The head of corporate safety at a major Hong Kong-based multinational rail operator has been elected to become president of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).Dr Vincent Ho will become president of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) in September 2018, bringing with him extensive experience of working in Asia, USA, Europe and Australia.
His firm, MTR Corporation, employs more than 32,000 people worldwide. As well as Hong Kong, it has operations across China, in Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden, and Melbourne and Sydney in Australia.
It is also the operator of London Crossrail in the UK.
Dr Ho also has experience of being an appointed member of senior government committees in Hong Kong and has connections across public and private sectors. He was previously vice-president of IOSH.
He is a career risk management professional with 35 years of experience in the transportation, nuclear, and defense industries, and the founding chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Risk Management and Safety and was previously vice-president of IOSH.
Dr. Ho received his BS, MS, PhD, and MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also been a Adjunct Professor at the City University of Hong Kong, and taught at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on risk management related subjects.
He has also served on various government boards and committees, including the Independent Police Complaints Council, Inland Revenue Board of Review, and various appeal and disciplinary boards of safety-related ordinances.
Dr. Ho had conducted research in artificial intelligence, magnetohydrodynamic power generation, fire growth in microgravity environment, space travel, inherently safe nuclear reactors, and dynamic human action analysis.
He has even volunteered as a Reserve Police Officer for the City of Pasadena in Los Angeles, and participated in patrol and undercover operations.
He was elected by members of IOSH’s Council, its representative body, when it met on Wednesday last week (13 September).
The news comes as IOSH delivers its five-year strategy, WORK 2022, which has three key strands: enhancing the health and safety profession; building strategic collaborative partnerships across industry; and strengthening its influence globally.
Speaking after his election, Dr Ho said: “My election shows that IOSH means business as we aim to deliver our strategy and influence health and safety across the globe.
“I am delighted that I have been chosen to serve as a future President of IOSH. This is a very exciting time for the institution and the profession as a whole. We have to keep building on the momentum towards safer and healthier work and strengthen our impact worldwide.
“Next year we have a major Asia-Pacific conference coming to Hong Kong. Having a President from that area will send a great message out about IOSH’s impact.”
Dr Ho will become president-elect of IOSH at its AGM in November. He will become president at next year’s AGM, which has been brought forward to September.
As well as delivering the strategy, his term in office will coincide with the APOSHO (Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organizations) Conference in Hong Kong towards the end of 2018, hosted by IOSH’s Hong Kong branch.
At last week’s IOSH Council meeting, held at Chesford Grange, near Kenilworth, UK, members also voted in current president-elect Craig Foyle to become president this November.
Serving IOSH president Graham Parker will become immediate past president.
This would not be because he can promote IOSH training in the pacific area would it????jc8ly
Graham,
As a member of IOSH Council, I can assure you that we have elected an outstanding candidate in Dr Vincent Ho. He is a global leader in the world of health and safety and I am proud and delighted that IOSH has elected it’s first non-UK President, and as a newly-elected Vice President, it will be a great privilege to work with Vincent.
Best regards, Jonathan – IOSH Council Member, and Vice-President Elect.
He is obviously a very busy chap and this leads me to ask a few cynical questions With the first being has a he actually got enough time to spend on IOSH? Another would be is that in view of his wide field of knowledge and his onerous normal duties has he first hand knowledge and experience of everyday terrestrial activities to be of value and use to normal IOSH Branches and Members. I do wish him success, but I have my doubts about his value to IOSH UK