Clara Chan Ka-chai earned the monikers “goddess” and “little chilli” for deftly negotiating Cathay Pacific Airways’ HK$39 billion (US$5.2 billion) rescue plan in 2020, which catapulted her into the CEO’s chair at the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC).
Chan’s handling of the Hong Kong flag carrier’s bailout within three months of the Covid-19 pandemic proved her mettle, which led her to be considered for the top job at the government-run HK$62 billion wealth fund last October, according to two sources familiar with the hiring process.
