The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has announced the establishment of an Advisory Board for the Smart Mobility Technology Alliance (SMTA), an initiative designed to accelerate the adoption and scaling of next-generation smart mobility technologies across the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

According to ASTRI, the SMTA aims to address critical challenges and foster a commercially-driven ecosystem for innovation in the smart mobility sector.

A Blend of Industry, Market and Policy Expertise

The newly-formed Advisory Board comprises leaders from infrastructure, transport, telecommunications and academia, offering what ASTRI describes as a wide-ranging blend of industry expertise, market intelligence and policy insight. Drawing on their networks and experience across the public and private sectors, the board will shape the SMTA's strategic priorities, identify emerging opportunities and provide guidance on the evolving mobility landscape.

"The formation of the SMTA Advisory Board underscores ASTRI's commitment to advancing Hong Kong as a regional leader in technology-driven mobility,“ said Ir Dr Ted Suen, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI. ”By uniting industry, government, academia and research around a shared vision, this strategic alliance will unlock commercial opportunities and deliver transformative solutions that redefine the future of mobility," he added.

What the Board Will Do

ASTRI outlined the Advisory Board's remit as follows:

  • Provide strategic guidance on the SMTA's vision and research and development priorities, helping align initiatives with market needs and commercialisation opportunities.
  • Support ecosystem development by fostering partnerships across industry, academia and the public sector.
  • Facilitate pilot projects and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Offer insights on policy and standards.
  • Promote engagement with key stakeholders and international partners to advance future mobility innovation.

Advisory Board Membership

The board's leadership and members, as announced by ASTRI, are:

Chairman

  • Dr Ying Huang, Chief Technology Officer, ASTRI

Deputy Chairman

  • Mr Dominic Chow, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation, HKSAR Government

Secretary

  • Dr Ivan Sham, Chief Director, Technical Solutions Business Development, ASTRI

Members (listed by ASTRI in alphabetical order by surname)

  • Mr Lawrence Fong, Director, Digital and IT, Cathay Pacific Airways Limited
  • Mr William Ho, Executive Director, Corporate Development, Airport Authority Hong Kong
  • Ir Dr John Hui, Deputy Executive Director, Vocational Training Council
  • Mr Ryan Ip, Vice President of Our Hong Kong Foundation
  • Prof Mei-po Kwan, Director, Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Dr Gabriel Leung, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Solutions, Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited
  • Mr Roger Ma, General Manager (Operations), Citybus Limited
  • Mr Steve Ng, Managing Director, Commercial Group, HKT Limited
  • Ms Sylvia Ng, Deputy Director, Corporate Development, MTR Corporation Limited
  • Mr BY Sim, General Manager (Hong Kong SAR), Thales Solutions and Services Hong Kong Limited
  • Mr Alex Wong, Deputy CEO, Corporate Affairs, Hong Kong Representative Office, Huawei International Co Limited
  • Dr Rosana Wong, Deputy Chair and Executive Director, Yau Lee Holdings Limited
  • Ms Yan Yan, General Manager, Keeta Drone Hong Kong
  • Ms Theresa Yeung, Managing Principal, East Asia, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited

Background on the Alliance

Launched by ASTRI in April 2023, the Smart Mobility Technology Alliance (formerly the Smart Mobility Technology (C-V2X) Alliance) provides a networking and knowledge-sharing platform for ecosystem stakeholders. These include infrastructure manufacturers, telecommunications providers, EV and drone developers, system integrators and end users from China, in particular the Greater Bay Area, and overseas markets, all seeking to explore collaboration and technology commercialisation in the smart mobility field.

ASTRI was founded in 2000 by the HKSAR Government and describes itself as the city's largest government-funded R&D centre. The institute says it works to transform high-impact research into practical innovations across sectors including Smart City, FinTech, Digital Health and Life Sciences, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and Advanced Electronics, New Energy and Energy Storage, and Green and ESG Technologies. Following its merger with the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute, ASTRI reports holding over 1,500 patents and 2,200 successful cases of technology transfer.