George Ho

George Ho Cho-chi
何佐芝
Born(1919-11-03)3 November 1919
United States[1]
Died4 June 2014(2014-06-04) (aged 94)
Hong Kong
Other namesHo Sai Yee (何世義)
Alma materKing's College, Hong Kong
University of California, Berkeley
OccupationEntrepreneur
Board member ofCommercial Radio Hong Kong
Children1
ParentRobert Hotung
George Ho Cho-chi
Chinese何佐芝
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHé Zuǒzhī
Wade–GilesHó Tsǒ-chīh
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationHo4 Jo3ji1
JyutpingHo4 Zo3zi1
In this Hong Kong name, the surname is Ho. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is George Ho and the Chinese-style name is Ho Cho-chi.

George Ho Cho-chi, GBS, OBE, JP (3 November 1919 – 4 June 2014) was a Hong Kong media mogul. The fifth son of the influential businessman Robert Hotung,[1] George Ho was the founder of the Commercial Radio Hong Kong and Commercial Television.[1]

Family and career

George Ho was the illegitimate son of Robert Hotung, then the most influential Eurasian compradore in Hong Kong, and Kate Archer. George was bequeathed a substantial amount of money directly and indirectly.[2] His grandfather through Robert Hotung was a Jewish Dutch man Charles Henry Maurice Bosman.[3] George Ho studied at King's College, Hong Kong[4] and the University of California, Berkeley.[5][6][7]

Instead of joining the family flagship company, George Ho founded his own business, Commercial Radio Hong Kong by obtaining a radio broadcasting licence through the connections and HK$50,000 inheritance from his father. George Ho gradually became an influential tycoon in the colony.[2] He branched out into television, founding Commercial Television in 1975. But the station closed three years later.[4]

He had also been director of Jardine Matheson Holdings, Hongkong Land and Bank of East Asia.

In 2001, George Ho was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star for his contribution to society.[4]

His son, George Joseph Ho, succeeded him as chairman of Commercial Radio.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Commercial Radio founder George Ho dies at 95". Hong Kong Standard. 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-06-07.
  2. ^ a b Zheng, Victor (2009). Chinese Family Business and the Equal Inheritance System: Unravelling the Myth. Routledge. p. 41.
  3. ^ "Charles Henri Maurice BOSMAN". Archived from the original on 2016-08-22. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  4. ^ a b c Siu, Phila (4 June 2014). "Commercial Radio's founder George Ho Ho-chi dies aged 95".
  5. ^ "Commercial Radio's founder George Ho Ho-chi dies aged 95". South China Morning Post. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  6. ^ "George Ho Ho-chi". Asian RadioToday. Archived from the original on 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  7. ^ Zheng, Victor (2009). Chinese Family Business and the Equal Inheritance System: Unravelling the Myth. Routledge. p. 79.