# Chief Secretary for Administration

The chief secretary for administration is the second-highest government official in Hong Kong, right after the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. When the chief executive is on leave, the chief secretary for administration will act on their behalf.
The chief secretary for administration heads the Government Secretariat, which oversees the administration of the Region to which all other ministers belong. The chief secretary for administration reports to the chief executive and to the Legislative Council. Under Article 53 of the Basic Law, the position is known as "Administrative Secretary".
The chief secretary formulates and implements government policy, gives advice to the Chief Executive as a member of the Executive Council, and is responsible for managing the Government's relationship with the Legislative Council and drawing up the Government's legislative programme. The office (“Department of Administration” per Article 60 of the Basic Law) also exercises certain statutory functions, such as the handling of appeals from designated public bodies.
Prior to the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the office was known simply as "Chief Secretary" (Chinese: 布政司; Cantonese Yale: Boujingsī), and before 27 August 1976, "Colonial Secretary"(Chinese: 輔政司; Cantonese Yale: Fuhjingsī). Until the introduction of the Principal Officials Accountability System in 2002, the Chief Secretary was a civil service position, and in this capacity, the head of the public service. In 2005, Henry Tang became the first person who has not been a civil servant to be appointed to the office of the chief secretary.
From the 1870s to 1902 the colonial secretary was the de facto lieutenant governor of Hong Kong which was once held by the commander of British Forces in Hong Kong before 1870s when the post was not lapsed from power. After 1902 the title disappeared from use as the second highest post was transferred to the colonial secretary and later, chief secretary.

## List of chief secretaries of Hong Kong
### Colonial secretaries, 1843–1941

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Governor |
| 1 | George Alexander Malcolm 麻恭 | 26 June 1843 | 29 August 1843 | Sir Henry Pottinger (1843–1844) |
| 2 | Sir Frederick Wright-Bruce 卜魯斯 | 9 February 1844 | 1846 | Sir Henry Pottinger (1843–1844) |
| 2 | Sir Frederick Wright-Bruce 卜魯斯 | 9 February 1844 | 1846 | Sir John Francis Davis (1843–1848) |
| 3 | William Caine 威廉·堅 | 3 September 1846 | 12 April 1854 | Sir John Francis Davis (1843–1848) |
| 3 | William Caine 威廉·堅 | 3 September 1846 | 12 April 1854 | Sir George Bonham (1848–1854) |
| 4 | William Thomas Mercer 孖沙 | 13 April 1854 | 14 May 1867 | Sir John Bowring (1854–1859) |
| 4 | William Thomas Mercer 孖沙 | 13 April 1854 | 14 May 1867 | Sir Hercules Robinson (1859–1865) |
| 4 | William Thomas Mercer 孖沙 | 13 April 1854 | 14 May 1867 | Sir Richard MacDonnell (1866–1872) |
| 5 | John Gardiner Austin 柯士甸 | 7 May 1868 | 4 April 1878 | Sir Richard MacDonnell (1866–1872) |
| 5 | John Gardiner Austin 柯士甸 | 7 May 1868 | 4 April 1878 | Sir Arthur Kennedy (1872–1877) |
| 5 | John Gardiner Austin 柯士甸 | 7 May 1868 | 4 April 1878 | Sir John Pope Hennessy (1877–1882) |
| 6 | William Henry Marsh 馬師 | 3 January 1879 | 10 June 1887 | Sir John Pope Hennessy (1877–1882) |
| 6 | William Henry Marsh 馬師 | 3 January 1879 | 10 June 1887 | Sir George Bowen (1883–1887) |
| 7 | Frederick Stewart 史釗域 | 5 October 1887 | 6 October 1889 | Sir William Des Voeux (1887–1891) |
| 8 | Francis Fleming 菲林明 | 17 January 1890 | 26 February 1892 | Sir William Des Voeux (1887–1891) |
| 8 | Francis Fleming 菲林明 | 17 January 1890 | 26 February 1892 | Sir William Robinson (1891–1898) |
| 9 | G. T. M. O'Brien 柯布連 | 11 March 1892 | 30 April 1894 | Sir William Robinson (1891–1898) |
| 10 | Sir Stewart Lockhart 駱克 | 26 March 1895 | 23 April 1902 | Sir William Robinson (1891–1898) |
| 10 | Sir Stewart Lockhart 駱克 | 26 March 1895 | 23 April 1902 | Sir Henry Arthur Blake (1898–1903) |
| 11 | Sir Francis Henry May 梅含理 | 14 May 1902 | 30 April 1911 | Sir Henry Arthur Blake (1898–1903) |
| 11 | Sir Francis Henry May 梅含理 | 14 May 1902 | 30 April 1911 | Sir Matthew Nathan (1904–1907) |
| 11 | Sir Francis Henry May 梅含理 | 14 May 1902 | 30 April 1911 | Sir Frederick Lugard (1907–1912) |
| 12 | Warren Delabere Barnes 班士 | 7 June 1911 | 28 October 1911 | Sir Frederick Lugard (1907–1912) |
| 13 | Sir Claud Severn 施勳 | 22 February 1912 | 14 November 1925 | Sir Frederick Lugard (1907–1912) |
| 13 | Sir Claud Severn 施勳 | 22 February 1912 | 14 November 1925 | Sir Francis Henry May (1912–1918) |
| 13 | Sir Claud Severn 施勳 | 22 February 1912 | 14 November 1925 | Sir Reginald Stubbs (1919–1925) |
| 14 | Sir Thomas Southorn 修頓 | 1 May 1926 | 23 March 1936 | Sir Cecil Clementi (1925–1930) |
| 14 | Sir Thomas Southorn 修頓 | 1 May 1926 | 23 March 1936 | Sir William Peel (1930–1935) |
| 14 | Sir Thomas Southorn 修頓 | 1 May 1926 | 23 March 1936 | Sir Andrew Caldecott (1935–1937) |
| 15 | Norman Lockhart Smith 史美 | 26 November 1936 | 8 December 1941 | Sir Andrew Caldecott (1935–1937) |
| 15 | Norman Lockhart Smith 史美 | 26 November 1936 | 8 December 1941 | Sir Geoffry Northcote (1937–1941) |
| 15 | Norman Lockhart Smith 史美 | 26 November 1936 | 8 December 1941 | Sir Mark Aitchison Young (1941) |
| 16 | Sir Franklin Gimson 詹遜 | 8 December 1941 | 25 December 1941 | Sir Mark Aitchison Young (1941) |

### Colonial secretaries, 1946–1976

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Governor |
| 17 | David Mercer MacDougall 麥道高 | 1 May 1946 | 11 May 1949 | 2 years, 344 days | Sir Mark Aitchison Young (1946–1947) |
| 17 | David Mercer MacDougall 麥道高 | 1 May 1946 | 11 May 1949 | 2 years, 344 days | Sir Alexander Grantham (1947–1957) |
| 18 | John Fearns Nicoll 列誥 | 25 May 1949 | 23 January 1952 | 2 years, 243 days | Sir Alexander Grantham (1947–1957) |
| 19 | Sir Robert Brown Black 柏立基 | 20 February 1952 | 30 March 1955 | 3 years, 38 days | Sir Alexander Grantham (1947–1957) |
| 20 | Edgeworth Beresford David 戴維德 | 4 May 1955 | 24 January 1958 | 2 years, 265 days | Sir Alexander Grantham (1947–1957) |
| 20 | Edgeworth Beresford David 戴維德 | 4 May 1955 | 24 January 1958 | 2 years, 265 days | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 21 | Claude Bramall Burgess 白嘉時 | 24 January 1958 | 10 March 1963 | 5 years, 46 days | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 22 | Edmund Brinsley Teesdale 戴斯德 | 11 March 1963 | 28 March 1965 | 2 years, 18 days | Sir Robert Brown Black (1958–1964) |
| 22 | Edmund Brinsley Teesdale 戴斯德 | 11 March 1963 | 28 March 1965 | 2 years, 18 days | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 23 | Sir Michael Gass 祈濟時 | 4 September 1965 | 22 January 1969 | 3 years, 141 days | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 24 | Sir Hugh Norman-Walker 羅樂民 | 29 March 1969 | 29 September 1973 | 4 years, 185 days | Sir David Trench (1964–1971) |
| 24 | Sir Hugh Norman-Walker 羅樂民 | 29 March 1969 | 29 September 1973 | 4 years, 185 days | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |
| 25 | Sir Denys Roberts 羅弼時 | 30 September 1973 | 26 August 1976 | 2 years, 332 days | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |

### Chief secretaries, 1976–1997

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Governor |
| 1 | Sir Denys Roberts 羅弼時 | 27 August 1976 | 2 October 1978 | 2 years, 37 days | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |
| 2 | Sir Jack Cater 姬達 | 3 October 1978 | 19 November 1981 | 3 years, 48 days | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |
| 3 | Sir Philip Haddon-Cave 夏鼎基 | 20 November 1981 | 9 June 1985 | 3 years, 202 days | Sir Murray MacLehose (1971–1982) |
| 3 | Sir Philip Haddon-Cave 夏鼎基 | 20 November 1981 | 9 June 1985 | 3 years, 202 days | Sir Edward Youde (1982–1986) |
| 4 | Sir David Akers-Jones 鍾逸傑 | 10 June 1985 | 11 February 1987 | 1 year, 247 days | Sir Edward Youde (1982–1986) |
| 5 | Sir David Robert Ford 霍德 | 12 February 1987 | 28 November 1993 | 6 years, 290 days | Sir David Wilson (1987–1992) |
| 5 | Sir David Robert Ford 霍德 | 12 February 1987 | 28 November 1993 | 6 years, 290 days | Chris Patten (1992–1997) |
| 6 | Anson Chan 陳方安生 | 29 November 1993 | 30 June 1997 | 3 years, 214 days | Chris Patten (1992–1997) |

### Chief secretaries for administration, 1997–present

Political party: Nonpartisan
| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Duration | Chief Executive | Term |
| 1 | Anson Chan 陳方安生 | 1 July 1997 | 30 April 2001 | 3 years, 304 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2005) | 1 |
| 2 | Donald Tsang Yam-kuen 曾蔭權 | 1 May 2001 | 31 May 2005 | 4 years, 31 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2005) | 1 |
| 2 | Donald Tsang Yam-kuen 曾蔭權 | 1 May 2001 | 31 May 2005 | 4 years, 31 days | Tung Chee-hwa (1997–2005) | 2 |
| 3 | Rafael Hui Si-yan 許仕仁 | 30 June 2005 | 30 June 2007 | 2 years, 0 days | Donald Tsang (2005–2012) | 2 |
| 4 | Henry Tang Ying-yen 唐英年 | 1 July 2007 | 30 September 2011 | 4 years, 91 days | Donald Tsang (2005–2012) | 3 |
| 5 | Stephen Lam Sui-lung 林瑞麟 | 30 September 2011 | 30 June 2012 | 275 days | Donald Tsang (2005–2012) | 3 |
| 6 | Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor 林鄭月娥 | 1 July 2012 | 16 January 2017 | 4 years, 200 days | Leung Chun-ying (2012–2017) | 4 |
| 7 | Matthew Cheung Kin-chung 張建宗 | 16 January 2017 | 25 June 2021 | 4 years, 161 days | Leung Chun-ying (2012–2017) | 4 |
| 7 | Matthew Cheung Kin-chung 張建宗 | 16 January 2017 | 25 June 2021 | 4 years, 161 days | Carrie Lam (2017–2022) | 5 |
| 8 | John Lee Ka-chiu 李家超 | 25 June 2021 | 7 April 2022 | 287 days | Carrie Lam (2017–2022) | 5 |
| 9 | Eric Chan Kwok-ki 陳國基 | 1 July 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years and 218 days | John Lee (2022–present) | 6 |
* ↑ Resigned on 25 May 2005, with effect from 1 June 2005, Michael Suen served as acting Chief Secretary between 25 May and 30 June 2005.
* ↑ Resigned on 28 September 2011, with effect from 30 September 2011, Michael Suen served as acting Chief Secretary between 28 and 30 September 2011.
* ↑ Resigned on 12 January 2017, with effect from 16 January 2017, Matthew Cheung served as acting Chief Secretary from 13 to 16 January 2017.
* ↑ Resigned on 6 April 2022, with effect from 7 April 2022; Position vacant until 1 July 2022.

## Residence

The Chief Secretary resides at an official residence at 15 Barker Road, The Peak, Hong Kong, which is also known as Victoria House and Victoria Flats.