Financial Secretary (Hong Kong)

The Financial Secretary is the title held by the Hong Kong government minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. The position is among the three most senior Principal Officials of the Government, second only to the Chief Secretary in the order of precedence. Together with other secretaries, the Financial Secretary is accountable to the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive for his actions in supervising the formulation and implementation of financial and economic policies.
The position evolved out of the office of the Colonial Treasurer before 1940. The Financial Secretary is a member of the Executive Council, and gives advice to the Chief Executive in that capacity. He is also responsible for delivering the annual budget to the Legislative Council. To date, it is the only office among the three highest Principal Officials of the Government not to have been occupied by a woman.
The incumbent Financial Secretary is Paul Chan Mo-po.

Role

The financial secretary delivers the budget and oversees the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Housing Bureau, the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, and the Transport and Logistics Bureau. The financial secretary's office also exercises control over the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, which is Hong Kong's de facto central bank. The Office of the Government Economist and Budget and Tax Policy Unit are also attached to the Financial Secretary's Office.
The office is incorporated as a corporation sole, known as The Financial Secretary Incorporated.

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The Financial Secretary's residence is on 45 Shouson Hill Road in Deep Water Bay. It is listed as a grade 2 building. Described as a two-story neo-Georgian style residence built in 1935 and originally owned by Sir Shouson Chow as his own residence. The first Financial Secretary who moved into the building was Sir Charles Geoffrey Shield Follows.