Irene Chu

Philanthropist

Ex-banker Irene Chu has dedicated her retirement to improving the world—and her choices are reflected in everything she does, including her personal style

A former banker who also worked at the UN, these days Irene Chu devotes her time to philanthropy. After graduating with an MA in the US, she worked at the United Nations. She was then recruited by Citibank in New York, working for the International Financial Institutions and International Private Banking divisions. She joined Barclays as part of its newly established International Private Banking team in New York. After moving to Hong Kong, she worked for banks Credit Suisse and Pictet, and for global executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles.

Since retiring, Irene Chu has dedicated herself to a range of good causes: she is a member of the Habitat for Humanity’s Asia-Pacific Development Council; chairman of the Asia Pacific Development Council of Oxford University’s China Centre; and a board member of the World Economic Forum’s World Arts Forum. She is also involved with the Brain Health Initiative in Hong Kong, which helps improve the lives of people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Named to the Asia's Most Influential 2021 and the Asia's Most Stylish 2022 lists, Chu's fashion inspiration is very much in sync with the humanitarian work she now dedicates herself to. Not only does she express humour through her quirky style–after all, she believes that fashion is a reflection of one’s personality–she also cites Gandhi as her ultimate style icon.

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Did You Know?


Irene Chu played a pivotal role in getting Habitat for Humanity envelopes onto the planes of Japanese airline Peach, where it often received donations higher than the low-cost carrier’s ticket prices.

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