Sir Robert Ho Tung, Hong Kong businessman

HF: Sir Robert Ho Tung Bosman (22nd December 1862 – 26th April 1956), also known as Sir Robert Ho Tung, was a businessman and philanthropist in British Hong Kong. Known as ”the grand old man of Hong Kong” he was knighted in 1915.

Ho Tung was Eurasian. His father, Charles Henry Maurice Bosman (1839-1892) was of Dutch Jewish ancestry, while his mother was Sze Tai, a Chinese woman. His father was a merchant who owned Bosman and Co., was part owner of the Hong Kong Hotel that opened in 1868, and was a director of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company. By 1869, Charles Bosman was also the Dutch Consul, running his own marine insurance business with important clients that included the British-owned trading conglomerate Jardine, Matheson & Co.

After graduating from Queen’s College 9n 1878, Ho Tung went to Canton, where he worked as a clerk for the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs. In 1880 he returned to Hong Kong and joined Jardine Matheson as an assistant in the compradore  department. His bilingual skills and business acumen eventually propelled him to become Head Compradore in 1894. By the age of 35 he was believed to be the richest man in Hong Kong.

Source: Wikipedia

This article was first posted on 28th August 2025.

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