Founded in 1970, the Hong Kong Computer Society (HKCS) is a 100% vendor-neutral non-profit organisation that has played a key role in developing Hong Kong's ICT community and industry for over five decades.
For Dave Chen, president of HKCS, this neutrality is what sets the society apart.
"I always say that it's one of the few associations I know that is almost run by end-users, not by vendors that are trying to sell technology to the end-users. I really appreciate their support. I didn't find a society that has so many people to support each other when we need any help."
Chen said, attributing much of this culture to previous leaders who, in his view, spent significant effort maintaining strong relationships across the community.
From professional body to ecosystem enabler
With over half a century of history, Chen sees HKCS evolving from a relatively traditional professional association into a strategic ecosystem enabler aligned with Hong Kong's digital transformation goals.
"In Hong Kong, we have an aim to become an international centre. So HKCS plays a role in supporting such a direction. It was already mentioned in the 15th national five-year plan, especially with many initiatives we see nowadays," he said.
In recent years, Chen notes that HKCS has increasingly taken on the role of a bridge that connects government, industry, academia, and even global partners. He added that government investment, both in terms of funding and strategic direction, has intensified significantly over the past two years, marking a significant shift.
Leading through rapid technology change
Having spent the last 14 years as a volunteer at HKCS, Chen says his most challenging responsibility as president is navigating the organisation through rapidly evolving technology cycles.
"In the past, we talked about cloud, and suddenly we talked about cybersecurity, AI, robotics, and now quantum. We need to ensure every topic delivers value to the community. That is so challenging, learning new things, while at the same time bringing value to the community," he explained.
As members of the organisation come from a broad spectrum of Hong Kong's IT community, another challenge lies in organisational structure and cross-sector coordination. As an example, Chen pointed to the recent establishment of the Hong Kong CISO Board.
"For your information, we just established the CISO board. From the idea to the inauguration, it took less than a month. That's really fast. And they were very supportive," he said.
At the same time, Chen observes that member expectations continue to rise, with professionals looking for more relevant and meaningful content from the society.
Why the mission remains rewarding
Despite these challenges, Chen finds the work deeply rewarding because HKCS actively supports Hong Kong's innovation and technology ambitions, positioning itself as a key partner in the city's industry development.
One of the most fulfilling aspects for him is building an impactful board made up of senior leaders.
"They have a hundred associations they could join, but why do they choose HKCS? That's something we are really proud of," he said.
Equally important is nurturing young talent, an area where Chen believes HKCS excels. Through the two-year Leadership Acceleration Platform (ILEAP), the society develops future ICT leaders.
"For every cohort, we receive more registrations than available slots, so we need interviews. They call it a mini-MBA programme because we give them projects and mentoring. We bring in CIOs and CEOs as mentors," he shared.
Now in its seventh cohort, the programme has produced hundreds of graduates. "Most rewarding is that some graduates are already in head of IT positions after completing the programme. That shows it's really helping their careers," Chen said.
Challenges as an IT practitioner
From an IT practitioner's perspective, Chen identifies scaling AI adoption as a significant challenge. While many organisations have moved beyond pilot projects, he believes the real work lies in execution.
"We need to go back to the floor to really integrate AI and help enterprises achieve business objectives through it," he said.
Talent shortages also remain a pressing concern, particularly in AI, cybersecurity, and data governance. Strengthening cybersecurity was, in fact, one of the key motivations behind establishing the Hong Kong CISO Board.
"With cross-border data readiness and deeper collaboration with the mainland, end-users must manage compliance, trust, and security," he explained.
IT priorities toward 2026
Looking ahead, Chen advises technology vendors to focus on delivering measurable business value.
"Focus on business values and measure the success," he said, adding that vendors should align closely with Hong Kong's strategic priorities, including AI+, new industrialisation, SME digital transformation, and cross-border cooperation.
He also emphasised the importance of security governance and collaboration.
"We need to collaborate and co-create with enterprises, universities, and the government to build solutions together. You can't do it by yourself only," he stressed.
For newcomers to the field, Chen urges them to stay proactive, open to learning, and committed to continuous upskilling. He highlighted HKCS's role in fostering this through conferences and engagement with CIO and CISO boards.
"And last but not least, we also encourage our sons and daughters to study IT. We need to promote the good things about IT. The sooner young people understand this, the stronger Hong Kong's future IT talent pipeline will be," he concluded.
