen Elizabeth II in 1989 for philanthropy.
In 1995, the Portuguese government appointed Ho to the Grã-Cruz da Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique (Great Cross of the Order of Prince Henrique), the highest honour for any civilian, for his contributions to society. In 1998, Dr Stanley Ho Avenue in Macau was named, which made Ho the first Chinese person in Macau history to receive this honour during his lifetime.
In 2003, Ho received the Gold Bauhinia Star
Hong Kong honours system
The existing Hong Kong honours system was created after transfer of government of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China as a special administrative region in 1997...
from the Chief Executive of Hong Kong
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
, Tung Chee Hwa
Tung Chee Hwa
Tung Chee Hwa, GBM was the first Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China....
, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the community, in promoting education, sports and other community services for youth.
In 2008, Ho received the Medal for Business Entrepreneurialism from the city of Cascais
Cascais
Cascais is a coastal town in Cascais Municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres west of Lisbon, with about 35,000 residents. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal's royal...
and the street running adjacent to the Estoril Casino was renamed as Avenida Stanley Ho. It was the first road in Portugal to be named after a living Chinese citizen.
In June 2009 he received the Visionary award at the G2E Asia
Global Gaming Expo
Global Gaming Expo is an annual gaming trade show held in Las Vegas, Nevada, generally in November, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show is one of the two major gaming trade shows....
conference, organised by the American Gaming Association; the award was delivered by Macau SAR Chief Executive Edmund Ho.
In November 2010, Dr Ho was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal
Grand Bauhinia Medal
The Grand Bauhinia Medal the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style "The Honorable"...
the highest under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, reserved for those making a lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong.
See also
- Economy of MacauEconomy of MacauThe economy of Macau has remained one of the most open in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and gambling-related tourism are mainstays of the economy. Since Macau has little arable land and few natural resources, it depends on mainland China for most of its food, fresh...
- Legal system of MacauLegal system of MacauMacau law is broadly based on Portuguese law, and therefore part of the civil law tradition of continental European legal systems. Portuguese law is itself highly influenced by German law...
- Politics of MacauPolitics of MacauPolitics of Macau takes place in a framework of a political system dominated by the People's Republic of China, an own legislature, the Chief Executive as the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
- List of billionaires
- List of graduates of University of Hong Kong