Former Hong Leong senior executive Roger Tan dies

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Roger Tan Kim Hock, a former senior executive at the Hong Leong Financial Group, has passed away at age 64 after an illness.

Tan was a key figure in the financial group in its early years and a close confidante of group chieftain Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan.

He was “the face” of the financial group as Quek remained lowkey.

In 2004, when Tan resigned as president and chief executive officer of Hong Leong Credit Bhd (HLC) and relinquished several directorships in the group, industry players described his departure as the end of the era of the “old guards” of the group.

After Tan left the Hong Leong group, he joined ECM Libra as deputy executive chairman.

Tan obtained his Bachelor of Law degree from the London School of Economics and qualified as a barrister-at-law from Gray’s Inn, Britain.

He was in legal practice between 1972 and 1976.

He joined Hong Leong Property Management Co Sdn Bhd in 1976 as the general manager of the property division and went on to become the managing director of Hong Leong Industries Bhd in 1985.

In 1988, he joined hlg securities Sdn Bhd as the chief executive officer, a position he held till 1993.

Thereafter, Tan left to assume the post of president and chief executive officer of Hume Industries (M) Bhd until June 2001.

On July 1, 2001,Tan joined HLC as its president and chief executive officer.

Tan was appointed to the board of Hong Leong Bank on Nov 28, 2001. Tan was also the non-executive director of Pavilion Real Estate Investment Trust.

Unisem (M) Bhd executive director Francis Chia described Tan as a caring, generous and loyal friend.

“I’ve known him for at least 30 years. I first knew him through my brothers when he got back from the United Kingdom. And since then, we’ve been good friends and socialise frequently. We got closer after he worked with my wife Yvonne (managing director of Hong Leong Bank),” said Chia.