Chief Executive: Sam Hou Fai
Born in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, 1962, Sam Hou Fai earned a bachelor’s degree in law from Beijing’s Peking University. He also completed advanced studies in Portuguese language, culture and law at the University of Coimbra in Portugal, as well as further legal courses at the University of Macau. Sam participated in Macao’s first magistrate training course and further advanced courses at its Legal and Judicial Training Centre.
The chief executive began his career as a practicing lawyer in the mainland. He returned to Macao in 1993, after studying in Portugal, and worked as a judge of the Court of General Jurisdiction. Sam was later elected as a member of the Judiciary Committee of Macao.
“I would lead the sixth-term Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Government with the philosophy “Striving Together, Upholding Integrity and Innovating”. This was in order to push forward the work of most concern to the general public, while continuing to advance key initiatives crucial for long-term development.”
– Sam Hou Fai, Macao Chief Executive, 1 December 2024
From Macao’s return to the motherland in 1999 until August 2024, Sam held the position of president of the Court of Final Appeal. During this time, he also served as chairman of the Magistrate Council, a member of the Independent Commission for the Recommendation of Judges, a member of the Regional Legal Assistance and International Mutual Legal Assistance Working Committee and Honorary President of the Association for the Promotion of the Macao Basic Law.
On 13 October 2024, Sam won Macao’s Chief Executive Election. The State Council appointed him as the region’s sixth-term chief executive on 25 October. He assumed office on 20 December 2024, pledging to fully, faithfully and steadfastly implement the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ principle while resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests.
Principal Officials
Secretary for Administration and Justice: Andre Cheong Weng Chon
Born in Beijing in 1966, Andre Cheong holds a bachelor of arts in Portuguese studies from Beijing Foreign Studies University and a bachelor of law from the University of Macau. Before Macao’s 1999 handover, he served as registrar of the Real Estate Registry and director of the Judicial Affairs Bureau. Afterward, he was director of the Legal Affairs Bureau for 14 years, overseeing critical legislative initiatives.
From 2014 to 2019, Cheong led the Commission Against Corruption, enhancing Macao’s anti-corruption framework. Since 2019, his roles have included secretary for Administration and Justice, spokesperson for the Executive Council and deputy director of the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin’s management committee. Cheong also chaired the Gaming Concessions Public Tender Committee in 2022–2023.
After being reappointed as Macao’s secretary for Administration and Justice, Cheong noted that Xi’s vision for the new government’s direction provided a clear picture of what was to come. He also committed to strengthening Macao’s legal and administrative systems to support governance and national security objectives.
Secretary for Economy and Finance: Tai Kin Ip
Born in Macao in 1968, Tai Kin Ip has family roots in Jieyang, Guangdong Province. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Catholic University of Portugal and a master’s degree in government studies from the University of Saint Joseph, Macao.
Tai joined the Macao Economic Services, now known as the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, in 1995 and rose through the ranks to become its director in 2016 – a position he held until 2024. His tenure included leadership of several advisory and development committees, such as the SME Aid Scheme, Industrial and Commercial Development Fund, and High-Tech Sector Task Force.
He has also participated in several of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Policy Reviews of Macao, and has represented the Special Administrative Region at various international economic forums, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
As secretary for Economy and Finance, he said he would prioritise Macao’s economic diversification, aligning with national strategies like the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin to ensure sustainable growth and enhanced employment opportunities.
Secretary for Security: Wong Sio Chak
Born in Guangdong Province in 1968, Wong Sio Chak holds both a bachelor’s degree and doctorate in law from Beijing’s Peking University.
Beginning his career as a technician with Macao’s Judiciary Police, Wong progressed through several key roles, including acting director of the Judiciary Police, before being appointed assistant prosecutor-general of the Public Prosecutions Office on a permanent basis in March 2000. Later that year, he was appointed as director of the Judiciary Police. Prior to the city’s return to the motherland, Wong was instrumental in establishing post-handover security frameworks.
Wong was sworn in as secretary for security of the fourth-term government of Macao in 2014, a role he has now kept through three successive governments. Since then, he has overseen public safety and law enforcement – leading efforts to modernise Macao’s national security laws, while emphasising the need for ongoing legislative and operational enhancements.
After his latest reappointment, Wong pledged that he and his colleagues would do their utmost to fulfil their responsibilities in line with Xi’s directives. He also described Macao’s national security law amendments as “a new starting point, not an endpoint”.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture: O Lam
Born in Guangdong Province in 1974, O Lam holds a bachelor’s degree in international economics and finance from Guangzhou’s Jinan University and an MBA from the American Graduate School of Business in Switzerland.
Her career includes senior positions in sports development, municipal administration, and government advisory. O played a key role in organising the 2005 East Asian Games and later served as advisor and chief-of-office in the Chief Executive’s Office. From 2019 to 2024, she was vice chairperson of the Municipal Affairs Bureau’s administration committee and led the Macau Slaughter House Board.
In her new role as secretary for Social Affairs, O promised that her department would work hard to engage with the community, particularly youth groups, to better understand their needs. O vowed to take a more people-centred approach, placing the public’s aspirations for a better life “as the starting and ending point of our work.”
Secretary for Transport and Public Works: Raymond Tam Vai Man
Born in Macao in 1960, Raymond Tam holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a minor in urban planning from Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University, a master’s degree in public administration from Guangzhou’s Sun Yat-sen University and a master’s in environmental and hydraulic engineering from the University of Macau.
Tam’s career began in municipal services and he served as acting department head at the Municipal Council of Macao prior to the city’s handover. His leadership roles since then have included serving as director of the Environmental Protection Bureau and chair of the Energy Conservation Fund. He also briefly led the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau.
In his new role, Tam said that his department’s work would enable the people of Macao to “fly higher, go further, and achieve better development.”
Prosecutor-General of the Public Prosecutions Office: Chan Tsz King
Born in Hong Kong in 1970, Chan Tsz King obtained a bachelor’s degree in law from the Autonomous University of Lisbon in Portugal. He then went on to complete the first Training Course for Magistrates of Macao Courts and the Public Prosecutions Office in 1997, and the inaugural Advanced Course of the Magistrate Training Centre in 1998.
Chan was appointed as prosecutor of the Public Prosecutions Office in 1997 and promoted to assistant prosecutor-general in 2000. From 2012 to 2019, he was assigned to the Office of the Courts of Final Appeal and Second Instance of Public Prosecutions Office. He served as Macao’s commissioner against corruption between 2019 and 2024.
Chan has been active in legal training, having taught at the University of Macau’s law faculty between 1998 and 2004. He was a member of the magistrate training course’s pedagogical council between 2006 and 2008.
Chan has contributed to various legal committees and councils, including the Prosecutors’ Committee, the Law Reform Council and the Asset Freezing Coordination Commission. In his new role, Chan said he and his team would diligently fulfil a holistic approach to national security, uphold the rule of law and unswervingly carry out the constitutional order of the Constitution and the Basic Law of Macao.
Commissioner Against Corruption: Ao Ieong Seong
Born in Macao in 1984, Ao Ieong Seong earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from the University of Macau.
She began her career as an investigator with the Commission Against Corruption and later served as a public prosecutor, specialising in criminal proceedings. She also worked as a senior instructor in her alma mater’s law faculty.
From 2019 to 2024, Ao was Macao’s deputy commissioner against corruption and director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, where she spearheaded initiatives to strengthen transparency and accountability.
As commissioner, Ao has said she would focus on enhancing anti-corruption measures and fostering a culture of integrity in public administration.
Commissioner of Audit: Ao Ieong U
Born in Guangdong Province in 1968, Ao Ieong U holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, a master’s degree in software engineering from the University of Macau and a master’s degree in comparative jurisprudence from Huaqiao University in Quanzhou.
She began her career in public service as a senior technician with Macao’s Judiciary Police in 1994, later advancing to leadership positions in the Identification Services Bureau, including as its director (2014–2019). Ao served as the president of the Pension Fund monitoring committee from 2015 to 2019.
Between 2019 and 2024, she served as secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, overseeing numerous committees related to education, youth and elderly affairs, heritage and the Guangdong-Macao Intensive Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, among others. Ao has also been heavily involved in organising the 15th National Games, which will be co-hosted by Macao in November this year.
In her new role as commissioner of audit, Ao Ieong will dedicate her energy to improving financial oversight and ensuring transparency in the management of public resources.
Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service: Leong Man Cheong
Born in Macao in 1964, Leong Man Cheong holds a bachelor’s degree in police sciences from the Academy of Public Security Forces of Macao and a master’s degree in law from the Macau University of Science and Technology.
His extensive career in law enforcement began in 1988, when he joined the Public Security Police Force. While there, he held various leadership positions including at the Special Duties Unit’s anti-riot squad and as commander of the Command Department’s auxiliary team.
In 2003, Leong was appointed as head of the Intelligence Analysis Centre of the Unitary Police Service’s liaison office, before moving on to command the Public Security Police Force’s Special Duties Unit in 2005. He assumed the post of head of the Public Security Police Force’s operations department in 2013 and became assistant to the Commissioner-General of the Unitary Police Service in 2014.
Leong took up his ongoing role as commissioner-general of the Unitary Police Service in December 2019. In this role, he oversees the coordination of public security strategies and initiatives, ensuring Macao’s safety and stability through effective management of police operations.
Director-General of Macao Customs: Adriano Marques Ho
Born in Macao in 1967, Adriano Marques Ho earned a bachelor’s degree in law from the Macao University of Science and Technology.
He joined the Judiciary Police in 1988, where he progressed through senior roles, including as the chief coordinator of criminal investigations and as Macao’s senior assistant inspector-general – a position he began in 2022. From 2020 to 2024, Ho served as director of the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.
Now, as the new director-general of Macao Customs, Ho is tasked with modernising customs operations, enhancing trade facilitation, and strengthening border security to align with Macao’s development goals and national security priorities.
“The main objectives of the principal officials in my government are to advance the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, enhance the well-being of our citizens, safeguard national security, and lead the local community in collaboratively building a brighter future.
I recognise the high expectations that Macao society has for the new government team, but I am confident in their commitment and unity to fulfill our responsibilities effectively.”
– Sam Hou Fai, Macao Chief Executive, 1 December 2024
