George Ho
Hong Kong businessman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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] with his low key business partner, David Miao who was a major shareholder.
George Ho Cho-chi 何佐芝 | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 November 1919 |
| Died | 4 June 2014 (aged 94) |
| Other names | Ho Sai Yee (何世義) |
| Alma mater | King's College, Hong Kong University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Board member of | Commercial Radio Hong Kong |
| Children | 1 |
| Parent | Robert Hotung |
| George Ho Cho-chi | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 何佐芝 | ||||||||||||||
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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]
George Ho had 2 children. His older daughter, Linda, attended St. Paul's Co-educational College and his son George, 2 years younger than Linda, attended St. Stephen's College in Stanley before attending St. Paul's Co-educational College at Form 6.
His son, George Joseph Ho, succeeded him as chairman of Commercial Radio.