Dr. Gabriel Leung

One of Asia’s most respected higher education, health and philanthropic leaders, Gabriel Leung is known for his commitment to improving human capabilities, nurturing impactful innovation and building strong institutions. He is Executive Director (Charities and Community) of the Hong Kong Jockey Club overseeing its Charities Trust, while serving as a Governor of Wellcome Trust. Gabriel’s career has straddled academe, public service and philanthropy. From 2013 to 2022, he was the longest-serving Dean of Medicine and inaugural Helen and Francis Zimmern Professor in Population Health at the University of Hong Kong (HKU). Formerly, he was Hong Kong's Under Secretary for Food and Health then Director of the Chief Executive's Office in government. His research defined the epidemiology of three novel viral epidemics, namely SARS in 2003, H7N9 influenza in 2013 and most recently COVID-19. As minister, he led Hong Kong government's response against the 2009 influenza pandemic. He was founding co-director of HKU's World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control and established the Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health (D24H) at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park. Around the world, Gabriel regularly advises national and international agencies including the World Health Organisation, World Health Summit, Prince Mahidol Award Conference, Pasteur Network, Communicable Diseases Agency of Singapore and Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine and holds honorary professorships at Tsinghua, Peking Union Medical College Hospital and HKU.