{{Short description|Singaporean billionaire businessman}} {{family name hatnote|Ng (黄)|lang=Chinese}} {{Use British English|date=July 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person | image = <!-- Only freely-licensed images may be used to depict living people. See WP:NONFREE. --> | name = Robert Ng Chee Siong | caption = | native_name = 黄志祥 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1952}} | birth_place = Singapore | death_date = | death_place = | known_for = 1987 Hong Kong Futures Exchange collapse | education = | occupation = Businessman | title = Chairman, Sino Group | term = 1991- | predecessor = | successor = | boards = | spouse = Yeoh Saw Kheng | children = 6, including Daryl Ng Win Kong | parents = Ng Teng Fong | relatives = Yeoh Ghim Seng (father-in-law) | website = }}
'''Robert Ng Chee Siong''' ({{lang|cpx|黄志祥}}, Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: {{transliteration|buc|Ńg Ci̍-sió̤ng}}; {{lang-zh|j=wong4 zi3 coeng4|p=Huáng Zhìxiáng}}; born 1952) is a Singaporean billionaire businessman, and the chairman of Hong Kong property development conglomerate Sino Group since 1991.<ref name="Autobio">{{citation|publisher=Sino Land Company Limited|title=Management Profile|url=http://www.sino.com/eng/default.asp?xid=ci_mp_sl#001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718163418/http://www.sino.com/eng/default.asp?xid=ci_mp_sl#001|archive-date=18 July 2011|df=dmy-all}}. [http://www.sino.com/chs/default.asp?xid=ci_mp_sl#001 Simplified Chinese version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718163444/http://www.sino.com/chs/default.asp?xid=ci_mp_sl#001 |date=18 July 2011 }} and [http://www.sino.com/cht/default.asp?xid=ci_mp_sl#001 Traditional Chinese version] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718163512/http://www.sino.com/cht/default.asp?xid=ci_mp_sl |date=18 July 2011 }}</ref>
He is the eldest son of Ng Teng Fong, a Singaporean real estate billionaire. Forbes listed them together as the 30th richest people in the world in 1997.<ref>{{citation|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4182/is_19970715/ai_n10111583|title=Biz Notes|periodical=The Oklahoma City Journal Record|date=15 July 1997|access-date=5 June 2009}}</ref> As of July 2017, Robert, along with his brother Philip Ng, has an estimated net worth of $9.7 billion.<ref name=Forbes>{{cite web|title=Forbes profile: Robert & Philip Ng |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/robert-philip-ng/ |website=Forbes |access-date=14 October 2019}}</ref> He is an Honorary Fellow (Foundation Fellow) of Somerville College, Oxford.
==Career== Ng was speculating in futures contracts on the Hong Kong Futures Exchange through two Panamanian-registered companies when the October 1987 global stock market crash began; his paper losses reportedly reached HK$1 billion. At first, Ng refused to pay, claiming to be protected by the limited liability of the companies through which he had traded.<ref name="Studwell 2007 116">{{harvnb|Studwell|2007|p=116}}</ref> This led to the collapse of the futures exchange; trading was also halted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for four days.<ref name="AsiaSentinel">{{citation|url=http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=788&Itemid=256|periodical=Asia Sentinel|title=Remembrance of Things Past: Hong Kong's market collapse of 20 years ago is worth recalling during the present turmoil|date=23 October 2007|access-date=5 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104033825/http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=788&Itemid=256|archive-date=4 January 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> An investigation by the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Royal Hong Kong Police revealed that Ng had avoided required margin calls through collusion with one of his brokers.<ref name="Studwell 2007 116"/> However, in the end, no charges were laid against Ng because the colonial government of Hong Kong felt that prosecuting him would pose a risk to overall market stability.<ref>{{harvnb|Studwell|2007|p=117}}</ref> Instead, a deal was worked out which saw Ng repay HK$500 million, with Hong Kong taxpayers providing the rest of the funds needed by the Exchange through a government bailout.<ref name="AsiaSentinel"/> Ng reportedly lost a total of US$250 million in his various investment holdings as a result of the crash.<ref name="CNN"/>
In June 1995, Ng took over as chairman of Yeo Hiap Seng (YHS), a Singapore-listed food and beverages company which had lost US$3.2 million in its previous year of operation. His chairmanship came at the same time as his family increased its stake in the company to 24.9%, just short of the 25% threshold above which they would be required by law to make an offer to buy out all other shareholders. This marked a step forward in his fight with Malaysian billionaire investor Quek Leng Chan for control of YHS and its land holdings in Singapore's Bukit Timah district, which could be worth billions of dollars were they redeveloped into residential real estate.<ref name="CNN">{{citation|periodical=CNN Asianow|title=Tea for Two: Battle for a Great Name and Address|date=28 July 1995|access-date=5 June 2009|url=http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/95/0728/biz1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206205421/http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/95/0728/biz1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 February 2009}}</ref> In the end, Ng and his father were able to successfully take advantage of squabbles within the Yeo family to buy up 86% of YHS' stock.<ref>{{harvnb|Backman|2001|p=96}}</ref> Their battle to gain control of the company was later described as "one of the most colourful take-over struggles in Singapore history" and led to YHS' transformation from a food company to a luxury real estate developer.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=49635&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=19970601|date=1 June 1997|access-date=15 July 2009|periodical=The Standard|title=Transforming a soft-drink sluggard|last=Porter|first=Barry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130107164550/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=49635&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=19970601|archive-date=7 January 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
The Sino Group also spun off their hotel interests into a new company, Sino Hotels, in that year; Ng became chairman of the board of the new company as well from its inception.<ref>{{citation|publisher=Sino Hotels (Holding) Limited|url=http://www.sino.com/Cht/default.asp?xid=about_mg_shl#001|title=Management profile|access-date=16 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109191412/http://www.sino.com/cht/default.asp?xid=about_mg_shl#001|archive-date=9 November 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In early 1997, under Ng's direction, Sino Hotels made several acquisitions, including an 80% stake in the local branch of the Conrad Hotel for HK$2 billion. Ng also predicted that office properties would perform well during that year.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB854303243380530000?mod=googlewsj|periodical=The Wall Street Journal|last=Guyot|first=Erik|date=27 January 1997|access-date=16 July 2009|title=Ng to Continue Prowl For Land in Hong Kong}}</ref> For the latter six months of that year, Sino Hotels reported a 66% fall in net interim profits and 80% fall in operating profit, which Ng attributed to lower contributions not just from hotels but from the company's Fortune chain of Chinese restaurants as well. However, the Conrad proved to be a resilient investment, with the average room rate increasing by 14.7% during the months in question.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=6295&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=19980319 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130107175012/http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=6295&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=19980319 |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 January 2013 |periodical=The Standard |date=19 March 1998 |access-date=16 July 2009 |title=Tourism slump hits Sino Hotel earnings |first=Bayani |last=Cruz }}</ref>
===Positions=== {{As of|2009}}, Ng is the director of a number of subsidiaries and associated companies of Sino Group:<ref>{{citation|periodical=HKEx|date=2 October 2009|access-date=31 December 2009|title=Sino Land Annual Report from HKEx|url=http://www.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/20091002/LTN20091002820.pdf}}</ref>
# Chairman of Tsim Sha Tsui Properties Limited, parent company of Sino Land # Chairman of Sino Hotels (Holdings) Limited # Independent non-executive director of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited # Director of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong # Member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference # Non-executive director of SCMP Group Limited from May 2004 to May 2007 # Chairman of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong) since its inception in 1995
==Voting and political views== Due to his business positions, Ng wields a significant amount of power under Hong Kong's functional constituency system. In 1998, he and companies owned by Sino Group controlled roughly 3–4% of the votes in the real estate constituency, and an additional two votes in the tourism constituency.<ref>{{citation|title=Rights Group Attacks Electoral System|periodical=South China Morning Post|date=4 December 1998}}</ref><ref name="HRM">{{citation|periodical=Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor|title=Corporate Voting is Highly Corrupt|date=December 1998|access-date=14 July 2009|url=http://www.hkhrm.org.hk/english/reports/enw/enw1298b.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227132020/http://www.hkhrm.org.hk/english/reports/enw/enw1298b.htm|archive-date=27 February 2009|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The voting power he wields through this system has been described as equivalent to anywhere from 6,100 to 15,940 votes in geographic constituencies, which has led to criticism by the ''Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor''.<ref name="HRM"/><ref>{{harvnb|Callick|1998|p=148}}</ref>
Ng has spoken out in support of the "Application List" system for the sale of government land and in 2008 remained publicly optimistic about the prospects for the Hong Kong property market.<ref>{{citation|periodical=Ta Kung Pao |date=2 March 2008 |access-date=14 July 2009 |title=黃志祥讚勾地多元化 |url=http://www.takungpao.com/news/08/03/02/GW-871522.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514022522/http://www.takungpao.com/news/08/03/02/GW-871522.htm |archive-date=14 May 2008 }}</ref>
In December 2021, it was reported that Ng was eligible to vote four times in the 2021 Hong Kong legislative election, yielding 0.0347375% of the total voting value (elected seats), which is 6989 times more than the value of an average voter's total voting value.<ref>{{Cite web|last=FactWire|date=2021-12-15|title=Factwire: 41 privileged voters have 7,200 times greater power than a regular Hong Kong voter following election revamp|url=https://hongkongfp.com/2021/12/16/factwire-41-privileged-voters-have-7200-times-greater-power-than-a-regular-hong-kong-voter-following-election-revamp/|access-date=2021-12-16|website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP|language=en-GB}}</ref>
In 2024, Robert Ng and three of his children, Daryl, Nikki, and David, declared that that they were Singaporean citizens, and also served as CPPCC members.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Singapore tycoon Robert Ng and his three children designated as 'politically significant persons' |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-robert-ng-daryl-nikki-david-fica-politically-significant-persons-5080146 |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=CNA |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tse |first=Hans |date=2025-05-18 |title=Explainer: What to know about HK's Article 23 security law update |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2025/05/18/explainer-6-new-offences-6-prohibited-places-what-to-know-about-hong-kongs-article-23-security-law-update/ |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Hong Kong Free Press HKFP |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Personal life== Ng is married to Yeoh Saw Kheng who is the third daughter of Yeoh Ghim Seng, the former Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore.<ref>{{citation|title=黃志祥家族谷草旺 |periodical=Apple Daily |date=11 February 2009 |access-date=15 July 2009 |url=http://hk.mark6.atnext.com/template/racing/art_main.cfm?sec_id=3403908&showdate=20090211&art_id=12188550 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716130841/http://hk.mark6.atnext.com/template/racing/art_main.cfm?sec_id=3403908&showdate=20090211&art_id=12188550 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 July 2012 }}</ref> Robert Ng is a staunch Christian and refers to Far East Organization as a Christian enterprise.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/profile/robert-philip-ng/#4de82bd35677 #123 Robert & Philip Ng]</ref>
Ng's eldest son Daryl Ng Win Kong was born in Hong Kong in 1978 but holds Singaporean citizenship.<ref>{{citation |title=香港富豪第三代表現受關注/Performance of Hong Kong's third-generation tycoons closely watched |date=21 June 2009 |url=http://www.takungpao.com/news/09/06/21/EP-1100906.htm |periodical=Ta Kung Pao |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801062543/http://www.takungpao.com/news/09/06/21/EP-1100906.htm |access-date=15 July 2009 |archive-date=1 August 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He is the deputy chairman of Sino Group<ref>{{Cite web |title=Board of Directors & Board Members |url=https://www.sino.com/en-US/About-Us/Management-Profile/Sino-Land-Company-Limited}}</ref> and the Chairman of Yeo Hiap Seng.
Ng's eldest daughter, Nikki Ng Mien Hua (黃敏華) attended Yale University as an undergraduate, and went on to receive a master's degree from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.<ref name="HKHCF">{{citation|publisher=Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation|url=http://www.hkheritage.org/en/about.asp|title=About us|access-date=15 July 2009}}</ref> She was later appointed to the position of general manager of the Sino Group.<ref>{{citation|url=http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/08/04/QB0808040002.htm |periodical=Wen Wei Po |date=4 August 2008 |access-date=15 July 2009 |title=「大好友」第三代亮相「荃新天地」/Sino's third generation make public appearance at Citywalk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111022749/http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/08/04/QB0808040002.htm |archive-date=11 November 2009 }}; includes a picture of Daryl and Nikki Ng at a ceremony after the opening of one of the Sino Group's new real estate projects</ref> Her activities outside of Sino Group include membership of the 11th Qingdao Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.<ref name="HKHCF"/> Ng also has two younger daughters Jeanne Ng Mien Yi (黃敏儀) and Christine Ng Mien Yin (黃敏音).<ref name="AppleDaily">{{citation|url=http://hk.mark6.nextmedia.com/template/racing/art_main.cfm?sec_id=3400631&art_id=10925146&showdate=20080330&tt_cat=3472284 |periodical=Apple Daily |date=30 March 2008 |access-date=15 July 2009 |title=黃志祥家族大反撲/Robert Ng's family makes a comeback |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714175519/http://hk.mark6.nextmedia.com/template/racing/art_main.cfm?sec_id=3400631&art_id=10925146&showdate=20080330&tt_cat=3472284 |archive-date=14 July 2011 }}</ref>
Beginning in the late 1990s, the family became more active in the Hong Kong Jockey Club.<ref name="AppleDaily"/> Daryl, Nikki, and Jeanne own four horses between them,<ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/Horse.asp?HorseNo=J082|publisher=Hong Kong Jockey Club|title=Racing Information: Horses|access-date=15 July 2009|chapter=North Hill (J082)}}</ref><ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/Horse.asp?HorseNo=G064|publisher=Hong Kong Jockey Club|title=Racing Information: Horses|access-date=15 July 2009|chapter=Hawkes Bay (G064)}}</ref><ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/Horse.asp?HorseNo=H313|publisher=Hong Kong Jockey Club|title=Racing Information: Horses|access-date=15 July 2009|chapter=Happee Gift (H313)}}</ref><ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/horse.asp?HorseNo=G033|title=Racing Information: Horses|access-date=15 July 2009|chapter=Walkonthewildside (G033)}}</ref> while the elder Ng himself owns eight and his wife one.<ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/ownersearch.asp?horseowner=Robert%20Ng%20Chee%20Siong|publisher=Hong Kong Jockey Club|title=Racing Information: Owner Search|access-date=15 July 2009|chapter=Robert Ng Chee Siong}}</ref><ref>{{citation|chapter-url=http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/ownersearch.asp?horseowner=Yeoh%20Saw%20Kheng|publisher=Hong Kong Jockey Club|title=Racing Information: Owner Search|access-date=15 July 2009|chapter=Yeow Saw Kheng}}</ref> At one point in 2002, Ng was said to be interested in joining the 12-member board of stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club; however, some of the club's 200 voting members objected due to Ng's conduct during the futures market collapse in 1987.<ref>{{citation|title=HK Confidential |last=Pun |first=Pamela |periodical=The Standard |date=18 June 2002 |access-date=15 July 2009 |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=17747&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=20020618 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Both Daryl and Nikki are members of the five-person board of the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation.<ref name="HKHCF"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
===Sources=== *{{citation|title=Comrades & capitalists: Hong Kong since the handover|first=Rowan|last=Callick|publisher=UNSW Press|year=1998|isbn=978-0-86840-728-9}} *{{citation|last=Backman|first=Michael|title=Asian eclipse: exposing the dark side of business in Asia|publisher=J. Wiley|year=2001|isbn=978-0-471-47912-3}} *{{citation|title=Asian Godfathers: Money and Power in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia|publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press|isbn=978-0-87113-968-9|last=Studwell|first=Joe|year=2007|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/asiangodfathers00joes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ng, Robert}} Category:Singaporean businesspeople Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Singaporean billionaires Category:Singaporean emigrants to Hong Kong Category:Hong Kong billionaires Category:Hong Kong chief executives Category:Singaporean Christians Category:Singaporean people of Henghua descent Category:Sino Group Category:Members of the Selection Committee of Hong Kong Category:Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 1998–2000 Category:Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2000–2005 Category:Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2007–2012 Category:Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2017–2021 Category:Members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2021–2026 Category:People with acquired permanent residency of Hong Kong Category:Land developers of Hong Kong Category:Hong Kong Affairs Advisors Category:Fellows of Somerville College, Oxford