Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1980

Twenty-Second Congregation Citations Mr. John Henry Bremridge, MA, OBE, JP Mr. John Henry Bremridge, Chairman of 14companies of the Swire Group, including John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd., Swire Pacific Ltd., Swire Properties Ltd., Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company, is a business magnate who spent the years o f his long career in Hong Kong. On graduating from Oxford University in 1949, he joined Butterfield and Swire as a fresh recruit and wasmade a junior executive of the company based in Hong Kong. In Hong Kong Mr. Bremridge devoted his time and energy to the development of sea and air trans port. With his far-sightedness and superb talent, he rose eventually in 1973 to be head o f the organiza tion. That the Swire Group went from strength to strength, bringing prosperity to Hong Kong, is due, in no small measure, to Mr. Bremridge's leadership, Mr. Bremridge has rendered invaluable service to the community in Hong Kong. He has served, until his recent resignation, as unofficial member of the Legislative Council since 1974 and of the Executive Council since 1977. During his term o f office he was member of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council and its sub-committee on Public Works. He was also member of the Advisory Committee on Corruption of the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Standing Committee on Direc torate Salaries and Conditions of Service. In addition, he has been Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourist Association, and has servedon the Transport Advisory Board, the Country Parks Board, and other com mittees and boards which w ill take too long to enumerate. In 1975 Mr. Bremridge joined the Univer sity and Polytechnic Grants Committee, becoming its Vice-Chairman in 1976 and Chairman in 1977. During his term of office, higher education took great steps forward under his wise guidance. In recognition of his signal service to the com munity in Hong Kong, Mr. Bremridge was made a Justice of the Peace in 1971 and awarded the O.B.E. in 1976. Mr. Bremridge is retiring at the end of this year and we here at this University should like to take this opportunity to wish him many happy years of retire ment. It is my privilege, Mr. Chancellor, to ask you to confer on Mr. John Henry Bremridge the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa. 3