{{Short description|Hong Kong entrepreneur}} {{family name hatnote|Chiu|Deacon Chiu|Chiu Te-ken|lang=Hong Kong}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Deacon Chiu | honorific_suffix = | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | image_upright = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | native_name = 邱德根 | native_name_lang = zh | pronunciation = | birth_name = Chiu Te-ken | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1924|5|1}} | birth_place = Shanghai, Republic of China | death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|3|17|1924|5|1|df=yes}} | death_place = Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong | death_cause = | body_discovered = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline}} --> | burial_place = <!-- may be used instead of resting_place and resting_place_coordinates (displays "Burial place" as label) --> | burial_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline}} --> | monuments = | nationality = | other_names = | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Entrepreneur | years_active = | era = | employer = | agent = <!-- Discouraged in most cases, specifically when promotional, and requiring a reliable source --> | known_for = | notable_works = <!-- produces label "Notable work"; may be overridden by |credits=, which produces label "Notable credit(s)"; or by |works=, which produces label "Works"; or by |label_name=, which produces label "Label(s)" --> | style = | height = <!-- "X cm", "X m" or "X ft Y in" plus optional reference (conversions are automatic) --> | television = | boards = Far East Bank <br> Far East Consortium <br> Asia Television | criminal_charge = fraud | criminal_penalty = | criminal_status = acquitted | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Chiu Ju Ching-chu|1948|1964|end=died}} * {{marriage|Marion Chiu Ju Ching-lan|1965}} }} | partner = <!-- (unmarried long-term partner) --> | children = Dick<br>David<br>Margaret<br>Dennis<br>Daniel<br>Derek<br>Desmond<br>Duncan | parents = <!-- overrides mother and father parameters --> | mother = <!-- may be used (optionally with father parameter) in place of parents parameter (displays "Parent(s)" as label) --> | father = <!-- may be used (optionally with mother parameter) in place of parents parameter (displays "Parent(s)" as label) --> | relatives = | family = | callsign = | awards = | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | module = | module2 = | module3 = | module4 = | module5 = | module6 = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | footnotes = }} {{Chinese |title=Deacon Chiu Te-ken |c=邱德根 |j=jau1 dak1 gan1 |p=Qiū Dégēn }} '''Deacon Chiu Te-ken''', JP ({{zh|c=邱德根}}; 1 May 1924 – 17 March 2015) was a Hong Kong entrepreneur. He founded Far East Bank and Far East Consortium and was formerly chairman of Asia Television (ATV).
==Life== Chiu was born in Shanghai in 1924 and moved to Hong Kong in 1949. He made his first investment by opening a cinema in a rural area. In 1959, he collected deposits from farmers and opened a qianzhuang (native bank), Far East Bank.<ref name="SCMP">{{cite news |title=Former ATV boss Deacon Chiu dies, aged 90|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1740057/former-atv-boss-deacon-chiu-dies-aged-90|date=17 March 2015|first1=Clifford|last1=Lo|first2=Amy|last2=Nip|first3=Samuel|last3=Chan |newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref>
In 1962, he bought the Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park, a major zoo and theme park in the city at the time. He founded and became the chairman of the Far East Consortium in 1972, focusing on property development. The company was listed in 1972 and its sister company, Far East Holdings International which {{fact span |concentrated on investment in Greater China |date=January 2020}}, was listed in 1973. He was also chairman of Far East Hotel and Entertainment, which was listed in 1979.<ref name="SCMP"/>
In 1982, he rose to fame when he bought Rediffusion Television and renamed it Asia Television (ATV), which he sold in 1989. While he was chairman, it was rumoured that ATV staff were told how many pieces of toilet paper they were allowed to use.<ref name="SCMP"/>
In 1986, the group acquired a 34 per cent stake in Far East Holdings from the Chiu family.<ref name=SCMP1994/>
In the 1980s, Chiu and his son David were charged with falsifying documents of Far East Bank but the case was dropped in 1993 because he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. David was later acquitted of fraud charges.<ref name=SCMP1994>{{cite news |title=Deacon Chiu family steers Far East Consortium group |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/79970/deacon-chiu-family-steers-far-east-consortium-group|first=Kenneth|last=Ko|date=4 July 1994|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref>
On 8 September 2011, Chiu retired as chairman and was appointed honorary chairman of Far East Consortium International Limited.<ref name="Reuters">{{cite web |title=Chiu, Te Ken |url=http://in.reuters.com/finance/stocks/officerProfile?symbol=0037.HK&officerId=658956|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402172801/http://in.reuters.com/finance/stocks/officerProfile?symbol=0037.HK&officerId=658956|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 April 2015|work=Reuters}}</ref>
Chiu was appointed Justice of the Peace on 20 November 1964 and was appointed to the 6th to 9th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, from 1983. He was one of the founders of Yan Chai Hospital and the vice patron of the Community Chest of Hong Kong from 1968, the founder and permanent honorary chairman of the New Territories General Chamber of Commerce. In 1966, he founded and became chairman of Ju Ching Chu Secondary School, named for his first wife.<ref name="Reuters"/>
===Death=== On the morning of 17 March 2015, Chiu fainted at his villa in Ting Kau and was declared dead at Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan, aged 90.<ref name="SCMP"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aastocks.com/en/stocks/news/aafn-news/NOW.658461/1|title=Chiu Te Ken passes away, aged 90|work=AAStocks Financial News |date=17 March 2015}}</ref> On March 18, 2015, to commemorate the passing of Deacon Chiu, Asia Television channel ATV Home broadcast a special program "Miss You Ever Mr. Deacon Chiu Te Ken" ({{lang-zh|永遠懷念您邱德根先生}}) from 20:00 to 22:00.
==Family and personal== Chiu and his second wife Marion Chiu were both members of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, owning horses Fair Wing, My Time and Wind Winner.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/ownersearch.asp?horseowner=Mr%20%7C%20Mrs%20Deacon%20Chiu%20Te%20Ken|title=Racing Information (local)|work=Hong Kong Jockey Club}}</ref>
From his two marriages, Chiu had seven sons and one daughter.<ref>[https://webb-site.com/dbpub/natperson.asp?p=3944 Webb-site: Chiu, Deacon Te Ken 邱德根]</ref>
In 2020, Liyuan Amusement Garden Co., Ltd., owned by the Chiu Te Ken family, filed a lawsuit against Meili Farm Co., Ltd., alleging that the company operated a barbecue ground on its land in Kau Wa Keng, Mei Foo without approval.
Since 2022, his youngest son Duncan Chiu has been a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
==In popular culture== * ''The Romancing Star II'' : 1988 film, Character Mr. Chow, portrayed by Lo Hoi-pang. * ''It Could Happen Here - The TV Magnate'' : 1991 television film, portrayed by Lo Hoi-pang.
==References== {{reflist}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiu, Deacon}} Category:1924 births Category:2015 deaths Category:Hong Kong bankers Category:Members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Category:Hong Kong racehorse owners and breeders Category:Asia Television Category:Heung Yee Kuk Category:Chinese emigrants to British Hong Kong