ASTRI announces appointment of new CEO

[Hong Kong, 23 September 2021] The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has today announced the appointment of Dr. Denis Shing Fai YIP as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with effect from 5 October 2021.

ASTRI Board Chairman Ir. Sunny Lee Wai-kwong, JP, said that he and his Board members are confident that Dr. Yip would lead Hong Kong’s largest applied research and development institute well with a view to developing Hong Kong’s technology-based industries.

Ir. Lee said, “We are impressed with Dr. Yip’s extensive leadership experience in both the public and private sectors, covering management, strategy, operation, research and development as well as marketing. I am confident that he will lead ASTRI to continue strengthening its research and commercialisation work, and make significant contribution to Hong Kong’s development into a remarkable smart city as well as an international innovation and technology hub.”

Dr. Yip had worked in Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, San Francisco, Shanghai and Tokyo, and served at senior positions in a number of large enterprises. He has been serving as the Commissioner for Belt and Road of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau since the end of June 2019.

From 2017 to early 2019, Dr. Yip served as President and Director of the Digital China Holdings Company and the Fujian Start Group respectively. He steered the development of the enterprises and established their business footholds. He had been the Senior Vice President and the President of Greater China of EMC Corporation since July 2006, and the Senior Vice President and President of Greater China of Dell Technologies Inc. since 2016. He was responsible for the overall business operations in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan during the period. From 1991 to 2006, Dr. Yip held a variety of senior management positions in the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), including as the Vice President of the Asia Pacific Storage Division.

“I am deeply honored to join ASTRI and look forward to working closely with the team to leverage the opportunities brought by the “14th Five-Year Plan”, which enables us to exert greater influence in Hong Kong, the mainland and beyond with our research and development achievements,” said Dr. Yip.

Dr. Yip holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from University of California, Berkeley. He also holds an MBA degree from Golden Gate University and completed Doctor of Business Administration degree in University of Management and Technology.