Fresh roles: (in order of appearance) Carrie Lam, Andrew Wong, Yvonne Choi and Chang King-yiu  bring rich experience in public administration and proven leadership and management abilities to their new posts.

The Government has announced four senior appointments involving veteran Administrative Officers, all with rich experience in public administration and proven leadership and management abilities, Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue says.

The Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in London, Carrie Lam, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs.

The Permanent Secretary of the Chief Executive's Office, Andrew Wong, will assume the post of Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service. He will replace Rebecca Lai who will be resigning from the civil service in July this year.

Director of Information Services Yvonne Choi will take up the post of Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology (Commerce & Industry).

Director of Administration Chang King-yiu will assume the post of Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive's Office.

"I have every confidence they will ably lead their respective offices and continue to serve the community with professionalism and dedication in their new capacities," Ms Yue said.

She noted that Mrs Lai will have served in the civil service for almost 25 years when she leaves in July this year, and she has a distinguished record of public service and is a well-respected member of the Administrative Service.

"Throughout her career, Mrs Lai has served with enthusiasm and admirable abilities in many different fields, most recently in financial services, tourism and civil service. We are saddened to learn of her resignation but would respect her personal decision. I would like to extend to Mrs Lai and her family our warmest wishes for the future," Ms Yue said.

Appointments to the offices of Director-General, London, Director of Information Services and Director of Administration will be announced separately.

Brief biographical notes on the five officers are set out below:

* Carrie Lam

Aged 48, Mrs Lam joined the Administrative Service in August 1980 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in January 2001. She has served in many bureaux and departments, including the former Housing Branch, the former Office of Unofficial Members of Executive & Legislative Councils, the former Medical & Health Department, the former City & New Territories Administration, the former Security Branch, the former Survey Office, the former Securities Review Committee, the former Monetary Affairs Branch, the former Lands & Works Branch, the former Health & Welfare Branch, the Department of Health and the former Finance Branch.  She was Director of Social Welfare from August 2000 to October 2003, and Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Planning and Lands) from November 2003 to May 2004.  She has taken up the post of Director-General, London since September 2004.

* Andrew Wong

Aged 46, Mr Wong joined the Administrative Service in August 1982 and rose to his present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in January 2001. He has served in many bureaux and departments, including the former City & New Territories Administration, the former Office of Unofficial Members of the Executive & Legislative Councils, the former Education & Manpower Branch, the former Trade Department, the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Geneva, the then Chief Secretary's Office (later renamed Chief Secretary for Administration's Office) and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Brussels. He was Director of Administration from August 2000 to March 2004, and Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic & Trade Affairs to the European Communities from March 2004 to July 2005. He has been Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive's Office, since August 2005.

* Yvonne Choi

Aged 55, Miss Choi joined the Government in October 1973 and has served in the Translator, Labour Officer and Trade Officer Grades. She was a member of the Trade Officer Grade for 12 years before joining the Administrative Service at the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade C in April 1989.  She rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2004. Miss Choi has served in many bureaux and departments, including the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Geneva, the former Economic Services Branch, the then Chief Secretary's Office, the then Official Languages Agency and the then Trade Department. She was Deputy Secretary for Trade & Industry (later renamed Deputy Secretary for Commerce & Industry) from November 1998 to August 2001. She took up the post of Director of Information Services in January 2002.

* Chang King-yiu

Aged 44, Ms Chang joined the Administrative Service in August 1983 and rose to her present rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in July 2002. She has served in many bureaux and departments including the former City & New Territories Administration (and later the Home Affairs Department), the former Medical & Health Department, the former Transport Branch, the former Security Branch, the former Planning, Environment & Lands Branch and the former Home Affairs Branch. She was Deputy Secretary for Security from January 1997 to October 2000, and Deputy Director of Administration from October 2000 to March 2004. She assumed the post of Director of Administration in March 2004.

* Rebecca Lai